Jetstar’s new carry-on policy is causing a stir - here’s why it might work
Opinion: Anyone who has ever flown with Jetstar will know the anxiety-inducing moment when staff whip out the scales at the gate and start scouting for potential overweight carry-on bags.
Now, the Aussie low-cost carrier is scrapping the 7kg weight limit in a major overall of its carry-on policy. But it comes at a cost.
Jetstar will now charge travellers a fee to have a small carry-on suitcase. Jetstar
From February 2027, all Jetstar bookings will now only include one under-seat bag “such as a backpack, handbag, or laptop bag”, measuring up to 40cm x 30cm x 20cm.
Travellers who want to take a small suitcase for the overhead locker, will instead have to pay a fee that starts at $25 one-way depending on the flight.
You will get more weight, though. Bags can be up to 10kg, but need to measure a maximum 56cm x 36cm x 23cm.
While the thought of having to pay for something that was previously free (or at least already included as part of the ticket price) has plenty of people seeing red, I don’t think it’s such a bad idea.
For starters, it cracks down on those travellers guilty of trying to get around previous weight limits and sneaking extra luggage on board.
By making the rules focus on size rather than weight, it becomes clear who is trying to get away with more than they should.
Secondly, and I think even more importantly, it reduces the scramble for overhead locker space.
The new rules will crack down on bag sizes instead of weight. Nine
By pre-purchasing the new Priority Carry-on option, which includes the second bag, those travellers will have the opportunity to be among the first to board.
This means anyone with a wheelie bag will be guaranteed a place for their bag in the overhead bin.
Beyond that, Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully told Stuff if there is still room those with “under-seat” bags can make use of the remaining space.
In a statement, Stephanie also said the changes mean the airline “can make better use of overhead locker space, streamline boarding and help more flights depart on time”.
If there is one thing people like complaining about with Jetstar it’s delayed flights. So anything to help improve that should be seen as a good thing.
It means travellers who need luggage will simply have to consider whether just paying for checked luggage is worth more in the long-run.
Jetstar said the changes will help streamline boarding and reduce delays. Getty
To add a piece of checked luggage to a Jetstar Starter fare on Australian domestic flights you can expect to pay between $30-$45 at the time of booking for a 15-20kg suitcase.
That’s just a touch more than the carry-on suitcase with a 10kg weight-limit would cost. So again I think the move is a smart way to reduce how much stuff people are lugging on board when they don’t need to be.
“But I don’t want to have to pay for it!” you’re likely shouting.
And I get it, especially in a world where everything is getting more and more expensive.
As we reported earlier this year, Jetstar took on feedback from customers and staff when reviewing its policy. The airline also claimed most of its customers tend to travel with only one bag anyway.
“We’re always looking for ways to make travel better for our customers and our people,” a spokesperson confirmed to nine.com.au at the time.
Even staff are happy about the changes with Jetstar telling nine.com.au that crew and airport teams are feeling positive about the move away from weighing bags at the gates.
So if there are no more scales to worry about, and the boarding process is smoother, I’d call that a win for taking some of the stress away from travelling.
It’s really up to everyone to decide for themselves whether that’s worth more.
