For one airline, the days of stowing luggage in overhead compartments for free are ending.
Australian budget airline Jetstar announced that it is doing away with its 15.4-pound limit on carry-on luggage. However, the airline said that while luggage that can fit in front of the passenger under the seat will remain free of charge, placing luggage in the overhead units will carry a fee, the BBC reported.
The new charges will go into effect in February 2027, Jetstar said.
In a statement, Jetstar said prices for overhead luggage would begin at $18 for shorter flights and could rise up to nearly $37 for each piece of luggage.
“By giving customers an underseat bag with the option to add Priority Carry-on, we can make better use of overhead locker space, streamline boarding and help more flights depart on time,” Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully said in a statement.
Items that can still be stowed under the seats for free include a purse, laptop bag or small backpack that fits within specified measurements, the airline said.
Some passengers were angered by the charge, the BBC reported.
“Minimum of $25 to use an overhead locker in the plane. What next? A fee to use the toilet?” one user wrote in a social media post.
“We pay for food and drink, the seat and checked baggage already ... what’s next ... $10 for the use of soap and toilet paper in the bathroom?” another asked.
Other passengers welcomed the move.
“Sick of people with several bags taking all the space,” another person wrote on social, according to the BBC. “This is what happens when you are selfish and inconsiderate. We all get punished.”
“It will ruffle feathers because Australian travelers have got such high expectations,” Sharon Petersen, CEO of AirlineRatings.com, told The Associated Press. “For such a long time they lived in a bubble of full-service options only.”
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