Jetstar has announced a major shake-up to its carry-on baggage rules, and plenty of travellers aren’t happy. From February next year, passengers booking a standard fare will only be able to bring one small item that fits under the seat for free. If you want to store a larger carry-on bag in the overhead locker, you’ll need to pay an extra “Priority Carry-on” fee, starting at $25 on some domestic routes and rising to more than $50 on longer flights.
The airline says the change will speed up boarding, reduce delays and remove the frustration of gate bag weigh-ins, while also scrapping the old 7kg carry-on limit for those who pay for overhead locker access. Critics, however, have labelled it another airline “cash grab”, arguing passengers are paying extra for something that was previously included in the ticket price.
The announcement has sparked fierce debate online, with many travellers threatening to look elsewhere for future flights.
