Cathay Pacific cuts fees on excess baggage

Travellers heading to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific will soon have less to pay for excess baggage. The changes will take effect from December 1st, with flyers paying $13 less per kilo over the limit.

The new system divides Cathay Pacific's destinations into specific zones. A flight from Sydney (Zone 3) to Hong Kong (Zone 1) has a charge of US$30 per kilo. Thanks to the strong Aussie dollar, that price remains virtually the same in our own currency.

Under the current system, in place until the end of November, excess baggage is priced at $43 per kilo. This charge is determined by a more complicated method, taking one percent of the maximum full-fare ticket price for a route as the per kilo charge that must be paid.

The changes mean flights from Australia to Hong Kong and back will attract smaller excess luggage charges and make it far easier to monitor how much you'll need to spend if you go over the limit.

The revised prices for flights to other zones and destinations can be viewed on Cathay Pacific's website.

By comparison, Qantas currently charge $35 per kilo of excess baggage on flights to Asia, although you can pre-purchase additional kilos for less if you book them online.

It's not uncommon for airlines to institute "streamlining" changes which actually result in customers having to pay more rather than less. And while new pricing may not be as beneficial for other Cathay destinations, for  Australians who tend to overpack the lower pricing is welcome news.