Jetstar will begin charging passengers who want to place bags in the overhead lockers, saying the change will help flights board more quickly and improve on-time performance.
Under the new system, the airline will scrap the seven-kilogram carry-on allowance that has been included with its lowest fares and has allowed customers to bring a larger bag or small suitcase into the cabin for overhead storage. Instead, every fare will include only one underseat bag, such as a backpack, handbag or laptop bag, at no extra cost. The underseat bag size limit will be up to 40 × 30 × 20cm.
The airline says the simpler model will remove the need to routinely weigh hand luggage, a process it believes slows boarding and contributes to delays. Jetstar will shift from its current weight-based approach to a size-based carry-on system, similar to low-fares airlines overseas, including Ryanair in Ireland. Ryanair reports an on-time performance rate of 85 per cent, roughly 10 per cent higher than Jetstar, which is the worst performer among Australia’s three major airlines.
The changes apply to Jetstar Airways flights departing from 02 February 2027, excluding group bookings of 10 or more passengers. From next year, all new bookings will include one underseat bag. Existing bookings after that date will be upgraded to include Priority Carry-on at no cost. Carry-on changes will not apply to Jetstar Japan (GK) operated flights.
Passengers who want more cabin baggage, or whose bag does not fit under the seat, will need to buy Priority Carry-on. That option includes a second, larger bag for the overhead locker and priority boarding, allowing those customers to be among the first onto the aircraft. The overhead bag size limit will be up to 56 × 36 × 23cm.
Priority Carry-on is limited and starts at $25 one-way on selected flights. Example fares include Launceston to Sydney one-way from $25, Adelaide to Brisbane one-way from $26, Sydney to Melbourne one-way from $33, Perth to Bali (Denpasar) one-way from $39, and Cairns to Tokyo (Narita) one-way from $52. On a Sydney to Launceston flight, a 20-kilogram checked bag and seat selection costs about $38.
Although Jetstar will no longer routinely use cabin baggage scales, it is asking customers to keep carry-on bags to 10kg so they can safely lift them themselves. There are no changes to checked baggage, which will still be available for purchase up to 40kg per passenger.
Travellers flying with infants will still be allowed an extra underseat bag for baby items at no additional cost. Qantas Frequent Flyer members who book Jetstar seats, or book through a Qantas code-share on the Qantas website or app, will continue to receive a checked bag and onboard luggage.
Jetstar said the decision followed research and feedback from both customers and crew, who repeatedly pointed to gate-side bag weighing and difficulty finding overhead locker space as some of the most stressful parts of the airport experience.
Jetstar CEO, Stephanie Tully, said: “We know that weighing carry-on bags at the gate can be frustrating for our customers and for our crew.”
“To make packing easier we’ve decided to remove the 7kg weight limit, so from February, the main thing customers will need to think about is the size of their carry-on.”
“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.”
“Our new carry-on baggage model provides more choice to customers while helping to keep our fares low. You only pay for what you need – travelling with less means paying less, and you can always add more if you need.”
The baggage overhaul comes as Jetstar continues to expand the amount of revenue it makes from add-on services such as baggage, meals and entertainment. Those ancillary charges now account for 20 per cent of total revenue, and the airline has said it plans to keep increasing fee-based charges as a way of holding down base fares.
