Beware Kulula – overcharging for not having ‘enough’ bags

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NoNameBrand

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We were just overcharged by Kulula.com for our luggage. What is rather perplexing is that we were 16 kilograms below the limit, but they informed us that we did not have ‘enough’ bags. There is a minimum number of bags across which this weight must be spread (I am not making this up).

A warning. Make sure that you take a few small bangs instead of a large one when you fly with Kulula or run the risk of paying a very high penalty.
 
Kulula's baggage conditions seem pretty standard. Did you read them before packing your bags?


"How many bags am I allowed to take?

You're entitled to take 1 free checked bag not weighing more than 20kg.

Any additional bags over the 1 free bag will cost you R300 per bag at the airport, but you can buy extra bags ahead of time and save up to 33%. Book bags online at the time of booking (or later) as long as its 2 hours prior to departure, via 'My bookings > Change my booking' or through the Contact Centre, 0861 KULULA (585852). Bags weighing more than the 20kg allowance will be charged a 'heavy bag' fee of R250 per bag at the airport. If you've packed your dumb bells and your bag weighs more than 32kg it will have to be transported as cargo, at your own cost. "
 
You had too much weight in too few bags. Eg If two people are traveling you can't carry 30kg in one bag for both of you.
 
NoNameBrand said:
We were just overcharged by Kulula.com for our luggage. What is rather perplexing is that we were 16 kilograms below the limit, but they informed us that we did not have ‘enough’ bags. There is a minimum number of bags across which this weight must be spread (I am not making this up).

A warning. Make sure that you take a few small bangs instead of a large one when you fly with Kulula or run the risk of paying a very high penalty.
Click to expand...

Every airline in the world operates like this.
 
I also don't like Kulula's bag policy and I won't fly kulula again because of tha bag policy and will use 1time instead because with 1 time I can take 20Kg's luggage (more than 1 bag with a total of 20Kg combined) without any problems or overcharging. Kulula's policy was like 1 time's before kulula decided to change the policy
 
From 1Time's Terms and conditions

https://www.1time.aero/Integration/TermsAndConditions/DefaultTermsAndConditions/2d0992aac00d93742d553111c98cb9c3

8. Baggage

8.1. Checked baggage is limited to 20 kg, plus one piece of hand luggage, limited to 5 kg, provided the hand luggage fits into the aircraft overhead bins.

8.2 Excess baggage will be charged at R 25 per additional kilogram carried for domestic flights within the Republic of South Africa. This charge may vary for flights outside of the Republic of South Africa. The local airport office will provide details of the cost on enquiry.


This is from kulula.com's baggage policy:

https://www.kulula.com/info/faqinfo.aspx#baggage-allowance

Baggage and extra bags

How many bags am I allowed to take?

You're entitled to take 1 free checked bag not weighing more than 20kg.

Any additional bags over the 1 free bag will cost you R300 per bag at the airport, but you can buy extra bags ahead of time and save up to 33%. Book bags online at the time of booking (or later) as long as its 2 hours prior to departure, via 'My bookings > Change my booking' or through the Contact Centre, 0861 KULULA (585852). Bags weighing more than the 20kg allowance will be charged a 'heavy bag' fee of R250 per bag at the airport. If you've packed your dumb bells and your bag weighs more than 32kg it will have to be transported as cargo, at your own cost.

Infants under the age of 2 years are entitled to 1 free checked bag @ 20kg. They may also travel with a collapsible pushchair and a child seat for free. No additional bags may be purchased for infants.
 
I don't understand the reason why Kulula is so sticky about this. Isn't the policy there it ensure that the plane isn't too heavy? So if 2 people are allowed 40kg's why would it matter if it is in 1,2 or 4 bags?

I think it's a money making thing - I can't see any other reason why the airline people are so sticky.

Also don't understand why they spend so much money on trying to appear friendly and customer-friendly and then pi$$ their customers off by being needlessly pedantic - if I wanted this type of bureacrasy I'd like in Europe :).

You spend all this money on marketing and those stoopid jokes to seem friendly ... why not just tell your airline staff to say something like - it's not policy but for this one time sir we'll make an exception. That's really being friendly - not just lip-service.

As long as it's not unsafe i.e. giving 2 people 60kgs - what's the harm? It'll only make Kulula look good.
 
It does sound like Kulula's policies have changed then..

I remember using Kulula two years back, my girl friend and I went to cape town and the bulk
of our stuff was in one bag which weighed 38kgs.

As it was "both" of ours, they still saw it as less than 40kgs and we were not penalized for it.

They did mark the bag as "heavy" and we had to take it to be checked in manually,
as was too heavy for conveyors.
 
@Nonamebrand Can you in the light of all the valid explenations/scenarios please explain what you did? Supposedly you combined your lugguage and tried to claim the 20kg allocation for each pax together? In theory this should work ie husband and wife have one beeeeg suitcase, especially the older folk:) wihch ways upto the limit! :)
 
Redsbaron said:
@Nonamebrand Can you in the light of all the valid explenations/scenarios please explain what you did? Supposedly you combined your lugguage and tried to claim the 20kg allocation for each pax together? In theory this should work ie husband and wife have one beeeeg suitcase, especially the older folk:) wihch ways upto the limit! :)
Click to expand...

?
 
If it is all about load balancing, then surely they should refuse to take your bag if its too heavy, because if everyone's bag is well over the weight limit but are prepared to pay, the the plane is going to be pretty unbalanced.
 
badtrev said:
If it is all about load balancing, then surely they should refuse to take your bag if its too heavy, because if everyone's bag is well over the weight limit but are prepared to pay, the the plane is going to be pretty unbalanced.
Click to expand...

I'm sure they can still "load balance" a heavy bag, it is most likely just more effort. Maybe they need to use a different way to lift it into the plane or it becomes a bit more tricky to stack the bags knowing it's a "heavy" bag vs. "standard" bag. I wouldn't be surprised if they simply place x bags on top of each in a certain section, and then a heavy is treated differently and throws all their rough cut calculations out of sync :)...hence they make you pay :)

As for the total weight, i am sure they pick up a total overweight issue during check-in . If the plane becomes overloaded, i suppose they move your bags to another plane (and hopefully inform you of this change of plans) or even move you with your bags to another plane...dunno :)
 
Last edited:
It's world wide because baggage handlers should not have to lift bags heavier then 20Kg.
 
NoNameBrand said:
We were just overcharged by Kulula.com for our luggage. What is rather perplexing is that we were 16 kilograms below the limit, but they informed us that we did not have ‘enough’ bags. There is a minimum number of bags across which this weight must be spread (I am not making this up).

A warning. Make sure that you take a few small bangs instead of a large one when you fly with Kulula or run the risk of paying a very high penalty.
Click to expand...

Rob_Vember, is that you?
 
Naks said:
b*ll. What about the obese guy who weighs 150kg vs (SWAMBO + I) who weigh about 120kg together, but still get the same baggage allowance?
Click to expand...
Bags don't have human rights while fatsos do. Fact of life, I'm sure the airlines would love to charge extra based on some average human weight.
 
We were just overcharged by Kulula.com for our luggage. What is rather perplexing is that we were 16 kilograms below the limit, but they informed us that we did not have ‘enough’ bags. There is a minimum number of bags across which this weight must be spread (I am not making this up).

A warning. Make sure that you take a few small bangs instead of a large one when you fly with Kulula or run the risk of paying a very high penalty.
Click to expand...

1 bag per person per seat, up to 20kg,

The main issue is that if any two people can "share" one bag then in theory the entire flight could share one bag. How are they supposed to guess how many people will be sharing bags on the fight.
 
I see no issue with this rule. Imagine if a family of four wants to share a bag and they want to go in with a 60kg bag? Bit of an exaggeration, I know, but never underestimate human stupidity.

Also, this

MJ INC said:
It's world wide because baggage handlers should not have to lift bags heavier then 20Kg.
Click to expand...

^ +1
 
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