The sweeping change to Jetstar’s carry-on policy could spare travelers a lot of frustration at the gate, but it’s also stirring debate about fairness and practicality. Jetstar is exploring a major update to how passengers carry on luggage, aiming to reduce the headaches that come with the current rules and the potential for last-minute fee shocks at boarding.
Right now, on basic fares, passengers are allowed 7kg of carry-on: one larger item for the overhead bin plus one smaller item that must fit under the seat. You can pre-purchase an extra 7kg—$60 on domestic flights and $85 on international routes. If your bag ends up overweight at the gate, the penalties are harsher: $85 for domestic travel and $110 for international flights.
Jetstar’s head of network and fleet, Ted Knight, acknowledged that the present policy creates a “pain point” for travelers. “Sometimes you’re walking up to the gate and you get that kind of gate anxiety and you’re not sure whether you weighed your bag correctly,” he commented.
The airline is actively examining carry-on rules to lessen these pain points and provide a smoother passenger experience. One possibility under consideration is modeled after some U.S. carriers, which restrict domestic carry-on by size rather than weight—a potential first for an Australian airline. Knight noted that the discussion centers on shifting from a weight-centric approach to a size-based framework, though any change must account for aircraft weight and balance constraints.
It’s important to remember that aircraft are built with tight weight-and-balance limits. The maximum take-off weight includes fuel, crew, passengers, food, and baggage, and loading a bag incorrectly can affect flight control and safety. Any future policy would need to align with these fundamental safety and performance requirements.
