14 replies to this topic

[divengolf]

I'm headed to Fiji (Nai'a) in June out of LAX and have read horror stories about AP's carry-on policies. I check the pinned thread and searched the forum. Nothing close to current.

 

I plan to check two bags at 23 KG each plus about 30# of carry-on.

 

I'd appreciate any recent experience with AP.

 

Also do they still have the special deal for divers with extra luggage. As I recall, you could buy an extra number of kilos for checked luggage ahead of time. Not available at gate in LAX. And apparently they do not advertise this deal.

 

TIA.

 

 

[jcclink]

Last Jul extra baggage Dive Package was available as advance purchase thru their ticket office at LA (I'm in San Diego).  Email, credit card authorization, receive receipt to present at check-in.  $100 allowed for extra 23 kg each way.  If you check in really early they opened up the upper deck of 747.  These seats were not available when I booked on line.  Like economy plus - extra leg room.

[davephdv]

Twice last year.

Buy the extra sport bag

Carry ons are hit and miss. I kept mine small and they never checked them. Also a personal item large enough to carry a camera, extra two lenses and iPad

[Aquapaul]

One year ago I called the LAX office with concerns of an overweight carry on, they allowed me to carry on one 30 pound bag for a fee to be paid at the counter. When I checked in the counter people knew about my bag but didn't charge me and let me through.

 

Note, watch the counter for a minute or two and figure out who the hard a$$ is and avoid that person. When we went it was obvious, a friend traveling with us got checked and they wanted to check his bag, he insisted on talking to the manager about all the camera equipment he didn't want to check and they let him through. 

 

Don't let on that your bag is out of the ordinary, that was my friends mistake, he got a wheeled cart to go through an that was pretty much a dead give away. stupid stupid

[divengolf]

One year ago I called the LAX office with concerns of an overweight carry on, they allowed me to carry on one 30 pound bag for a fee to be paid at the counter. When I checked in the counter people knew about my bag but didn't charge me and let me through.

 

Paul: What was the charge for the extra carry-on weight, if you recall? Was there a weight limit to the amount of carry-on if you were willing to pay for it? I could not find anything on their web site about it.

 

Thanks to all for your advice.

[johnjvv]

We did flight with Air Pacific, was over and paid an ammount same as what we had predetermined ourselves online.

http://www.airpacifi...ggage-allowance

There is another link for domestic. Be aware that in domestic flights, due to the small plane sizes your bags might travel after you and you might get weighed with your hand luggage to determine where they seat you on the plane. Dimension is more critical than weight for hand luggage as you are weighed as an entity.

Try to have the correct change as we had to pay and wait for our change at the gate which we gad to chase up a couple times before getting it back....I dont think there was any mallice, they are just very laid back!!

[Aquapaul]

I don't remember what the charge was, it was fairly high but not a deal breaker. But, they never did collect it. They just let me through and put a heavy sticker on my bag and told me not to loose it for the trip back home.

[divengolf]

One more question: I have read that AP in NAN is reluctant to check baggage through to final US destination when connecting through LAX. They want you to claim your bags at LAX and then check them for the domestic leg home. I'm not speaking of the customs bag retrieval, but having to take them to the check-in counter and pay the airline another baggage fee for the US domestic leg of the return trip.

 

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

PS> Give me Singapore Air or Cathay Pacific anytime!!

[Aquapaul]

That is true, you may want to consider that on the way there too. The one trip we took to NAN everyone but one couple on our 16 person trip clamed our luggage and rechecked it and the couple that didn't got there luggage 5 days later.......Just Sayin.....

[divengolf]

That is true, you may want to consider that on the way there too. The one trip we took to NAN everyone but one couple on our 16 person trip clamed our luggage and rechecked it and the couple that didn't got there luggage 5 days later.......Just Sayin.....

 

Thanks. I'll do so both ways.

[Eyematey]

I have flown AP LAX-NAN and beyond a couple of times in the last year or so, getting gear there is truly a dance.  A couple of things I can think of are first, if you are doing inter island flights after Nai'a be sure they are linked to your international ticket as that increases weight limits on baggage for domestic.  If you use FF miles for ticket this is something you need to think about.  I tried to get this to happen before leaving via email and phone to AP with no luck.  Explain situation at counter in LAX and then again in NAN and in NAN be sure to have them link tickets both ways to which ever island you are going to.  Second, a photographers vest is invaluable.  I took 40lbs of equipment out of roll on and backpack (personal item) which included laptop, camera body w/lens, dome port, regulators, dive computer, back up p&s with housing etc.  I explained to others in line the situation, looking like the mad bomber is wierd but you can weigh as much as you want they only look at bags.  Always look like you carry on bags are light and place them under your feet at the counter while you put the checked bag on the scale.  After you get past counter check in put all the stuff back in carry on bags.  One more thing, the gal at the right end of the counter in LAX is the manager and does not bend the rules, let someone go in front of you if your next up to her ticket station.

 

Fun things to think about while waiting in the queue......  

 

Enjoy your trip on Nai'a, say Bula to Moe the best dive guide aboard.  Great boat and crew.

 

Cheers

[divengolf]

Eyematey,

 

Thanks for the update and advice. I'll have to find and dust off my photo vest. I haven't had to use it in a few years. I'm meeting the Nai'a in Nadi, so there will not be a domestic flight.

 

Appreciate the comment about the LAX manager. I'll be connecting through LAX from IAD, but may elect to recheck my bags per the above advice.

 

Harry

[Aquapaul]

Moe is the best dive guide they have, plays guitar pretty well too. The Nai'a is great.

[johnspierce]

Thought I would update this thread with my travel experience since my wife and I just did the Nai'a from Denver through LAX to Nadi.

- I flew American and purchased my entire itinerary through them since Air Pacific is a codeshare partner.

- I checked my bags all the way through Nadi with American in Denver.

- When I arrived at LAX, I did not have to recheck my bags, however, I did have to go to the Air Pacific counter and get new boarding passes. Apparently this is a requirement when coming from any domestic location and then leaving on Air Pacific.

- Although I dutifully carried one 15 pound carry on just like the Air Pacific web site said, I saw many people with large and multiple carry ons. Nobody was weighed or charged for extra carry on.

- I ended up with the woman at the right hand of the counter who does look like the manager. She noted I checked four bags in Denver, so she asked if I had already paid for the extra two bags. I said "yes". A white lie, but technically they were paid for since American allows two 50 pound bags per customer on International flights. She paused and considered for a moment and I was about ready to pull my wallet out when she gave us our boarding passes and moved on.

- Coming back, the Air Pacific agent in Nadi didn't ask one thing about our luggage. He weighed my four checked pieces, tagged them and sent them on, checked through to Denver. You do have to retrieve and recheck your bags in LAX, but that's a requirement for everyone. He did not charge me anything.

- I saw no carry-ons being weighed. Quite a few people had two carry ons and quite a few looked pretty big, nobody was questioned.

- Since I carried only 15 pounds on trying to be a good passenger, I ended up packing quite a lot of my camera gear. On other trips, I have brought my rolling camera bag as my carry on and it holds all my gear weighing in at about 50 pounds.

- When I got home I noticed one of the bags had a wheel missing and some damage to the lower bottom. It turns out my dome shade for my 8" was broken from whatever impact the airport crew gave it. Thanks a lot guys... The dome was wrapped in my wetsuit inside a bag with foam padding; that must have been quite a whack.

I was happy I didn't get charged extra for the additional two bags, but I was prepared to pay. It's really annoying to put a 15 pound, one bag limit on a 747. If I do Air Pacific again I will do my full roller bag and argue with them if they hassle me. I feel lucky the only thing they damaged was lens shade.

take care,
John

Edited by johnspierce, 28 April 2013 - 01:28 PM.

[divengolf]

John,

 

Thanks for the advice. I'd like to use my pelican roller as a carry-on, but it seems rather iffy. You're the only one that I know of who didn't have issues with carry-ons. Hope that I'm as lucky.

 

Thanks again.