Airline Baggage Allowances for travel to/from Great Britain

[Guest echeng]

This wonderful list was posted on Wetpixel by saeedrashid. I copied it out into its own thread.

 

Original thread: http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=127392

 

Please comment here with changes, and one of the mods will update this list!

 

--------------------

 

I'm a regular poster on another forum in the UK and we have all put together a list of airlines and luggage allowances. Yes in the UK we can get really stung and its been like that for a while.

 

Here it is a copy and paste, I hope it helps some of you.

 

Likes Divers

1. British Airways 2 x 23kg plus a third bag - sports equipment that includes dive kit - bringing you to a total of 3 x 23KG - or 150lb FREE (no more after July 30 2009)http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagsport/public/en_gb

Also if you are travelling trans-Atlantic out of the UK then British Airways will allow you 2 bags of 23KG (50lb)

plus a third bag - sports equipment that includes dive kit - bringing you to a total of 3 x 23KG - or 150lb.

(no longer available after July 30 2009)

- Alex Mustard

 

BA (all destinations) also allow 2 cabin bags on their flights (except out of Gatwick). The first can be a roller bag (size limited 55cmx45cmx25cm from memory - please check) and they don't mind how heavy it is (I think there is a nominal limit of 23KG), and also a computer bag, briefcase or hand bag etc.

- Alex Mustard

2. Astraeus 20kg + 5kg dive gear FREE (Egypt only. All destinations: 10kg dive gear for £20, 25kg dive gear for £50). http://www.flyastraeus.com/beforeyoufly/index.asp?id=42

3. Emirates 20kg + 10kg dive gear FREE. http://www.emirates.com/uk/TravellerInform...AQs/Baggage.asp

4. Malaysia 20kg + 10kg dive gear FREE (may need a bribe here and there) According to website hates divers! http://hq.malaysiaairlines.com/mh/eng/flyi...information.asp

5. XL 20Kg + 10Kg diver gear FREE. http://www.xl.com/Customer_Info/Baggage_Short.asp

6. Singapore Airlines 20kg (economy) http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/cont...e_allowance.jsp

Singapore Airlines no longer offer the 10KG divers allowance. UNLESS you book through a travel agent who still has this on their tickets. Complicated, I know. See:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22775

- Alex Mustard

7. Cyprus Airways 20 kg plus extra 20kg free. http://www.cyprusairways.com/main/default.aspx?tabid=72

8. Virgin. Standard weight allowance: 20kg Diving equipment: additional bag for scuba equipment, free up to 6kg. This is not mentioned on the website and it is suggested they actually hate divers...! http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passe...agebyweight.jsp

9. Etihad Airways 30kg (standard for everyone) Depends on class: Diamond (first class) 40kg, Pearl (business) 30kg, Coral (economy) 20kg. No extra allowances on the website. http://www.etihadairways.com/etihadairways...Information.htm

10. Air Lanka 30kg for divers (may ask for c-card at check in) Useless website! http://www.srilankan.aero/travelplanner/tr...s_luggage.shtml

11. First Choice 20kg + 10kg dive gear FREE (need to show c-card at check-in) No bag to weigh more than 23kg. Must pre-book on 0870 757 2757 at least 4 days prior to departure. http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/info/travelin...ingbaggage.html

12. Monarch 20kg + 13kg dive gear for �‚£15 per sector if you pay when booking online. �‚£20 per sector if you pay at check-in. (need to show c-card at check-in). http://www.flymonarch.com/cnt/travelinfo/baggage.asp

13. Thomas Cook Airlines/FlyThomasCook. Standard baggage allowance 15kg, maybe upgraded to 20kg at time of booking for a small fee. Extra 10kg may be booked via Customer Services 08702430416 http://www.thomascookairlines.co.uk/sporting_equipment.htm & http://flythomascook.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...amp;p_topview=1

14. Kenya Airways 20kg + 10kg dive gear free if informed in advance. Not mentioned on website. http://www.kenya-airways.com/kq2/kqdispinfo.aspx?colm=62

15. Precision Air 20kg + 10kg dive gear free if informed in advance. Not mentioned on website. http://www.precisionairtz.com/flightschedule.asp

16. Air Malta 20kg + 15kg dive gear FREE. http://www.airmalta.com/sports-baggage

17. Daallo (to Djibouti) 30kg tho no details on useless website! http://www.daallo.com/baggage.htm

18. Qatar Airlines. 20kg + 10kg dive gear free (need to ring up their head office and request extra allowance) This is not mentioned on the website. http://www.qatarairways.com/ecomm_faq.html?linkdes_7

 

Tolerates Divers

1. British Jet 20kg + 8kg dive gear FREE+ 5kgs hand luggage. (33 kgs total). Useless website! https://secure.britishjet.com/home.aspx

2. KLM 20kg/25kg + 20kg dive gear for 20/30 Euros (depends on destination) All the information is on the website, but it's not easy to understand!! http://www.klm.com/travel/gb_en/travel_inf...age/index.htm#2

3. Easyjet Max free allowance for divers: 20kg Standard weight allowance: 20kg (subject to a per bag check-in charge). Diving equipment: for a charge of �‚£15 divers can carry an extra 12kg. http://www.easyjet.com/EN/Planning/baggage.html

4. Ryanair Max free allowance for divers: 15kg However, 10kg can be carried as hand luggage. Standard weight allowance: 15kg (bag check-in charge �‚£3.50 per item per flight if booked online). Diving equipment: sports equipment charge is �‚£15.50 per item, per one way flight if booked and paid online. The maximum weight is 32kg for sports kit. http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/conditions.php?pos=MYFLIGHT

5. ThomsonFly 25kg hold & hand baggage combined, hand baggage must not exceed 10kg. Dive gear not mentioned specifically on website, but 'Sports Equipment' allowance may be purchased in advance for �‚£15 each way. http://www.thomsonfly.com/en/flywithus_2753.html

6. Eurocypria 20kg + 10kg dive gear for CP20. According to website, no extra allowance! http://www.eurocypria.com/main/default.asp...&itemid=503

7. Air France 20kg + 20kg dive gear for a fee (between â�€š¬10 - â�€š¬40 each way depending on destination) http://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/gui...ecekedgfndgfl.0

 

Hates Divers

1. Cathy Pacific 20kg no extra. http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/h...gageinformation

2. Maldivian Air Taxi 20kg including hand luggage (yes they weigh the lot) no diving allowance & $4.50/kg excess. Useless website! http://www.mataxi.com/

 

Can't decide!

Air 2000, 20kg +10kg dive gear free - on outward journey, charges 50 euros on return - then refunds said euros after a heated email exchange. Air2000 is now First Choice, see #11 above.

 

Air Malta, customer services duty officer- 20kg +15kg dive gear free http://www.airmalta.com/sports-baggage

Air Malta, tele sales cordinator - no allowance available.

 

BA/ Quantas- when flying westwards, 23kg + 23kg dive gear (in seperate bags) FREE

BA / Quantas when flying eastwards, 20 kg, no allowance

 

General Advice

Airlines have a habit of changing the rules at the drop of a hat. ALWAYS check the latest situation via phone or website. ALWAYS take a printed copy of the website with you, cos the check-in staff WILL deny all knowledge of the extra allowance. If you have to pre-book the allowance by phone, ALWAYS ask for confirmation in writing, and get a contact name & telephone number in case of problems. ALWAYS have your C-cards to hand at check-in. Some tour operators will have negotiated a special deal for divers with the airline, so you should check with them. As usual, ALWAYS get details in writing.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

A few updates to that. It is always a moving target!

 

First Singapore Airlines no longer offer the 10KG divers allowance. UNLESS you book through a travel agent who still has this on their tickets. Complicated, I know. See:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22775

 

Also if you are travelling trans-Atlantic out of the UK then British Airways will allow you 2 bags of 23KG (50lb) plus a third bag - sports equipment that includes dive kit - bringing you to a total of 3 x 23KG - or 150lb.

 

BA (all destinations) also allow 2 cabin bags on their flights (except out of Gatwick). The first can be a roller bag (size limited 55cmx45cmx25cm from memory - please check) and they don't mind how heavy it is (I think there is a nominal limit of 23KG), and also a computer bag, briefcase or hand bag etc.

 

At the moment this makes BA very attractive to divers. I can't actually fill up their current baggage allowance!

 

Most US carriers flying out of the UK also have typically generous allowances too.

 

The trick with all of this is to know the rules and play by them. When flying back from Mexico one of our group got done for excess baggage - despite having by far the least. His single hold luggage was 55LB - limit 50LB. So he got done. He also only had a small carry on too (non-photographer). The rest of our group were fine despite most of us having 2x50LB hold and 2 heavy hand luggage each! But we were all within the rules. Ridiculous, really. We all had more than twice as much as he did - and he got done for excess!

 

Alex

[pakman 0]

If you fly Philippines Airlines frequently, it might be smart to sign up for their Sports Plus program. Depending on the which program, you get an additional 20kg of check in on top of the usual 20kg check in allowance (non US flights).

 

https://www.mabuhaymiles.com/mabuhayMiles-web/main/index.do?

 

LEVEL BENEFIT ANNUAL FEE

SportsPlus Philippines • Twenty (20) kg on Philippine Airlines domestic flights US$30

SportsPlus Asia • Twenty (20) kg on Philippine Airlines flights within Asia US$60

SportsPlus Global • Twenty (20) kg on Philippine Airlines flights worldwide excluding US and Canada; or, • one (1) extra piece of luggage to/from US and Canada (not exceeding 20kg) US$120

 

Which isn't much considering getting hit by excess int'l luggage fees for 1 trip could be potentially be more...

 

And as someone based in HK, yes Cathay Pacific can be a bitch about excess luggage in the region. It does help to have some level of their frequent mileage club which provide additional allowances (carryon and check in).

[Charles Stirling 0]

On a recent flight with Oman Air they commented that the UK is planning on introducing a maximum weight limit on all checked baggage of 23kg which would apply to all UK flights. This was to be brought in to satisfy union demands on having to handle bags as heavy as the now maximum of 32kg. I have not yet been able to confirm this but the airline staff were rather worried about it, not mentioned on Department for Transport website. Just a possible forewarning. Sure hope I am wrong.

 

Charles Stirling

[BrianM 2]

Emirates have stopped giving the extra 10kg for scuba equipment.

http://www.emirates.com/english/help/faqs/...tegoryId=214913

[giftie 0]

A couple more

 

South African Airways now considers diving equipment included in the free luggage allowance; if exceeding, normal excess baggage rate applies.

Although mentioned still mentioned in sporting equipment it can no longer benefit from a reduced fee. Not diver friendly for sure.

 

Lufthansa airlines also changed their sporting equipment fees, excluding the free baggage allowance, diving equipment in a separate sporting bag weighting 15-32Kg will cost you $200USD or 150Eur on any Intercontinental route. Not very friendly for non-germans, apparently there is differentiated treatment if you are a local or non local [this service mindset also applies to South African [at least until recently].

 

Finnair [flies from Glasgow and Birmingham) has no specific allowance for diving equipment (therefore normal excess rates apply) except if there is a tank in the luggage and in that case is considered special luggage and subject to 1.5% of highest economy published rate. Putting a empty tank in the luggage [a very small one for e.g.] might be a wise thing to do depending on the published rates! Also, if it is considered a leisure flight [in their webpage] a flat fee is charged. If you are a Finn the chances of being hassled are much less and to be fair Finnair seems more tolerant of excess luggage if you don't exceed 28kg for Economy [of course this is at the discretion of the check-in staff]. Not very friendly.

 

All the above is valid for Weight Concept luggage.

 

A very important thing is carry-on, in which British Airways [uK norms that do not apply to the rest of European airlines] again is more friendly like Alex mentioned previously. As far as I am aware British Airways is by far the most friendly airline towards divers and/or photographers. I am now systematically checking routings with BA for any long haul flights even if I can not get there all the way with BA [at least it will be less expensive].

 

I also believe that we should try to do something about this, the Wetpixel community is a reasonable one in size and we should have some leverage. We could award [even if it a symbolic award] to diver friendly airlines, list Wetpixel recommended airlines, get some extra allowances for Wetpixel members or Team Wetpixel for e.g. I mean cycling associations much smaller than wetpixel community are able to get special deals with some airlines why don't we?

Edited September 5, 2008 by giftie

[PCDiver 0]

I just contacted Etihad Airways. The guy on the phone told me that scuba gear can only be taken as freight because of too many problems at check-in.

[secretsea18 0]

A few updates to that. It is always a moving target!

 

First Singapore Airlines no longer offer the 10KG divers allowance. UNLESS you book through a travel agent who still has this on their tickets. Complicated, I know. See:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22775

 

Alex

 

Silkair (aka Singapore airlines regional carrier) still permits 10kg extra for dive gear for flights Singapore to certain dive resort areas like: Cebu, Manado, and several others as listed under baggage on the Silkair website.

 

Robin

 

Edit: Sorry for above post, as I see that this thread applies more to flights to/from UK/GB

Edited September 11, 2008 by secretsea18

[simoncarolan 1]

Another one:

 

Air France / KLM will allow you to buy a sports allowance of 20kg for 20 Euro per sector. You request this when booking yur ticket and pay it at the airport (when they remember to charge you).

 

You can also try putting your dive gear in a golf bag as most airlines transport bags of golf sticks for free. Reason: most airline executives play golf so they look after themselves and their buddies but very few seem to dive.

[Bent C 18]

Has anyone recently gone through Heathrow? I am travelling from Sweden through Heathrow and Hongkong to Borneo in February. I have read and heard conflicting information on the amount of cabin luggage that is allowed by Heathrow authorities even when travelling as a transit passenger through Heathrow.. The least I have heard is one piece of handluggage not weighing more than 7 kg, the most is two pieces of handluggage, one 7 kg and one "less" (smallish notebook bag, smaller camera). Also, does anyone have experiences on carrying camera and lenses in a pocket of the jacket (through Heathrow that is, I have used pockets many times in other places)?

 

regards

 

Bent C

[ralphy 1]

Has anyone recently gone through Heathrow? I am travelling from Sweden through Heathrow and Hongkong to Borneo in February. I have read and heard conflicting information on the amount of cabin luggage that is allowed by Heathrow authorities even when travelling as a transit passenger through Heathrow.. The least I have heard is one piece of handluggage not weighing more than 7 kg, the most is two pieces of handluggage, one 7 kg and one "less" (smallish notebook bag, smaller camera). Also, does anyone have experiences on carrying camera and lenses in a pocket of the jacket (through Heathrow that is, I have used pockets many times in other places)?

 

regards

 

Bent C

 

It depends on your carrier, this might help you: Heathrow hand luggage

 

I've been through twice this year, both times British Airways via T5 & had two bags with me without comment. In fact, some of the other passengers I observed had really big bags - but T5 is exclusively for BA passengers so it's not indicative of all carriers.

 

R

[Bent C 18]

It depends on your carrier, this might help you: Heathrow hand luggage

 

I've been through twice this year, both times British Airways via T5 & had two bags with me without comment. In fact, some of the other passengers I observed had really big bags - but T5 is exclusively for BA passengers so it's not indicative of all carriers.

 

R

 

Is it the carrier people at boarding or the security people at the security check that decide in Heathrow. Other airports I´ve been to security doesn´t seem to be interested in numbers or weights of anything, while the boarding people sometimes care. Somehow carrier personel seems easier to get permission from .

 

/B

[ralphy 1]

Is it the carrier people at boarding or the security people at the security check that decide in Heathrow. Other airports I´ve been to security doesn´t seem to be interested in numbers or weights of anything, while the boarding people sometimes care. Somehow carrier personel seems easier to get permission from .

 

/B

 

In my experience it has always been the check-in where the questions have been raised (I've had a few "discussions" there ) but once I've been checked in I've never had a problem regarding size, weight or numbers at Security.

 

R

[Bent C 18]

In my experience it has always been the check-in where the questions have been raised (I've had a few "discussions" there ) but once I've been checked in I've never had a problem regarding size, weight or numbers at Security.

 

R

 

Same for me, and as we will check in in Sweden, and will be a number of people checking in at more or less the same time, that part will probably go well. Most often I check in with a very small handluggage, which mysteriously aquires a lot of weight on the way from check in to boarding . I have only once had a small problem with that, but it was solved with no big argument (a local flight with very small compartments for hand luggage, and a tiny! stewardess that tried to lift the camera bag up there).

 

/B

[PRC 2]

mysteriously aquires a lot of weight on the way

 

Yea - funny how that happens - a bit like how suits shrink on the hanger if left for a long long time - not figured that one out either

 

Paul C

[jonhanson 1]

Singapore airlines will allow up to an extra 15kg of dive kit which they will only charge for 6kg's worth. Currently they charge £35/kg for LHR->Manado. Last year it was £40/kg for LHR->Bali.

 

jon

[ralphy 1]

Yea - funny how that happens - a bit like how suits shrink on the hanger if left for a long long time - not figured that one out either

 

Paul C

 

Never mind suits - cargo pants are the attire of choice for travelling by air; those rather capacious pockets come in very useful when you are queueing for the check-in & see the passengers in front having their hand luggage weighed...........cap

 

R

[Timmoranuk 10]

Thomson seem to be rigorously enforcing the 5kg hand baggage limit. Recently my bag was weighed out (Cardiff and Gatwick) and back (Sharm and Marsa Alam) so cargo pants and a travel waistcoat came in very handy!

 

I booked 20kgs extra hold baggage (a 'watersports' bag) for about £60.00 return but despite many requests and reminders to Thomson, I did not receive their promised email receipt. This wasn't a problem on the outward flight from Gatwick but did become an issue on the return leg from Marsa Alam.

 

Fortunately I had printed my credit card transaction confirmation to Thomson which coupled with my adamant response to Thomson's Egyptian representitive ("I'm not paying excess baggage charges as I have already paid in full for an additional allowance. If I miss the flight, Thomson will have to find me and my son accomodation until the next available flight and will have to pay me compensation"), common sense finally prevailed.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Been meaning to write on here for a while that BA have changed their policy for sports equipment bag, which is no longer free (for tickets booked after 31st July). The good days are over. Just in time for their new Maldives and Sharm flights too.

 

Thankfully I am OK to take my 3 bags for free to the Pacific Northwest next week.

 

Alex

[Roger Eve 0]

EasyJet to Sharm allow UNLIMITED weight for cabin luggage as long as it is within the size limit and you can lift it into the overhead lockers. A few sessions at the gym before flying are good. We put all our heavy items in the hand luggage (batteries, lenses ports etc.) mine weighed 15kg!! but was still within the size limit. Only problem is carrying it around the airport

 

Roger

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Easyjet are a good option for diving around Europe too, as this is their standard hand baggage policy. You can also pay a small amount more and get another 12KG of sports equipment (dive bag) on all their flights too.

 

Alex

[Roger Eve 0]

Another good tip with EasyJet is to book their Speedy Boarding option. There are no pre-booked seats, but you get to board first and can nab the legroom seats, great if you 6ft+ like me. It even worked at Sharm recently when just 10 of us speedy boarders were loaded onto the first bus by ourselves and had the choice of seats before the second bus arrived

 

Roger

[pauld 0]

Just back from Marsa with Thomson and on way out had hold luggage and hand luggage weighed. Asked for dive card and had extra 5kg on production on way out so 25kg. Weighed light but hand luggage weighed 11kg - limit is 5kg so a bit of rearranging did it... wasn't charged but was very lucky as certainly was over a total of 30kg. Other folk on boat were charged - excess £10 per kg...some paying up to £100 . Taking a basic SLR rig is now becoming an additional cost on many trips. All this was in the small print from Scubatravel but there was no info about booking excess weight up front which Tony Backhurst could do it seems.

Time to start weighing people with luggage...then again I might lose out again

[nstead 0]

Apparently Qatar Airways have stopped giving divers an extra 10Kgs now. I booked a flight to Manila back in October and was able to get it, but someone else who wants to join me on the trip has just been told that they don't do it any more. Apparently they changed the rules in November.

 

Time to add them to the "Hates Divers" list !

 

Neil.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Just to add an update on BA that affects divers. As far as I have figured out - many of their Caribbean destinations have been down graded to just a single hold item as standard. North and South America (and Bermuda, I think) remain at 2 bags. But Bahamas and quite a few Caribbean destinations are just one.

 

However, I should add that I have not researched this thoroughly.

 

Alex