Simon Rogerson 0 Posted August 18, 2009 I always enjoy reading stories of little triumphs over luggage allowances, so here’s mine. Recently I was flying back from Bali to the UK via Singapore, on Air Singapore. My hold luggage limit was a generous 30kg, but being the proud owner of two big Subtronic flashguns and other weighty items, I found myself travelling with 34kg on the way out. The check-in clerk at Heathrow (on my outbound flight) had ignored this and sent me on my way with a nice smile, but on the way back the weight of my two check-in bags had somehow crept up to 36kg according to the weighing machines at Denpasar Airport. The young lady at the desk told me that I would have to pay $50 per kilo – $300 total. Not going to happen, obviously, so I would be leaving some of my belongings in beautiful Bali. Well, I did the math, and worked out that my ancient Mares fins probably represented the heaviest objects with the least value, so I took them out of my kitbag, but kept the straps, as they weighed little and would be of use as spares. That took me down 3kg, but my by-the-book friend at the counter still wasn’t happy, so I removed a little bag in which I stow my t-shirts, and that brought me down another 2kg. Madam Check-in pursed her lips and made a telephone call to some unseen superior, who generously allowed me through with 31kg of hold luggage. My spirits were low as I ambled towards the rubbish bin; I grow attached to dive kit, and those fins had served me well, scratched and discoloured though they were. I wasn’t too happy about throwing away my manky old t-shirts, either. But then, a spirit of rebellion welled deep within: I would beat these guys at their own game. I took out every item of my hand luggage and re-arranged it with the meticulous care of an OCD sufferer in overdrive, so that every tiny space between the various lenses and camera bodies was occupied with the clothing I had been forced to remove from my hold luggage. Ferreting around some discarded packaging behind the check-in queue, I found some lengths of string, and used them to tie my fins to my hand-luggage roller bag. You see lots of young mothers getting away with carrying sizeable kiddie accessories by crudely attaching them to their hand luggage, so I hoped the same principle would hold for me. Anyway, I negotiated the various gates, security points and passenger queues and no one gave me a second glance. In the departure lounge, I scrounged a big duty-free bag from a designer clothes shop, and put my scanky old fins inside. As we all know, the airport authorities love it when you buy loads of duty-free, so no-one questioned my bulging bag either in Denpasar or later as I dashed through Singapore Airport to get my connecting flight back to the UK. The moral of the story? If you do fall foul of the check-in goblins, keep your nerve, work out what you can afford to lose, and then take it through anyway! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stewsmith 14 Posted August 18, 2009 its always good to read stories such as this. Singapore have great planes but there excess baggage costs are crazy. it really puts me off flying with them knowing i am going to have to be so maticulous (sp) with my luggage. Stew Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davichin 18 Posted August 18, 2009 I even once decided to wear my regulator as a necklace! They cannot discuss fashion! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SimonSpear 65 Posted August 18, 2009 LOL well done and a great report on how to beat the "Check-In Dragons"! Baggage allowance is a constant worry for all of us not privileged enough to fly anything other than cattle class. We're off on our travels in October and the planning and preparation for the allocation of baggage often takes up more time than researching where to dive, who to dive with and where to stay. Then again my housing in its case weighs in at 23kg before I've even started so I am perhaps more disadvantaged than most. I've basically given up taking anything other than my mask, wetsuit, SMB and fins. Sometimes if I'm feeling really daring then I'll throw in a couple of t-shirts and some boxers! With luggage allowance being clawed back by the airlines on an almost weekly basis I'm sure it is not going to be too long before we see that stereotypical view of a divers sitting in their seats fully kitted up! Cheers, Simon P.S. One good news story - Emirates recently INCREASED their standard luggage allowance from 20kg to 30kg. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stewsmith 14 Posted August 18, 2009 I even once decided to wear my regulator as a necklace! They cannot discuss fashion! Now that is a good point ! Stew Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedSeaDiver 0 Posted August 19, 2009 P.S. One good news story - Emirates recently INCREASED their standard luggage allowance from 20kg to 30kg. For someone who loves diving in the Red Sea it was a big happy dance when they announced that and I'm looking forward to spending about six weeks over there next June/July. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stephen Colquitt 0 Posted August 19, 2009 I got stung coming home from Bali with my kit too, but luckily it was only $25/kg and I forked out the $250. Im thinking that many of the Bali airport staff must get a cut of what they collect, because they are always onto it. What was worse for me was when I got my carry on weighed on a recent trip from Melbourne to New Zealand. 7kg limit and there is me with my 8kg camera/lens bag and a 14kg roller case with housing and strobes. Had to check on my housing bag and was worried about it the whole way there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted August 19, 2009 Let's not pick on Bali since every airport definitely gets a cut and thus it's enforced for that reason. If you are a frequent flyer on the airline, try to speak to the station manager of the airline. They represent the airline and are more apt to please. I just loathe travelling to Oz. Your airports are draconian like enforcers of the cabin luggage weight rules. That's where being a high FF mileage status will get you going. The airport staff will refer you to the airline supervisor who will ok it. It's a pain with travelling with gear nowadays. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScubaDiva 0 Posted August 19, 2009 Just shows how ludicous the whole system is anyway! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ce4jesus 1 Posted August 19, 2009 (edited) I saw some guy the other day with a photographers vest...you know the one with giant pockets front back and rear. He was so packed I thought he looked like a military guy with his vest on!!! I had to laugh. While they're dinging our wallets for extra baggage fees we're getting more and more creative about the term...carryon... BTW...what is the worst than can happen at the gate if you end up with more than your share of carryons?...answer: some nice person from the airline says...I can gate check that for you!!! No baggage fees...no worries. Edited August 19, 2009 by ce4jesus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted August 19, 2009 More like how we've gotten away with a lot and now it's time to tighten up. When fuel was cheap, the airlines didn't mind the slight weight addition. Now every cent matters. I think it's fair. Even the PC system is going through changes now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeVeitch 0 Posted August 19, 2009 the other day i was going from Manila to KL on Malaysian airlines and they wanted to charge me 10kg extra as i had 30kg. I made a bit of a fuss and produced my Philippines airline ticket from Vancouver to Manila and told her that as i had just come from north america the day before i should receive the north american weight limits. She didn't agree and wrote me the invoice. As i was pulling out my wallet her supervisor came over and told her it was ok, i was allowed... Phil Air and MA are codeshare so that may have had something to do with it, not sure. But i didn't pay Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted August 19, 2009 Well technically, if you're there for less than 24 hours, it's considered a transit so the PC system should be valid. That person was probably not familiar with this (as many staff at many airports aren't). If you are flying within the same airline group like Star Alliance or One World, they usually give you the luggage system of originating country. They just don't have to tell you about it. You mean the Mike V smile and bald head charm didn't work... I'm shocked! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stewsmith 14 Posted August 19, 2009 I saw some guy the other day with a photographers vest...you know the one with giant pockets front back and rear. He was so packed I thought he looked like a military guy with his vest on!!! I had to laugh. Thats exactly how what i wear. I wear 2 350D's with the heaviest lenses over my shoulders under the vest and slung around the back, lenses in the vest pockets, hard drives and media in the pockets, video camera in a pocket, filters in the pockets, ULCS clamps in pocket. Around the back of the vest i have a pouch where i can fit my 11" laptop. Once i have checked in it all fits nicely into my carryon which has my housing and dome port in. I might look like a suicide bomber at check in, but i have not had to pay silly prices or risk losing my cameras. I dont blame the people at check or the airlines for making people pay for excess luggage and generally i book extra. what does annoy me is that the weight of the person isnt taken into concideration. I have lost 20lbs in body weight over the last few months so surely i should get that in luggage allowance a si was 20lbs heavier when i booked the tickets. Stew Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davichin 18 Posted August 19, 2009 More like how we've gotten away with a lot and now it's time to tighten up. When fuel was cheap, the airlines didn't mind the slight weight addition. Now every cent matters. I think it's fair. Even the PC system is going through changes now. I dont blame the people at check or the airlines for making people pay for excess luggage and generally i book extra. what does annoy me is that the weight of the person isnt taken into concideration. I have lost 20lbs in body weight over the last few months so surely i should get that in luggage allowance a si was 20lbs heavier when i booked the tickets. I think the same too. There can be a difference of 100 kg in weight between two passengers but both will be allowed the same luggage... But what really bothers me is how, at least in Spain (don´t know about more "serious" countries), depends on the person you find at the counter, and the face they produce when asked "if I were your father would you really make me pay?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Kay 62 Posted August 19, 2009 I always enjoy reading stories of little triumphs over luggage allowances... The moral of the story? If you do fall foul of the check-in goblins, keep your nerve, work out what you can afford to lose, and then take it through anyway! Lucy (of orange drysuit fame) once managed to make an internal flight in Indonesia wearing her weightbelt! She wouldn't get away with it today I suspect. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canuck 3 Posted August 19, 2009 Now every cent matters. I think it's fair. told me that I would have to pay $50 per kilo It's fair? $50/kg is fair? I disagree. $50/kg is ludicrous. That is $100/kg roundtrip. I weigh 80 kg. If my luggage allowance is 30 kg, that is a total of 110 kg. Extra baggage charges roundtrip for 110 kg would be $11,000.00!! On a $2,000 ticket? Huh? Seems to me $10/kg might be reasonable. Or less. But not $50/kg. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elainew 1 Posted August 19, 2009 Great story, Simon. I cheered your small victory! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted August 19, 2009 what does annoy me is that the weight of the person isnt taken into concideration. I have lost 20lbs in body weight over the last few months so surely i should get that in luggage allowance a si was 20lbs heavier when i booked the tickets. That'd be discrimination against big people. Can you imagine paying full fare for a kid over 2? That's ludicrous but a seat is a seat. It's fair? $50/kg is fair? I disagree. $50/kg is ludicrous. That is $100/kg roundtrip. I weigh 80 kg. If my luggage allowance is 30 kg, that is a total of 110 kg. Extra baggage charges roundtrip for 110 kg would be $11,000.00!! On a $2,000 ticket? Huh? Seems to me $10/kg might be reasonable. Or less. But not $50/kg. Look at it this way. You are buying a ticket for a seat on the plane. So if you weigh 80 or 180kg, if you can fit in the seat without hindering others, it's yours. The cabin luggage weight limit is for safety in case of a crash or turbulence etc. Checked luggage is weighed because it's considered cargo. Different pricing altogether. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davichin 18 Posted August 19, 2009 The cabin luggage weight limit is for safety in case of a crash or turbulence etc. Checked luggage is weighed because it's considered cargo. Different pricing altogether. I disagree because different companies with the same airplanes allow for different cabin luggage, so it doesn´t seem like a safety matter... About checked luggage, there are always many travellers that don´t reach their limit, so I think it would be fair to allow others use those extra kilos... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stewsmith 14 Posted August 19, 2009 That'd be discrimination against big people. Can you imagine paying full fare for a kid over 2? That's ludicrous but a seat is a seat. what is the age limit for free kid travel. I thought they only flew free if they were going to be on someones lap up until a certain age and then they do have to pay full fair. i dont have kids so am not 100% sure but i have heard my friends moaning about it. Personally i think kids prices should be trebled for under 2's. There might be less on planes in future. I always seem to get a seat in front of the screamers. Look at it this way. You are buying a ticket for a seat on the plane. So if you weigh 80 or 180kg, if you can fit in the seat without hindering others, it's yours. The cabin luggage weight limit is for safety in case of a crash or turbulence etc. Checked luggage is weighed because it's considered cargo. Different pricing altogether. I have sat next to a few BIG people on planes and they take up more than just the width of their seat so they should have to pay for 2 seats. It might be called discrimination, but i dont care. Paying for a seat and only getting 3/4's of it isnt right either, which is what has happend to me before.. If the world we lived in was not so bl00dy PC things might change. some airlines dont weigh your hand luggage and there is no limit, as long as it is within the size limit. Stew Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Simon Rogerson 0 Posted August 19, 2009 I don't feel too guilty about trying to sneak a few extra kilos through. After all, they'll let you onto a 'plane with as much duty free as you can carry, but then that's profitable weight... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRC 2 Posted August 20, 2009 I don't feel too guilty about trying to sneak a few extra kilos through. After all, they'll let you onto a 'plane with as much duty free as you can carry, but then that's profitable weight... Profitable for who ? Not the airline, they would prefer that you hit the duty free on board the plane. So why do the airlines tolerate bags of duty free ? Maybe it is just a 'not rocking the boat situation' or maybe we are just the ugly, dozy, fat wildebeest travelling through the pack of predators on our annual migration and there is tolerance and respect between predators! Paul C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Simon Rogerson 0 Posted August 20, 2009 (edited) Profitable for who ? Not the airline, they would prefer that you hit the duty free on board the plane. So why do the airlines tolerate bags of duty free ? Maybe it is just a 'not rocking the boat situation' or maybe we are just the ugly, dozy, fat wildebeest travelling through the pack of predators on our annual migration and there is tolerance and respect between predators! Paul C Yup, if you're spending money on your journey, they like you because you're supporting the whole economic edifice of air travel. If you buy something in that departure lounge, it's going on the 'plane. The airlines need to maintain good working relations with the airports, as they are inter-dependent, not that that stops them trying to flog their own tat once you're on board. And of course that comes as a brutal irony for the traveller trying to get his camera kit on board - 'Sorry sir, there's no space for your belongings because we've filled the holds with Toblerone and scale models of the aircraft.' Still, it's all part of the deal you sign up to when you buy your ticket, and rules is rules. I think the best advice is to do your homework and be aware of the airline's exact policy. You'd be amazed how many check-in clerks are unaware of sports allowances and other fillips to the travelling wildebeest. Edited August 20, 2009 by Simon Rogerson Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedSeaDiver 0 Posted August 20, 2009 I saw some guy the other day with a photographers vest...you know the one with giant pockets front back and rear. He was so packed I thought he looked like a military guy with his vest on!!! I had to laugh. I'm going the same way but once I find the right vest I'm going to add matching cargo pants so as I can carry more stuff with me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
