**Excess Baggage In Depth Information**

[illogical]

Worst scammers of the lot Thomas Cook.
We all know that with the extra security restrictions on habd luggage then hold luggage weight will increase, due to the obvious transfer of load.
So what do Messrs Cook do ?
Reduce you hold allowance to 15Kgs, not increase it back to 25Kgs as it was back in the 80>90's, they deliberately reduce the allowance in order to profiteer from "over limit" luggage.
Flew back from Gran Canaria with them yesterday, their check in was the slowest in the whole airport due to the extra time involved in ripping of us homeward-bound Brits, making certain we had a nice end to our holiday.
I myself was stung for �24, apparently our baggage was OK until my hand baggage was added on the scale and it was then 4Kg over, my partner had no hand luggage we had combined it in one bag.
In all honesty I think we Brits accept theses scams too easily. I want to shout and scream to the whole country boycott this company until they start playing fair.

[phillyt]

I have an experience to tell of excess baggage. I have just returend from Malta flying Easyjet.

When two of us flew out from Gatwick our two cases were underweight. 1 at 17.3kg and the other 19.8kg. This was fine. Prior to our return we decided to place all the shows from the heavier case into one of the flight bags as were thought that it would make the heavier case lighter.
This wasnt the case (pardon the pun!). Once at check-in my case the 17.3kg one weighed in at 26kg, and the other one at 26.3kg. Why when there wasnt anything extra, except a few souvieniers? The check-in agent (Globeground Malta came up with the excuse "dirty washing sir". Well anyway to cut a long story short i was charged 72euros for 8kg excess baggage between the two cases. It seems they will allow you 2kg but charge you for the rest. Upon arrival back at Gatwick I noticed that we werent the only ones who had been stung and guess what?, the other excess baggage also weighed in at 26kg.

Having spoken to the manager of a locla travel agent she informs me that its not just the no-frills airlines that are nabbimg people like this. Apparently a few of the shops clients who were flying with the likes of Singapore Airlines, Quants, BA etc, have also had this happen to them.

[dogend]

my grandson tells me that Ryanair are now charging 10 euros for a return boarding pass.He vows never to fly with them again Dave

[HW John]

Ryanair's aim is to stop people checking in bags and go purely hand luggage only. They will do this eventually by raising the baggage fee so high people cant afford it. If you think 10 euros is bad, wait a bit further down the line and you'll think it was a bargain

[Bumble6]

Very informative. I was just wondering, we're moving to UAE and will want to take a few things extra, which will obviously mean taking a couple of extra suitcases. Can you do this, if so how do you arrange it, and does it cost huge amounts as a container 20ft apparently costs in excess of £3000 - which we can't afford, but we want to take some of my little girls toys and books etc.

[wibers]

I am travelling to Orlando from East Midlands Airport at the end of this month with First Choice.

I have been told by First Choice that my allowance is 20kg.

I am concerned as I have read their terms and conditions that suggest that the airline may even refuse to take the baggage if it is overweight.

Is this true??

Or would I be liable to an excess charge??


Wibers

[getawaychick]

I don't trust airline scales - they can be so massively out!

On boarding a BA flight from Manchester to Gatwick 2007 (for a Caribbean Cruise) our cases were 18kg each. On realising that 4 x 400ml bottles of sun lotion were in our hand luggage, BA were helpful and reassuring and put the bag as hold luggage. On arrival at Gatwick we stayed at Sofitel over night as we had an early departure to San Juan, Puerto Rico. We put all lotion in the case and on weighing it at Gatwick it was only 12kg!

How can there be a mssive difference? (Not that we'd complain at Gatwick thinking our luggage was lighter).

Sue

[HW John]

Bumble
I think you can just turn up on the day with the cases as long as you are able to pay, although with it being a long flight it may cost you quite a bit. Ring the airline for further info though as my information may now be out of date.
Another thought is seeing if it can be sent by air cargo.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wibers, anything over 20kgs is classed as chargeable excess and the excess rates do apply per kilo over.
Airlines often tell you nothing over 25kgs for example, but i havent come across one person thats just been a bit over and had luggage refused.
The only time ive seen luggage refused is when it weighed 32kgs+ which the baggage handlers wont touch because of health and safety legislation.
Ive travelled with FCA many times and my baggage has always been around 29kg as i take thing out for friends when i fly and its always been at the other end, unlike the money i started with in my wallet which stayed at manchester!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[yara]

Thanks for your article, it's very interesting, and you are giving informations that not every travelers know.
I used to work for an airline like a contractor and it was a year ago, and in that time each airline has their own rules and price for excess baggage, but now thanks to you I know that now it's different.

[tsuser]

"Having spoken to the manager of a locla travel agent she informs me that its not just the no-frills airlines that are nabbimg people like this. Apparently a few of the shops clients who were flying with the likes of Singapore Airlines, Quants, BA etc, have also had this happen to them.
"
I was shocked to discover that Qantas has a 20kg allowance on longhaul multi-stop tickets, despite them costing 5 grand each!!!