Increased Baggage Allowance When Emigrating

[Biscuit]

Hello

I understand that when emigrating Airlines offer an incresed baggage allowance. On reserching it says that this incresed allowance is only valid on the first use of the visa.

OH & I have just got back from Oz to validate our visa. Singapore Airlines count this as the first use of our visa and say that when we do actually emigrate we have to adhear to regular allowances!! Crazy!!

So, the questions are:

Has anyone else been affected by this & how do the airlines actually know that you have already been out on your visa? Anyone know any airlines that are more flexible?

Thank you!
Sam

[ali]

I think this one is a bit hit and miss as other people have been able to negotiate increased baggage allowances with airlines. May be worth contacting a couple - I know singapore say only extra baggage for PR visa - but I'm sure some people have got it on temp. I don't know if they look to see if your passport is stamped or not.

Ali

[longland]

We flew Emirates on Christmas Day, at first the tickets had the usual 20kg allowance even though we had told them we were on a one way ticket with a PR visa. Just gave them a call informed of their mistake and the tickets were re-issued with 40kg, which still wasn't enough for us - 9 suitcases, 2 golf clubs and 2 surf boards, we looked like the clampets walking through the airports. We flew through immigration they just wanted us out. Thankfully we didn't get charged the £32 per kg excess baggage i was quoted, box of chocolates worked a treat as we were more than 50kg overweight and he didn't say a thing.
It did cost us $200 when we got to the other side as we had to pay for a taxi to bring some of our luggage, upto the sunshine coast, as it wouldn't fit into the 7 seater van we had - ah well a small price to pay!!

[johatts]

Do what I did!

Go via the States. you get 2 bags per person at 32kg per bag which gives you a grand total of 64kg each. Well worth a couple of extra flight hours for that

[Biscuit]

Wow 64Kg each...that may be just enough for my shoes!!!

Thanks for the advise...I will have a good look into all the options.

[johatts]

Originally Posted by Biscuit

Wow 64Kg each...that may be just enough for my shoes!!!

Thanks for the advise...I will have a good look into all the options.

We STILL had excess baggage!!! but Air NZ charge excess by the item NOT by the kilo. Wee had to pay 150 UK Pounds per bag that we were over

[adey]

hey you guys were lucky with Emirates we flew out of Newcastle and there was no way they were allowing us any weight and wanted to charge us the 32 pound so they made us empty our suitcases there and then and dump stuff before they would check us onto the plane. We spoke to Emirates after booking our flights and they agreed to let us have 50kg each even though we are on a temp 457 visa, guess that's why they were peeved at us at the airport as we were still too heavy. OH's fault as I weighed my suitcase and then he chucked in a load of books that he needed for his new job and put us right over the limit.

Make sure if they agree to extra allowance that you take the email as they denied knowledge of the agreement when we arrived at Newcastle. Thank god I had the sense to pack the email otherwise we would have had to leave the husband behind as there was no way I was leaving my shoes behind (not that I've worn most of them since being here now live in flip flops lol)

[FamFive]

Hi after a lot of phone calls to different airlines we choose Singapore airlines - they have been excellent whilst booking our flights with all the correct information. 40k per person as long as each suitcase is no more than 32k, 7k for cabin baggage and 1 personal item.

Becareful with Emirates as if your touchdown at dubia is longer than 3hrs then they DO NOT allow 40k ONLY 20k as it is classed as a stopover - they confirmed this in my telephone call with them.

I would play safe and go with Singapore airlines or Quantas - Singapore airlines have just won another award by the way!

Ellie