Long-haul baggage allowance to Hobart

[Guest bluesky]

Dear all,

 

Firstly the good news. I've just received an email telling me that I've been granted my 457 visa to come and spend a couple of years in Tassie (from the UK). I may be able to convert that into an RSMS one at a later date. It just depends whether my employer is willing and able to do that when the time comes.

 

I would like to book my flight ticket as soon as possible. I'd like advice on the baggage allowances on the domestic sector from mainland Australia to Hobart. For example some of you may know that Emirates now offer 30kgs in Economy. With them you can also make a through booking from UK airports to Hobart. They have Virgin Blue and Qantas/Jetstar as their partner airlines to Hobart.

 

So, my question is: has anyone arrived at Melbourne, Sydney or even Brisbane with a generous baggage allowance and then successfully transferred that onto the aircraft bound for Tasmania?

 

I also realise that Qantas and Singapore Airlines offer a 40kg migrant allowance if you travel at certain times of the year. I don't think I'll be able to take advantage of that.

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks very much, Bluesky.

[Guest SunshineSmile]

Hi Bluesky,

 

I dont have an answer for you sorry, but I am also interested to know the answer to your question as we are flying to Hobart through Sydney soon.

Im about to lodge my 457 application, and Im told it comes through fairly fast so Im concerned also about booking flights, they are going up in price the longer we leave it, but of course cant book the flight til we have the visa! :arghh:

 

Best of luck... Steph

[Guest siamsusie]

Good morning guys,

 

If you have travelled through with say Qantas internationally then your baggage will automatically go through to Tasmania with no extra charge. Jetstar/Virgin Blue operate independently and you would claim your baggage at the international carrousel and then proceed to "check in "at the respective counters and with 20kgs of luggage. Anything over you are charged now for. They have really clamped down unfortunately!.

My advice would also to be to avoid Jetstar if possible, I find them worse than Easyjet... can be subjected to delays, their customer service is ropey and after a long international flight you dont need the problems.

 

Welcome to Tasmania folks.

 

 

Susie x

 

 

NB I travel through with Singapore or Emirates every fortnight internationally and no concession is ever made for the domestic leg and on the Karratha WA leg to Tassie with Qantas the baggage is sent straight through and they have been more generous, but change company and you come unstuck sadly xx

[Guest bluesky]

Dear Susie,

 

Thanks very much for your reply and thoughts on the situation. Until I get over to Hobart and find out more on what other long distance travellers experiences are I've played safe.

 

Therefore over the weekend I booked a flight with Qantas. This allows me to book a through ticket all with Qantas flight codes and have confirmation of baggage allowances. The Melbourne to Hobart flight is on a 'real' Qantas flight too, not Jetstar. I'll be arriving in Hobart on Jan 13th.

 

Thanks for all your great posts and helpful advice to the many (including me) that have asked questions.

 

Bye for now, bluesky.

[Guest bluesky]

Hi Steph,

 

Thanks for your message from a few days ago. As you can read from my reply to Susie I've gone ahead and booked my flight ticket. I did this as soon as I received confirmation that my visa had been issued.

 

The time that we're both planning to travel is I think the busiest and most expensive. Qantas just seemed to have the best deal on offer over the weekend and I really needed to get a flight. My employer ideally wanted me to start at the end of November but I'll be around 6 weeks late!

 

If I can give you any advice or help/support on my visa experience please don't hesitate to drop me a line.

 

Bye for now and best wishes, bluesky

[Guest siamsusie]

Hi Bluesky,

 

Not long to go now, and I wish you well with your travel plans.

 

You will clear through Customs with your luggage at the International Airport at Melbourne Airport, and have to re check in at the Domestic Terminal for Qantas through to Hobart.

I am unaware whether you have struck a deal with Qantas coming through on an Int flight but they are now pretty strict on weight allowances on the Domestic leg, so I enclose a link for you to maybe purchase extra allowances.

Fly - Baggage - Additional Baggage

 

Pre-Purchased Additional Baggage Allowance (AUD)

5kg 10kg 15kg 25kg 35kg Australian Domestic and Trans Tasman $35 $70 $105 $175 $245

 

Despite Hobart being classed as an International Airport, I am afraid you will be arriving as a Domestic Passenger.

 

Have a safe and wonderful trip.

 

Susie x

[Guest bluesky]

Hi Susie,

 

Please excuse the delayed reply. Thanks for that extra info. It may well be very useful.

 

Best wishes, bluesky

[Skani]

They have Virgin Blue and Qantas/Jetstar as their partner airlines to Hobart.

 

 

Maybe you could email VB, Qantas and Jetstar and ask what their policy is on domestic flights for passengers migrating from overseas with larger baggage allowances.

These 3 ARE basically the domestic carriers into Hobart. TigerAirlines has been withdrawing services and they are so budget budget that, if the above 3 don't give you any joy, Tiger certainly wouldn't.

[Guest siamsusie]

Virgin Blue, Qantas and Jetstar are the only domestic airlines flying into Hobart. Maybe you could email each one of them and ask what their policy is for passengers migrating from overseas with larger baggage allowances.

 

Doesnt the classy Tiger Airlines still enter your air space Skani?:wubclub: They abandoned us:laugh:

[Skani]

Doesnt the classy Tiger Airlines still enter your air space Skani?:wubclub: They abandoned us:laugh:

 

Edited my original post, Susie. I just realised that I had been at the airport on Friday and not seen any reference to them. Maybe they have abandoned us, too. (Or maybe the classy citizens of Hobart abandoned them).

[Guest bluesky]

Hi Skani,

 

Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions. Wouldn't it be great if just one of the international carriers had a flight starting in Tassie, even if it was once a week and went via a mainland city. I'm sure it would do well.

 

Just for interest and totally unrelated to this discussion. A travel writing competition in the Guardian newspaper in the UK has given the prize to the winner of an 8 day all expenses paid trip for two to Tassie with the company Tasmanian Expeditions. A very nice prize.

 

Thanks again Skani

Best wishes, bluesky

[Happy Lass]

Qantas are the only ones who do that from Hobart, I believe, Bluesky but you do have to change planes and terminals of course so not quite the same as sitting on one plane all the way there and back again! We don't fly in and out of Hobart very often any more but had a good experience flying from Hobart via Sydney to Auckland and back again last year. I did hear a rumour that Air New Zealand were going to start using Hobart for direct flights so perhaps there is hope.

 

Best of luck with the flights and congratulations on your visa. :smile:

[Skani]

Hi Skani,

Wouldn't it be great if just one of the international carriers had a flight starting in Tassie, even if it was once a week and went via a mainland city. I'm sure it would do well.

/QUOTE]

 

Of course the objection would be that they would need special customs and immigration personnel for the passengers departing from Hobart and it would be too costly. Although for a period a few years ago there were direct flights from Hobart to Christchurch, NZ, and there have sometimes been direct charter flights from Singapore to Hobart so it has been done.

[Guest siamsusie]

Jetstar to start direct flights between Gold Coast and Hobart | The Australian

 

Jetstar to start direct flights between Gold Coast and Hobart

 

 

DIRECT flights from the Gold Coast to Hobart will start next month.

 

Jetstar says its daily A320 service service will begin on December 22.

 

 

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/jetstar-to-start-direct-flights-between-gold-coast-and-hobart/story-e6frg90f-1225954603661

 

The company said the route will help open up Tasmania to the Japanese tourism market, with 112,000 Japanese tourists visiting the Gold Coast last year

 

Good news for Hobart & Tasmania hopefully