Baggage allowance ripoff - or not ?
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Baggage allowance ripoff - or not ?
We've just booked a fortnight in Cuba for the Mrs' 50th, and, trying to keep the cost down, have cut out as many of the 'extras' as we can. Flying Thomas Cook, we get 15kg baggage as standard, but they want another £180 in total for an additional 5kg each. I think that's extortionate - but - that's just a knee-jerk reaction. I know nothing about the cost to the airline of transporting those extra kilos.
What I'd really like to know is; seriously, do they even check ? I mean, the check-in desk operator is usually running flat out and I wonder how many of them will make extra work for themselves by checking the allowance on every ticket and holding everything up to take baggage excess payments everytime someone is carrying 20kg when they've only paid for 15kg, etc.
We can probably (well, I can - I can't speak for the Mrs !), get away with everything in 15kg each, esp if we put as much heavy stuff as we can in the hand luggage. I'm not paying £180 though.
What I'd really like to know is; seriously, do they even check ? I mean, the check-in desk operator is usually running flat out and I wonder how many of them will make extra work for themselves by checking the allowance on every ticket and holding everything up to take baggage excess payments everytime someone is carrying 20kg when they've only paid for 15kg, etc.
We can probably (well, I can - I can't speak for the Mrs !), get away with everything in 15kg each, esp if we put as much heavy stuff as we can in the hand luggage. I'm not paying £180 though.
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Without knowing what airport you are departing from, it difficult to answer. But be advised that some airlines have excess baggage quotas for their check in staff, if they dont make a certain amount per month, they are in trouble! So if you are leaving early in the month, you might get away with the additional 1 kg, but not 5kgs!
Mutt
Mutt
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I can't say what is that you might be able to get away with, but when I show up at a ticket counter in uniform as flight crew to airline into a trip...my bags get weighed and I get charged the overage, and the bag fees. You think you're going to get away with less?
My checked bags are always weighed.
My checked bags are always weighed.
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checkin staff may be busy but they have been trained to look for kilo allowences on tickets and i believe the majority of tcx flights are only 15kgs ticketed anyway and if you have paid extra there will no doubt be a comment next to your name to inform the checkin staff. I havent worked on tcx but checked in many other charter flights and they all work the same. Everything is weighed, even your handluggage because all the airlines want to do is get every last £ out of your pocket.
Take it from personal experience, if the checkin agent doesnt charge for the excess Kilos they can be in trouble from their employer. Many airlines also have incentives for the agents to charge - commission, prizes, standby tkts etc
It wont really cause a hassle at the desk because you are most likely be sent away to the ticket desk to pay for your excess, depending on where you are flying from. Some agents can be extremely strict, others will let 1 or 2 go, but 3+kgs will most likely you will have to pay for, also £180 for an extra 10kgs (5 per person) you mentioned seems abit steep, again i dont have any experience with tcx but most airlines only charge about £5-£7 per kilo excess from preivous experience.
Enjoy your holiday!
Take it from personal experience, if the checkin agent doesnt charge for the excess Kilos they can be in trouble from their employer. Many airlines also have incentives for the agents to charge - commission, prizes, standby tkts etc
It wont really cause a hassle at the desk because you are most likely be sent away to the ticket desk to pay for your excess, depending on where you are flying from. Some agents can be extremely strict, others will let 1 or 2 go, but 3+kgs will most likely you will have to pay for, also £180 for an extra 10kgs (5 per person) you mentioned seems abit steep, again i dont have any experience with tcx but most airlines only charge about £5-£7 per kilo excess from preivous experience.
Enjoy your holiday!
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Why not just upgrade to the 20kg through your travel agent? At the time of booking this is £25 each and they should be able to add this on still. I'm guessing your going through the airline to get that price which I'd assume is mainly aimed at those taking even more than the 20kg. Excess baggage for long haul flights on TCX is currently £10 per kg.
Paxing All Over The World
For reasons not yet known, the carrier does not want you to take more than 15Kgs - so it makes a deliberately disproportionate charge for over weight. It wins both ways. Firstly, most people take less and so they carry less weight and those that are over pay a lot more money than it costs to carry the weight.
Those are the rules and when I came back from Europe recently with a 15Kg limit, there was a steady stream of people from the check-in desk to the cashier desk. Curiously, at that airport, they did not weigh hand luggage - but you cannot be sure of that in advance.
Those are the rules and when I came back from Europe recently with a 15Kg limit, there was a steady stream of people from the check-in desk to the cashier desk. Curiously, at that airport, they did not weigh hand luggage - but you cannot be sure of that in advance.
Pilot of the Airwaves
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Weigh your bags empty, as "lightweight" doesn't always mean that. Some weigh over 6kgs empty.
You may need to reconsider your baggage.
You may need to reconsider your baggage.
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In this throw away world take the absolute minimum you need with you on the flight (your going out/dressing up clothes) and buy what you need when you get there, cheap T-shirts, underwear, flip flops, whatever. Many hotels will supply you with the basic toiletries. When you leave drop off what you bought at a charity shop or shelter facility for the needy. It'll cost you a damn sight less than £180 and you'll probably feel a whole lot better for:
1 beating the airline
and
2 helping someone in need
Enjoy your holiday
1 beating the airline
and
2 helping someone in need
Enjoy your holiday
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Generally speaking, I will go for the excess charge when booking if available if I'm concerned about weight on the way out - because I bloody KNOW I'll be well over that on the way back with all the tat you normally buy on hols. And, if you're going on hols with a female, you really shouldn't have to think about it any more.
And this is from someone who is vicious on what he takes when travelling for work.
And this is from someone who is vicious on what he takes when travelling for work.
Irritatingly of course, the fat b*****d who's next in line and weighs a good 50kg more than you also gets a 15kg allowance 
But I'm sure this has been discussed at length elsewhere 
But I'm sure this has been discussed at length elsewhere
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luggage ripoff
monarch airlines own charters have 20kg hold allowance if the aircraft is chartered by thomas cook the baggage allowance is cut to 15kg and you have to pay extra for the other 5kg,people did not seem to be charged for excess baggage outward bound,but they were charged for any excess inbound another treasure island (UK) RIPOFF
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Yes, you will probably have your bags weighed. The tougher the limit the more likely it is! Best plan is to stay within the 15kgs.
Very sound advice or half your allowance goes just for a bag. Buy a cheap and very light bag then you can take more. Avoid bags with complicated handles and wheels. Be ruthless, too, in the packing. Don't carry things like spare batteries and other things you can buy while you are away.
Plus don't forget the old trick of putting heavy stuff like cameras in your pocket or around your neck when you turn up at the check in.
Weigh your bags empty...
Plus don't forget the old trick of putting heavy stuff like cameras in your pocket or around your neck when you turn up at the check in.
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I've done 1200 sectors, so I do know a little about packing a suitcase.
And now I've trained the wife.
We follow BladePilot's advice:
"When you leave drop off what you bought at a charity shop or shelter facility for the needy. It'll cost you a damn sight less than £180 and you'll probably feel a whole lot better for"
We take full baggage allowance outbound on our Longhaul Trips (eg Colombia, Miami, Hong Kong etc) old T-shirts, shorts, underwear, old everything including the kids' clothes. We give the lot away to charity as we leave.
15kg in a wheelie is easily sufficient. You're not going to be wearing winter clothes by the pool are you? Are you planning to tie the knot again and get married on every day of your stay in Cuba?
And now I've trained the wife.
We follow BladePilot's advice:
"When you leave drop off what you bought at a charity shop or shelter facility for the needy. It'll cost you a damn sight less than £180 and you'll probably feel a whole lot better for"
We take full baggage allowance outbound on our Longhaul Trips (eg Colombia, Miami, Hong Kong etc) old T-shirts, shorts, underwear, old everything including the kids' clothes. We give the lot away to charity as we leave.
15kg in a wheelie is easily sufficient. You're not going to be wearing winter clothes by the pool are you? Are you planning to tie the knot again and get married on every day of your stay in Cuba?
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Yes it is !
Rather than set reasonable ticket prices, they aim to look cheap while overstressing pax who should be enjoying their trip, not worrying about a couple of kg of t-shirts.
Rather than set reasonable ticket prices, they aim to look cheap while overstressing pax who should be enjoying their trip, not worrying about a couple of kg of t-shirts.
Last edited by rmac; 10th May 2009 at 09:19. Reason: spelling (hic !)
rmac - depressing as it may seem, accountants in large companies do not care about whether the customers are stressed out or not. They care only about revenues and costs. I suppose that's why accountants are different from other human beings.... ! 
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Perhaps we shouldn't complain too much - regardless of it being a national past time. There are many airlines in the states that charge for checking in bags... Heck there are airlines here in the UK that charge for checking in bags! Perhaps the free baggage allowance is becoming a sacred thing we should cherish and take full advantage of?
Paxing All Over The World
mac
Oh no it isn't !!!!!!
It used to be that there was a 20Kg weight allowance in the price of the ticket - now there isn't. In just a few years people will read how, back in ancient times, there used to be an inclusive weight allowance (not 'free' just included) and they will be amazed.
Why do carriers adopt this method? Because it works. Everybody wins, because you get what you pay for. Because the human race has collectively decided that money is something to be retained, they are naturally drawn to any process the helps them to retain it. If some individuals land up spending more than they planned - they can choose to amend their behaviour next time.
Times have already changed and you can change or not, as you wish.
Yes it is !
It used to be that there was a 20Kg weight allowance in the price of the ticket - now there isn't. In just a few years people will read how, back in ancient times, there used to be an inclusive weight allowance (not 'free' just included) and they will be amazed.
Why do carriers adopt this method? Because it works. Everybody wins, because you get what you pay for. Because the human race has collectively decided that money is something to be retained, they are naturally drawn to any process the helps them to retain it. If some individuals land up spending more than they planned - they can choose to amend their behaviour next time.
Times have already changed and you can change or not, as you wish.
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Its a win win situation for the airline definately, and as a business I would expect that! Through reducing the allowance from 20kg to 15kg the load is obviously reduced by 5kg per passenger:
Average 200 pax x 5kg = 1000kg / 1 ton
Must save a nice hit on the fuel bill!
Average 200 pax x 5kg = 1000kg / 1 ton
Must save a nice hit on the fuel bill!