[Steadybears]

Any advise on which airline will allow us to take a few extra kg on the plane with us - we have our PR and now trying to get best deal with regard taking maybe 30 kg rather than the usual 20 kg.

I am hoping to take few groceries to keep us fed up abit while we settle in - would that be problem - What did others take to use in their rental until we get our first NZ salary. Coffees, pasta tin food - am I being silly or what. I worry about battling when we get there and just settling in.

Yes I do worry about everything!!
Jayne

[benandclare]

We used Emirates and got 40kgs each as emigrating :nice1

Dont worry about the food " we have meat here in zee building" to quote Basil Fawlty :D :D

[shakyle2906]

Hi

We came over on work visas, via LA, and were allowed 2x23kg per person with Air NZ............


Didnt bring any food with us - perhaps someone else can advise you on that ?

Sharon
x

[Familyofmonkeys]

We got the following offers of baggage allowance:

Air NZ...25kg each plus a few extra allowances for stroller and infant carrier
Singapore...30kg each but only 10kg for the baby, and infant carrier plus stroller.
Emirates....40kg each and stroller.

All of them allowed 7kg carry on each and 5kg carry on for the baby.

Most also gave double baggage allowance if you travel via LA from UK.

In the end we went with Singapore as although not the maximum baggage they were the cheapest and we didn't need to mess around with copies of visas to get the extra allowance. We also did not go via LA...didn't fancy that nightmare with 3 small children.

[nippa&pippa]

We flew with emirates at 40kg per person, plus 2 car seat and pushchair as well as 7kg hand luggages per person :D

[Steadybears]

Thanks for all that advise - have seen Emirates do offer that 40kg buggage allowance - but wonder if that 20 hour journey is worth it.

Jayne

[MaxG]

Thanks for all that advise - have seen Emirates do offer that 40kg buggage allowance - but wonder if that 20 hour journey is worth it.

Jayne

Can't say about flying from SA, but Emirates were fab flying from the UK - my favourite airline. decent food, decent leg room, great staff and excellent in-flight entertainment system.

[benandclare]

Can't say about flying from SA, but Emirates were fab flying from the UK - my favourite airline. decent food, decent leg room, great staff and excellent in-flight entertainment system.

hear hear :nice1

[nippa&pippa]

Can't say about flying from SA, but Emirates were fab flying from the UK - my favourite airline. decent food, decent leg room, great staff and excellent in-flight entertainment system.

hear hear :nice1 (unless you got food allergies...beware!:laugh )

[Kennafamily]

We fly on 12th Feb with Emirates, 40 kg + 7 kg hand luggage each, same for our 3 yr old (dont know how she'll carry it). Because were travelling with a child there throwing in a hotel room for the 7 hrs in Dubai, dont know if any other airlines do this.

[nickydwuk]

Just spoke to Singapore Airlines - if you are travelling for the first time on your visa (which we will be) we can have 40kg per person checked in baggage and 7kg of hand luggage - 1 piece plus a laptop/handbag etc.... Not bad :yes

[Kiwi-In-Texas]

Does anyone know the luggage allowance Qantas offers?

Suzanne.

[ourquest]

Thanks for all that advise - have seen Emirates do offer that 40kg buggage allowance - but wonder if that 20 hour journey is worth it.

Everyone is different of course, but we found the journey with Emirates via Dubai to be no problem at all...and that is with three boys aged 5, 7 and 9. Not one of us was bored at any time during the long flights. We flew from Durban to Auckland (and back again). It's frustrating that Emirates require you to have transit visas for Australia (Australia are very clear that they are not necessary) but otherwise for the option of taking more luggage to tide you over in NZ it is IMHO an easy decision.

[Kennafamily]

WHAT TRANSIT VISA!!!!!! Were flying from Dubai to Auckland via Sydney I dont even think we get off the plane, do we need a visa? where do we get one? how long will it take? just when I thought no more hurdles.

[benandclare]

WHAT TRANSIT VISA!!!!!! Were flying from Dubai to Auckland via Sydney I dont even think we get off the plane, do we need a visa? where do we get one? how long will it take? just when I thought no more hurdles.

We flew Birmingham, Dubai, Sydnet then Christchurch.

In Syndey we didnt need visas and had to get off plane and then channelled into a hand luggage and body scanner area then waited in departure lounge for 20 mins then back on same plane

[ourquest]

WHAT TRANSIT VISA!!!!!! Were flying from Dubai to Auckland via Sydney I dont even think we get off the plane, do we need a visa? where do we get one? how long will it take? just when I thought no more hurdles.

I don't really have a definitive answer for you. I faught a bit with emirates here in SA pointing out to them that Oz immigration are clear you don't need them...but Emirates maintained you do, and the Oz embassy said that Emirates are the ones insisting and that they are happy you don't. So we bit the bullet and applied for them; no charge except for a courier service fee which seems unavoidable. But we used our SA passports...with a recent UK passport (if it has the bio info on a microchip) you can get an ETA (electronic travel authority) apparently online and within a day. So no need to panic. And technically you don't need it anyway...we were nervous that they might refuse to let us board (family of five, lots to lose in that case) and we figured that it only took the boarding official to have a bad day and our plans could change shape. And since we flew on a public holiday we wouldn't have been able to contact anyone useful.
Apologies for placing a hurdle in your final dash for the finish line. You might be allowed to run round it though!

[nippa&pippa]

We flew Birmingham, Dubai, Sydnet then Christchurch.

In Syndey we didnt need visas and had to get off plane and then channelled into a hand luggage and body scanner area then waited in departure lounge for 20 mins then back on same plane

Agree :yes We also took same flights above in Oct 2006 and never need visas.

[mikewalkerfrom]

We flew with emirates at 40kg per person, plus 2 car seat and pushchair as well as 7kg hand luggages per person :D

I hope Emirates still has that deal! Our house just sold and come end of March we're doing the 2 adults, 2 children, 2 car seats and a pushchair to christchurch too!

[Familyofmonkeys]

I hope Emirates still has that deal! Our house just sold and come end of March we're doing the 2 adults, 2 children, 2 car seats and a pushchair to christchurch too!

Make sure you check....the deals change all the time. One of the deals (can't remember which airlline) a couple of months before we booked flights allowed 32kg check in each and double i.e. 64 kg each if you flew via LAX. However each individual piece couldn't be over 35kg in weight. That was on top of 7kg check in, plus laptop bag and handbag etc.

[Familyofmonkeys]

Another idea for those of you wanting to carry a little bit extra. You are allowed an overcoat on pretty much all airlines. We travelled with our winter waterproofs. Far too hot to wear travelling, but you are allowed to bring them just the same. We put small heavy items in all the zip pockets e.g. camera, PSP's, paperwork etc. The coats all went through the scanners...and you don't need to remove anything from the pockets like you do for your trouser pockets etc, as your coat just goes through the scanners.

Also, we tied jumpers/cardigans around our waists so we didn't have the weight in suitcases...they were all at the max weight! And again, you can take them off to go through scanners and if they have any little pockets you could put stuff in them.

In fact SOME of the airlines allow you to have a camera in addition to check in stuff anyway...so you could just sling one aroudn your neck. Remember to print off the website guidelines at check-in. We found that the check-in staff are not always up to date on the current allowances!

this might all sound a bit like overkill, but if you find you need a few extra bits & pieces it can be done. Remember, once you are on the plane you can remove all the excess stuff and store overhead. You spend most of your journey on the plane.

[nippa&pippa]

I hope Emirates still has that deal! Our house just sold and come end of March we're doing the 2 adults, 2 children, 2 car seats and a pushchair to christchurch too!

Just contact Emirates HQ to let them know that you got PR visa so they can put note on system that you are allow 40kg per person to save problem at check-in, then at airport, they will ask you to take car seats and pushchair to "oversize" baggage section after they put tags on it.

BTW look forward to meet you in chch!! ;)