[Belmont Babes]

We have booked flights with Singapore Airlines but through another company.. We have been told that we can take 40KG (double usual 20kg) on showing our visas. However we haven't got this in writing. Anyone else managed this?

[babscat]

It seemed to be common practice up to a couole of years ago but I got the impression it was no longer happening. Hope I'm wrong but do check again. You can get double allowance by going through the states either out or return but thats no good if you have already booked!
Good luck
Barbara

[Derv]

The travel agent (Thomas Cook) that I used to book my ticket just told Emirates that I was emigrating; I got 40k allowance with no problem, and no need for anything in writing. The checkin staff said that it was noted on the screen that they use. Everything went very smoothly at Gatwick.

[Steadybears]

We booked through Emirates and paid for our tickets - when we queried the 40 kg allowance we were told that the price of the tickets for an allowance of 40 kg is much higher. So we hope we going to fit everything into our 20 kg each.

[dusk]

I looked into this recently - this is the response I got from an email to singapore air uk customer realtions:
Thank you for your email regarding migrant baggage allowance to New Zealand.

Passengers emigrating to New Zealand are entitled to double baggage allowance provided they are holding the correct visa.

The visa must be an unused migrant visa that states to remain in New Zealand indefinitely. If you are holding this visa you will be entitled to double baggage allowance on production of the visa at check in. If you are not holding this visa then you eligible for only 20 kilos.

You can have as many items of luggage as you wish providing no one single item of baggage exceeds 32kgs in weight. This is a health and safety requirement.

Singapore Airlines policy on cabin baggage allows you to carry one item of cabin baggage only, per passenger, which must not weigh more than 7 kilos, and must not exceed 115cm in dimensions (height + depth + width). Apart from your 7 kilos, you can carry any one personal item as mentioned below.

A lady’s handbag
An overcoat
An umbrella or walking stick
A laptop or notebook computer
A small camera
A reasonable amount of reading material for the flight
Infant’s food for consumption in flight and infant’s carrying basket
Infant’s stroller provided the infant is on board the aircraft

[dusk]

additionally -
airNZ do not have the emigrant allowance but do offer a larger allowance if you go via LA
Emirates do allow the 40kg for emigrants
Royal Brunei do allow the 40kg for emigrants
Malaysia Air used to but no longer do for "commercial reasons"

[Belmont Babes]

Dusk you're a star. Thanks everyone else too. Do you think the correct visa includes a WTR visa? As that's the one we will hold.

[dusk]

No worries. email addy if you want to double check is: UK_Reservations@singaporeair.com.sg
they replied within about a day or so of my original query, or you can call:
Reservations Centre direct. If within UK, please call 0844 800 2380 (24 hour service, operated 7 days a week).

[nickydwuk]

I booked with SA yesterday and called them to confirm the baggae allowance. They repeated what has already been said that on production of an unused visa you will be given double baggage allowance at check-in. I would still like something in writing so I may email them too.

[Belmont Babes]

Have emailed them thank you again Dusk

[Bunstar]

Hi all,
We flew with Singapore Airlines last November to Auckland. Our travel agent got copies of our visas and requested extra luggage allowance for us. It was refused and they told us they only do it for those emigrating to Oz! So we had to make do with just 20kg each. I wonder if we were given duff info from our travel agent???
A note of caution though - we turned up at the airport with a piece of hand luggage each plus a laptop. They refused to allow us on the flight with more than one piece of hand luggage each, despite us showing them the print out off their website saying you can carry one personal item on top of your hand luggage, which included a laptop. Anyway we ended up having to repack stuff at the desk, putting our hold luggage overweight (they didn't dare charge us though!!)
Otherwise it was a great flight, have flown with them before to Oz and had no problems,
Clare :)

[holland]

They wouldnt give us 40kg each, but we got 30kg each...showed visa/email and no problems.

J xx

[peebles16]

We just had 20kgs each and hand luggage. I have to say it was enough cos trying to get around airport with four huge bags, hand luggage and two young kids was a challenge :) Can't imagine what it would have been like with double the luggage!!

All the best
Karenx

[randomone]

I think you guys are so lucky. I'm a NZer who has lived in the UK for years but because I won't be holding a special visa, I don't get the extra kg when I return to NZ to live. ..... doesn't seem right. I may phone them again and try one more time to have them agree to me taking a little extra (and get them to put it in writing if they do)

[pinkpiggy]

Hi Nat

We flew with Singapore Airlines and just rang their customer services. We told them we were emigrating and they gave us 30 kg - we just had to show our visas (which were in our passport by then) when we checked in. We only carried one piece of hand luggage each - OH had laptop, kids and I all had a rucksack. We had no problems at all.

[Den]

Hi does anyone know if Virgin Atlantic or Air New Zealand allow extra baggage allowance for visa holders? It would be great - I could do a bit more retail therapy!

[JandM]

Dusk said airNZ do not have the emigrant allowance but do offer a larger allowance if you go via LA. Do Virgin Atlantic go to NZ? - don't think so.

There's another thread somewhere about posting/shipping stuff that would otherwise be excess baggage. That's another option.

Randomone, the AirNZ allowance when you go via LA is huge - two pieces of checked in baggage of 23kg each, or 32 kg each if in business class. That might help.

[Den]

Dusk said . Do Virgin Atlantic go to NZ? - don't think so.


Hi J & M We are flying Virgin Atlantic, Heathrow to Hong Kong. Then Air New Zealand Hong Kong to Auckland, hence the question about allowance.

[JandM]

Ah, that explains it! I guess it won't be any good if Virgin would give you extra, as long as Air NZ won't. But you could try asking Air NZ direct. The more people that ask, even if they say no at the moment, the more they might realize there's a demand, especially if some then say, 'Huh, well, in that case I'll use a different airline' - not you if you've already booked, of course, but in general.

[randomone]

thanks jandm - unfortunately, I've already paid for my ticket on Singapore Airlines

[KiwiDreamer]

I have booked flights with Singapore Airlines and was told that to get the 40kg allowance 'The visa must be an unused migrant visa that states to remain in New Zealand indefinitely. If you are holding this visa you will be entitled to double baggage allowance on production of the visa at check in.'

However after calling the help desk they say my Visa will not be sufficient as it doesn't have the words remain in New Zealand indefinitely on it. My Residence Visas state 'The holder may travel to NZ and on application may be granted a residence permit'. I thought this meant that I will have permanent residency status once I go through NZ custums?

Starting to feel that panic rising now. Have I based all my plans on a flawed Visa?

[IanW99]

I have booked flights with Singapore Airlines and was told that to get the 40kg allowance 'The visa must be an unused migrant visa that states to remain in New Zealand indefinitely. If you are holding this visa you will be entitled to double baggage allowance on production of the visa at check in.'

However after calling the help desk they say my Visa will not be sufficient as it doesn't have the words remain in New Zealand indefinitely on it. My Residence Visas state 'The holder may travel to NZ and on application may be granted a residence permit'. I thought this meant that I will have permanent residency status once I go through NZ custums?

Starting to feel that panic rising now. Have I based all my plans on a flawed Visa?

No wonder you are confused, I'm assuming that you were granted a RRV? Ours says exactly the same as yours.

Our visa doesn't mention "remain in New Zealand indefinitely" either but our permit does?

BTW, you are correct, you are allowed to enter NZ by using your visa and on entry NZ immigration will (hopefully) grant you a permit that matches your visa so if you have an RRV then you will be granted a residence permit (which will state that you can "remain in New Zealand indefinitely")

It would appear that Singapore Airlines are a bit confused?

Ian

[KiwiDreamer]

Ian
Thanks for the reply. Yes we were granted a Residence Visa and a Returning Resident's Visa each.
I told them they were wrong on the phone which I find doesn't go down too well. I have re-emailed them so we'll see. I can just see the arguments at Heathrow now and getting nowhere fast.
I also checked the limits on the size of checked baggage which on the SIA web site states there is a limit. However - again - to maintain the confusion which is endemic in the emigration process, she said there is no size restriction.

[smitjo]

I've just had the same argument with SA! Since we have already flown to NZ and activated our visas they will not allow us to get the extra baggage allowance! I'm not sure they totally understand the PR visas and that they don't actually have the words: "remain in New Zealand indefinitely". i offered to email them my visa but they kept telling me I had the wrong one .....I have a PR visa...okay it has been used but we are still emigrating! Not sure whether it is worth just booking the tickets and going for it. hey won't realise that it isn't used unless they go though the passport and see the permit!

[dusk]

We decided to fly with Air NZ via LA in the end and thus get 2 bags x 23kg each per person. Saved any phoning up and arguing ;)

[smitjo]

Don't blame you....I have just booked our flights with SA....it all feels very final now and I'm starting to panic - AGAIN!

[IanW99]

I've just had the same argument with SA! Since we have already flown to NZ and activated our visas they will not allow us to get the extra baggage allowance! I'm not sure they totally understand the PR visas and that they don't actually have the words: "remain in New Zealand indefinitely". i offered to email them my visa but they kept telling me I had the wrong one .....I have a PR visa...okay it has been used but we are still emigrating! Not sure whether it is worth just booking the tickets and going for it. hey won't realise that it isn't used unless they go though the passport and see the permit!

This is a different scenario, the airlines give you the 'migrant' allowance once to allow you to get your belongings to your new country. If you leave and return then you are not migrating and are just entitled to the normal luggage allowance.

Of course, many people do just visit and activate their PR so haven't actually used their 'migrant' allowance yet, but will the airlines know this and allow you, or have you now lost the option?

Ian

[Caroline and Dave]

I've just had the same argument with SA! Since we have already flown to NZ and activated our visas they will not allow us to get the extra baggage allowance! I'm not sure they totally understand the PR visas and that they don't actually have the words: "remain in New Zealand indefinitely". i offered to email them my visa but they kept telling me I had the wrong one .....I have a PR visa...okay it has been used but we are still emigrating! Not sure whether it is worth just booking the tickets and going for it. hey won't realise that it isn't used unless they go though the passport and see the permit!

We are in the same boat here. although we have already been to NZ and activated our visas we do not actually emmigrate until 1st May. We have had several emails and phone conversations with SA and they will not back down on this.They will not allow us to have the migrants allowance as we have already activated the visa. Despite their records showing that we have not used the double allowance they will not back down on this and want to charge a whopping £25 per kilo overweight ( This is of yesterday and can change)
As regards not noticing it in your paspports, if you have one of the scannable passports, all this info comes up on it and tells them that the visa is activated.
One tip I have been given for people who may be in the same position. If you have a visa and do not wish to activate it you can go through the normal visitors entrance and request that your visa is not activated. You will then use it as a normal visitors passport. Worth remembering if you are doing a recce.