[Nicola]

Here goes with my latest panic. We are a family of 5 travelling with Air Singapore the baggage allowance is 20kg per suitcase. Problem is my bag is over and so is Peter's, all the kids suitcases are under, but totally full. Is it strictly per bag or can I use some of the kids unused allowance, they are both over 12 so are paying full fare.

Also does anyone have any experience of how strict they are on carry-on luggage. My carry on luggage is about 6-7kg not the 5kg. As I need to carry camera and laptop etc.

We did consider sending an extra suitcase using the excess baggage company, but it would cost about £200. So we decided that we would rather just throw away some clothes and buy new at the other end with the £200. Any excuse for a bit of shopping.

What has been your experience? Have any of you been charged huge amounts for excess baggage.

[marcia]

Not got any experience (yet) of this airlaine, but when we go on holiday to Tenerife, we have always put the luggage on and done a combined total. (we have travelled in a group with 8 people) They do have a maximum weight for heath and saftey reasons, that you can have in one case, I think (but not 100% sure) it's about 30kg.

Re hand luggage I always have a large 'handbag' it's more like a slim briefcase, but I put it over my shoulder like a handbag and have never been asked to put it on the scales! I have in there alsorts of stuff which would make the hand luggage heavy (small bottles of pop, camera, books, magazines, all the paperwork etc)

Not sure if this will be any help, but thats what we have experienced ourselves with other airlines!

[denisesykes]

Did I not read somewhere that if you fax Singapore Airlines a copy of your visa (phone them first) then they double your allowance?

[tigerlily]

Your hand luggage will probably be just fine. I've never flown that airline, but in all my years of flying never have I been asked to weigh a carry on. They seem to care much more about size of carry on.

You've tried swapping out some heavy items in your bag for some lighter things in the kids bags? Are you using a soft sided (lighter) bag?

[nessie]

I had just checked this out - here is what SA web site says:

Weight allowances for checked baggage are as follows:
First Class: 40 kg (88 lb)
Raffles Class: 30 kg (66 lb)
Economy Class: 20 kg (44 lb)

Occupational safety rules require that the checked baggage weight for passengers travelling to/from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom does not exceed 32 kg (70 lb) per piece. Any bags weighing more than 32 kg (70 lb) must be broken down such that each piece weighs less than 32 kg (70 lb).

And hand luggage:

Economy Class (Y)
One piece of in-cabin baggage
Total weight not to exceed 7 kg (15 lb) per piece
Maximum size not to exceed 115 cm (45 in) - sum of the height, width, and depth of the bag

In addition to the free baggage allowance, the following items may be carried in the aircraft cabin, free of charge:
A lady's handbag, pocketbook, or purse
An overcoat, wrap, or blanket
A fully collapsible wheelchair and/or a pair of crutches, provided that the passenger is dependent upon them
A reasonable amount of reading material
Infant food for consumption in flight and an infant carrying basket*, when the infant is travelling
An umbrella or walking stick
A small camera and/or a pair of binoculars

Hope this helps.

[sizzlingbadger]

We flew Virgin and then Air NZ. I contacted Air NZ to say we were emigrating and they double our limit. Unfortunately Virgin weren't so forthcoming and left it at 20 kgs :mad:

There are five of us (2 adults, 3 kids all under 4). We took 4 large suitcases (all weighing just over 20kgs), a travel cot, pushchair, three car seats in the hold. Hand luggage was 2 large rucksacks then the kids got given a Virgin backpack each so in the end it was 6 bags plus a laptop and five coats :roll It took us and my in laws and my husbands brother to get us to check in at Heathrow, how we managed at Auckland I'll never know.

The only time we got asked to check our hand luggage was at Auckland by a stroppy assistant. Got my back up a bit as she had let several people on with bigger hand luggage than us (I think it's because we looked like a bunch of rabble after two days constant flying !).

Contact SA and say you're emigrating that should double your baggage no problems as they're one of the better airlines.

Thankfully we weren't charged for excess baggage :D

[jan]

We flew singapore airlines in May and we got, 30k each. This was 20 + 10 because we had visa's and a one way ticket. We were also allowed 7k hand luggage. If we didnt use the hand luggage it was added to the suitcaes.

But, the cases had a max of 32k on them. They are resricted to that for the baggage handlers.

[Miffy]

When we flew over I took my hand luggage (a day pack size ruc sac) and my handbag.
My handbag had my book / money / passport / small wash kit etc etc.
My pack back held everything else I could get in my checked luggage. It was sooo heavy - neither got weighed.
We stopped over in the cooks on the way so I packed my bikini / shorts and tee just in case our checked luggage went a diferent way!
(we flew Air NZ via LA so had 64kgs of checked luggage each)

Ian also had a laptop bag (with laptop and various wires and techie things) and a day pack / ruc sac. packed with similar things as mine.

Regardless I also pack a change of clothes in my hand luggage just in case ....

[Avalon]

2 things.

Singapore would not extend our allowance even with visas when we phoned about them, but on the day - there was no quibble about the weight.

Hoever - we are usually over a baggage allowance and it has never been a problem. But we ALWAYS get to airpot at least 2-3 hours beofre the flight - which means we are often amongst the first to be checked in. From what we have seen - if you are over and its the last minute - you have to start re-packing.

If you are going to be over - get there early! It seems to make a difference.

[acisman]

We came with SA and when we enquired in advance, we were told that if we were emigrating we could have 25 k each and 7 k hand luggage. When we checked in we knew we were well over, but they were prepared to allow around 36k each, including hand luggage.

However we were stopping over in Singapore and it was made very clear to us that while at Heathrow SA were giving us a total allowance of 72 k ( 2 people ), it was likely when we left Singapore for Auckland, we would be charged for the excess over our allowance of 64 k.

We had more than 72 k so we just sent one case via Excess Baggage Company at Heathrow. This was far cheaper than the £30+ per kilo SA charge.

Pam & Dave

[neilw71]

We flew SA from Manchester in March - called the Manchester office to confirm the online booking had all gone through OK and the lady volunteered to increase our baggage to 40Kg each - didn't even have to ask!

So it can be done easily if you talk to the right person.

Neil

[debnjohn]

Hiya,
we are flying with Singapore Airlines one-way this Sunday (4th) Heathrow->Changi->Christchurch.
We got SIA to agree to 40 kilos baggage allowance in advance (not sure what our hand luggage allowance is). we had to fax them copies of our passports showing the Migrant Visa.
I picked up the tickets last Wednesday and was most relieved to see 40kG printed on them. Depending on who you speak to/when you call SIA give conflicting information.
Cheers,
John

[Timbo]

Have a good journey you folks, and try and keep us all up to speed on your new life. :cheers