A trans-tasman flights excess bowling bag weight ??

[deaf lefty]

Have you experience with a flight to new zealand or from new zealand to australia.. about excess your bowling bag weight ??

Qantas or Pacific Blue(virgin blue) or Air New Zealand or Jetstar airway flights and other airlines.


Can you give your advice in your own experience about trans-tasman flight either aust to new zealand or new zealand to australia.

cheers deaf lefty-been three trips to new zealand in last two years period for played a nz tournment.

 

[Beanie]

Hi,

As I have done lots of travelling across the Tasman for MTC, NSW, SPC & Rachuig for the last few years on both AirNZ and Qantas, you have to keep the following in mind:

- Tote bags weigh far less than roller bags, 3 15lb balls in tote bags = 22 kilos, with roller bags you are looking at 28-30kg. Although the standard max baggage allowance is 20kg, airlines tend to allow up to 25kg without problems. But if you check in more than 25kg, you should expect to pay $10 for every kilo you have over the 20kg limit.

- The airlines these days do not allow bowling balls in carryon baggage, so don't try it. Not only do they x-ray all cabin baggage, but any 'suspicious' looking cabin baggage bags are also weighed, if the 7kg limit is seriously exceeded then they will ask you to do something about it.

My usual practice these days is to take 3 balls in tote bags as checkin baggage, everything else goes into my cabin baggage. This includes bowling shoes, towels, cleaners and any other bowling 'stuff' that I have - except sharp objects like siscors or nail files - and all my clothes for the trip. As I said earlier, the checkin baggage usually weighs around 22-23kg, and the cabin baggage around 7-8kg. This formula will not generate any excess baggage issues, but adding any more onto either checked baggage or cabin baggage is asking for trouble.

As I said, I have flown AirNZ and Qantas. I haven't tried any of the other airlines. I expect the major airlines (Emirates, Thai etc etc) to be similar to AirNZ and Qantas, but the budget airlines like Jetstar or Pacific Blue are likely to be even stricter - because they are budget airlines.

Hope this helps,

David.

 

[Jase]

Hey David,

Is there any extra charges for the sheep!!!!!!!

 

[xpense]

I flew on Pacific Blue earlier this year both ways.

Found them to be just like Virgin Blue, all the same rules, but the flights were less crowded than here in Australia, lots of empty seats on our flights both ways.

The bags were treated as 5kgs a bag, and we got the standard 20kg each. We managed to take over 5 tote bags, and 1 x 3 ball roller. No excess at all, plus all of our luggage. This was bit as we went for 12 days as we included a holiday after the tournament.

You need to ensure you advise the airline prior to the departure date both ways that you have the sporting equipment, so that it is listed on your reservation. We also advised it was best to check in prior to the 90 minutes requested, to ensure the heavy items would not be a problem, and the checks could be completed when checking in.

Dont even worry about Jetstar, appart from the cancellation of flights, they charge heavily for excess baggage, and no getting around it.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Lance Dyer

 

[deaf lefty]

myself already booked our Jetstar Airway flight to Christchurch, New Zealand next late May 2006, It for New Zealand National Deaf Championship on the Christchurch Garden City bowl during Queen's Birthday weekend Also our holiday in rest of our trip.

NO Qantas flight during Brisbane to Christchuch from 3rd Decemember 2005, it changing for new one as JETSTAR Airway.

Myself trying our best to do with a JETSTAR AIRWAY INFORMATION when myself will find out an info through the jetstar phone line okay following myself already looked at the JETSTAR Airway's website.

cheers david-deaf lefty

 

[Little Weed]

I suggest you look into the matter of baggage weight most carefully with Jetstar, particularly travelling to NZ. I dont know how many bowling balls you are taking, but I can say there are absolutely no concessions with Jetstar as there may be with Virgin.

Last year my partner and I took a 4 ball roller to Auckland flying on Qantas, and as we were Qantas Club members we had a little extra weight allowance we just scraped into the limit, that was for 2 of us travelling together. A friend travelling with us with her own 4 ball roller had to pay in excess of $100 on the way to Auckland, and on the way home Qantas wanted to charge her double that, fortunately she had wisely kept the docket from the outward flight and was able to argue the price down to the original outward excess baggage price. 5am in the morning is no time to be arguing over excess baggage when you are tired and just want to get home.

Sydney Blues, a regular touring group, suffered the same problem, although they were on a different airline out of Sydney to Auckland. There was no cheaper alternative sending their bowling gear back by a freight company either. It was a very expensive tournament for us all and probably has put a lot of people off travelling to NZ tournaments in the future.

Jetstar do not have a good reputation for baggage allowance, (or for keeping to schedule) so to avoid a huge disappointment, try to get information out of Jetstar in writing before you go, and allow plenty of time to get to your destination to allow for late departures, fog in Christchurch or any other little thing that could spoil your trip.

Best of luck in the tournament, and enjoy your stay in Christchurch, it is a beautiful city.

Josie Adams

 

[deaf lefty]

Hi to Everyone,

David (deaf lefty) did sent a private message to David Davies(beanie) so can you answering our question ??

David did sent to Josie adams in private message too.

are you aware of something in exess baggage allowance ??

Myself agree with David Davies(beanie)-mostly airlines(not budget airlines one) allow up to 25kg-the standard baggage allowance is 20kg.

But if you check in more than 20kg
- should you expect to pay $15 per one kg each(old was $10)-only major new zealand airports to east coast cites eg sydney, brisbane and melbourne.....($20 per one kg each for nz to perth or perth to nz).

Anyway, Two deaf friend of mind who went to Auckland in earlier years ago-Myself think Auckland Int Airport are more tougher one in strict when check in on the Auckland International Airport-they did gave both deaf person paid $200 and $133 for baggage excess limit because they bring three/four bowling balls. It gave me learnt a lesson in new experence for me after happened in auckland last year so myself decided our clothes bag would be less one as least 12kg and alway bring two bowling ball in our bowling bag.

Last year June 2005 at 4.30 am morning, myself did checked in on the Auckland Int airport..check in attendant say limit of 25kg (combined clothes bag-bowling bag in 35kg)-myself would pay $50 for extra 5kg but myself showed our qantas flight paper to her.."showed a sport equipment in note on the computer" that myself did arguement with her so she asked other check in attendant.. other person say limit of 30kg ! both are different one-it make me confused !!

Then she rang the Auckland headquarter airport or the airline(myself not know which one)-she talked for take half hour before she say free charge and can myself go now and thank god !! cheers!!!

Myself bowled on the New Zealand Deaf Championship on Henderson area(Lincoln Road Bowl), Auckland in last year 2004.

Do you know all new zealand airport check in attendants are air zealand workers (not qantas)!! beware !!

Myself went to Wellington International Airport-through the checked in no problem this year June 2005 ALSO went to the Christchurch International Airport-through the checked in no problem in june 2003 year.

If myself mistaken-apologies okay.

cheers david (deaf lefty)

 

[deaf lefty]

Three different budget airlines access the trans-tasman flights:

Jetstar Airway
Pacific Blue
Freedomair

Pacific Blue have a own sport equipment policy-better one

Both JET STAR OR FREEDOMAIR not have a policy for bowling bag ! no good so standard baggage allowance is 20kg....BUT if you check in over 20kg - you should expected to pay
$ 5 per every one kg each.

you check in over 20kg is excess baggage allowance.

from DEAF LEFTY

 

[xpense]

As mentioned in my earlier post.

PACIFIC BLUE

a great budget airline. All the same rules as Virgin Blue in OZ.

 

[deaf lefty]

HI EVERYONE,

Lance Dyer is right one about Pacific Blue

unfortunely for myself did booked our Jet Star flight in nearly two month ago-it for Brisbane to Christchurch.

So myself trying our best to do in work out when myself will checking with jet star airway website over full or little attendance on flight route Brisbane to Christchurch ? Waiting and see what happening ??

Last checked on the Jet Star Airway website in few days ago-Brisbane to Christchurch our flight are few people attendance at the moment

Christchurch to Brisbane flight are good attenance at the moment-chance to be full by next June 2005

If myself would pay our own $$ for Pacific Blue route Brisbane to Christchurch ??

Jet Star Airway will starting on 1st DECEMBER 2005-EASTERN COAST CITIES OF MELBOURNE OR SYDNEY OR BRISBANE TO CHRISTCHURCH.

No more Qantas flight from Brisbane to Christchurch by 1st December 2005.

Myself will deciding to take one or two bowling ball for a trip to christchurch next late may 2006.

Lots of thanks to all everyone for supporting through or viewing this subject: a trans-tasman flight excess bowling bag weight ??

Any problem?? you can put more messages on this subject that myself will be very happily to be reading it okay

Many thanks cheers from David (deaf lefty).