Shipping Luggage
 

As a new member I hope this is getting posted in the proper forum. I am flying LHR-BKK-AKL at the end of the month to join a boat and have just discovered that Thai Airways baggage allowance for this sector is 20 kg (I'm in economy). As I will be away for seven months or so and everywhere from a few hundered miles from the Antartic Circle to the tropics I'm definitely going to need more than the allowance. I called Thai in London and they informed me that the overweight charge is 30GBP per kilo. This works out to about $22 per pound, not a realistic option. My ticket on Thai is already purchased and non-refundable so I cannot try another airline. Does anyone have any experience with shipping their excess luggage via an alternative to a passenger airline? Any thoughts or options would be greatly appreciated. I am flying BOS-LHR on Virgin Atlantic the day before my LHR-BKK-AKL flight so that I may pick up my onwards tickets. Virgin allows 40 kg, so I could ship either from here in Maine, Boston, or London if necessary. Thanks in advance for any advice on this subject or proper posting.

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"There are those who travel, and those who travel well."

Get the price on another 20kg bag from Thai.

I also think VS allows 2x32kg bags whether they want to or not for a transatlantic flight.

Usually, on int'l flights, if your originating and ending points on solely on one airline, then the airline is quite lenient on a reasonable amount of overweight on luggage. On Thai, which I have flown a lot, if you are 10 kg or so overweight, they would not bill you for excess weight, or if they do bill you, you can negotiate with check in staff for a lesser amount, say bill only 5 kg. So, depending on how much over the 20 kg you are, if you can manage the carry on, put any small, heavy items in your carry on, and check in one or two bags with the bulkier, lighter items. Then as you travel, chuck old clothing that you've worn and no longer need, and use sea mail to mail back home lighter items that you don't need to bring home with you.

From a discussion on doing this from Italy (from the Europe Eastern/Western forum)

Short_Link

Take a bit of advice from an old sailer, please. Your storage space on the boat likely will be limited. Consider buying cheat warm weather clothing along the way and giving it away when you are through with it. Also true for heavy weather gear. You don't have to take everything you own as likely you will be living with it for those 7 months! Keep it easy on yourself.

generally the overweight allowance is much higher than the extra bag allowance. It may be cheaper just to check an extra bag. Have you looked into that option?

Another reason not to ship your luggage separately from you: as you will be joining a boat, don't take the risk of your shipped luggage missing your connection with the boat. There is no worse feeling that your luggage not getting on the boat with you and hoping that the luggage catches up with the boat somewhere on its journey. Keep your luggage with you.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to resond to this post. BDL, your link looks interesting. I will contact the freight/Baggage forwarder in London. Slawecki and Missydarlin both brought up a good point, I checked the overweight charges but neglected to ask the charges for a seperate piece of luggage. I will contact Thai in London and ask. Oldpenny16, in my attempt to be concise, I probably did not give enough information. I have been a professional sailor since 1979 with over 150,000 nautical miles offshore so am not exactly new to this. We will be going straight from Auckland (39 S) to Cape Horn (56 S) approx 4800 nautical miles in what could be called marginal conditions. Having been to Southern Chile and Argentina before I am quite clear what is available in clothing suitable for sailing there (nil) Our onwards destinations of The Falklands, Trista Da Cuhna (weather permitting) St. Helena, and The Cape Verde Islands will offer even less. Make no mistake I have done as you suggested before in Europe, The Caribbean, Panama, Tahiti, Iceland, Mexico, Nova Scotia. etc., but I do feel this trip will not offer as many options. Thank you again to all who responded, I will let you know how I make out.

[This message has been edited by FromMaine (edited 09-05-2003).]

Dear FromMaine, can I come along! Very glad that you have the experience of how to travel thus. I've shared space with people who didn't have a clue and brought everything from home but the Maytag! I have a huge boat storm coat from Nova Scotia that has served as coat, sleeping bag and padding in rough seas. Remember that your coat doesn't count as part of your luggage weight if you are wearing or carrying it. You can cram the pockets with hat, gloves, scarf etc. A lot of etc! (just nothing that sets off the metal detector).
Have a wonderful voyage!

Have a great and hopefully also safe voyage!
Do not forget to post a trip report!

Thank you http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

Oh yes, please, trip report! Fantastic!

That is what I did in august when I moved to ND and just wanted to add this as a tip here http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif Yes, it works. I filled all pockets with chocolate and gummibears (which did set off the alarm in munich only as they scan there for organical matter too). It weighted around 4 kilogramm and lucked plain stupid but noone questioned why I carry in the summer heat a heavy coat. And it made a lot of room and took weight away from my normal luggage.

I often use USPS to snail a box to international destinations. Using the "fast" options has worked; using "normal" air to CHC didn't arrive, at least while I was there. (I was told NZ post service is very slow and concluded I hadn't allowed enough lead time.)

Sylvia

A quick update as I have heard back from Thai Airways in London. An extra piece of baggage LHR-BKK then BKK-AKL would be charged at 32GBP per kilo for the first leg then 785 Thai Baht for the last leg. (I am staying over for 3 days in BKK). This works out to about $32 per lb. for LHR-AKL. Mea Culpa, more to follow.