matt-and-jenny

I'm currently in a slanging match with my travel agent (AusTravel) about our baggage. Every time I speak to them, a different person tells me something different. Matt has a 309 de-facto spouse visa, of which he hasn't used yet. I'm a resident returning so I get 20kg, but the problem is with Matt, some are saying he can have 40kg (because he has a migration visa, others say just 20kg (because it's only a temp resident visa).
I'm faxing off his passport page tomorrow, and we'll see how we go. We're travelling with Cathay. I'm trying to sort this out before they actually issue our tickets. I don't want the tickets to arrive a few days before the flight only to find the baggage allowance on them is wrong.
Has anyone been in a similar circumstance?

Sue from Manchester

I'd get in touch with the airline directly if I were you. It doesn't matter what a travel agent says if it isn't on the airline's computer. I went directly to Singapore Airlines (in person in their office actually) and saw the woman put it on the computer. 30kg, thanks very much. Window seat? Don't mind if I do.

Anastasia Beaverhausen

I hear so much conflicting information about baggage allowances. A friend who is a travel agent told me you only get your standard 20kg even if you are migrating.

I would go to the airline, most travel agencies deal with holiday makers, so the extra baggage allowance is something they may not know.

JG04

Hi Jenny,
We are having hassles with Cathay Pacific and baggage allowance. When we asked them about 40kg they told us we should have booked an emigration ticket, but the travel agent didn't inform us of this even though she knew we were emigrating. Went back to Cathay and they said we should go back to the travel agent and try to upgrade to an emigration ticket for £290 each!!! I am now intending to send residency copies to Cathy and a 'pleasant' letter to start with! We looked on their website to see if there was any info about these 'emigration tickets' but there isn't. Am going to keep hassling Cathay and see how it goes!

Stormz

Just remind Cathay that Singapore Airlines increase the baggage for migrants without any hassle or extra expense.

Even Malaysian, who say it`s just a 20kg limit, say that 25kg should be fine... and they also give the same baggage amount to a childs fare, and 10kg to an infants fare.

You`re def. better going direct to Cathay. Agents are muppets after they have your money.

pako

I'm having dreadful trouble with Cathay also - I'm a brit going on a temp spouse visa. Cathay told me it would be over £600 each to get 40 kilos per person . Our tickets are one way and only worth £380 each, not sure where Cathay get off

We booked through Travelbag.com part of the ebookers group

JG04

Stormz,
Thanks for that will give it a go.

JG04

Pako,
You did well! OUr tickets cost £410 one way. I was rather annoyed with the customer service advisor on the phone as he wasn't very helpful. Will go higher! Good luck to you. We booked through Flight Centre and was surprised at how unhelpful they were.
Sending a letter next week so will keep you posted.

Pollyana

You're the same as me, I flew with Cathay, booked through Austreval, on a Pros Spouse (which is a temp visa too). Austravel didn't know, and I wrote to cathay and got it confirmed in writing.
You can also phone Cathay Customer Services at Heathrow - get them to check your PNR - thats YOUR personal record on their computer. That is what the Check in staff go by, and that will state what baggage you can have.

I must add - I got 40kgs, but it took a lot of grovvelling, bring on a temp visa. Others on the same visa travelling cathay since have only been allowed 20kgs.

matt-and-jenny

Thanks all.
I've spoke to AusTravel twice more since my last post, and got 2 more different answers - both quite positive, but basically saying Matt will get his 40kg, but we won't have it in writing :scared: I'm going to confirm it with Cathay. God, I really hope we get the extra baggage, I've got plans for it...

Pollyana

Confirm it by phone with Cathay, and ask if you can have it in writing. And, honestly, then leave it a week, and phone Customer Service at Heathrow, and ask them to check what their computer record (PNR) says. That is (almost) always what the Check In staff will use - if that says 40, you are home and dry.

JG04

Hi Pollyana,
Do you remember which Cathay office and who you spoke to to get your allowance? I went on the website and the only details they have are the Heathrow dept. Think the number the travel agent gave me was a London one and the man I spoke to basically said we were't getting anything, only the 20kg! Thanks for the advice.

Pollyana

Quite possibily the Yellow Pages, in a big "airlines" ad. Other than that, I would go for the Heathrow one and ask for a number for Customer Services,

artep

We've just booked with singapore airlines....I wrote to them asking if we could have the extra allowance as its a 1 way ticket (we validated April 2003) and they've just written back saying they'll give us 35kg each!!! - RESULT!

markeh

Hiya,
Isuppose it's a "Ask and ye shal recieve "

Congrats and remember only max 30kg per bag! & use a trolley or you will need surgery for the hernia!

Bye
Mark