pako

Has anyone managed to get a migrants lugguage allowance for Cathay Pacific? I booked my tickets with ebookers.com and they say we can't get anything more than the standard 20kg allowance.

I'm not sure if its worth pushing the matter or making sure we travel very lightly.

Pollyana

I did in 2003, but it took a very grovelly letter to Cathay's London customer service manager. I was going on a Prospective Spouse Visa and they refused at first, saying it was a temporary visa. I sent them my "resignation from job" letter, my "quitting my flat" letter and all the DIMIA stuff about having to come here first and marry before I could get PR. I did lay it on quite thick about it being a fiance visa, so I had all my wedding clothes to bring, and all my wedding presents from UK family who couldn't travel - all of which was true!
Others have tried since on various temp spouse visas and not been so lucky, but its always worth a go. You will need to go direct to the airline though - try Yellow Pages for the London office address - and good luck!!

glittababe

Good news....you can get up to 40kg per person if your migrating. We booked our tickets with Cathay via Graydawes Travel in Colchester Essex and after some discussion on the phone, she said as long as we could provide copies of the visa then we could have the 40kg each. Think you need to get back to the travel agent and lay down the law!

matt-and-jenny

Our travel agent has assured us that my de-facto, Matt, who is emigrating, will get 40kg baggage allowance with Cathay, and it will be stated on his ticket. I will get the normal 20kg because I'm a resident returning. We haven't got our tickets yet though...

gajjitt

I haven't had any luck with Cathay, but Singapore cost a little more and they have confirmed that they allow 40kgs for people holding PR visas:

--------- Original message ----------
From : "UK Feedback" <[email protected]>
To : Paul Clarke
Cc :
Sent : Tue, 22 Feb 2005 16:10:55 +0000
Subject : Re: Migrant baggage allowance

Dear Mr Clarke

Thank you for your email regarding migrant baggage allowance. Passengers
emigrating to Australia in Economy Class are entitled to double baggage
allowance if holding the correct visa.

The visa must be an unused migrant visa that states to remain in Australia
indefinitely. If you are holding this visa you will be entitled to 40kgs
baggage allowance on showing the visa at check in.

If you are not holding the correct visa then we will only be able to waive
5kgs to bring the total baggage allowance to 25kgs. This again will be upon
check in.

All passengers are entitled to 1 main piece of hand luggage at 7kgs.

We do not offer discounted fares for migrant travellers.

If you are travelling with an infant that is not occupying a seat, then
please make a booking for the people who are, then contact our Reservations
Department on 0870 6088886 to add and pay for the infant. The infant ticket
is 10% of the adult fare. If you wish for the child to occupy a seat then
you will need to pay a child fare. When making the booking online for an
infant travelling as a child, when adding the date of birth amend it to be
over the age of 2 years and then call our Reservations Department to change
it back.


Yours Sincerely

Kelly
Singapore Airlines
London UK

gajjitt

Hi Jenny,

Tell us how you get on with Cathay. Have they given you anything in writing? See my previous post in this thread re: Singapore Airlines, this is concrete.

Good luck
Paul

pako

Thanks for your help guys...I will hassle ebookers.com again. they've been pretty lousy on the customer care front so far.

PinkGlam

Were flying with Cathay at the end of April, we booked our one way flights through Airline Network and they confirmed over the phone that we would get double baggage allowance and after a few phone calls to Cathay by Airline Network, and faxed copies of our passports sent over, we received our e-tickets stating 40k baggage allowance.

I hope this helps

Michelle

gajjitt

This is great news, will keep Cathay in mind now.

All the best with your move Michelle

Paul

Pollyana

Make sure - whichever airline its with - that you have a bit of paper, or that it states it on the ticket. The allowance is on your PNR - thats your own personal booking on the airline computer, at which the check-in staff will be looking.
Whatever the travel agent says, you need it in writing or ticketed, just to be sure, or phone the airline and ask them to check your PNR. Cover yourself in case you get a new member of check-in staff, that doesn't understand migrant baggage; you don't want to be unpacking at the airport, and that has happened to many people before now.
(this is info from airline check-in staff by the way, not just personal witterings!!)

gajjitt

Thanks for that info Pollyana. I'm paranoid with stuff like this anyway, I'll be checking out stuff like that.

cheers Paul

pako

Just made these comments a few minutes ago but thye're not showing....?

Just called Cathay Pacific and was told that we would have to pay £640 to get 40 kilos of lugguage each. :scared: :scared:

Our tickets only cost £380 each one way...

Can't believe it

gajjitt

Can you not back out of the booking and go with Singapore Airlines? They cost about 12% more than Cathay but you'll get the 40kgs allowance.

We're going to Perth from London, and SQ quoted us £785 one way for two adults and an infant.

Good luck

Paul

pako

Unfortunately not...we've paid for them. We really only wanted another 20 kilos between us, or 1 suitcase.

We'll just have to send the stuff as excess baggage!! Typical....Its my own fault I should have shopped around for flight...

Cathay Pacific were not very helpful on the phone and our ebookers.com agent is useless. I've complained to ebookers, you never know.

Thanks for everyones help and ideas though!

steandleigh

Listen....

this is EXACTLY the same kind of POO we got from our travel agents - "Travelbag", when we booked our flights ( last sept 04 ) to go to Aus.

When I booked the flights, told the agent that we were migrating...rang her a few days later to check our baggage allowance...she said " oh, I didn't realise you were emigrating", I said: " well, you DID know, 'cos you asked me why we were on one way tickets!!! AND why we didn't need a holiday visa!!!

Imbeciles.....

So followed a lengthy precedure, whereby Travelbag told me that it was too late to secure the migrant 40kg's baggage allowance: " no, sorry, we can't change anything at this stage " - 4 months before we fly......

So, I get on to Cathay: " Yep, no problems, just fax us your visa sticker page of your passport, via your travel agent, YES, you are entitled to it"

TRAVELBAG - no joy - "no, we can't do that, it's too late"

I call Cathay, tell them of my predicament and they say: " just roll up on your day of departure and we'll take care of the rest..."

AND THEY DID!!!!

Don't take any sh*t, these agents are quick to take your booking and your cash but then can't be arsed with the finer details.

Kick their arses.