Beedubya

Here's a tip for those of you in England who have excess baggage when your bags get weighed at the check in counter at the airport, not sure if it works from other countries though. I was 14kgs over on my luggage when I got to Manchester last Thursday!! The check in girl told me it would cost £395.00 to send with them!!

Luckily I had already found out there were companies at Manchester and Heathrow called The Excess Baggage Company as I knew I was going to be over but figured by the weighing scales I had bought it was more like 6 or 7kgs. Not sure if the scales were rubbish or my maths LOL!! Also of course people kept giving me last minute going away presents, my dear sister bought me the most beautiful ornamental dishes and coasters all matching and made from HEAVY GLASS

Anyway they quoted me that morning at the sales office on the phone and said you can send up to 25kgs door to door for £207.00 plus insurance (this was Manchester to Wollongong, NSW and would take 8-10 days). When I finally found the office at MAN airport the man there was not very customer service oriented ha ha (he looked a bit startled at sending stuff to Oz, stood there with his Jack Duckworth glasses on and his ice cream mans coat looking highly flummoxed) then he told me it would be cheaper to send from the Post office just across the way. So I trotted over there and sure enough it cost £150.00 door to door including insurance based on 14kgs. It takes about 8 days to get here, so now I have half of my luggage here and having to borrow stuff as I scrambled at the airport trying to unpack/pack my suitcases!! I was really surprised because I would never have considered using the post office to send excess baggage and it's not the first time my luggage has been over at the airport.

So if you think you are going to be over, be more prepared with what is in each bag and try the Royal Mail!!

The Bloke

Was the post office price quoted as surface or air mail?

Hino

Let's see.....8 days delivery time from Manchester to Woolongong, is it going to go by air or surface ?

Hmmm, let me think......

Beedubya

This is airmail Global Value, max. weight 20kgs, delivery time of 8-10 working days.

I just found my receipt and I had an actual weight of 15.800kg this worked out at £140.99 - the standard insurance for any package is only £50.00 for loss/damage etc. I paid an extra £14.50 to insure for an extra £450.00 so a total of £155.49, a lot less than the airlines charge, but if you had nearer to 25kgs you would probably be better using The Excess Baggage Company (as the Royal Mail is going on the actual weight) and don't forget to get a quote reference in case you came across "Jack Duckworth." on a stressful flying day

Hino

Or you could split the 25 Kilo excess into two 12.5 Kilo parcels and still be well in front

Beedubya

Just to give you an update.

The suitcase actually took more like 15 working days HOWEVER this was because I had a packet of Yorkshire pudding mix in the case. It was impounded by AQIS, who left a note saying that they had taken it out and I could either have it destroyed by them for at no cost or they could return it to the sender for $44.50.....no contest there.

Funny thing is I was just in Coles and they have the exact same packets of mix, can't remember the brand name but it is in a yellow packet and costs about $5.00 as against 50p in the UK.

MrCro

we're just going with BA as can take up to 10 suitcases at around £32 each if pre booked or £40 if booked at check in!

was that Emirates from Manchester or SIA as Singapore have always left us thru with well over the allowance!?

Gems

Slightly off topic, but why bring yorkshire pudding mix???
You do realise its just flour, milk, eggs to make Yorkshire puddings.
Its one of the easiest things to make, so cant believe anyone would bring it to Australia.

Gems

Beedubya

It was for my daughter not me, can't stand the stuff!!

Beedubya

Ah Mr Cro, this is when the BA strikes were on, I was supposed to fly to Heathrow with BA but it got changed to British Midland I think it was, then BA/QF code share flight to Sydney.

EXTREMELY strict at the check in counter in MAN, to the point of nit pickiness to be honest. She stood there 'til I had taken enough out so it was DEAD on the 23kgs mark, my sister couldn't believe it - not one ounce over.

MrCro

typical jobsworth - jealous you were moving to Oz!!!!

Beedubya

It could have been!!

And my sister and I were amazed at how much the scales moved down with each small item taken out, it was really weird, I bet they are rigged to make people pay excess baggage!!

xzibit

When you put your case on the scales, and you know it's over weight, leave it over-hanging a bit on the scales, then gently lift it with your foot. I got away with a 27kg case last time I flew, it said 19kg on the display. Make sure you warm up first though, I managed to pull a muscle doing it.

rockpeblar

Class

When we flew over a few years ago we were about 20kg over, my opening question at check in was whether the flight was busy to which the reply was 'no'. I then explained that we were emigrating hence the extra case. The check lady weighed all 3 cases and said it was fine. This was Singapore Airlines.

MrCro

I used to pull that one but now they seem to say "please put case fully on" or they roll the conveyor abit until it moves right on!

Gits!