Hi,

We flew to Oz in November to validate our visa but are flying permanently in about 4 weeks (OMG!).

Can anyone tell me whether we will still be able to get migrants baggage allwance although we validated visas in November? I was told by one travel agent that because we had our passports stamped in November we won't get the allowance even though we are now only going one way.

We are probably looking at flying with Malaysia Airlines. Does anyone have any experience of this?

Advise appreciated.

hiya

you can only ever get 40k baggage (migrant double!!) with your migrant visa, that ref nos has to go on your ticket. this can only ever be issued on a one-way flight.

hope this answers your question

michelle

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

When we booked our ticket to go in Nov last year it was a one-way ticket into Sydney, however, we did not sell our house in time so booked another flight out of Perth to London. We didn't give either airline details of our visa. Does this mean that when we book our one way flight this time, if I quote the visa number when we book we can still get the allowance?

Thanks

you have to tell the travel agent/airline that it needs to be a migrant fare and they should prompt you for the visa nos and a copy of the visa to be attached to the ticket (or that's how it was when i used to issue tickets!!!) if this wasn't asked for on your previous ticket, it sounds as though you didn't use a migrant fare, hence double baggage!! can you not remember what baggage you was entitled to - by the sounds of it, it should have only been 20k (normal if flying via the far east).

however, if you don't tell the airline/agent that it is for a migrant fare, they wont know, so its important that you do tell them. another point is not all airlines have specific migrant fares (therefore NO double baggage!!! )

michelle (ex travel industry employee!!!! )

Hiya


Malaysian airlines doesn't offer a migrant baggage allowance anymore regardless of whether you have validated or not.

I know because we wanted to fly with Malaysian and i rang them to enquire. They said that they stopped their migrant baggage policy 2 years ago.

I think for the other airlines it will depend- i would ring them and check- even if they won't offer the full 40kg they may give you 30kg if you argue your case.

We are flying with Singapore airlines and they offer the 40kgs for migrants.

Nat

And beware the little catch on the Migrant fare - it can be a lot more costly than the normal fare! Qantas quoted me 200 quid more on a migrant fare than on a normal fare!!! I flew Cathay, and saved a fortune!

Singapore Air check your passports at check-in to make sure your passport hasn't been stamped in Oz since your PR visa was issued. They allowed us on with 100Kg of luggage between two of us, thats a little more than the 80Kg we were allowed.

So I guess that Singapore Air wouldn't give you a migrant allowance with a validated visa, but I guess its up to the indevidual carriers as to what their policy is.

Probably your best option is to go via the US and get 2 X 32Kg each.

Papa Z