kelusa

Hi everyone. I've just been checking out flights to Perth in Sept and I recall someone on here saying that Qantas and Singapore Airlines give you an extra 20 kg when you go over to Oz to validate your visa. I rang Qantas and was informed that you have to go on a special one - way flight and they would then give you 40kg baggage allowance. However this one - way flight costs the same as a return. I'm just trying to work out the best way to do it. I need a return ticket as I do intend to come back over at some point but I'd be interested to hear how other people have got around the extra baggage situation. Any advice/ideas would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Kelx

Phil-UK

We just went with the usual 20Kg allowance on the validation trip, but plan to make use of the 40Kg when we go perminently in the summer, and as we only need a one-way ticket anyway, shouldn't be a problem (I hope).

Phil

kelusa

I was under the impression that you could only claim the extra baggage allowance if you have never been over to Oz on your PR visa? So confusing!

J+J

yes that's right. You can claim extra baggage as long as you have your visa and it's not been used see letter from singapore airlines

our free baggage allowanc eis 20kg, to have double baggage allowance - 40kg , you need to have unused migrating visa clearly stating you can remain in Aus indefiniately, the you cna have 40kg and 7kg hand luggage, it goes by weight so you can have few pieces of baggage ..
children haave the same alloance as long as they occupying seat / age 2-12yrs/.

kind regards
Singapore Airlines

Hope this helps. We just emailed singapore airlines and then when we booked the tickets a photocopy of the unused visa had to be sent to them
Jo

kelusa

So as long as you send them a copy of your unused PR visa you can go on an ordinary return flight? Would the tickets then have 40kg baggage allowance printed on them? It gets more complicated - my friend is coming over with me on a WHV so she would just be going on a normal return flight and we want to travel together would this be possible?
Thanksx

Phil-UK

Oh great, that a bit cr*p !

I'll have to check that out and see what I can do, maybe as it's 5 of us going 100Kg will be plenty to struggle with anyway, but I may also try a little blackmail.... maybe something like.... I'll only by my tickets if you agree to the extra luggage !!! I wonder if it will work ? They'll probably just laugh !

It's not like we have used our extra allowance before, surely they will know that.

But hang on, the more I think about this the more cr*p it seems, Kelusa says that Qantas said "You have to be on a special one-way ticket"
So this means that anyone who validates before moving cannot get the extra allowance, cos if your validating you'll be on a return ticket - so no extra allowance, and once you've validated you then no longer hold an unused visa - so again, no extra allowance !

What's going on with these airlines, can I get a boat ???

Phil

kelusa

Thats what Qantas said to me this morning that I could only have extra baggage allowance if I booked a special one - way flight - they said that extra baggage allowance wasn't available on a return flight. I have seen other messages on here where other people have said that they've had the extra on normal flights - maybe it just depends on who you speak to? Why is nothing ever straightforward?

J+J

My honest answer is I don't know, but what I would advise is contacting the airline you plan to use and get it all in writing before parting with any cash. Don't just believe what the travel agent might say.
Good luck
Jo

J+J

Also going via USA gives you more baggage so you could always look into that

Sleeping Beauty

hi all

basically you can only have double baggage on a one-way fare, it's called a migrant fare, and not all airlines do a migrant fare, so double check with the airline that you intend to fly with!

your visa in your passport is needed as the visa nos has to go on the ticket. return flights NEVER have double baggage, so your validation trips would have to be on a normal return flight. the only way round this, is to buy 2 one-ways (uk-aus and aus-uk), and claim your double baggage on the trip uk-aus, but it has to be a migrant fare to qualify for double baggage!!

then on your flight from uk-aus to migrate, this would have to be on a normal one-way fare. you cannot use the double baggage again, as you would have alreay used it previously! basically, you get the one chance at using the double baggage, as the visa nos can only be used once.

it is a more expensive fare, as the airlines know that you need the double baggage, and therefore have to use the migrant fare, therefore monoply!!

if you intend taking noring more than a suitcase, then just get a normal one-way fare.

does that make sense????

michelle
(ex travel industry employee of 20 years!!!! )

Spindels

I agree with Bun and J+J - I have just spoken to Singapore Airlines who directed me to the website as they charge an extra £50 per person when booking over the phone. They said as long as your visa says you have the right to stay indefinately and you haven't used it before you get the 40Kg each + 7Kg hand luggage. I asked whether we need to inform then and the lady said no just as long as you have the Visa in your passport when you arrive.

Off to Brisbane on 28th May!!!!

Phil-UK

Hi Bun, yes, that does make sense !

So I reckon as we validated on a normal return ticket (as expected) then when we buy our one-ways to move perminently we should be allowed our 40Kgs.

But I will try to get something in writing too.

Phil

moneypenny20

Yes, P & O. Takes about six weeks. Don't know what the cost is or how much luggage you can take though

Paul and Chloe

Hi...

We travelled with Singapore Airlines in January this year on return tickets, we informed the travel agent we booked through (AusTravel) and they just asked for copies of our PR visas which they sent through to Singapore Airlines, I guess it is better to let them know in advance even if they say that you do not need to! We (2 adults, one child and one infant) were given a total of 135Kg check in luggage allowance (40, 40, 40, 15). (Unfortunately we ended up with 170Kg! Had to use "Excess Baggage" company at Heathrow)

Singapore Airlines informed us that they used to run a single ticket only policy like Qantas but recently changed to allow double luggae allowance on a return ticket, however they told us that we needed to show an unused PR visa to qualify for it...hence validation trip was the only time you could get the allowance.

Cheers

Paul

PS Our tickets were just standard 12 month open returns