Water Lily

Hello all

Starting to look at the cost of shipping things over to NZ, I never fell off my chair when I saw a tiny 100 cu feet would cost around £750, I don't think our wordly possessions are worth that much!

Most of the things we have are either hand-me-downs or have been in use for several years and could do with being replaced anyway, so we must as well sell / donate them and start from scratch again.

However we would have more than 20kgs each, that's why when I heard that some companies give you extra allowance when you're emigrating, I thought I'd find out more? So far a quick google search has brought up Singapore Airlines and Air NZ, would anyone know of any others?

Also, has anybody just paid for excess baggage, as I guess we could consider this option too? At least your stuff would travel with you or in the next plane instead of arriving 3 or 4 months later....

Thanks in advance for any advice!

ewanainsworth

Hi there, I know that Malaysia Airlines dont. Just had an email saying they used to...but dont anymore because of the fuel prices and have instructed all theyre ground staff to charge for any kilos your baggage is over.
I think you need to fly via Los Angeles to get extra. Some people on here will avoid LA airport at all costs so its up to you. Ive flown through there once and although it was a grim place, if your just passing through then who cares.
I cant remember who the airlines are though, someone will know soon. There has been other threads on this recently. Try looking back at the threads, or do a search.
I'm having to send stuff over also. Not looking forward to the price but I do get 60% discount so that will hopefully help (at least I used to, I hope they havent closed my account as I havent used it in a while).
Hope all goes well with your move.
Regards, Ewan.

Kimi-Deacon

Flying via LAX gives you 46kg per person with Air NZ. Also i think some of the airlines will give you extra luggage allowance if you can prove you are emigrating, if you have already validated your visas then i don't think you will get the extra allowance. We have been looking at the same thing and the amount they want for excess baggage is horrifying You can send things via Air NZ Cargo but that will probably go out on a separate plane to you. What about sharing a container, thats something we are thinking of doing.

Water Lily

Hi guys, thanks for your replies.

I've been doing a search and found this thread http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=513181, which has been useful.

But here they say if you fly with Air NZ via LAX you get 64kgs per person? (2 bags 32 kgs max each), do you think they've changed it recently? The thread above only goes back to Feb this year....

I'd like to know if you can take more than 2 bags, as long as in total they don't exceed the maximum weight, then you can distribute the weight better, does anybody know? Or would they have to go as unaccompanied baggage? No idea how this works as I've never had to use it.

Not sure why people are slagging off LAX so badly, when we went to NZ last year we used it and don't remember it being that bad! Maybe because it was just the 2 of us with no children? It does make your life easier as you can easily pass the time with a good book, can't imagine how hard it must be to keep little ones entertained on such a long trip

Kimi-Deacon

64 kg is for Business class i just had a look on the web site http://www.airnewzealand.co.uk/befor...in-baggage.htm. I didn't think lax was that bad but we were like you guys, OH Myself and 21yr old son, probably not so good with children as they get so bored. I think Singapore Airlines give extra allowance when you emigrate. When are you thinking of emigrating and where in NZ do you want to live. (just me being nosey) Hope the link works, not to good with the computer.

Water Lily

Link works perfectly, thanks for finding that for me!

Not such good news about baggage allowance though, bummer! Here I was thinking we could take everything we own in 4 suitcases!

Wonder why nobody mentioned it was business class in the other thread, but mainly I wonder... who the heck can afford to fly business after the small fortune you spend on the application process itself?!? Wish we could!

Well we have only sent in our ITA so maybe I'm jumping the gun here but thought I'd start looking into all this stuff so we know where we stand and can make some decisions... as plan to move pretty much as soon as we get our visas

We don't have a house to sell - thank heavens for that!!! - we sold it 3 years ago and went backpacking instead. As we are only renting we only have to give one month's notice (same at work), and we're off!!!

As for where we're going, that's something else we need to decide. We spent 6 months over there last year and loved pretty much every corner of the country, so really don't know. I just want to go somewhere with better weather than the UK, as I originally hail from warmer climates and have had enough of this after 12 years here!

Kimi-Deacon

Can never start planning too early, it all comes round quicker than you think. Hope all goes well for you, and if i find a cheaper way of shipping stuff out will let you know.
Steph.

andrewmenet

if you fly via the USA you get to take 2 bages each of 24KG each hope this helps.

TeamEmbo

Air NZ via LAX is 2 suitcases per passenger at 23kg each suitcase + 7kg for 1 item of hand luggage each. There is a restriction on suitcase size which is given on Air NZ website. Children get the same baggage allowance as adults. This is for any economy traveller going via LAX whether on holiday or emigrating.

andrewmenet

to save space put on serveral layers of clothes!

Soppydot4

Hi

I have also been checking out the extra baggage allowance and have been told that you can only get it if you can prove you've got an indefinite visa in your passport. The airline was Cathay Pacific. I think Emirates do as well but again you have to prove indifinite visa before you travel. We won't have, so unless I can find a way round it we will only have 80kgs worth between 2 adults and 2 children (the same amount we took last year when travelling to NZ for a holiday).

Nic

Water Lily

Hi all, thanks again for your replies. I like the suggestion of wearing all my clothes to save on space / weight Could always leave them all behind and buy new ones over there, this would be the perfect excuse for many girlies out there to go on a shopping spree, but I actually have a very limited patience threshold when it comes to shopping, which makes the husband happy

Anyway, I've been looking for information since yesterday and I thought I'd share my findings with you in case it's of any use to anyone else.

Decided we don't want to pay £700 for a pitiful 100 cu feet of space in a shared container (and then have to wait 3 months for it to arrive! ).

Looked at the possibility of sending stuff as unaccompanied baggage, but you cannot send things like electronics and household stuff this way, so I emailed Air NZ and asked for advice. They replied very quickly suggesting to try their Cargo department.

I've just been talking to a very friendly chap at Heathrow and he's quoted me the following for Auckland. These are discounted costs for someone with an Air NZ ticket.

COSTS:

OTHER USEFUL INFO

Their number is 020 8751 5000 in case anyone would like to get in touch with them.

According to my calculations, if I just wanted to send my PC + screen like this, it'd be quite a bit cheaper than sending it by Parcel Force or DHL and the like, so this will most likely be way to go for us.

If you're flying with a different company, it may be worth checking their costs. And then come back here and let us all know!

Hope this info comes in useful for someone else.

Any other suggestions always welcome!

over50

You uld get a family member to post them onto you once you have an address in NZ Water Lily, that might help a bit. We considered for a short time to sell everything and start again, but the choices in NZ from what we have read and been told are limited so we decided to take everything and are getting a container which will be filled to the brim
Hope this helps.
Steve and Dee

Water Lily

Hi guys, yes I'm sure for many people it'll be worth getting a container, if you're packing a 3 bedroom house I'm sure it'd cost more to start from scratch over there, but it's just not worth it for us.

We sold our house and most of its contents in 2005 and went travelling with the money. Since coming back last year we have done a major clear-out and sold or given away a lot more.... we are renting a flat at the moment and either got the furniture for free or for peanuts.... definitely not worth a fraction of the money it would cost us to send it over.

Since we don't know if we'll settle in NZ permanently, we want to be as free of possessions as possible. We don't mind using second-hand stuff as we're not materialistic in the slightest, we'd much rather collect memories and experiences than "stuff"! Not real hippies but not far off!

I'm quite convinced we can fit everything we want/need in 4 suitcases, it's only the 2 of us! But we can't send the PC and similar things this way, and these are the things that are definitely worth keeping for us.

Good idea about getting someone else to send the things for us once we're settled over there, trouble being we don't have anyone near Heathrow, they're all up North!

Good luck filling that container up, if you have any room to spare let us know!

over50

I am sure family up north could send it DHL etc being near Heathrow shouldn;t make that much of a difference surely.....lol.....
As for our container if all goes well..... we might have to lean against the door a bit to get it shut at this rate........ but if there is an inch or two I will let you know....
Steve and Dee