Odd question maybe...

...but the reason for my question is that (as per my post of about 5 mins ago) I'm planning on shipping my stuff to the US soon as I have to move and will not have space where I will be staying so just planning on living off the bare minimum for a while, but I still recon I might have more than my two bag allowance for when I eventually fly over for good (also bearing in mind that I will have a guitar and a laptop to take at that stage!).

Is it possible to arrange taking extra stuff on flights? I'm sure I've seen people with more than two bags or with stuff in boxes, but don't want to find that I have to send a separate shipping later for the sake of one box or suitcase worth of stuff!!

Anyone done this before? Or am I just going to have to post myself the last box at vast expense!

Thanks
J

Check out the airlines website for their excess baggage policy. For example - http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,52909,00.html

Ok, so it's simply paying excess baggage fees and that's the only option? Hmmm...oh well, that's a lot of cash! Might even be better posting whatever extra I have over...

Sell your guitar and buy another when you get here. That's what I did.

Phone the airline you are using and ask for their cargo rates. I shipped 8 boxes via US Airways - it was much cheaper than paying excess baggage. You deliver it to the airport the day before the flight and they take care of the rest. I picked them up 2 days later once they had cleared customs.

That's more like what I had in mind! I was sure that I'd heard about that before Thanks, I'll look into it

J

Do be careful with the guitar (from experience).

Or, if you aren't, save my number to get to my DH's guitar repair service.

It's actually my fiance's guitar (well was, but he gave me it, brought it over on a plane to Scotland for me!) but obviously I will need to send it/take it back ove with me. I am considering shipping it with the rest of the bulk of stuff, but am reluctant to be without it for months!

It's also a sentimental guitar for various different reasons, so will not be getting sold

Then I would advise you do whatever you can to hand carry it onto the flight; I don't know what the criteria are for checking vs carry on but have seen them onboard before.
If you have to check it, pleeeease have a good hard case for it and be careful about packing anything else in the case with it.
The common injury is the headstock snapping off. In our case, it was the TSA (security) people who did not put it back in the case correctly and slammed the lid shut.

You may want to round up some TSA approved luggage locks for it ahead of time ($7.50-10 at any variety store here).

If the worst happens, send me a PM & I'll find you some resources.

That's very common too.
The stories are my favorite part of DH's jobs.

I would recommend not just a hard case, but a proper flight case.

My husband has 3 sentimental guitars. That's why we are moving to the US by cruise ship (no luggage restrictions)

That'd be nice Just watch out for the pirates! :P

Good point.
this guitar's case itself was worth more than most things that pass through the shop! (he managed to snap the neck himself)

I took with me a 20kg rucksack (right up to the limit and another small rucksack as hand luggage weighing 10kg (limit 5).
I was lucky. he check in staff bunged it on the scales and uuurrrrrmmmed.
I explained I was leaving the country for good, so in an act of kindness, the lass asked me if there was a laptop inside and let it go.

Emirates.

The rest of the clothes got posted out in small packages. The small unit idea was to minimise what I would lose if a parcel went missing and the postage worked out cheaper than a big package. Don't ask me why.

I decided it was easier to sell the rest and get new out here.

excess luggage. Remember if ur taking max on as hand luggage u have to lug it thru immigration and customs when u get there. Last week a mother with three kids under 3 travelling on her own with about 7 bags. What a frigging nightmare for her and for us. Especially as there is no one to help her on the other side!! Took two gate agents to get her on the flight!

i posted my stuff. Have seen people tho send it as cargo like someone mentioned. Quicker but not cheap! As for the guitar, ask if they can put it in the closet otherwise u will have someones bag on it in the overhead. Insurance is a must.