Travel Tips – Airline Baggage Restrictions
Airlines world wide are constantly updating and restricting baggage weights for passengers therefore you should always check your ticket print out and be aware of your luggage allowance as excess can cost you money. Even within Australia, where full service carriers have been liberal in their allowances, things are changing and luggage is restricted, Qantas have recently revised their baggage allowances.
If you have more than your allowance, even if it is items such as promotional material or samples, you should check shipping and unaccompanied baggage rates and compare with airline excess baggage rates. Don’t leave it till the last minute, as excess baggage can be very expensive. In Australia companies such as Packnsend provide an excellent service, look under freight agents in the yellow pages or on line or check your company’s preferred freight agent.
A good shipping agent will collect all your purchases and consolidate them into a single shipment. Get several quotes – an idea of the weight and volume of the items to be shipped will obviously help. Agents will even arrange to collect your extra suitcase or promotional material from your hotel, and if you show your ticket home and your passport, you will get a better rate. Obviously the more services the higher the cost. You can always post smaller items that you don’t want to carry around with you, or shops may do this for you.
If you are shipping goods back to Australia from overseas, ask that your goods are not packed in wood as Quarantine on arrival will charge you to inspect any wooden items and this includes packaging material. You should also obtain a written statement from the freight company or your shop stating that your goods are not packed in wood.
Always ensure that you receive written confirmation of your delivery details along with details of packaging and take out insurance if it is not included in the deal.
All airlines have a summary of their baggage restrictions on their website which you should check out before you travel.
In more than 20 years in the airline industry, Wendy Johnson sent countless travelers off to discover the world, and learned plenty of secrets along the way. Now she is putting her knowledge down on paper to share with others.
“Hot Spots to Shop – Bangkok” is the first in Wendy Johnson’s Hot Spots to Shop series and is designed to assist both first time travelers and frequent visitors in finding the best shopping in popular and emerging destinations within the Asia-Pacific region. Hot Spots to Shop book series outlines what is available and where and provides guidance for travelers who need to find specific products or services but have limited time in which to do so, or are having problems with language or cultural barriers that exist for travelers.
The books list shopping centers as well as individual stores and include types of merchandise sold or services offered, trading hours, telephone numbers and other contact details, forms of payment and transport information. Check out http://www.hotspots2shop.com
