OK here's a 'tip of the day' for those of you travelling in the near future. If you want to overcome the luggage limitations forced upon us by some airline operators just simply label your baggage GOLF. Those lucky holidaymakers travelling with tons of golf luggage get an automatic additional allowance on most major airlines. Unfortunately, Divers do not always enjoy the same benefits. Its worth checking on the allowance differences before you travel. This is perfectly true. So my next kit purchase will be a new golf bag plastered with labels........and minus the clubs of course......FORE
Mark
Now what do you have against golf now. First you trash the new hole in the UK for diving, then Eric's scarf and now golf. The Scots invent such a great game and you Brits can't accept it. Have you no dignity man!!
I vote to ban Mark from Wetpixel. Moderator Bob what do you say?
Really, I'm kidding people.
I vote to ban Mark from Wetpixel. Moderator Bob what do you say?
Really, I'm kidding people.
Seconded!
Now what do you have against golf now.
OK I think I need a pitching wedge here. A diificult response from the rough.
Honestly I love golf. In fact that much I am going to join the bandwagon. Next time I'm at an airport I WILL become a golfer.........all 40 Kilos worth. Now then where's my caddy......Todd. Oh still in the bunker!!!
What he was harping on about is actually true! I am confronted with this bulldoodoo ever other week - MAX WEIGHT ALLOWANCE 20kg's. This is whether you go for one day or as in my case 6 or 8 weeks at a time! Airlines SUCK-BIGTIME on this issue as they are a law unto themselves. I am on first name terms with most crews and groundstaff but still only get a concession when writing stuff for their IFM's.
Excess baggage charges are now peaking at $38.00 per extra kilo! Hence my carry-on camera bag deceptive - it holds 27 kg's of kit, and the laptop backpack another 15 kg's.
Mention Golf Clubs because the CEO plays; auto bump-up to 32 kg's.
Ban Mark?
No need he'll get bored and go back to browsing the ladies UW sections of mail-order shopping magazines
No need he'll get bored and go back to browsing the ladies UW sections of mail-order shopping magazines
No can do. All the pages are stuck together. Back to the mucky mags & a greasy boxing glove!!!
I have to agree with you on the luggage thing. Just thought I would join the pot shots at Mark.
Same thing if I want to fly out to the Rockies with my Mountain bike and have no luggage....baggage charge.
I will warn everybody on the boat to work on balance and agility...to avoid all your kit laying about on the floor. You have slept with your gear before right?
"Bob's gear"
I have to pay what for extra luggage charges?
This is only my first bag of kit...
What a cool idea, I gave up golf, have a huge hardsided golf travel bag. I could stuff a ton of gear into that.
Got an interesting email from United on this very topic a couple days ago. Here's the quote:
"Planning to check a heavy bag? United has eliminated the current $80 fee for overweight checked baggage on domestic flights and replaced it with a new fee of $25 per checked baggage item weighing 50 pounds or more."
They make it sound like they're letting you off easy, but it seems as if they're just lowering the fee as they lower the maximum weight...
I guess (if you must use United) you should check everything in one bag.
I never had a checked bag that weight less than 50 pounds.
The big Pelican alone weighs 27 pounds.
I wonder what their fee for checked bags over two is?
I don't personally use them if I can help it, just happened to have a frequent flyer account with them. This makes me want to stay away from them. Their policy on extra checked bags only says that you'll pay a fee based on the destination.
I actually weighed both of my checked bags before my last trip, and had to balance the equipment to get both under 70 lbs, which is Continental's limit. I like Bob's approach, the stealth carryon at 55 lbs...
My wife thinks I have a bag fetish, we've got so many cases, etc. I'm getting it down to a science. I've abandoned standard gear bags. Just suitcases with the maximum dimensions. No hardshells. Pelicans weigh too much empty. Use velcro and padded dividers in your existing suitcase, e.g. from a pelican. You put all your camera gear in a non-descript suitcase. Wrap tee shirts and underwear around the itmes for further protection. Top part of suitcase can handle additional clothing. Non-descript duffel for gear. Again wrap wet suits around gear for added protection. I wrap two strobes inside a BC for transport. I weigh the four bags. I have no problem getting each around 50lbs. If not, I skip the underwear.
Cameras, lenses and whatever else I can stuff go into two Lowepro AW Trekker backpacks as carryons. Never over weight and can slide under seat.
Same thing if I want to fly out to the Rockies with my Mountain bike and have no luggage....baggage charge.
IMBA used to have a great deal called the "Bikes Fly Free" program. If you were a member, many airlines would allow you to take your bike as luggage for no extra charge. Unfortunately, all of the airlines but Frontier have now pulled out and even Fronteir only recognizes the program on full fare tickets that are booked through one particular travel agency. Oh well . . .
I still reckon DURATION of the trip should play a major part in your luggage allowance. This would save me a lot of money and reduce the deepening rut in my right shoulder.
Internal flights in Indonesia - They weigh you as well, which tends to penalise the jello-lovers too - GOOD!
However, the excess charges here have rarely topped $50.00.
Ironically, I can go into the International duty-free's and buy 100 kilo's of batteries etc. (hyperthetically of course), and on multileg stop-overs I can do this several times!
Hi!
Good news: The Yemen Airline allows plus 50kg (! not pounds) for divers. Bad news: they don't go far from home yet.
What I did recently was to stuff all the sensitive items or small things (lenses, camera, batteries, GPS, ...) into a fisherman's jacket (bags all over). This helps me to about 3-5 extra kg. Most airlines don't check your personal weight (and if they do, I'm at least 20kg below average ;-)
