I've never been hassled over stuff I'm just going with that I think is ok (or pushing the limit) and having a contingency plan in case they cause a stink.

It's always worse on the other end coming back to Japan though when I'm weighed down with HP Sauce, pickled onions, OXO cubes, salad cream, English mustard, Bird's custard powder, Bartons picalilly, Cadbury's Dairly Milk etc.

Damn it thursday, you're right. It really is the path to oblivion.


Has anyone ever noticed that there are often people (typically not of european extraction) who seem to travel with half a doz of large striped coloured nylon bags? How do they get past the bagagge allowance? I was checking in at Narita last week and the guy beside me had maybe 15 boxes he was checking in. How does that work?

Yes yes yes!!

Those stripey laundry bags! LOL!

I also wonder about these relocating families - you see them getting off the plane with 5 or 6 trolleys stacked up with furniture, suitcases, prams etc - how does that work? The only family I have been that close to at the time of a relocation stuffed it all in a sea container and sent it home and lived out of a suitcase for 3 months!

I wonder where they get them there bags.

Conspiracy theory.

Hey try a regional flight in China - you will share the plane with livestock - typically poultry,machinery and just about anything else that a person can actually carry.

Hey maybe I sound a bit supercillious here but our family - dad,mum, and missies 18 and 9 do the whole 2 snowboards and 2 pr boots, and 3 pr skis and 3 pr boots and 4 helmets and poles and clothes for 79kg. Admittedly one looks a bit silly walking around Cairns airport with a ski jacket but it is the item you need to have at the other end.
We travel with 2 snowboard bags and a medium large suitcase but do do stuff like removing bindings from boards and packing boots and helmets with socks etc.
This keeps the item count down and helps with "Black Cat" cost which is per item. Generally each bag weighs in at about 27kg which is under the 32kg max limit. ( note 3 bags for 4 ppl)
Both Qantas and Jetstar have a policy for sporting equipment that is clear and favaourable -
It can be included as part of general baggage allowance (best way)
It can be taken as excess baggage but each set will only be charged at a nominal rate - Qantas = 3.5 kg and Jetstar = 5kg (I think)
Jetstar also have a discounted rate if you prepurchase excess baggage kgs.
Trans pacific flights have more generous allowances on both weight and number of items, but the old "airport allowance " of 5 kg is pretty well a thing of the past. Best to get a half decent set of scales and weigh it all b4 u leave home.

Beware the new hand luggage limits which are pretty consistently enforced at Brisbane and Sydney of 7 kg - put your book and anything else heavyish in your pocket as you enter the secure area.

Those using points can get Business class seats on Jetstar for 205 off and access the extra 10kg and extra piece limit that way along with other benefits.

Hope this helps - antipodeans anyway.

Mr. Bris..
I think you will find that most airlines have a different hand luggage weight policy.
I've had from 7-10kg this year on 4 different airlines!
Good thing with hand luggage is that you can just take something heavy out then put it back in after you are done at the check in desk!

Mr Brisbane,

We normally manage to do it with 3 snowboard bags and 3 suitcases for six people. That is 2 boards, bindings and helmets per bag - padded out with snow jackets and pants, socks etc. And one suitcase shared between Mum/Dad, 2 teens, and 2 little kids (spare space in thiers used for video camera, laptop, other assorted extra's.

We struggle to get under the limit - maybe we pack too much! LOL But we are usually on vacation for a three plus weeks, and include some time in the city where we need proper shoes etc.

for biz trips I take the samsonite generic trolley bag with a laptop bag on board.

For holiday trips I take my Dakine Sequence with a laptop squeezed in. The Dakine is also big enought for the half dozen or so free beers from the lounge.

I always struggle with weight on flights. Good to see lots of people turn up with almost nothing, and especially good if I am after them for checkin. Try to be charming, might as well try to increase the chances of getting away with it.

KLM are saying 12kg hand luggage. Seems quite good that compared to what I'm hearing from others.

That is good - just checked Air NZ for the boys today - 20kg checked and 7kg hand luggage. Fortunately they also allow an extra 10kg for sporting equipment - so they will get 30 to check in thier fully loaded snowboard bag with kit, clothes toiletries and all.

I think qantas is about the same - 7kg.

So 12 kg hand luggage is a gift. Although I dunno I would wanna be lugging 12kg around through airports and transfers!

If it means being able to take more and not having to put important things into the hold, a bit of lugging is ok with me.

Yes I can cope with lugging around. In fact on the way back to Japan I usually have aching arms/shoulders for a few days due to the weight I lug back

I know what you mean muika!
Video camera, Macbook, a few magazines or books all add up.

It is worth it!

I always take a bag with wheels on the plane - yes, macbook, and cams etc do add up..!

But, surely, "carry on" luggage should be just that! Carry on, not wheel on!

In the days of old before laptops and big cameras, etc, perhaps that was so....

Rot! +1 and I managed a DSLR with extra lenses, a Point & shoot, portable DVD player, iPod, 2 PDA's with net access and NextG phone as well as clothing for a couple of days, reading material and snacks in a backpack each. (Both legal as to size restrictions per JAL/QANTAS ticketing.) While waiting, we saw a woman dragging a wheelie bag almost as big as our checked bag, PLUS a handbag almost the size of our backpacks!