IMPORTANT: NEW BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE EFFECTIVE APRIL 10, 2006

Free checked baggage allowance:

First and Business stays the same 32kg (70lb) maximum dimensions 158 cm (62 inches)

Economy class: 2 pieces with 23kg (50lb) each maximum dimensions 158 cm (62inches).
For all bookings made on or after 10 April 2006. Passengers ticketed prior to that date will abide by the old allowance.
Children and infants paying at least 50% of the adult fare are entitled to the same allowance as adults
Infants not entitled to a seat shall be permitted 1 checked piece 10 kg (22lb) max dimensions 115 cm (45in) and one collapsible stroller.

Cabin baggage will be limited to 1 piece not exceeding 115 cm(45inches) and weight increased to 8kg (18lb)
In case of excess weight there will be a flat fee of EUR/USD 25.00 for the first or second bag up to the 32kg(70lb) total.

Normal excess baggage rates will apply for additional pieces.
Star Alliance Gold members, including Voyager Gold, Platinum and Lifetime Platinum will be entitled to an additional 20kg (44lb) of free baggage, or one additional piece. This will allow them to carry 3 pc instead of 2.

Those heavy suitcases made my back hurt anyway.

Kathi,

Please also post this on the African Travel Forum. Thanks

Regards,

Terry

Kathi,

What was the old allowance???? ... I can't remember.

Seems like 50 lbs. in bag #1 is awfully light if your weapons case is bag #2.

Sounds like they are gonna be able to stick us with overages no matter how we shuffle our baggage.

quote:

Originally posted by stagman:
Kathi,

What was the old allowance???? ... I can't remember.

Seems like 50 lbs. in bag #1 is awfully light if your weapons case is bag #2.

Sounds like they are gonna be able to stick us with overages no matter how we shuffle our baggage.

The Old weight.....
New baggage standards were introduced worldwide (from 1 September 2004), including at SA airports - the weight of one piece of baggage may not exceed 32 kg.= 70 lb

The maximum weight limit relates only to single items of luggage and does not affect your overall baggage allowance, which is determined by each individual airline. The size of your baggage also has its limits: it needs to be no more than 900mm in length, 720mm in height, and 450mm in width.

Your one piece of hand luggage should be no more than 23cm wide, 52cm long and 40cm high, and its weight should not exceed 7kg.= 15 lb

I predict Mims will be selling alot of tuff packs.

Perhaps he will have a AR special ?

Kathi,

Thank you for the info.
Could you explain "maximum dimensions 158 cm (62 inches)"
Does this mean length + girth like UPS or is this just the max length allowed for a given bag?

length + height + width = 62 inches

For example, a duffle bag measuring 30" by 14" by 12" = 56"

Thanks for posting this, Kathi. I have a question regarding "Cabin baggage will be limited to 1 piece not exceeding 115 cm(45inches) and weight increased to 8kg (18lb)". Can you carry a purse plus one piece of cabin baggage? or a laptop plus one piece of cabin baggage?

Thanks
Cindy

Does anyone know what the dimentions of a tuff pak are?
And the empty weight?

See here

http://www.hunters-hq.com/tuffpak.asp

quote:

Originally posted by cjw:
Thanks for posting this, Kathi. I have a question regarding "Cabin baggage will be limited to 1 piece not exceeding 115 cm(45inches) and weight increased to 8kg (18lb)". Can you carry a purse plus one piece of cabin baggage? or a laptop plus one piece of cabin baggage?



Thanks
Cindy

Yes it will still be the same for cabin baggage

The Original Tuffpak measures 52"x13"x12" Weight 17 pounds.

Then if I understand this correctly a Tuff Pak would be to big?

quote:

Originally posted by elkfitter:
Then if I understand this correctly a Tuff Pak would be to big?

The airlines have an exception for one piece of oversized sporting equipment.

Regards,

Terry

Terry
Thanks for the clarification. I was getting very worried.

They will not, however, waive the 50lbs limit. Some will if you are elite. Therefore, the Tuffpack approach of stuffing lots of stuff inside is going to exceed the weight allowance.

Yep:
SAA will nail you for over weight. When we flew from Windhoek to Joburg/Pretoria it cost us $100 per bag for each segment of the flight. Rather than pay the thieving bastards for the return flight from Pretoria to Joburg, we rented a car.
International flights, no problem, in country flights, they nail you.
Another reason not to go to South Africa.
By the way, this extra charge was for the same bags shipped from Joburg/Windhoek 14 days earlier. They were lighter by about 2 quarts of good Scotch!

It's an extra $25.00 up to the old 70lbs. limit for each of 2 bags?

After spending $2000 on the ticket and $10,000 on the hunt - I think I'll bring along everything I think I'll need and pay the $25 if they ask! Think of it as a Fare increase.

Les

If you want to save money on the return flight, just leave your stuff in camp.

I got nailed over $100 on my international flight home last year because my carry on bag weighed too much. It actually weighed less then than when I had arrived. In fact, they told me that I had to pay the fee and check it. I got out of line and went to the SAA counter designated for the additional payments. (A lot of people standing in that line as well) Well, once I paid the fee at the SAA counter then I was told that I was free to bring it on board.
Shawn at Gracy Travel told me this morning that Delta lowered their baggage policy as well effective February 1, 2006 and that for all flights with Delta you are only allowed 50 lbs now. So, those of you thinking of the change come December of flying Delta to Africa, be aware of that as well.

YOU ARE TO LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO CARRY 2x50 pounds

Flying from Europe we are alowed a total of 43 pounds..... this is not per piece but a total.

I would save a lot of worries if we had the same rules as flying to or from US.

Two years ago I had 7 pounds to much and that cost me about 120 USD.

I hope you all sleep a little bit better tonight when you know someone else has it worse

I think the airlines should go to a new pricing structure. Charge a base price for the ticket and then so much per pound of passenger+baggage. That seems only fair doesn't it? After all, when you ship cargo, you pay by the pound or kilo (forget about dimensional weight for a moment as all people need to fit into a given seat or buy two tickets if they sufficiently overflow).

It would be great to see each passenger stepping up on the scale with their bags and the ticket agent totaling up the baggage!

douglast,
I have heard reference about this 'overall weight pricing' before on news programmes but I think it will be labeled as unfair by some folks?

Also as cchunter wrote, RSA-N. America is still a great deal on luggage,you get spoiled on that route. When you go to the Europe or S america or Africa internal you get reduced by half your allowance.

On most Euro carriers between RSA and N. America I have always had 2 bags each up to 32kgs, so 64 kgs total allowed. Europe or Asia or S. America is usually max 32 kgs total, some desinations only 20kgs in a single bag for checked luggage.

This new reduction hardly seems to be a great problem....and I usually trek the globe with kayak and all my guide/rescue gear in tow! (I have learned some nifty ways of getting on board for free but also fail! - got whacked US$119 to fly 2 lightweight carbon paddles, one way from Lima to Quito on LAN Peru...nearly shat myself, Its only a 2.5hr flight!!!

This weight change is going to change my whole packing strategy.

i have a big peeve with saa and "excess" baggage.

on domestic flights at some point in my journey they will make me pay extra for excess weight.whats amazing is my luggage is lighter than when i arrive and it is charged only on some segments,but not all.is there no consistency !

if i exceed the limit,i don't mind paying,i just wish there was that consistency ! never a problem on the international flight.

i definitly think a bit of gauging is going on ! i guess a palm or 2 needs greased at some domestic airports.

Does the Tuffpak exceed the 158 cm limitation?

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanna:
Does the Tuffpak exceed the 158 cm limitation?

Yes, but there is an exception for one piece of sporting equipment (even though it exceeds the size limits).

Regards,

Terry