Excess baggage from Australia to Singapore

[volki]

I've ran a search through the forums but can't seem to get a concise answer. My dh just got EP approved! YAY! We're moving from sydney to Singapore in May, we aren't moving much stuff, possibly 3 large suitcases weighing about 35kg for each. I've read somewhere you can try and get extra baggage allowance with SIA if you have an IPA? Does anyone know of this? I will consider calling them but I don't want to sound like an idiot if it's just a myth

Otherwise, what would you recommend as a good way to get our stuff over. Basically just clothes, toys and books. I'm considering unaccompanied baggage? I've checked Aus post but they don't seem to have shipping options, and even if we did ship, I wouldn't know what address to send it to?! We're staying at a Serviced Apartment for 1 month while we house hunt.

Has anyone here experienced sending personal goods over from Australia without the use of big containers/shipping. Price is not as much as an issue as convenience, I'd rather just have someone pick it up from our place in sydney and deliver it to our door in singapore since the thought of cabbing bags and toddler around isn't so fun.

Thanks! I'll probably be back to ask some more - so much to do and very excited!

[aster]

Really simple answer to this one: fly BA.

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/ba ... blic/en_au

Just click on "Charges for extra baggage."

First extra bag will be £34/$51/€43 , second one £77/$119/€98

Pack it in!

P.S. Look at these rip-off rates from Qantas while you're at it: http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airline ... /global/en

Over 600 AUD for an extra bag! WTF?!?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Aster, the US airlines are just as bad. We used to get 2 bags checked free. e.g., 40kg. Now it's only one (I wasn't aware of the change either until my second suitcase weighed 51.7 lbs!) and it's around 400 or 500 for that second suitcase. I was lucky though as they do have some flexibility it would seem. That trip home was in January for Dad's memorial service. The second suitcase was stuff of his. When I showed the check-in clerk the Obit & DC they actually checked in the second bag free all the way from BWI to SIN. So, if it's early morning check in and you aren't grumpy to the staff, often miracles do happen. Subsequently I also got a 10% rebate on my fare for Compassionate reasons. Received two weeks ago.

[volki]

from aus to sing you get a whopping..wait for it...20kg each. I always look at the flights from US jealously since they get 40kg each! And your bag can't weight more than 30kg for 1. So combined we get 40 and I think 10 for infant. We're using that all up with an extra 100kg or so that I'm unsure what to do with! I don't think I'm canceling the flight just to change airways We're going with sing air since they're really nice with kids and we usually get the front row with the bassinet

Any other ideas?

[aster]

SMS, to be honest I had no idea they changed the limit from 2 bags to 1 for the US, so I would have been caught in the same trap as I would never have thought that they'd chop away at something as basic (and long-standing) as luggage allowance.

Good thing you encountered a real human being at the check-in desk who did the right thing, but as you said a large part of it is also the attitude you portray towards the staff.

[Mi Amigo]

When I moved from the UK to Singapore I used this company when SQ wanted to charge me an outrageous amount for some extra baggage. They were reliable and the pricing was much more reasonable.

http://www.excess-baggage.com/

I just looked at their website and it seems that they are a UK only company, although they do provide services to Australia, so it might be worth contacting them. Alternatively, these outfits seem to offer a similar service and they are based in Oz, although I have no idea about their quality of service, having never used them myself.

http://www.worldbaggage.com.au/

http://www.packsend.com.au/packsendcms/excess_baggage

[aster]

We're using that all up with an extra 100kg or so that I'm unsure what to do with! I don't think I'm canceling the flight just to change airways We're going with sing air since they're really nice with kids and we usually get the front row with the bassinet

Any other ideas?

Apart from going with BA and paying peanuts for extra luggage?

Well, the only other alternative is to stick with Singapore Airlines and pay them for the excess... just be careful as they might charge extra by the kilo.

They're good with kids, but also most paranoid and annoying about making you remove your child from the bassinet as soon as the fasten seat belt sign flicks on - you'll see a stewardess dash in your direction so quickly she'd make Usain Bolt look slow...

Plus this is going to be a day flight, and only 7-7.5 hrs, so I wouldn't pay hundreds or possibly $1,000+ extra for luggage just to fly SQ...

[aster]

Apart from going with BA and paying peanuts for extra luggage?

Well, the only other alternative is to stick with Singapore Airlines and pay them for the excess... just be careful as they might charge extra by the kilo.

http://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/trave ... ge-excess/

Per kilo it is.

And a whopping 22 USD/kg on SQ between Australia and Singapore. OUCH!

[volki]

Thank you mi amigo for the links, I'll check them out - door to door sounds pretty good. For british airways it'll probably cost us about $500 just to cancel our already booked flight with SQ so I think I'll pass on that one. But Thanks for that! I'll keep that in mind if we have alot of stuff to move in the future.

I think singapore air has unaccompanied baggage rates which is like $6 per kg (I have to call them on monday), I did it with qantas when we flew to Japan and it turned out pretty good except picking it up at the airport was from the cargo area in a completely different place which was abit of a night mare, I'm thinking it'll be the same with singapore too but I guess it has to be done!

[The Ref]

When the family came out there were stung over $1000 AUD for excess baggage bu Qantas.

Before coming I tried to get them to ship via Less than Container Load shipping, which was going to be around $300 for 2 cubic metres, regardless of weight. I would recomend using the LCL option over excess baggage anyday.

[Galactophagist]

If you do happen to end up using an excess baggage forwarder from AUS, then be sure NOT to use an outfit by the name of Jetta. a NIGHTMARE that I won't go into.

[volki]

Thanks for that. I'm currently leaning towards pack and send. Its turning out to be approx $7/kg and they drop off at address in sing. Will see how we go in may!