Fares and Baggage Allowance

[The Monaghans]

This is more a question for those of you already in Adelaide (Tyke?). On our visa approval letter it mentions that we may be eligible for concessionary fares and increased baggage allowances and that we should have a look at the International Organization for Migration. Well I've looked but I'm blowed if I can find anything. Does anybody have any more info?

[Guest Bex & Nick]

I had a look at the IOM website because your post intrigued me and I couldn't see anything about baggage allowances.

 

Saying that if you've got a permanent visa then you can get an increased baggage allowance (and some people have managed to get this even on an SIR 495) - just ask when you're booking your tickets.

 

Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific do allow additional baggage (double usual so up to about 40 kg) - when we booked our tickets we were told that we couldn't get extra baggage with these airlines (we're on the SIR), so you could be a complete muppet like me and the OH and go the long, long way round for guaranteed extra baggage of 46kg (Air NZ via LA and Auckland - only 33 hrs, :shock: OMG what are we doing!). We decided that we'd rather do this than get to the airport and be told that we couldn't take it all with us, we're far too risk adverse (although we are taking a leap by going to Oz!).

 

Bex

[Guest Django]

Air NZ via LA and Auckland - only 33 hrs, :shock: OMG what are we doing!

 

Are the times of the flight taking in account of 'local times'?

 

Pete

[The Monaghans]

We're toying with the idea of going "the other way round". We thought we might go via San Francisco to Sydney, then hire a camper van and drive to Adelaide. British Airways wanted five and a half grand to fly us though so think that will probably not happen! Still none the wiser about IOM, might have a word with our agent. We're going out on a 136 visa, does this make any difference?

[Guest Django]

We came out here on Air NZ, left Heathrow at around 2pm on Mon Nov 22nd, we stayed the Mon night in a hotel in LA (don't bother doing this, it's not worth it) left LA around 6pm, completely lost wednesday due to crossing the IDL (International Dateline), had to chnge flights at Auckland (only a two hour stop but great for stretching your legs) and landed in Brisbane 10am on Thurs Nov 24th.

 

:shock: :shock: How long were you actually flying for? I looked at the NZ thing and didn't think there was that much difference in time in the air. We just want to get there when we go. Get it over and done with. Tracey doesn't like flying anyway. My arm still aches now and again from when we went to New York 7 years ago plus we will have 4 children between 7 months and 7 years :shock: So you can see I'm really not looking forward to it :lol: I will really need to get over with as quick as possible.

 

Pete

[Guest BJF]

Pete,

 

Flight Heathrow to LA took about 11 hours, LA to Auckalnd took about 13 hours and Auckland to Brisbane took about 4 hours but it won't take 4 hours from Auckalnd to Adelaide. If you can get a connecting flight within just a few hours of landing then I'd say take it, DON'T overnight anywhere, the kids will sleep good enough on the flights.

 

We travelled with our 3 daughters, at the time they were 17, 12 and 4, each had their own backpack which contained colouring pencils, colouring books (yes, even the 17 year old had these), Personal CD player & CD's, story books to read, our 4 year old also had a new Barbie and new clothes so she had something new to play with. The two older girls had travel Frustration and Connect 4 along with a pack of playing cards.

 

We flew Air NZ as I don't eat anything spicey or that has herbs on or in it, I can't even stomach the smell so didn't fancy risking Air Singapore or Air Malaysia.

[Guest BJF]

Pete,

 

My mum is about to fly home next friday (s**t the past 7 weeks have gone way too fast), she always flies Air Singapore, normally Manchester to Singapore then Singapore to Brisbane but as we moved to Adelaide Jan of this year her flying from Manchester would've meant a 18 hours so she chose to fly from Heathrow instead and only had 5 hours to wait for the connecting flight to Adelaide, mum always books her flights online including booking which seats she wants.

[Guest Bex & Nick]

Pete - the flight time does take into account local times and we're not stopping anywhere simply transferring from one flight to the next: I shall have a look at the ticket when I get home to see what actually flight times are, although BJF has probably already answered!

 

BJF - interested to see you went that way round, I hadn't previously heard of anyone doing it this way.

 

Monaghans - not sure if your 136 visa makes a difference or not I'm afraid to your baggage allowance.

 

Bex

[Guest dglamoore]

We booked with Singapore airlines online then phoned them with the reservation number, told them we were migarting and got extra allowance - now just have to get 4 cases, 3 hand lugguage and about 125kg checked in tomorrow :shock:

 

Lisa 8)

[Guest muppetbro]

hey tweety pie what was the air singapore tel number you called regards baggage allowances ???

 

they dont answer their emails quiries and we are sitting on 20kg allowance before we fly with a 10 week rent period included in the uk so its a case of loading suitcases and binning our uk clothes and living like tramps............

 

cheers and have a safe flight - shangai airport is correctly desribesas theworlds greatest airport

 

and those air stewards are kinda cute - it helps

[Guest dglamoore]

We just called the main reservations number and said we were migrating. Think we were lucky as we were only asked if we were migrating on a visa not which visa so got the 40kg each. Just as well the amount we have - mind you still have to check it in

 

Tweets 8)