help needed to book our one way flight.

[TheHarrisonFamily]

Hiya all:notworthy:

 

We are looking at booking our one way flights for Jan 2011. I am a bit confused about the double baggage allowance. The Qantas website states that you can only have double baggage allowance for 175 visa ( + various other Visas). We are on a 176. Has anyone flown recently on a 176 and been allowed the double baggage?( Dont want to turn up at the airport to find were gonna be charged a fortune). Also is the 'migrant fare' that everyone talks about just a 'one way trip' that you can search on their website, or do you actually have to ring them to get a special discout??

 

We want to do a 2 day stop over in Singapore, so the double baggae allowance from Singapore Airlines is invalid (so i believe) if you stay for more than afew hours??? Besides they are £700 more expensive than Qantas.

Qantas are the cheapest that we can find. All the discount search engines seem to be more expensive than booking direct with Qantas via their website.

 

I have tried to ring Qantas but was on hold for 35mins and never got to speak to anyone other than the automated service!! Very frustrating.

 

Hope i havent completely confused the issue. :arghh:Any info would be gratefully recieved.

 

Donna

[Riponian]

Hiya all:notworthy:

 

We are looking at booking our one way flights for Jan 2011. I am a bit confused about the double baggage allowance. The Qantas website states that you can only have double baggage allowance for 175 visa ( + various other Visas). We are on a 176. Has anyone flown recently on a 176 and been allowed the double baggage?( Dont want to turn up at the airport to find were gonna be charged a fortune). Also is the 'migrant fare' that everyone talks about just a 'one way trip' that you can search on their website, or do you actually have to ring them to get a special discout??

 

We want to do a 2 day stop over in Singapore, so the double baggae allowance from Singapore Airlines is invalid (so i believe) if you stay for more than afew hours??? Besides they are £700 more expensive than Qantas.

Qantas are the cheapest that we can find. All the discount search engines seem to be more expensive than booking direct with Qantas via their website.

 

I have tried to ring Qantas but was on hold for 35mins and never got to speak to anyone other than the automated service!! Very frustrating.

 

Hope i havent completely confused the issue. :arghh:Any info would be gratefully recieved.

 

Donna

 

OK loads of questions...

 

We flew with Singapore airlines and stayed there fro 3 days and had no problems checking out bags through to Adelaide. We collected at Singapore and left them at the left luggage and was fine. We just packed one of our bags to take to the hotel. We stayed actually in Singapore and went to the zoo there, had a great time and worth it to juts get off the plane for a while.

 

We had 40kg baggage allowance on a 175 and on a 176 you should be fine but you should email the airline or get your travel agent to confirm before you book.

Having said that we used an independent agent to help us with our booking and she was great but you can do it yourself but know loads of people who have booked direct.

Would also check out Airline Seating Charts - Best Airplane Seats - SeatGuru

you can look at seats and know which will be better than others depending on the airline etc...

 

You should not have any problems so good luck with the flights xxx

[Guest The Dimmocks]

We have a 176 visa and flew with Singapore airlines, we stayed in Singapore 24 hours and just put our luggage in the left luggage as well. We were given 40kg each, but no suitcase can weigh more than 32kg due to H&S. I e-mailed the airline and asked them to send me confirmation that we were allowed the 40kg allowance. We just had to e-mail a copy of our unstamped visa and they sent an e-mail. Took it with us to the airport but didnt need it. If you dont fly direct to Adelaide then I think some of the internal flights will charge for excess baggage.

 

Singapore is lovely and we went to Underwater World and kids loved it. Would love to go back there sometime for a holiday.

 

Michelle

[Guest mumsy]

How about a RSMS 119 VISA??? Do you get 40kg??

 

Thanks

Amy

[Sears Family]

Hi

 

Here's the e-mail I had explaining it to me from Singapore airlines. I'm sure an RSMS will be fine as it's a PR - Same one I'm getting...hopefully!

 

Dear Mrs. Sears,

 

Thank you for your e-mail.

 

Kindly note, if you hold an unused/unstamped/not validated migrant visa that specifically states that you are permittedto remain in Australia indefinitely, then you will be entitled to double baggage allowance (40 kilos, per passenger). The double baggage will be granted on the day of your departure, after the visa has been verified by our check-in staff. This visa has to be used for the first time to enter into Australia.

 

If you are not holding the correct visa mentioned above at check-in, then you will be entitled to the standard free checked baggage allowance of 20 kilos per passenger. You can have as many items of checked luggage as you wish provided:

 

• the total combined weight of all the items put together does not exceed your total checked allowances
  
• no single item of baggage exceeds 32 kilos in weight, as a health and safety requirement
  

Hope this helps - may be worth sending Quantas an e-mail

[Sears Family]

Found this:

 

Terms and Conditions:

Fares: Fares and Baggage allowance only permitted to those in possession of the following unused visa types to Australia: Temporary Business Long Stay – Standard Business Sponsorship (subclass 457), Medical Practitioner visa (subclass 422), Educational visa (subclass 418), Investor Retirement (subclass 405), Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 121/856), Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 119/857), Spouse Permanent Visa (subclass 100), Contributory Parent (subclass 143), Skilled Independent (subclass 175) & Skilled sponsored (subclass 475/136/138) and the following unused visa types to New Zealand: Skilled migrant visa, LBTV visa, Investor Visa, Work to residence visa and temporary work visa. Note visas will be verified at check in, excess baggage fees may apply if above criteria is not fulfilled. Valid on Qantas operated services only ex London Heathrow, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle to Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown. Premium Economy and Business Class not available to New Zealand. To book your itinerary with stopovers please contact Qantas on 0208 600 4342. Additional airport taxes and fees may be required for additional stopovers and/or alternative routings. Stopovers not permitted in Australia when travelling to New Zealand. All fares are subject to availability.

Sale Period: For new bookings effective until 31 Dec 2010

Children and Infants: Discounts apply on international routes.

Rebooking: Date changes permitted at £90 per change within the Travel Period and are subject to a local service fee. Rerouting: £90 per reroute and subject to a local service fee.

Cancellations: Before departure a cancellation fee of £300 applies. Once travel has commenced, no refund. Service fees apply for any changes to both e-tickets and paper tickets.

 

Migrant Fares Terms & Conditions

also

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/migrant/gb/en

[TheHarrisonFamily]

Hi All

 

Thanks for the replies. I have spoken to Qantas and Singapore airlines now.

 

Qantas website shows the flight we are looking at one way for £698 ( that gives 23kg luggage). The migrant fare with 40kg of luggage for the same flight is £1117!! Certainly a lot more money. But they tell me much cheaper than 'buying' extra luggage allowance.

 

Singapore airlines offer across the board 40kg with an unvalidated permanent visa. The only problem is that we wanted to stay in Singapore for a couple of days. The website is not giving me ANY options in January to stayover ( only December or Feb). When i spoke to them on the phone, they said they can book it on phone with a stop over, as the internet does not provide the same options as you get when you ring them apparently......BUT...... you have to pay a £100 booking fee per person for phone bookings, and with 5 of us that makes a £500 booking fee!!!

We can get an 18hr stop between flights in Singapore, online, which may be our only option. (as we really need the extra luggage allowance). That will give us a few hours to have a bit of a look.

I believe you then stay at the transit hotel, where you can book room for a 6 hr slot. Because there are 5 of us ( which would need 2 rooms) it works our really expensive to book three 6 hr slots for 2 rooms. Does anyone know if you can all cram into one room? We would be willing to rough it for afew hours to reduce the cost. Although we will only have hand luggage- there may well be quite alot of it, with 5 of us travelling, so want to be able to leave it somewhere safe.

It is close enough to the city to get chance to have a bit of a look around. Someone else also said they went to the waterpark for the day. is that close to the airport?. ( we would land 07.30 am and depart 23.50) so have the whole day. I didnt really want to waste the day by spending it in the airport, inwhich case we might as well book an earlier flight out of Singapore.

 

Sorry for all the questions. Am trying to make decisions before we book on whats the best option for us. My head is a whirl at the mo!

 

Many thanks to you all

 

Donna

[Hazel M]

Hi All

 

Thanks for the replies. I have spoken to Qantas and Singapore airlines now.

 

Qantas website shows the flight we are looking at one way for £698 ( that gives 23kg luggage). The migrant fare with 40kg of luggage for the same flight is £1117!! Certainly a lot more money. But they tell me much cheaper than 'buying' extra luggage allowance.

 

Singapore airlines offer across the board 40kg with an unvalidated permanent visa. The only problem is that we wanted to stay in Singapore for a couple of days. The website is not giving me ANY options in January to stayover ( only December or Feb). When i spoke to them on the phone, they said they can book it on phone with a stop over, as the internet does not provide the same options as you get when you ring them apparently......BUT...... you have to pay a £100 booking fee per person for phone bookings, and with 5 of us that makes a £500 booking fee!!!

We can get an 18hr stop between flights in Singapore, online, which may be our only option. (as we really need the extra luggage allowance). That will give us a few hours to have a bit of a look.

I believe you then stay at the transit hotel, where you can book room for a 6 hr slot. Because there are 5 of us ( which would need 2 rooms) it works our really expensive to book three 6 hr slots for 2 rooms. Does anyone know if you can all cram into one room? We would be willing to rough it for afew hours to reduce the cost. Although we will only have hand luggage- there may well be quite alot of it, with 5 of us travelling, so want to be able to leave it somewhere safe.

It is close enough to the city to get chance to have a bit of a look around. Someone else also said they went to the waterpark for the day. is that close to the airport?. ( we would land 07.30 am and depart 23.50) so have the whole day. I didnt really want to waste the day by spending it in the airport, inwhich case we might as well book an earlier flight out of Singapore.

 

Sorry for all the questions. Am trying to make decisions before we book on whats the best option for us. My head is a whirl at the mo!

 

Many thanks to you all

 

Donna

 

 

Hi Donna,

 

We are also looking at booking flights for Jan... Ive just been looking at the normal website searches... didn't realise you could specifically search for 'migrant' fares

I was thinking we'd just do a few internet searches to find the best price - then maybe try someone like trailfinders to see what they could price the flights at, and maybe a travel agent just to have covered all bases. Not sure if I should be looking somewhere else now tho too!!

 

There's so much to sort out.... We are also a family of 5 and I had similar thoughts about the singapore transit hotel - was hoping we could squeeze into one room for a few hours!

 

Whereabouts are you hoping to live - do you have a job sorted for you to go to?

 

Hazel.

[TheHarrisonFamily]

Hi Hazel

 

We are going to the southern suberbs somewhere!! lol Not sure where yet.

 

Initially were going to crash at my cousins for 2 weeks and look at going straight into a long term rental from there. We will have to beg steal and borrow whatever we can til our container arrives. My cousin is fairly confident that with his friends etc that we will have a plate to eat off and a cup to drink from. I havent got to worrying about that yet. Im more worried about the flights for this week........ come next week it will be something else no doubt!! As to where the rental will be, is down to whats available when we get there.

 

Work wise.......i havent got anything lined up yet. I am a practice nurse and would have liked to continue in that field. The south Dision practice nurse coorinator tells me i wont have a problem getting work......but not until i touch down on Oz soil, which is a little worrying. She said to contact her again once we're there. I was hoping to get a job lined up 1st, cos our butget is tight. It looks like were just gonna rent out the house as it hasnt sold, so will need a job PRONTO!!

 

Its all bit scary now.

 

I was reading your prev posts about your/hubbys hopes of a job.

Good luck

 

Donna

[Les&Babs]

Hi All

 

Thanks for the replies. I have spoken to Qantas and Singapore airlines now.

 

Qantas website shows the flight we are looking at one way for £698 ( that gives 23kg luggage). The migrant fare with 40kg of luggage for the same flight is £1117!! Certainly a lot more money. But they tell me much cheaper than 'buying' extra luggage allowance.

 

Singapore airlines offer across the board 40kg with an unvalidated permanent visa. The only problem is that we wanted to stay in Singapore for a couple of days. The website is not giving me ANY options in January to stayover ( only December or Feb). When i spoke to them on the phone, they said they can book it on phone with a stop over, as the internet does not provide the same options as you get when you ring them apparently......BUT...... you have to pay a £100 booking fee per person for phone bookings, and with 5 of us that makes a £500 booking fee!!!

We can get an 18hr stop between flights in Singapore, online, which may be our only option. (as we really need the extra luggage allowance). That will give us a few hours to have a bit of a look.

I believe you then stay at the transit hotel, where you can book room for a 6 hr slot. Because there are 5 of us ( which would need 2 rooms) it works our really expensive to book three 6 hr slots for 2 rooms. Does anyone know if you can all cram into one room? We would be willing to rough it for afew hours to reduce the cost. Although we will only have hand luggage- there may well be quite alot of it, with 5 of us travelling, so want to be able to leave it somewhere safe.

It is close enough to the city to get chance to have a bit of a look around. Someone else also said they went to the waterpark for the day. is that close to the airport?. ( we would land 07.30 am and depart 23.50) so have the whole day. I didnt really want to waste the day by spending it in the airport, inwhich case we might as well book an earlier flight out of Singapore.

 

Sorry for all the questions. Am trying to make decisions before we book on whats the best option for us. My head is a whirl at the mo!

 

Many thanks to you all

 

Donna

 

Hi Donna

We have used Trailfinders to book our flights from Manchester to Adelaide, Inventory Man/HR-HR/Sing-Sing-Adelaide.

Including a one night stopover and a stay in a 5 star hotel.

Allowed migrant baggage allowance 40kg with unused visa

£904.00 each

We are flying out the first week in October on the A380

Have used Trailfinders all of the time for our longhaul flights and can't fault them.

You can make the cost cheaper by not staying in a 5 star , but for us its worth the extra

 

Good luck

Les

[TheHarrisonFamily]

Hiya again Hazel

 

Forgot to add that you need to ring qantas for a 'migrant fare' quote. They are not available on a internet search.

 

Donna

[TheHarrisonFamily]

Hi Donna

We have used Trailfinders to book our flights from Manchester to Adelaide, Inventory Man/HR-HR/Sing-Sing-Adelaide.

Including a one night stopover and a stay in a 5 star hotel.

Allowed migrant baggage allowance 40kg with unused visa

£904.00 each

We are flying out the first week in October on the A380

Have used Trailfinders all of the time for our longhaul flights and can't fault them.

You can make the cost cheaper by not staying in a 5 star , but for us its worth the extra

 

Good luck

Les

 

 

Thanks for that. I will give them a ring tomorrow and see what they are offering.

We have another shipping compnay coming tomorrow to give us a quote, so another busy day...

 

Donna

[Hazel M]

Hi Hazel

 

We are going to the southern suberbs somewhere!! lol Not sure where yet.

 

Initially were going to crash at my cousins for 2 weeks and look at going straight into a long term rental from there. We will have to beg steal and borrow whatever we can til our container arrives. My cousin is fairly confident that with his friends etc that we will have a plate to eat off and a cup to drink from. I havent got to worrying about that yet. Im more worried about the flights for this week........ come next week it will be something else no doubt!! As to where the rental will be, is down to whats available when we get there.

 

Work wise.......i havent got anything lined up yet. I am a practice nurse and would have liked to continue in that field. The south Dision practice nurse coorinator tells me i wont have a problem getting work......but not until i touch down on Oz soil, which is a little worrying. She said to contact her again once we're there. I was hoping to get a job lined up 1st, cos our butget is tight. It looks like were just gonna rent out the house as it hasnt sold, so will need a job PRONTO!!

 

Its all bit scary now.

 

I was reading your prev posts about your/hubbys hopes of a job.

Good luck

 

Donna

 

 

Lol Donna you sound like you are the same as us.

We also going to be living in the Southern suburbs hopefully (also not too sure where yet!) and we are going to be on a tight budget as our house hasnt sold so we are renting it out too. Not ideal but we have no choice I dont think.

 

We have been offered a friends house near the beach at Encounter Bay for a week or so when we arrive while we look for a rental where we want to be. (when we work that out!!)... suddenly after months of waiting I feel like there's so much to do and have no idea where to start.

 

Thanks for the Qantas info... a call I'll be making soon!

It's my hubby who is the nurse and he has a phone internrview tomorrow at midnight with the womens and childrens hospital so hoping good things will come from that! Hoping I'll be able to transfer to a job over there from my work here in a bank... got to start sorting that out too now...

 

Just an aside, we also used trailfinders for our reccie and found them to be very good - so worth seeing if they compare well price-wise.

 

Hazel.

[Hazel M]

I may have asked you this before... whereabouts are you from in the midlands - we're in Wolverhampton!

[TheHarrisonFamily]

We are from Tamworth, so not to far away from you.

On our reccie we stayed in Willunga for 1 week, then Christies beach for the 2nd. I loved Aldinga/Willunga, but found it was just a bit to quiet for the teenagers and far out for work, so looking more Seaford/ Hallett cove/ Flagstaff hill/ Woodcroft/Moana.........could go on and on. Oh yeh and Mcclaren vale....really liked that, but again a bit quiet for the teenagers.

 

Anyway, perhaps we should send PMs.....lol.....save taking up all the thread.

 

Donna