Well almost everyone has a checklist of what to carry and what not to carry and also that it is wise to have a change of clothes etc with you lest the airline loses your baggage. However the question is how to be able to pack all the essentials for your next long vouage.
1. Get a weighing machine. You could even weigh yourself on your bathroom scale with and without the luggage and subtract the 2 readings to estimate the weight of your luggage. The sooner you do this the better idea you will have about what you can carry and what you cannot.
2. Get a ton of plastic bags: They are very useful in transferring excess goods around when airline carrier objects to the weight of your baggage.
3. Pack in layers: The idea is to create a whole section of items that you can toss in the garbage if the airline asks you to pay for the excess baggage. These could be very well those eatables which your mom packed for your long international stay or some useless trinkets that weigh a lot but don’t have much emotional or economical value.
4. Keep your coats and jackets on top: The fastest way to bring your baggage within limits is to temporarily put on multiple jackets/woolen wear. (You can take them down once you board the flight)
5. Remember to pack your valuables and electronics in a way that they don’t spill out during this shifting.
6. Pack compactly. The smaller the baggage size, the less likely are the airline officials to object to your carrying it.
However since the check-in baggage is always weighed but cabin baggage is not, your real creativity comes here.
7. Security measures require all passengers to screen their laptops separately from the rest of the cabin baggage. Exploit that by packing your laptop/any other personal electronic device in a separate bag. (you could put some additional items also in this bag.)
8. Girls should carry a big purse and guys a waist pouch. It’s amazing how much you can put inside them.
9. Get a small paper bag from an expensive store. If you pack right, that small bag can easily hold a few kgs while still giving the looks of an innocent expensive parting gift that you just now received.
The idea is that most airlines have a lot of tolerance for people carrying excess baggage and you should be able to exploit it fully.
All said and done, do travel light when you can afford to. The lesser weight you carry, the less fuel will be burnt flying it. Also please don’t try this above list if you are travelling in a low cost airline. Many of them see baggage handling as a revenue source and would charge you even if you are a few 100gm excess.
I pack my jeans and other heavier version of clothes in cabin-luggage and shirts and other stuff goes to check-in. Another method to marginally increase the weight of cabin luggage without it looking big!
Comment by VivekM — September 14, 2009 @ 12:07 pm
exactly.. I think the airline has bigger problems with volume of the baggage than the weight
Comment by Ankur Aggarwal — September 14, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
These guys started weighing the cabin luggage.
Comment by Karthi — September 15, 2009 @ 2:47 am
which airline.. i should make a note of it too
Comment by Ankur Aggarwal — September 15, 2009 @ 4:53 am
so u seem to be in france!
good tips.. have known and used many of ur ideas before.
one more tip if u know anyone working for that airline or the airport manager it helps immensely.
on big value notes .. people there are scared of forgeries… my sis has told me not to exchange to over 50 euros notes as most people would sceptically accept them. Also the euro unlike the rupee is held as a currency of value, and the ecb unlike the rbi, doesnt like debasing its currency
I think it is high time they weigh u with the luggage as a total package , as most people that are overweight have an inherent advantage.
Comment by prax — September 16, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
@prax…
let me know if i could get anything for you.
yups I am in france/europe till the Christmas
about airline manager.. well I was never that well connected, but I will definitely make a note of it.
about the high value notes.. yups 500 euro is like 35,000/- which is a lot of money for a small piece of paper.
about accounting for the total weight (passenger + luggage), i don’t think that is feasible.. esp since Americans and Australians are inherently bulky and asians (esp orientals) which many dislike are traditionally of lighter weight… so no matter how logical the arguments sound.. no airline can take a lead in alienating their customers.
Comment by Ankur Aggarwal — September 16, 2009 @ 5:46 pm
Thanx for the offer, dont really need anything though.
Comment by Prax — September 17, 2009 @ 12:37 am
Lufthansa
Comment by Karthi — September 19, 2009 @ 8:42 am
Nicely put …
British Airways seems to very much lenient in case of excess baggage policies. They will simply ask you to take care from the next time and allow it .
In fact they have some special promotional plans for students .
One more solution could be check in with some family(convincing them will be difficult ). As your bag will be tagged with your ticket no but checking in with them allows you excess baggage.
One of my fried it once when we were returning back home.
Comment by Hemant Jain — September 21, 2009 @ 2:34 pm
@hemant…
i had tried that a couple of times in indian low cost airlines… however for international flights, i doubt if it will work.. after all as one of my friend once said.. Indians look like shaved arab fanatics
Comment by Ankur Aggarwal — September 21, 2009 @ 3:53 pm
Remember, SAFETY is first! Unscaled baggage means not calculated weight in balance control. Weight and balance is number 1 for ensure safety flight
Comment by Bek — August 17, 2010 @ 4:07 pm