Baggage allowance -Thai Airlines

[Heg]

Hi
We are flying with Thai from Brisbane down to Phuket in December. I called Thai to see what the allowances were. They have no allowance for sporting gear, so anything over 20kgs is $45 per kg. My gear is around 15kgs which doesn't leave much room for anything else.
I am what can only be termed as a 'wuss' as far as water temp. (I use a 7mm full suit in Niue in water of 26degs )
I have a 5mm suit,I can use. Will this be warm enough? We are doing a iive-aboard, so I will be diving 4 times a day. Or should I leave my suit at home and hire one from the boat?
Any advice very welcome.

 

[Quero]

What is your exact itinerary? If I am traveling out of the country (Thailand) or back in on a full-service carrier, I always book my onwards domestic segments via Thai so that I can simply interline the bags. Once you've got your two bag allowance accepted at your initiating airport (Brisbane), you don't handle your bags again until you reach Phuket. Same is true for the return journey.

Now there are a couple of caveats to this--first is that if you are stopping off before coming to Phuket, you are now only a domestic traveler, and you are limited to the one-bag allowance for domestic flights (where you check your bag in Thailand and pick it up in Thailand). Next is that if you are entering Thailand on a carrier that does not participate in interlined baggage systems (like AirAsia), you are obliged to collect your bags when you first land, and then recheck them. This means you are checking your bags in Thailand and picking them up in Thailand, making it a purely domestic segment conforming to domestic baggage rules.

In regards to your second question, about water temps and exposure protection, our water is quite warm (about 28°), and you will be fine in a 5mm if you are warm enough in 26° in a 7 mm.

 

[Heg]

Hi
We fly Brisbane/Bangkok/Phuket with Thai. No stopovers.
Thai have said it is one bag only and the weight is 20kg.

 

[Quero]

I see. I've just checked Thai Airways International Australia's webpage on baggage allowance and it confirms the 1 piece or 20kg restriction. This appears to be a regulation for flights to and from Australia and Europe. However, it also says

Sporting Equipment
Passengers carrying any sporting equipment as part of their checked luggage should contact THAI Reservations on 1300 651 960 for more information on related excess charges and methods of package for carriage. Such items include bicycles, surfboards, water skis, snow skis, golfing equipment, scuba diving equipment to name a few.

Is that the telephone number you contacted? Depending on the fees, it might be cheaper for you to rent equipment locally here rather than paying the excess baggage fees. Do bring your 5mm wetsuit, though, even if you have to hand carry it!

 

[Heg]

Hi
I rang that number and they simply tell you that it is $45 per kilo for anything over 20kg. Most airlines give you sports gear at half the excess baggage rates:cross:

 

[lord khram]

Most Airlines seem to have tightened up on passengers carrying excess baggage, in the past no body seemed to care about a few extra kilo's, but it is now quite common for airlines to charge even for small ammounts of excess.
Several years ago I was travelling business class from Thailand to the UK with AIR FRANCE, was carrying 2 bags which were well within the weight allowance for my booking, upon checking in for my flight in Bangkok was charged 50 euro simply because one of my bags was identifieable as a dive bag and I was carrying dive equipment. I protested and was told they would not check in my bag unless I paid the surcharge. I reluctantly paid and complained to the airline upon my arrival to the UK, only to be sent a copy of their terms and conditions which actually stated that this charge is standard practice for AIR FRANCE. Looking at their website now the charge is 200 euro. The reasoning was stated that it was not packed in a suitcase, and a dive bag, although it was a sturdy lockable dive bag which was designed for travelling 'was not suitable protection for my equipment'. I further pointed out that my bag was a specific dive travel bag, and I was not surcharged on my return flight from the UK with exactly the same baggage. Only to be told 'this condition is up to the discretion of the check in staff'.
Always worth checking the small print before making your bookings.

 

[iztok]

Thai is member of Star Alliance. So if you have any Silver or Gold status with Star Alliance airline it might be very beneficial to you.

 

[Pdouble0k]

last time I fly with Thai Airlines from Bkk - Krabi and my bag was over than 25 kgs. (included my gears)
and I don't have to pay for the extra charge.. =/

 

[Quero]

I'm not surprised they cut you some slack, pook--you're Thai. They tend to feel more affinity for their compatriots, and so they give Thais a break and tend to stick to the rules with the falangs.

 

[Buadhai]

upon checking in for my flight in Bangkok was charged 50 euro simply because one of my bags was identifieable as a dive bag and I was carrying dive equipment.

Air Asia does this as well. Even if your sports equipment is within the weight allowance you've purchased, you still have to pay a "Sports Equipment Service Fee". This is 750 baht Bangkok-Phuket.

I guess it's time to buy a dive bag that doesn't look like a dive bag...

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