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silent running · 15th May 2008, 20:49

Quote: (Originally Posted by jkaterenchuk)

I would be careful with the carry on solution. I suspect its only a matter of time before the US airlines are weighing carry either randomly or in all cases. I know it has started on international flights as I go hit with a $125 extra bag charge on my last flight to Thailand when they weighed my legal size carry-on.
John

Hi John, what airline in Thailand was it that weighed your carry-on? I will stay away from them.

Just got back from Indonesia on Cathay Pacific-Bali-HK-NY-and my legal sized roller bag was not weighed. I take my entire Prism minus the cylinders and cowling in it. I've never had it weighed on an international flight and only had it weighed on a domestic flight once in Indonesia.

My feeling is that the major international airlines will not be able get away with weighing every carry-on due to the time constraints of check-in at busy international airports, at least for the near future.

Also, after 12 overseas trips with my CCR I've never had a problem transporting sorb or cylinders, as long as the valves are off.

However, I would caution anybody who has to fly on the Indonesian airline Merpati as they have no uniform rules about excess baggage charges, even when you are flying in the reverse direction on the same route. My guess is they get to keep some or all of the excess charges they collect and you would do well to sharpen your bargaining skills before dealing with them as they are at best stupid and at worst greedy. When I asked the Merpati manager in Bali why they had more than doubled the per kilo cost of excess baggage in the 4 months since I booked my ticket, she told me that people were bringing too much excess so they raised the price. Apparently, they are not willing to put any effort towards distinguishing between 4 divers traveling to a remote place in Nusa Tenggara to spend $5000 and somebody trying to bring in a bunch of consumer goods to sell to his buddies. Not exactly visionary thinking. In short, Merpati is run by a bunch of genius assholes who allow their regional mangers to treat each territory as a personal fiefdom. I will go out of my way and pay more money to avoid dealing with these squalid clowns in the future.

15th May 2008, 20:49	#25 (permalink)
silent running Mature mouth breather Current Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: U.S.A. Brooklyn, New York Posts: 1,832	Re: Traveling with a rebreather? Quote: (Originally Posted by jkaterenchuk) I would be careful with the carry on solution. I suspect its only a matter of time before the US airlines are weighing carry either randomly or in all cases. I know it has started on international flights as I go hit with a $125 extra bag charge on my last flight to Thailand when they weighed my legal size carry-on. John Hi John, what airline in Thailand was it that weighed your carry-on? I will stay away from them. Just got back from Indonesia on Cathay Pacific-Bali-HK-NY-and my legal sized roller bag was not weighed. I take my entire Prism minus the cylinders and cowling in it. I've never had it weighed on an international flight and only had it weighed on a domestic flight once in Indonesia. My feeling is that the major international airlines will not be able get away with weighing every carry-on due to the time constraints of check-in at busy international airports, at least for the near future. Also, after 12 overseas trips with my CCR I've never had a problem transporting sorb or cylinders, as long as the valves are off. However, I would caution anybody who has to fly on the Indonesian airline Merpati as they have no uniform rules about excess baggage charges, even when you are flying in the reverse direction on the same route. My guess is they get to keep some or all of the excess charges they collect and you would do well to sharpen your bargaining skills before dealing with them as they are at best stupid and at worst greedy. When I asked the Merpati manager in Bali why they had more than doubled the per kilo cost of excess baggage in the 4 months since I booked my ticket, she told me that people were bringing too much excess so they raised the price. Apparently, they are not willing to put any effort towards distinguishing between 4 divers traveling to a remote place in Nusa Tenggara to spend $5000 and somebody trying to bring in a bunch of consumer goods to sell to his buddies. Not exactly visionary thinking. In short, Merpati is run by a bunch of genius assholes who allow their regional mangers to treat each territory as a personal fiefdom. I will go out of my way and pay more money to avoid dealing with these squalid clowns in the future.
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