Can afford airfare but not luggage fee... don't fly..

14 hours ago, gearbox said:

You should have checked your terms and conditions...next time use one of the middle eastern airlines, they usually allow higher weight limit and more than one bag.

If you haven't used your check-in kilos and do need the backpack, get rid of the check-in bag, buy a large lightweight duffel bag for backpacks, stuff in the fragile items in the backpack, put it in the duffel bag and then stuff in your clothes around the backpack in the duffel bag, until you get to your check-in limit. These duffel bags are pretty strong and won't break. After that all you need is a smaller cabin bag.

That's how we used to travel to Nepal for trekking, a backpack was essential but couldn't fit everything, so we used duffel bags and put the backpack plus extra clothing in it.

My previous wife and I did quite a bit of 'backpacking' around southern Asia and Malaysia. (her family originated from India) We never had more than 15kgs checked baggage each, often less.

 

I've never understood why some folks cart so much stuff around with them when they travel, especially when coming to Asia where the climate's warm and stuff's so cheap anyway. O/P could probably replace everything he leaves behind for 50 quid.

Its already been pointed out anyway about last minute tagging on final gate and excess baggage being sent down the chute to the hold

I used to have access to ID90 tickets from British Airways/Qantas and always but always had my main bag loaded but secondary "bendy" soft shell long bag stuffed with shirts etc etc (for resell)

 

I used to check in after putting secondary bag in left luggage (or occasionally if I had someome coming to airport with me stand well away to one side with it)

 

Down to final gate and probably 30% of the time gate crew would have a look and say bit big Sir (the bendy bit meant you could sling it over your shoulder so not so viewable)....I'd smile and say fair enough at which point it got tagged into main hold with rest of baggage...

 

Point being you were past the point of paying excess baggage charge......they probably took it off me 15-20 times

17 hours ago, Polar Bear said:

I came to Thailand with KLM in December. They weighed my hand luggage at check in and checked the dimension at boarding. They were taking oversize carry on bags off people to go in the hold, but I don't know if they were charging them for it.

Exactly same for me with SWISS.

How strict are Lufthansa with hand luggage 2022?

https://thegetawaylounge.co.uk/blog/how-strict-are-lufthansa-with-hand-luggage

 

If you bag weighs more than 32KG it has to be sent as freight or they will request you purchase another bag and split the 55KG between 2 bags

THAI Airways on the LHR/BKK route never check handcarry weight. They are pretty relaxed about a few KGs over on checked baggage too. IIRC their policy is "as many pieces as you have up to total weight allowance". I think it's currently 30kgs in economy. If you fly just one R/T between Europe/BKK then a Royal Orchid Plus Silver card is available simply for getting over 10,000 ROP miles. This gets another free 10KGs of hold baggage (but not much else in way of priveleges) though can be useful for those with Thai partners ????  I have seen Qatar airlines weighing all handcarry at check-in and putting tags on it. Last time I had check-in weighed was in 2017 from Seattle to Bangkok via Taipai with EVA air which surprised me as I was in Premium.

 

5 hours ago, Moonlover said:

My previous wife and I did quite a bit of 'backpacking' around southern Asia and Malaysia. (her family originated from India) We never had more than 15kgs checked baggage each, often less.

 

I've never understood why some folks cart so much stuff around with them when they travel, especially when coming to Asia where the climate's warm and stuff's so cheap anyway. O/P could probably replace everything he leaves behind for 50 quid.

It would take a lot more than £50 to replace my clothes but you make fair point. How much value do you place on your own used clothes? I'd rather start dumping a few old shirts to make the backpack smaller than pay the £200 or so to check it all in.

2 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

It would take a lot more than £50 to replace my clothes but you make fair point. How much value do you place on your own used clothes? I'd rather start dumping a few old shirts to make the backpack smaller than pay the £200 or so to check it all in.

I've had to dump stuff out my life quite a few time and not just cheap things like clothes either. It's amazing how quickly you get over the 'loss' and just get on with your life as if nothing has happened.

 

Good luck with you trip. I hope everything works out for you.

23 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

Great. So you send me the £186.93 it costs to upgrade online to an extra checked in bag. Job done.

I assume that you are aware that  Lufthansa increases the charges if you wait until to check-in at the airport

This is around the size of backpack the OP is proposing to take on board.  I was so amazed that someone would think this acceptable I took a photo at my boarding gate a few months ago.  Does anyone here really think something like this should be in the cabin, irrespective of the rules on Lufthansa?

 

Fly Finnair and get extra bags/suitcases at EUR 50/piece allowing an extra 23kgs each. Done that and arrived with 95kgs for a mere surcharge of EUR 150 - the deal of the century! 

I understand your trying to manage your luggage volume. Lord knows its expensive per kilo to go overweight.

You need to consider if you get asked to check the dimension and then weight by the check-in desk you might find you'll have to check the bag and them won't have access to the other things you put in the bag and you need during the flight.

Of course, as others have mentioned with the low numbers of passengers it probably won't be an issue at this time.

 

I may be a pitiably, compliant person but I see the airline regulations as being in place not only for weight restrictions as they pertain to flight safety but also for my benefit as well as others as regards general cabin comfort and courtesy, so I obey them.

I would encourage you to check the bag in or try to get a larger main bag that will contain your stuff.

For me thankfully I am able to fly in the other cabin classes where generous luggage allowances are a given so I don't have to think on this issue.

I get luggage is a juggling act ... I haven't forgotten economy class flying and how we can't afford or find it tough to pay excess baggage costs.

As a lateral issues ... I see many people trying to bring huge carry on luggage onto planes causing cabin crew and passengers grief by taking up huge amounts of overhead bin space.

The other issues of shoulder carried bags e.g. day-backpacks and bashing people as they move along aisles (take note everyone who wears backpacks on a single shoulder on planes, hitting people in the face, and grinding the luggage against everyone as they pass by) - carry the bag in front of you as you move inside the plane please.

 

On this subject, I believe that no hand luggage was allowed on Thailand domestic flights at one stage of the pandemic. Is that still the case?

I have just looked up 55 litre backpacks and they look very big. If this is the case it will obviously be noticed and you will have to pay excess baggage.

On 1/23/2022 at 12:56 PM, vinny41 said:

How strict are Lufthansa with hand luggage 2022?

https://thegetawaylounge.co.uk/blog/how-strict-are-lufthansa-with-hand-luggage

 

If you bag weighs more than 32KG it has to be sent as freight or they will request you purchase another bag and split the 55KG between 2 bags

If you bag weighs more than 32KG it has to be sent as freight or they will request you purchase another bag and split the 55KG between 2 bags......That's What I Had to do last time flying with Qatar from LHR-DOH-BKK, Very Easy & A Lot Cheaper than paying the excess....The 2nd Bag cost me 10.99p at a shop in LHR....The Suggestion was made by the very nice check-in lady at LHR !!

18 hours ago, treetops said:

This is around the size of backpack the OP is proposing to take on board.  I was so amazed that someone would think this acceptable I took a photo at my boarding gate a few months ago.  Does anyone here really think something like this should be in the cabin, irrespective of the rules on Lufthansa?

 

Why Would ANYONE Need to Carry THAT Load On Board ??

19 hours ago, treetops said:

This is around the size of backpack the OP is proposing to take on board.  I was so amazed that someone would think this acceptable I took a photo at my boarding gate a few months ago.  Does anyone here really think something like this should be in the cabin, irrespective of the rules on Lufthansa?

 

What can be extremely out of order (and I acknowledge my own comment earlier in the thread about my overweight but slim long bag) is that these morons keep them slung on their backs walking through economy. Seeing I always have aisle seats wallop wallop wallop time after time as they move through the cabin.

 

I vividly recall on Oman my outburst in 2018 (out of order) when one of these roasters did it and caught my face going by

OP if your a member of airlines program Star Alliance? Might get lucky. If not many airlines treat luggage as a revenue stream...

On 1/25/2022 at 2:30 AM, jimn said:

I have just looked up 55 litre backpacks and they look very big. If this is the case it will obviously be noticed and you will have to pay excess baggage.

It wasn't an issue but having said that it wasn't full. I think it's a common sense issue really. If it looks like hand baggage, there's unlikely to be a problem.

Internationally it's very rarely an issue & more especially now with low levels of passengers.

Get on early though so you have storage space

Not my flight, but I recently watched as everyones carry on luggage was checked (Air France) I think.

 

One dozy mare tried to get on with a full sized suitcase. The cabin crew went ballistic and were actually screaming at her.

luggage over and the above the stated limits is seen by airlines as an extra revenue stream.

Half empty flights with the stated luggage limits = lower revenue due to number of passengers and lower fuel costs due to less weight.

Half empty flights with no limits on luggage = lower revenue due to number of passengers and Higer fuel costs due to extra weight.

 

I have often wondered why if not many passengers on flight's why don't they bump for free  cattle class passengers to premium economy and business class as it would give longer rests breaks for flight crew as you would need less crew to service a small section of the plane, also flight crew wouldn't need to walk so far