Bluetongue Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Can anyone give me any tips on bringing a bag of clubs on Thai Airways back from Australia. I've got an opportunity to bring my Dad's back and there is a second set of his best mate's as well. Should I wrap them in plastic at the Airport? And about how much will they weigh if I filter them down to one set. I have a baggage allowance of 20kgs and I could probably carry on my bag. Any tips welcome. Looking forward to a game come sanity break at Soi Dao about once a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProdigalSon Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 I have a golf club travel bag that I use when I take my clubs on a flight which protects them better than a plastic wrap. If you don't have one, then I recommend putting head covers on ALL of your clubs before using the plastic wrapping at the airport. As for the baggage charge, you should check on the Thai Airways website. The last time I flew was with Emirates and there was no extra charge for golf clubs. I'm flying with BA next month back to the UK and there's an extra charge for my clubs with the ticket I bought. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Good idea to check with the airline about baggage charges. I actually started to pack stuff like fishing rods and clothes into a hard sided golf case because it never got weighed, and never an extra charge. And never once got asked "what's in the case?" On the other hand, don't pack fishing rods (or anything else) into a rifle case unless you want to be singled out for "extra scrutiny" at every turn. Ask me how I know that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SantiSuk Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 (edited) Airlines often carry golf bags for free in addition to the normal allowance. I just brought my clubs over from the UK on Emirates (economy promotional class - the cheapest). No charge and you can stuff as many golf balls and other golf-related paraphenalia in the bag, "within reason" (is what Emirates helpline told me), 2 other bags allowed in the hold with a combined weight of 30kg (ie ignore the weight of the golf bag). Excellent value I thought. Etihad is probably the same (it is 30kg for standard baggage allowance). Qatar probably allows golf bags free too, but their other baggage allowance is now uncompetitive at 23kg. Over the last 3 years I have shipped in most of my smaller personal effects from my previous domicile over the course of 15 outbound flights! So, ask Thai or google 'Thai Airways baggage allowance' - the airline's website will probably say somewhere, but I have learned that Google is your friend over and above search functions on almost any corporate web-site. Consider changing airlines in future if you don't get the answer you hoped for. I had no special wrappings for my golf bag, just the clip on club hood, which holds good and fast on my bag and the usual club covers for the woods. The bag and contents arrived in perfect shape and nothing was filched. But, this was a cheapish half set and I'm a bit blase! I think even I would have gone for shrink bubble or shrink plain wrap at the airport (phone them to check if they have that facility) if I had a full set of Taylor Mades! Edited August 5, 2013 by SantiSuk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forethat Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 (edited) Airlines often carry golf bags for free in addition to the normal allowance. I just brought my clubs over from the UK on Emirates (economy promotional class - the cheapest). No charge and you can stuff as many golf balls and other golf-related paraphenalia in the bag, "within reason" (is what Emirates helpline told me), 2 other bags allowed in the hold with a combined weight of 30kg (ie ignore the weight of the golf bag). Excellent value I thought. Etihad is probably the same (it is 30kg for standard baggage allowance). Qatar probably allows golf bags free too, but their other baggage allowance is now uncompetitive at 23kg. Over the last 3 years I have shipped in most of my smaller personal effects from my previous domicile over the course of 15 outbound flights! So, ask Thai or google 'Thai Airways baggage allowance' - the airline's website will probably say somewhere, but I have learned that Google is your friend over and above search functions on almost any corporate web-site. Consider changing airlines in future if you don't get the answer you hoped for. I had no special wrappings for my golf bag, just the clip on club hood, which holds good and fast on my bag and the usual club covers for the woods. The bag and contents arrived in perfect shape and nothing was filched. But, this was a cheapish half set and I'm a bit blase! I think even I would have gone for shrink bubble or shrink plain wrap at the airport (phone them to check if they have that facility) if I had a full set of Taylor Mades! I have only been charged once for checking in a golf bag - Alitalia charged me for the bag London-Milano (and then had the bad taste of losing the bag until I spotted it from the terminal resting against a lamp post on the Malpensa taxi runway....!). But then again, I have had gold membership on all major airline alliances for the past 10-15 years However, it's getting more and more common for airlines to charge for the bag, though they tend to relax if the total weight is within the normal allowance. Here's a good tip: if you travel with an airline that has checkin kiosks in the terminal that prints the tags; take your bags to the oversize baggage checkin DIRECTLY, don't go to the normal bag drop desk and have them weighed...(don't spread the word...!) Bags are never weighed at oversize baggage checkin, they only check your boarding pass. I once travelled with over 100kg and went straight to the oversize baggage drop off and got all my bags checked in without any fees what so ever... Edited August 5, 2013 by Forethat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitchag Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I brought my clubs in a traveling golf bag (extra strong bag made for air travel) with Scoot air from Australia cost me $70 in excess baggage which compared to buying a new set here is very cheap but because of length of clubs there had to go by oversized baggage but no problems with customs on arrival 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolarGolf Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Emirates: Free on top of baggage for one set of clubs and one pair of golf shoes. Etihad: Free on top of baggage charge up to 15 Kg (excluding flights from USA, Brazil and Canada). Falcons are also allowed in the cabin if you are blind and happen to have a need for one. Thai Airways: Weight of golf equipment is included in baggage allowance, charges apply for overweight baggage. British Airways: Weight of golf equipment is included in baggage allowance, charges apply for overweight baggage. Eva Air: Weight of golf equipment is included in baggage allowance, charges apply for overweight baggage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forethat Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 (edited) Thai Airways: Weight of golf equipment is included in baggage allowance, charges apply for overweight baggage.Depends on the route. There are routes where Thai charges heavily for a golf bag, regardless of how much allowance is used. Edited August 6, 2013 by Forethat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetongue Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Thanks guys, I've actually seen the clubs and bag now. The bag doesn't have a cover although there must have been once. I'm a bit concerned about them breaking so I'm going to bubble wrap it, the whole thing weighs less than 20kg so I'll just carry on my other bag, if they want to charge me for excess baggage so be it. I'll let you know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetongue Posted August 14, 2013 Author Share Posted August 14, 2013 (edited) I went to Pack'n'Send to buy some bubble wrap, and the guy said no put them in a box which he sold me for A$8.75. I packed the golf bag with other items I was taking home too, taped it up with duct tape, put some old towels in for padding and socks over the drivers and at Brisbane Airport Thai Airways weighed it, all good 17kg, then I had to take it to the over sized baggage section where they scanned it and I just carried on my normal small bag. At Bangkok it came out first, wonders will never cease and I was out of there quickly. For the first time in about 30 or more entries to Thailand the customs guy stopped me I guess he just wanted to know what was in the box they scanned it and I said "Mai gof", we all laughed and I was on my way. Now to the fun part, whacking the little white ball around Soi Dao. Edited August 14, 2013 by Bluetongue 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farangme Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Have travelled a lot to and around TL with my clubs. I put my clubs and bag in a protective travel bag called the Turtle II. Works great and just check it as my baggage allowance. Never had to pay extra. Sent from my PC36100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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