Luggage size

[mike_s]

The only time I've ran into a luggage problem is with weight. Especially if gear is still wet.

Most of the time they will never check the length, but when you put the luggage on the "pass through" at the counter, that thing is actually a scale. I've been nailed there before on weight. They don't care as much how much the total weight of all your bags are, but the weight per bag. And that depends on the person ticketing you. They've let me go before and not said anything, they said stuff and still not done anything, and they've told me my bag was too heavy to travel.

To take care of this last problem, I keep a nylon zipper duffle bag folded up in my gear bag. I simply took some of the heavy wet items (BC, wetsuit) out of my other gear bag and put into the zipper duffle and waa-laa! we are not under the max weight per bag.


Note, like someone else said, if you fly a "puddle jumper" on your last leg in, they have weight issues more and might limit you more.

mike

 

[Allison Finch]

I would go with soft baggage.. first some airlines are anal about size and eventually you will get caught.. hard baggage is definately frowned upon on most live aboards..

If you are looking for a great dive bag.. get this one.. (Ironclad Edition Ballistic Backpack with Wheels, #2-IE)

http://armorbags.com/wheeledbags.htm

Its a soft bag so the max size is hard to determine (64 inches), especially since it has straps to cinch things down.. it is not totally soft (hard bottom only) so it has good integrity..

Its the toughest bag I have used to dat and I do ALOT of travelling..

This is the bag I use and I love it. It has been to New Guinea a number of times and all over the Caribbean. You can't miss with it.

 

[padiscubapro]

Padiscubapro,

Can you really fit 2 sets of dive equipment in the ironclad ballistic backpack? My fiancee and I are in the small to medium range for BCDs and fins.

Thanks!

J.

Yes..

Each side pocket holds a set of XL fins, and the inside is definately large enough for 2 warm/temperate water sets of gear... If you are travelling with a heavy drysuit and heavy undergarments probably not..

I recently had a trip that used a small twin prop plane and there were no issues with the bag..

 

[vladimir]

I have found Qantas to be sticklers on weight and size.

 

[Allison Finch]

I agree, Quantas can really be platypus butts! I deal with them every year and they always seem to aggravate me in some way. Just wait until they feel the weight of all my new camera stuff. Last year they would not let my dive bag on the plane because it was one kilo overweight!!! They would not let me pay any overweight. It was take it out of the bag or the bag would stay. It was one book and two pairs of socks! Go figure.......

 

[ScubaTwo]

my husband and I got a good spacious cressi soft suitcase with lots of padding for our dive gear. The size wasnt an issue but it didnt take long to go over the new 501b limit. after bc's fins and wet suits that about did it. :/ the suitcase was only about 1/3 full.

 

[Steve Miller]

my husband and I got a good spacious cressi soft suitcase with lots of padding for our dive gear. The size wasnt an issue but it didnt take long to go over the new 501b limit. after bc's fins and wet suits that about did it. :/ the suitcase was only about 1/3 full.

I just checked the Qantas web site and they have the weight limit at 70 lb. per bag. Has there been an unpublished change?

Thanks,

 

[ScubaTwo]

Flights within the US its 501bs, outside US its 70. This was in September so it quite possibly could have changed again.

 

[jenniferg]

We carried our dive gear in hard, rolling tool boxes. It worked really well, until we went to Roatan a few weeks ago, and Continental measured them. The limit was 63" and the boxes were 65" so we got hit with a $100 per bag over-size charge. OUCH! Now, we're in the market for something new.

 

[alcina]

I just flew Qantas again and had no problem with weight. One bag was WAY over the max of 70lbs - not an eyelash flutter...they simply orange tagged it and away it went. My luggage is always at the limit or just beyond and this is the one area that Qantas has never gotten bad marks for - it's never even been mentioned to me. As for the rest of Qantas' service...welll...

However, if they do enforce their rule, it can be very expensive in excess baggage.

FWIW travelling inside Australia, your luggage limits are less. Especially in WA when you jump on Skywest. 20kgs! and 10kgs for cabin bags - they do weigh them.

Get there early, be very nice and cooperative - you never know your luck, but whining about it will not help you.

Also, get on the web sites of the airlines you will be fllying and print out their restricitions. In the case of Skywest, they state that they will allow international connectors to utilize international weight limits. Might be a handy thing to have with your travel documents. Note: this will not help you with cabin baggage