Time to start packing - time to plan for the Twin Otter flight!

[nwflyboy]

Leaving for Little Cayman next week, I'm getting ready to start packing.

As I read on the Cayman Airways website, for the Twin Otter flights they say you are limited to 55 pounds per person, then they say you can have a 15 pound carry on.

Does that mean each person can have one (or two?) checked bags, whose total weight must be 55 lbs or less, plus a 15 lb carry-on item? Or the total weight of all your bags (checked plus carry-on) must be 55 lbs or lower?

I know about the deal where they may or may not get your bag(s) on your flight - some/all of them may (and often will) follow on a later flight (which could be the next day) - I assume this is for checked bags, right? They're not going to pry my 15 lb carry-on from my sweaty fists, right? If there's anything you need in your first 24 hours, be sure it's in your 15 lb carry-on, right?

Any other tips for managing the baggage limits? Thanks!

 

[fisheater]

One checked up to 50# bag plus one up to 15# carryon.

You'll only need shorts and a couple of t-shirts there, so you should be able to devote the vast majority of your weight allowance to dive gear.

You'll have a GREAT time there.

 

[keyshunter]

For the Twin Otter you can check 2 bags (possibly more) but the total weight may not exceed 55 lbs without paying overage @ .50/lb. In addition, you may take one 15 lb carryon. Usually, they will weigh every piece.

As fisheater said, you will not need a lot of clothes on LC. Unless you are tourist types who want to get away from it all AND take it all with you, you will not have much trouble staying at least close to the above limits. The fact that many (most) people do not adhere very closely to these limits and pay overages on clothes or other "stuff" that they do not really need, is the reason why baggage (especially on weekends) often comes later.

 

[carriemak]

What Keyshunter said! Leave the excess clothing at home as you won't need it.

 

[Becca_007]

55lbs per person for checked and 15lbs per person for carry-on.

We shifted our gear around in Grand Cayman so had 3 checked bags. We made sure that the total of 2 was less than 55 and the other single was also under 55. They did not weigh our carry-ons on the way over. If your carry-on is too large to fit on the plane (and these planes are very small) they can take it from you. On the way back to Grand Cayman each piece of luggage including our carry-ons were weighed and we were charged the 50 cents per pound.

 

[nwflyboy]

Thanks, everyone. We won't be bringing a lot of clothes and other unnecessary stuff - t-shirt & shorts is my style anyway. We will have some dive gear, of course (just basic stuff - we will be using their rental BCs & regs) - most of that will go in one of our two "checked" bags (fins, wetsuits, etc. - bulky stuff) - we'll pad that with some clothes. The carry ons will be dedicated to things that are either fragile/expensive (cameras & other electronics, our dive masks, a few critical personal items). I've got a baggage scale so we'll be sure we're under the limits. The challenge will just be how to arrange and distribute stuff.

 

[carriemak]

You will be fine on weight, especially since you are renting BCs & regs and won't have to be concerned about their weight. Have a great time!

 

[nwflyboy]

One more question about the Twin Otter flight....

Do they put a co-pilot in the right front seat, or only a single pilot (left seat) and lucky passenger gets to sit up front on the right? I'm actually a licensed pilot myself (though I fly smaller, single engine aircraft), and would love to nab that right seat if it's not used by a crewmember.

Aircraft of this size (I'm familiar with the Twin Otter - a great workhorse aircraft) can be flown single-pilot (costs the airline less and let's them sell a ticket for that seat) or sometimes they'll use two crew.

Just was wondering about the chances for that - I figure if a passenger gets that seat, it might as well be me.

 

[jdcpa]

There is a co-pilot in the right front seat.

 

[carriemak]

There is a co-pilot, however, there isn't a door between the pilots and you, so you can see what is going on.