Family of 4 with 15kg luggage allowance each - separate cases?

cazcam

Hi. We are travelling next month to Turkey from Humberside airport with Thomas Cook (hope the volcano is settled by then!) I called into the travel agents yesterday to ask what the individual weight limit would be for 2 large suitcases thinking we would pack upto 30kg in each one as we have done on previous holidays. The agent told me that we would be expected to weigh in ONE suitcase each at 15kg and would not be allowed to combine our allowances. He said they had been told to advise all their customers of this, and we may have to pay extra at check-in if we took 2 or 3 cases combining our 60kg total. Does anyone have any experience of this? Thanks.

MrsE_2

Its about health & safety, so the baggage handlers don't have to life really heavy cases.

I would have thought 3 x 20 kg would be fine though...

jillie1974

the max a case can be is 32kg, so in theory yes you could use 2 cases for all of you. the problem could be coming back as some check-in staff on the return are not as flexible.

its not that you will have to pay more, they just refuse it.

airlines are getting more strict with this.

pretzelnut

The max is 32 as someone suggested, i once packed 35kg in a case without knowing (1st trip abroad) and it had a massive ''oversixed suitcase 2 man lift'' sticker attached to it and i was given a warning about the weight. And told to make it less for the return trip as foreign airlines are hot on excess weight and baggage they use it to create extra income, especially as fuel prices increase.

There have been many times since that we have been on holiday and seen family at the check in desks repacking their bags to get them to the correct weight.

We since invested in some scales that you can hang things off cost about £5 and we know weigh all our cases. Even though we now know the weight is correct, you'll still see us sweating at the check in desk, lol.

Were going in 2 weeks, each of us has hand baggage, kids each have a rucksack with their bits in, us adults carry the importants bits, then we have 3 suitcases between the 5 of us.

Good tip is to pack everyones clothes in each case, not 1 persons in this case and another persons in that case, same with things like nappies etc that way if 1 case gets misplaced you all still have clothes.

Also pack anyhing important thats allowed on a plane in your hand luggage, such as medication, carry all of it with you, no point in carrying 1 days worth to have it get lost and you spend a week without it.

cazcam

Thanks for your replies and advice. I am just a bit worried that we will be refused the combined luggage in 2 cases as we had planned. The agent was quite adament that they will only accept 4 x individual cases at 15kg each and if we take 2 suitcases we will have to pay extra baggage (even though we would be under the 60kg weight between us all). I just wondered if anyone else had experienced this individual suitcase rule with Thomas Cook recently? Our tickets are due to arrive in the next couple of weeks so I will see if there is any further information that comes with them. It would be far easier with 2 cases as we have a 3 and 4 year old with us and a buggy!

pantherblackfocus

Hi cazcam. Why not take one of those nylon holdalls/suitcases that fold flat and stick in the top of your cases, then if you are told at the airport that it should be a 15 kg bag each, you can open your cases and distribute all your stuff between 4 cases/holdall

pretzelnut

Im flying with thomas cook and to me that rule seems complete and utter rubbish. I have 1 large suitcase, almost touching 25kg, 1 meduim size suitcase, and a holdall type thing.

When you get to check in you will be asked if you packed the bags yourself. I just say yes, i packed them all myself. put them on the belt and away they go.

I wouldnt worry, some of the suitcases i see people taking make my eyes water, there almost big enough to fit a family of 4 inside. They must be pushing the 32kg limit.

cazcam

Hi blackpantherfocus. What a brilliant idea! We have 2 holdalls that we take when we go camping so I will keep this in mind. We will be that flustered family at the check-in with all our clothes and sun cream arranged on the floor! Maybe all will be clearer when our tickets arrive?!! Thanks very much.

pretzelnut

Forgot to add that my allowance with Thomas cook is 20kg per person.

cazcam

thanks princesswoo. I was really taken aback when the agent told me about a 15kg suitcase each as I was only checking the weight limit allowed on a case for health & safety reasons! Let me know how you got on with your luggage when you get back from your holiday if you can. We fly on the 24th May. Enjoy your holiday.

mum2one

Do double check your luggage allowance as airlines vary, for example standard luggage on First Choice holidays are 23kg per person, whilst Thomas Cook is 15kg, although when you book you can pay extra for kg.

I personally would take the 2 suitcases and maybe a hoddall, there is a possibility that if you get a jobs worth, they may try to say it has to be 15kg,per bag, some let you put it all on for combined weight others sepertae.

A friend of mine use to work check in desks, and their was bonuses for getting extra for overweight bags.......