# Baggage allowance for expats moving to dubai??



## sara81 (Aug 21, 2008)

Hi there im moving to dubai in the next 2 weeks from London, previously assumed that if i booked a flight with Virgin then I would be allowed 2 suitcases plus hand luggage but been informed from a friend ur only allowed 2 if u go to USA??? Is this true?? And true for all airlines to Dubai?? What do people do then when moving over, there is no way i can manage with just 1 suitcase and excess baggage prices are EXTORTIONATE!!!!!! Please help!!


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Welcome to the forum.

UK baggage allowance is calculated by weight. Virgin allows 23kg per passenger and this can be in more than one suitcase, provided that you do not exceed your overall allowance. You are also allowed an extra 6kg as hand luggage. Excess is charged at £21.96/kg. Please see Virgin's website for further details. No extra allowance is given to expats. If you have a lot of bags, I would suggest that you send them as unaccompanied baggage. Some airlines will also sell you excess weight at a cheaper rate if purchased in advance. However, you would need to know the exact extra weight that you will be bringing to the airport. It might be worthwhile contacting Virgin to explore your options.


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## doublejay (Jul 16, 2008)

Hi, im moving to dubai on tuesday and flying with virgin! its a nightmare that they only allow 23kg! ive got way more and have to rethink my packing. I asked my company to confirm what allowance i was allowed to take. They came back and told me 2 bags at 23kg each, i wasnt convinced and phoned the airline and they confirmed it was 23kg max and the price of excess baggage is crazy! 

Looks like ill be doing alot of shopping when i get to dubai!!


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## sara81 (Aug 21, 2008)

i was also sure you were allowed 2 pieces @ 23kg but apparently thats only when ur flying to the west?!!!!!! anywhere east is only 1 suitcase. Complete nightmare, doublejay I dont know how ur going to do it, maybe ask your company if they will pay the excess baggage, they cannot expect us to go over with nothing!! Think I might do what MAZ says and contact virgin to get a cheaper rate for excess........


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## doublejay (Jul 16, 2008)

ye im sure they will sort something out. Ive got a meeting with them in london tommrow before i go anyways! what you going to be doing out there then? i know u women pack everything when you go! then again we men are just as bed , well me anyways!


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## sara81 (Aug 21, 2008)

Im a personal trainer, been offered 2 jobs so far but both were quite weak packages on offer, waiting on this third company now who offer a much better package, ive had all interviews, they are now checking my references so hopefully if i get that job will be out there in the next week or two. What about you what will you be doing there? Are you from London originally?


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## Shinjuku (Jul 12, 2008)

Are you a member of their frequent flyer club?
It may be possible to get an increase in your baggage allowance (depending on how well you can sweet-talk them) by explaining to them that you are relocating and not just travelling. Ideally you do this before you purchase the tickets.

It might not a huge increase, maybe just a couple of kilos, but every little helps.


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## sara81 (Aug 21, 2008)

I am a frequent flying member for a few airlines, but this makes no difference unless im a silver or gold member which I am not!! Done a bit more research and virgin and emirates don't help out at all, BA are not too bad, will cgarge £60 per extra suitcase which seems miniscule compared to the £530 per case that Virgin quoted me!!! Still might check with cargo and see how much they charge cos apparently that's even cheaper......


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## White Heat (Apr 2, 2008)

Try a company called Air & Cargo Services, they will pick up cases from your home by courier to their depot, then fly them to Dubai. You will have to pick them up from the Cargo Village near the airport. Unfortunately I have lost their number. Google the company name and ask for Ian Wilson. Good Luck.


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## sara81 (Aug 21, 2008)

Hey thanks for that, i will look them up, did you use them yourself?? if so how long roughly did they take to deliver your things and how much do they charge? is it per suitcase they charge?


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## MichelleAlison (Aug 25, 2007)

We used SevenSeasWorldwide who are an excess baggage company in the UK. You can send from London to Dubai 3 boxes (40 kgs each = 120 kgs) for about 169 pounds plus charges at destination.

Their service was excellent and the boxes (all 40 of them) arrived before the specified time. We sent our boxes from London to Buenos Aires.

Michelle


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## White Heat (Apr 2, 2008)

Sara81, Yes I used them, I sent 3 large suitcases, cost me about £300 (ish), they charge by volume or weight, whichever is the greater, that's why they take them to their depot. It took about 4 days from leaving my house in the UK to arrival at Cargo Village. They are subject to customs inspection etc, there is also a small fee at this end.


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

White Heat said:


> Sara81, Yes I used them, I sent 3 large suitcases, cost me about £300 (ish), they charge by volume or weight, whichever is the greater, that's why they take them to their depot. It took about 4 days from leaving my house in the UK to arrival at Cargo Village. They are subject to customs inspection etc, there is also a small fee at this end.


What is the cost this end (Dubai) please?


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## sara81 (Aug 21, 2008)

i have phoned a few companies and the cost on the Dubai end can be up to £100!!!!!!!! InterCargo seem to offer the cheapest package, £134 for two suitcases approx 50kg in total + cost at the other end but this still seems quite expensive.. This excess baggage issue is stressing me out!!


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## EMAD75 (Mar 15, 2008)

Sara81

Not sure this will help as I think you are flying with Virgin, but for others to know, with BA until November you can check in 32 kg in one suitcase as your baggage allowance, and they will not charge you. Someone else has also mentioned that you can then buy extra allowance before flying for 60kg per suitcase (up to 32 kg - go to ba.com and choose manage my booking). From november onwards they will charge a flat fee of 25GBP extra if you are over 23 kgs. When we moved over, my husband and I checked in 5 suitcases of 32 kgs, 2 were allowed, other 2 I bought extra allowance online and the 5th one (last minute extras and was planning to pay at airport) BA didn't even charge for that one.
BA is very careful not to publicise the 32 kg rule!!
From ba.com:
Our policy states any single bag should not exceed 32kg (70 lbs) in weight. From November 2008, a flat fee of £25 will be applied to single bags weighing between 23kg (51lbs) and 32kg (70lbs). *Please note that until November 2008, we will continue to accept bags weighing up to 32kg (70lbs) without charging you.* We do not accept bags heavier than 32kg as checked baggage.


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## Wrightnice (Jul 28, 2008)

As a possible way around the whole baggage allowance nightmare, have you thought about buying a golf bag? Most airlines allow you to take a golf bag in addition to your normal allowance at no extra cost. Might be worth buying a cheap golf travel bag and sticking all you extra stuff in there. Not sure if it works but it beats paying the £50/kg Emirates were trying to charge me. I ended up coming out with one suitcase which was 27kg, way over the limit of 20kg but they didn't say anything when I checked it in! Result


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## White Heat (Apr 2, 2008)

crazymazy1980 said:


> What is the cost this end (Dubai) please?


I am really sorry crazymazy, I have turned my house upside down trying to find the receipt, unfortunately I must have lost it between my hotel room, going back to the UK, then back to a hotel room, then to my house!!!
I know it was less than 100 AED though.


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

White Heat said:


> I am really sorry crazymazy, I have turned my house upside down trying to find the receipt, unfortunately I must have lost it between my hotel room, going back to the UK, then back to a hotel room, then to my house!!!
> I know it was less than 100 AED though.


£15 doesn't seem that bad, thought it was going to be something closer to £100.

Thanks for looking though, much appreciated. If you're ever at one of the Forum Meet Ups after Sept come say hi and I'll buy you a drink.


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