"Everyday" Terrain in Sikkim/West Bengal?

capt_mahajan

domestic weight limits(economy) vary from 15 kg on some budget airlines to 30 kg on indian airlines or other regular carriers.

you can pay for excess baggage seperately; don't remember rates but its not prohibitive.

tacita

whew! thanks, cap'n. i was going to lose sleep over that one, bringing all these books for my sponsored child!

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machadinha

Here go: Luggage Weight Limit. Someone else brought it up, I don't know all that much about it. I think I mostly said it's unpredictable and a good idea to enquire beforehand if you think you'll be overweight.

I'm ready to believe the Captain but I hear it can be a costly affair, depending on your company again no doubt. Have never had to deal with it myself (nor usually give it any worry). Maybe Indian national airliners are more tolerant with this.

There used to be decent deals for sending out stuff (notably books), but this seems to have changed and anyway it won't help you for carrying stuff in.

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capt_mahajan

From a few airlines sites, as examples of what to expect.

Go Air:
http://www.goair.in/terms.asp
Checked Baggage in excess of 15 kgs. is subject to payment of a fee of Rs. 70/- per kg. to be paid at check-in at the airport. The Company may accept excess Baggage, only if space permits.


Air Deccan
http://www.airdeccan.net/airdeccan/baggage.asp#2
How much baggage can I check-in on Air Deccan flights?
Each passenger (excluding infants) is allowed a maximum of 15 kgs checked in baggage. Excess baggage beyond 15 kgs is charged at Rs 70/- per kg.

Jet Airways
http://www.jetairways.com/Cultures/e...e+Information/

Says 30kg per passenger, excess baggage at 'published rates'.. (not published there,anyway!)

machadinha

Haha! Great work Captain. Haul in those kilos!

tacita

thanks, mach and cap'n. i checked the other thread as well. $140 US for an extra bag - costly indeed! of course, the rules are written like a poorly drafted legal document, full of ambiguities. it's unclear whether that's in excess of two bags or in excess of one, and whether the two includes a carry-on. also, what constitutes an international "connecting flight", i.e., and whether an overnight nixes that exemption. i think it's not going to be possible to sort it out with absolute certainty. i've never had a problem before.

all i can do is travel as lightly as possible and be prepared to pay through the nose if i greedily shop more than i should. i'm not a big shopper anyway and have been systematically divesting myself of possessions for awhile now anyway - managed to pare down last year to some kitchen items, a few boxes of clothes, only my most precious books, and an inflatable mattress! ok, so it's grown a bit, but not much!

ah, yes, that darn bengali library again! actually, i think i'll be bringing home less than i'm bringing over. i picked up a yankess cap and a NY-skyline t-shirt for my sponsee today. the store owner was from...india and, to my delight, had very definitie ideas about what to bring a 17-year-old bengali boy! then, in an ironic turn of the tables, i insisted on the "locals" price, rather than the "tourist" price. he happily obliged!

dzibead

Bargaining with an Indian shop keeper! I love it! You're going to be SO ready for India!

So what were HIS ideas of what you should bring (might need this info for future reference myself).

tacita

hey dzi,

i think i owe you a PM...a bit behind here - sorry - but i did get it and THANKS, as always.

i went into the store armed with your last set of ideas, so the shopkeeper merely refined the themes. i'm not a fan of any sport, so he made an executive decision that it should be a yankees cap, in classic navy with a white logo. silly me, i asked, "will he know who the yankees are?" "madam, everyone knows who tha yankees are!" he scolded. you had also suggested a shirt from my law school, but that didn't seem to have much cache. i work for a government law enforcement entity, and we have logo-stuffool" appeal, but that seemed potentially problematic, even though we're not the feds. so i opted for a new york city t-shirt with an embroidered skyline (with the twin towers, alas...) the store owner insisted that it be navy or black and counseled me that "a bengali boy, he will be small person." i got a large and will wash/dry it before i go to shrink it a bit. it's not at all cheesy, i'm pleased to report.

it seems no matter how much i might manage to buy in india, i'll still be coming home with less than i'm bringing, eh? but that's it for gifts from here - and none too soon! things to share with his friends and family i'll pick up in kolkata.

i'm so excited about meeting him!

machadinha

You were asking about internal flights right? 70 Rs./kilo quoted above, sounds OK

tacita

yes, i was - thx. 70 Rs/kilo is a handsomely small sum indeed. and once i ditch these books, of course, i'll be home free!

robotvoice

yeah, as long as you don't go book shopping in kolkata!!