Airline luggage in China question

[BubbaBoo]

My friend and I are taking a 8 day multi-city tour of China. We will be flying between the cities. I've found that you are limited to 44 lb per suitcase on Chineses airlines. First, is this accurate? Secondly, how much do they charge if you are over?

 

Melinda

[Turtles06]

My friend and I are taking a 8 day multi-city tour of China. We will be flying between the cities. I've found that you are limited to 44 lb per suitcase on Chineses airlines. First, is this accurate? Secondly, how much do they charge if you are over?

 

Melinda

 

That is indeed the weight limit for checked luggage on intra-China flights. In May, we were on a Viking River Cruises tour in China; we had three internal flights; all of our luggage was checked in together, and it was never a problem if anyone had a bag that was a little over. I don't know whether that's because Viking brings so many tourists to China or what... You may be treated differently with a bag that is over the limit.

 

Hopefully, others who have traveled on their own or in small groups will be able to tell you.

 

You should also know that carryons are lmited by rule to one piece weighing no more than 11 pounds (and a personal item). Our guide told us that unless the security guards were in a bad mood, these rules would not be enforced, and they weren't, but they could have been. (We were also told that all the rules are enforced on flights to Hong Kong from within other parts of China.)

 

China is extraordinary; have a great trip!

[pbnjrockette]

We are going with a group in October and wondered also about what is allowed to be carried on. Read that there cannot be any liquids in your carry-on? Don't know how I'm going to pack for 3 weeks with just 44 lbs and 11 lb carry-on! Better look for even lighter-weight luggage (using LLBean lightweight now...)

[greatam]

For those who are going on a cruise and have lots of luggage, book a hotel in Beijing/Hong Kong or wherever your cruise ends. Then take the ESSENTIALS for your land trip. I don't know of a hotel in Asia (other than bottom of the line or hostels) that does not allow luggage storage.

 

This MAY present a problem if you are NOT going back to the originating point. But for what you will pay in overweight/over piece count for luggage on ONE flight, you can afford the flight to get BACK to the origination point. May also want to look into booking first/business class tickets for intra China flights. Most of the time it is not that expensive and generally allows 88 pounds pp in TWO suitcases on intra China flights.

 

Excess luggage fees vary by airline but figure about $100 for an extra bag and $65-75 for a suitcase weighing 50 pounds and that should get you close. They will use a kg system and yuan to assess the charges. And the fees are PER FLIGHT. So can get VERY expensive to drag a lot of stuff around in China.

[maryann ns]

Hostels are one of the best places to leave luggage - we left half of ours in Shanghai for two weeks.

 

We did not have bags more that 20.1 kilos so were OK. They have similar and strict rules about carry on but they generally didn't check. I was never asked to show my bag of liquids.

[Turtles06]

We are going with a group in October and wondered also about what is allowed to be carried on. Read that there cannot be any liquids in your carry-on? Don't know how I'm going to pack for 3 weeks with just 44 lbs and 11 lb carry-on! Better look for even lighter-weight luggage (using LLBean lightweight now...)

 

That's no longer true about liquids in carryons. They were following American rules in May. But you CANNOT bring on a bottle of water, even if you purchased it inside the secure area. So don't waste your money on that. And unless the security officers are in a bad mood, they won't be weighing or counting your carryons.

 

I will make one suggestion for lightening your baggage on a long trip -- travel underwear. Take a couple of pair and that's it. Wash and wear the next day (or two). Ex Officio makes some great stuff.

 

Have a wonderful trip!

[BubbaBoo]

Thank you everyone! I believe I have the information I need.

 

Melinda

[celem]

...Excess luggage fees vary by airline but figure about $100 for an extra bag and $65-75 for a suitcase weighing 50 pounds and that should get you close. ...

 

You seem high on the overweight fee. The China Air overweight luggage fee for domestic flights is 1.5% of the highest normal direct adult one way Economy Class fare. A flight from Shanghai to Beijing is currently $200, but lets assume that the highest normal direct adult one way Economy Class fare is $500, just to be safe.

 

An example overweight bag penalty:

Delta Airlines currently limits international flight luggage to 50 pounds (23 kg). Therefore, assume that your bag will weigh just under 50lbs. Given that China Air allows 44lbs for the checked bag, you will be 3-kilograms overweight. Assuming $500 for a full fare flight from Beijing to Shanghai the penalty will be $22.50 ($7.50 per kg).

[mister exec]

Does anyone know the luggage allowance and extra charges for Hong Kong Airlines from Beijing to Hong Kong? Our bags will weigh 50# and we may have 3 bags. Thanks

[Ashland]

That's no longer true about liquids in carryons. They were following American rules in May. But you CANNOT bring on a bottle of water, even if you purchased it inside the secure area. So don't waste your money on that. And unless the security officers are in a bad mood, they won't be weighing or counting your carryons.

 

I will make one suggestion for lightening your baggage on a long trip -- travel underwear. Take a couple of pair and that's it. Wash and wear the next day (or two). Ex Officio makes some great stuff.

 

Have a wonderful trip!

My underwear is not what usually weighs down my bag :D

[GrandmaHofmann]

Does anyone know the luggage allowance and extra charges for Hong Kong Airlines from Beijing to Hong Kong? Our bags will weigh 50# and we may have 3 bags. Thanks

 

We flew from Beijing to Hong Kong last week. You get 20K per person. We had 4 bags and paid $100 extra but a few days later paid $200 for the same luggage flying from Hong Kong to Singapore.

[mister exec]

Grandma - Thanks for the info. I'll try to convince "Imelda" to pack a few less shoes on this trip...