The maddening queues at airports aren’t the only frustration travellers face today. Airlines have dramatically reduced the amount of personal luggage most of us take with us through a combination of decreased sizes allowed and increased charges. But thankfully, the airlines are not your only option for excess baggage shipping.
What is excess baggage? Well, these days it seems to be anything beyond your carry on allowance. Once upon a time, passengers could bring a suitcase or two for free. These days, you can expect to be charged for anything beyond your carry on allowance. Your options are to pay the airline, use an international shipping company or try to wear several outfits at once when you board the plane. (Joking! That last one is really not recommended!)
How Do I Ship an Extra Suitcase?
You can always pay to have your suitcase fly with you – but in some circumstances it won’t actually go on your plane. If a flight is expected to encounter bad weather or has to change the route to avoid a storm, the airline will need to reduce the weight on the plane. They’ll offer incentives for people to change flights, but if that doesn’t reduce the weight enough, they will put the luggage on another flight. You might not know your bag has been re-routed until you reach your destination.
Sometimes that’s just too risky. If you are going to a wedding overseas, for example, you don’t want to wear your finery on the flight or risk it arriving too late for the big day. Using an international shipping company for your excess baggage shipping makes sense. In fact, any time you will need something in your luggage immediately when you arrive but can’t take it in your carry on, you can send it via personal shipping instead. It can give you peace of mind knowing that your suitcase won’t take the scenic route without you.
If you are visiting someone living abroad, you can send your excess baggage in advance to their address. Or if you are going to be at your destination a while, you can send it just before you leave and arrive first. If, however, you are going for a very short time and have no one to accept your personal shipping before you arrive, it gets more complicated. Your best option in that situation depends on your destination and your budget.
Excess Baggage Charges
It’s going to cost something whether you check a bag on a flight or send it via personal shipping. Costs vary between airlines and between shipping companies. The size of your shipment is also a factor. To really compare costs, you’ll need to check the airline’s fees and talk to a personal shipping company.
When you need reliable, cheap excess baggage shipping, talk to us at Spratt Personal Shipping. We can explain your options so you can compare them with the charges and risks of checking a bag onto your flight.
