Jun 172011
 


Many Indian travelers are stuffing their travel bags with too much clothes and/or other things and end up paying steep excess baggage fees to the airlines.

A recent survey by online travel agent Expedia found that 40% of Indians have forked out excess baggage fees.

With travelers spending as much as Rs. 7,500 on excess baggage fees, Indian fliers are resorting to creative steps to avoid paying for this extravagance – Some wear extra clothes, including up to three jackets, stuff small things in pockets and befriend fellow passengers traveling with lesser baggage to help accommodate their stuff.

The more enterprising Indian travelers go as far as to use infant strollers to carry heavy items, since strollers are allowed into the cabin.

Excess Baggage Fees

To boost revenues, most airlines have become stringent and charge as much as Rs. 2,250 for excess baggage fees and nearly Rs. 9,000 for an oversize or overweight bag

In Expedia’s online survey of 500 Indian travelers, more than 60% said they had not used all the items they had piled into their suitcases.

Over half of the respondents (59%) spent between one and two days preparing for their holiday. Less than a third (22%) said they spent only two hours in packing and nearly 18% spent more than 2 days in packing their bags.

Recommendations to avoid excess baggage fees:

* Do Thorough Research: It’s always better to be prepared. So check for temperatures, altitudes, terrain and decide your clothing accordingly. There is no use for that pair of track pants if the weather is too cold even for jeans, or when you need trekking shoes instead of sandals.

* A Dress a Day: Count the number of days you are traveling and restrict it to a dress a day. Some clothes can be repeated, mixed and matched and you couldn’t possibly need more clothes than the days you are traveling. And if the trip lasts longer than a week, you can always wash and wear.

* Clothes that Don’t Show can be Repeated: A great tip for your trip to the Alps! That T-shirt that you want to flaunt will most likely be under many layers of clothing. Reduce excess baggage by carrying less of what doesn’t matter. What you don’t have can always be bought on location.

* Wear what You Can: If you’ve already gone overboard while packing, try wearing what you can to stretch your weight restriction by thinking carefully about your travel gear. Carrying the extra jacket on the flight and wearing that extra sweater frees up space in the suitcase.

* Layer it to Keep Warm: A good trick for keeping warm – Take multiple thinner items which can be layered instead of carrying one bulky and much heavier piece. The insulation provided by these layers can help brave the strongest of chilly winds.

* Mix and Match: Stick with one basic color scheme, preferably a dark one, which won’t show marks and wrinkles. A single pair of jeans can be worn with a number of T-Shirts, tops and shirts and create a number of different looks with eye-catching accessories that make for different looks.

* Use Travel Packs: Buy the specially-created travel packs or the smaller bottle size of the creams and toiletries that you would need. What’s left over can always be used when you return, and what’s finished can always be replaced on destination. You’ll be surprised at how light the cosmetics/travel kit feels.

* Budget for Gifts – Take into consideration what you might spend if charged for excess baggage. Smaller gifts can convey the same sentiment – reflect on what you want to buy well in advance to be able to make it special. Also avoid pre-packing these gifts, since there is a strong chance that your luggage would be opened by the customs.

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