Excess baggage?

[woodley]

We are doing a 19 night cruise, 2 nights in San Francisco and 6 nights in Cusco/lima.

 

We fly from Santiago to Lima then onto Cusco. On the return we fly dirctly from Lima to Columbia. I am struggling to keep within the weight limit allowed on our internal South American flights. I know there is baggage holding at the airports but as we fly from Santiago and do not return there we would be unable to use this service. Does anyone know if lan airlines is really strict on the bag allowance and What the charge is for excess bags?

 

I think we would be able to store the extra bags at lima airport before going onto Cusco providing they offer a 24 hour service as we don not arrive until 11.30pm and depart on the 5.50 am flight to Cusco.

 

Any information would be appreciated.

[bubbachief]

We are doing a 19 night cruise, 2 nights in San Francisco and 6 nights in Cusco/lima.

 

We fly from Santiago to Lima then onto Cusco. On the return we fly dirctly from Lima to Columbia. I am struggling to keep within the weight limit allowed on our internal South American flights. I know there is baggage holding at the airports but as we fly from Santiago and do not return there we would be unable to use this service. Does anyone know if lan airlines is really strict on the bag allowance and What the charge is for excess bags?

 

I think we would be able to store the extra bags at lima airport before going onto Cusco providing they offer a 24 hour service as we don not arrive until 11.30pm and depart on the 5.50 am flight to Cusco.

 

Any information would be appreciated.

 

Woodley- I forget, when are you flying to Cusco. Jo and I are leaving the 23rd in the morning on LAN. We are returning to SCL on the 26th, then fly home to SFO on the 28th. We are planning to leave our excess luggage at the hotel in SCL since we will be returning there. That doesn't help you with your problem though. John

[greatam]

We are doing a 19 night cruise, 2 nights in San Francisco and 6 nights in Cusco/lima.

 

We fly from Santiago to Lima then onto Cusco. On the return we fly dirctly from Lima to Columbia. I am struggling to keep within the weight limit allowed on our internal South American flights. I know there is baggage holding at the airports but as we fly from Santiago and do not return there we would be unable to use this service. Does anyone know if lan airlines is really strict on the bag allowance and What the charge is for excess bags?

 

I think we would be able to store the extra bags at lima airport before going onto Cusco providing they offer a 24 hour service as we don not arrive until 11.30pm and depart on the 5.50 am flight to Cusco.

 

Any information would be appreciated.

 

You will be allowed 2 bags, 23KG TOTAL from SCL to LIM and any other trips in SA. You are only allowed 8KG carry on and if you go over, they MANY make you check your bag. Normal 20-22" US sized rollers used all the time in the USA get scrutiny on LAN. OUT of SA, you are allowed 2 bags, 23kg EACH. LAN is generally pretty strict. IF you have elite status in OneWorld, they often don't say much. IF you are flying business/first class, even on the short haul flights, you are allowed 3 pieces of luggage, 23 kg EACH. Sometimes it is worth the price to pay for business class rather than excess luggage.

 

Excess luggage fees (as long as you don't go over 23KG PER PIECE) is $90.00 per piece. Lima airport luggage storage is open 24/7. CASH only, no credit cards, US dollars accepted. The luggage storage is in the domestic terminal, which is fine, since that is where the planes to Cusco leave from.

[woodley]

Woodley- I forget, when are you flying to Cusco. Jo and I are leaving the 23rd in the morning on LAN. We are returning to SCL on the 26th, then fly home to SFO on the 28th. We are planning to leave our excess luggage at the hotel in SCL since we will be returning there. That doesn't help you with your problem though. John

 

 

We are flying to Lima on 22nd at 9.30pm them catching the first flight in the morning to Cusco. ( I am hoping our room is ready for us to go straight to bed as it has been many years since I have stayed up all night and I am not sure how we will cope with it.) Then we leave Cusco 0n the 27th and spend the night in Lima before returning Florida on the 28th.

 

We are going to Machu pichu on 11/24 on the vista dome returning on 11/25. We have 11/26 to enjoy Cusco. When are you going to Machu Pichu? We are staying at the Casa Andina private collection in Cusco and we really splurged and decided to stay at sanctuary lodge for one night.

Where are you staying?

 

Greatam- thanks for the information we probably will have to travel light and make good use of the laundry service on the ship. I certainly will not manage to take all the clothes I wanted to and will have to chose wisely.

[bubbachief]

We are flying to Lima on 22nd at 9.30pm them catching the first flight in the morning to Cusco. ( I am hoping our room is ready for us to go straight to bed as it has been many years since I have stayed up all night and I am not sure how we will cope with it.) Then we leave Cusco 0n the 27th and spend the night in Lima before returning Florida on the 28th.

 

We are going to Machu pichu on 11/24 on the vista dome returning on 11/25. We have 11/26 to enjoy Cusco. When are you going to Machu Pichu? We are staying at the Casa Andina private collection in Cusco and we really splurged and decided to stay at sanctuary lodge for one night.

Where are you staying?

 

Greatam- thanks for the information we probably will have to travel light and make good use of the laundry service on the ship. I certainly will not manage to take all the clothes I wanted to and will have to chose wisely.

 

We are staying at the Torre Dorada and going to Machu Picchu on the backpacker train on the 25th. Maybe we will see you up there on the 25th. Flying back to SCL on the 26th.

[greatam]

We are flying to Lima on 22nd at 9.30pm them catching the first flight in the morning to Cusco. ( I am hoping our room is ready for us to go straight to bed as it has been many years since I have stayed up all night and I am not sure how we will cope with it.) Then we leave Cusco 0n the 27th and spend the night in Lima before returning Florida on the 28th.

 

We are going to Machu pichu on 11/24 on the vista dome returning on 11/25. We have 11/26 to enjoy Cusco. When are you going to Machu Pichu? We are staying at the Casa Andina private collection in Cusco and we really splurged and decided to stay at sanctuary lodge for one night.

Where are you staying?

 

Greatam- thanks for the information we probably will have to travel light and make good use of the laundry service on the ship. I certainly will not manage to take all the clothes I wanted to and will have to chose wisely.

 

Sounds like a very good plan for MP. MAKE SURE when you get off the plane, you walk to the back of the parking lot. There are two little kiosks. The one on the right has a lady that will make you coca tea and sell you a bag of coca leaves. START drinking the tea when you first get off the plane. PLEASE do not wait until you get to the hotel. By that time, your body has already started to react to the altitude and the thin air.

 

Keep drinking the tea about every 2 hours. Your hotel should have coca tea, but often, hotels only provide a cup or two. But most provide hot water in a thermos for coffee, hot chocolate and tea. MAKE YOUR OWN with your bag of leaves. Just steep the leaves for about 10 minutes and keep drinking it. About the only way I know of to stave off AMS, other than taking it VERY easy the first day. NO tours, NO jumping on and off buses or in and out of taxis.

 

You should call the hotel and MAKE SURE they will have your room ready.

 

And the last thing-you have quite a bit of time to get from the cruise until you board the plane (I take that 9:50PM plane from SCL to Lima frequently). Find a couple of boxes (ask your room steward or find one in town) and pack your clothes/suitcases and send via the local post office to your home. Will be far cheaper than excess luggage and you can take ALL your clothes for the cruise. Delivery is about 3 weeks, so don't put anything in there that you might need soomer. I have even sent clothes, business papers and other stuff home in boxes, then NESTED my suitcases, so I didn't have to try to find boxes big enough to ship my large suitcases home. Then I "un-nest" my suitcases when I get back to Lima and pack all the import merchandise I have purchased in SA for my import business, so I have full luggage allowance on the return trip to the USA. I have NEVER had a problem sending stuff from all the "weird" places I travel to for business via a postal system. I always insure for as much as allowed (within reason) Just MAKE SURE you write a COMPLETE list of what is in the boxes. Put one copy IN the BOX and one copy attached to the Customs declaration. MAKE SURE you write "personal clothing-USED" on the paperwork or you could be charged customs (although merchandise from Peru is brought into the USA tariff free)

[greatam]

We are staying at the Torre Dorada and going to Machu Picchu on the backpacker train on the 25th. Maybe we will see you up there on the 25th. Flying back to SCL on the 26th.

 

Just a heads up

 

The Torre Dorada is a very nice hotel and Peggy and her husband are EXCELLENT hosts. However, the rooms start on the 2nd floor and food is on the 4th floor. There is NO elevator. And you are far away from anything you can walk to. They have a shuttle, but it has to accommodate ALL the guests, so may not be available at all times.

 

IF you have any propensity for altitude sickness, be aware that climbing steps is a very good way to make altitude sickness worse. And unless things have changed since 2007, there is NO heat in the rooms. You must rent one of those little radiator things ($5.00 per night) like they sell in Walmart. Keeps you warm about 5 feet away but certainly does not warm up the entire room. IMHO, NOTHING that I have experienced in my travels to Cusco is worse than having the beginnings of AMS and NOT being able to get warm. Extra alpaca blankets feel like bales of hay on your body. Just an FYI

[bluesea777]

Please listen to greatam.

 

Our DS went to Lima and Cuzco in Feb last year with his school Spanish class ....

[Nonna and Papa]

I've called Taca - the airline we're using - for their baggage policies months ago, and printed out the policy shown on thier website. Most of what is reiterated on the phone message and on line, speaks to overweight and/or additional bag charges.

 

From what I can gather from my research and what has been posted here, flying economy from MIA to LIM via SJO, we can check two pieces at 50 pounds each and carry on one piece. From LIM to CUZ and back again, we're in business class, so no changes would be needed. From LIM to EZE and EZE to MIA, would be international flights, and economy class luggage policies would be the same.

 

Am I correct on all of this? Is there anything else I should consider?

 

Mary