Weight restrictions advice

[BearJT]

For anyone going back to the US from the UK:

 

Make sure you are very meticulous about the weight limits! All airlines at Heathrow and Gatwick will refuse to check bags that are overweight. You will NOT have the option of paying extra, it's the baggage handlers who will not move the bags.

 

So, you're looking at overweight bags and thinking "I'll ship stuff home".

 

SEND CLOTHES ONLY! Do NOT put shoes in the package. There are several additional customs forms to fill out just for shoes. They are the same ones my people have to fill out when I ship from my factory. It does not matter that they are used.

 

After the hassles of finding a shipper and the customs forms, we just bought a cheap bag, stuffed it full of dirty laundry and checked it. Cheaper than the shipping costs. Don't do this at the airport, there aren't any cheap bags.

 

If you are at the bag limit, ship clean clothes home. You do not want to open the package after it's taken a month to arrive! :D

 

And remember they've lowered the weight limit to 50 lbs. per bag.

[Lobbylin]

In most cases, whilst there is a max limit per suitcase of 50lbs - on most airlines to/from US/UK you are allowed 2 bags per person in the hold.

 

I can honestly say I don't think we have ever come close to using that max weight allowance of 100lbs per person ouselves.

 

Do check with your respective airline.

 

For info, since last week, on all flights leaving the UK, you now cannot take any cabin baggage that is larger than a normal lap-top size bag. I think that rule will be in place for some weeks, if not months.