Air France from Paris to Rome???

[agabbymama]

I booked airfare from LAX to Paris on Air Tahiti Nui separately from my airfare from Paris to Rome on Air France. So the two tickets are not linked to each other.

 

I'm having a difficult time finding the baggage limits on the Air France portion of the trip. If you go to the U.S. Air France site, the baggage allowance is for International travel. If I go to the France Air France site, it is all in French, so have no idea what it says. I'm sure the flight from Paris to Rome would be considered a Domestic flight.

 

I've printed both pages and it appears to say the same thing, but I can't be sure because of the French. Has anyone done this sort of flight?

 

From the U.S. International flight you are allowed 2 bags each weighing 44 lbs. It looks like it says the same thing for the French site, but I wouldn't want to get there with 2 bags and have to pay additional fees for the 2nd bag. I have emailed and got a standard response to call or check the website, which is no help. I tried to call and sat on hold for 30 minutes and finally gave up.

 

Can anyone that has been there, done that, offer help? Thanks.

[ab0si]

Tempo Class: 20 kg

Tempo Challenge: 30 kg

L'Espace Affaires: 30 kg

 

2 bag max (but the weight is the total of the two bags)

 

 

The above taken directly from Air France's UK page and confirmed on the Air France U.S. page (Yes, I know, it is not obvious, but the information is there)

 

Paul

[texancruzer]

We flew Continental from Corpus Christi to Houston to Paris. Then flew Air France from Paris to Rome.

 

However.....our flights were linked as Air France is a partner with Continental.

 

This is what I was told.

 

When you flight originates in the US and the limit is 50 lbs than Air France will honor that limit. But only if the flights are linked. DH and I each had two bags checked. None of them were over 50 lbs. but we had a total of 4 bags for about 150 lbs of checked bags.

 

If not.....then you are looking at 44 lb limit on Air France.

[agabbymama]

Tempo Class: 20 kg

Tempo Challenge: 30 kg

L'Espace Affaires: 30 kg

 

2 bag max (but the weight is the total of the two bags)

 

 

The above taken directly from Air France's UK page and confirmed on the Air France U.S. page (Yes, I know, it is not obvious, but the information is there)

 

Paul

 

Paul,

 

Where are you seeing that it is both bags combined weight?

 

The French website states:

 

"23 kg maximum chacun"

 

I looked up the word chacun and it means "each".

 

That's what is so confusing. I've also contacted Cheapoair, where I bought the tickets to see if they can clarify.

 

Thanks everyone for your responses.

[agabbymama]

Thanks to all who posted. Just an update.

 

I finally heard back from Air France. It appears that Domestic air fare within Europe luggage restrictions are not per bag, but a total weight allowance of 44 lbs. checked luggage and 1 carry-on of 25 lbs. That isn't what is stated on their website, but that's what they are telling me, so I dare not take a 2nd bag.

 

Think I won't be taking many vacations anymore. With all the flight and baggage restrictions, price of fuel, etc. I'll just stay at work and save my money.

[Ine]

What is important is - because you have 2 different tickets of different airlines - is to find out whether your luggage will be and can be labeled through to your final destination. If you have to reclaim it in Paris, because of having 2 separate tickets then you have an european flight and you have the standard free allowance 1 suitcase of 20 kg. (44lb.)

If the luggage can be labeled all the way you can have the transatlantic freedom of 2 suitcases of each 23 kgs. (55 lb??) maximum.

[Globaliser]

Where are you seeing that it is both bags combined weight?

 

The French website states:

 

"23 kg maximum chacun"

 

I looked up the word chacun and it means "each".

I think you are looking in the wrong section. That's the section for baggage allowance where the piece count system operates. And it is correct about the maximum being 23 kg per piece there.

 

But if you're flying within Europe and subject to the normal baggage allowance, then this isn't the right section to look at, You need the section on baggage allowance by weight, in the upper part of the page. If you follow the link, you should find that it says 20 kg (44 lb) per person.

[agabbymama]

What is important is - because you have 2 different tickets of different airlines - is to find out whether your luggage will be and can be labeled through to your final destination. If you have to reclaim it in Paris, because of having 2 separate tickets then you have an european flight and you have the standard free allowance 1 suitcase of 20 kg. (44lb.)

If the luggage can be labeled all the way you can have the transatlantic freedom of 2 suitcases of each 23 kgs. (55 lb??) maximum.

 

Thanks for responding Ine. Nothing can be done. I'm told Air France and Air Tahiti Nui are not partnered in this instance. Now they could have put the flight together this way, and it would have been okay, but because I booked the two separate flights myself, they won't honor it.

 

When I originally booked Air Tahiti Nui from LAX to Paris I was going to take the night train from Paris to Rome. Then when looking at the train fare, it was $552 one way, so we would have had to add another $552 from Venice back to Paris. Way too much money, so started looking for airfare from Paris to Rome/Venice to Paris. Found Air France for $210 booked it. Then found out about the luggage. :eek:

 

We arrive into CDG at 8:30 am have to claim our luggage from Air Tahiti Nui, then we don't leave CDG until 7:00 pm on Air France, so we even have to be responsible for our luggage all day. Plan to check it at Gare de Lyon for the day while we do the Batobus Hop on/Hop off bus, then back to the train station get our luggage, then back to the airport for our onward flight. Hope all works out!

 

Thanks again everyone, happy travels.

[Globaliser]

Way too much money, so started looking for airfare from Paris to Rome/Venice to Paris. Found Air France for $210 booked it. Then found out about the luggage. :eek:

As you hadn't booked a through ticket, you were never going to find a baggage allowance greater than that for this sector. It's probably not much consolation, but I hope that at least you won't be wondering "would have I got a better overall deal if I'd booked with another airline with a bigger baggage allowance". That wasn't going to happen.

[clc6p]

I booked airfare from LAX to Paris on Air Tahiti Nui separately from my airfare from Paris to Rome on Air France. So the two tickets are not linked to each other.

 

I'm having a difficult time finding the baggage limits on the Air France portion of the trip. If you go to the U.S. Air France site, the baggage allowance is for International travel. If I go to the France Air France site, it is all in French, so have no idea what it says. I'm sure the flight from Paris to Rome would be considered a Domestic flight.

 

I've printed both pages and it appears to say the same thing, but I can't be sure because of the French. Has anyone done this sort of flight?

 

From the U.S. International flight you are allowed 2 bags each weighing 44 lbs. It looks like it says the same thing for the French site, but I wouldn't want to get there with 2 bags and have to pay additional fees for the 2nd bag. I have emailed and got a standard response to call or check the website, which is no help. I tried to call and sat on hold for 30 minutes and finally gave up.

 

Can anyone that has been there, done that, offer help? Thanks.

 

I don't know when your flight is, but I would definately recheck the airline websites for this info closer to the time. The airline industry has made some big changes just this week. Skybus, ATA, and Hawaiin airlines were forced to shut down because of expense and rising fuel cost, and the others are increasing fees for bags being over the weight limit and second checked bags on some airlines. We will all have to pay attention to this for our trips.

[agabbymama]

Paris to Rome is international, remember 2 countries, France and Italy!!!

 

Tell Air France that. They consider anywhere in Europe as their Domestic flight.

 

If I was flying with them from the U.S. no problem, but because I only booked from Paris to Rome, they are applying their rules, and that says 44 lbs.

[Cruise Junky]

Paris to Rome is international, remember 2 countries, France and Italy!!!

 

Only on Mars is Paris to Rome considered "International"

[ab0si]

Only on Mars is Paris to Rome considered "International"

 

Excellent answer!

 

Actually, the Air France website lists intra-France allowances separately from "Zone 2" allowances (basically Europe). They are the same (except there are only two classes of service, but they are listed separetely. <grin>

 

Paul

[Cruise Junky]

Excellent answer!

 

Actually, the Air France website lists intra-France allowances separately from "Zone 2" allowances (basically Europe). They are the same (except there are only two classes of service, but they are listed separetely. <grin>

 

Paul

 

I saw that :) but isn't it the same allowance? I know there's zone 1 and 2 but I thought they were the same. We actually ended up booking business class on BA to go from Gatwick to Venice because of the one bag rule.

[Ine]

On all european flights in eocnomy class 1 suitcase of 20 kg. p.p. is free. (But on some budget-airlines it is even less...)

Only if transatlantic flights are on the same ticket you have the higher allowance of 2 suitcases of 23 kgs. each.

[Globaliser]

Paris to Rome is international, remember 2 countries, France and Italy!!!

It's not a question of whether it's "international" or "domestic". It's more to do with whether it's North American or not.

 

Paris -> New York: 2 bags per person.

 

Paris -> Rome: 20 kg per person.

Paris -> Hong Kong: 20 kg per person.

London -> Sydney: 20 kg per person.

 

And so on. North American flights are the biggest exception to the general rule on baggage allowances, which are typically in the order of 20 kg per person in economy class.

[JenniferRenee]

Remember when entering Paris you have to go through customs and then collect your bags even if partnered with another airline.If your suitcase is checked to your final destination Then you can just recheck them at the baggage drop counter for your airline. Remember Paris is a big airport and is 30-40 minutes from the city centre by taxi. Give yourself 1 hour to clear sustoms and find baggage if you are coming from the US or Canada where there are a lot of people in customs at that time. Be back to the airport 2 hours before your flight for sure as security lines can be long!

[Globaliser]

Remember when entering Paris you have to go through customs and then collect your bags even if partnered with another airline.If your suitcase is checked to your final destination Then you can just recheck them at the baggage drop counter for your airline.

I don't think that this is correct.

 

If your bag is through-tagged to your final destination, it should be automatically transferred at Paris, whether you're entering the EU or leaving the EU. Customs should be cleared at the final destination.

 

However, immigration/passport control is cleared at Paris in both directions, as this is where you cross the Schengen immigration border. But that doesn't involve collecting your bags, only showing your passport.

[texancruzer]

Remember when entering Paris you have to go through customs and then collect your bags even if partnered with another airline.If your suitcase is checked to your final destination Then you can just recheck them at the baggage drop counter for your airline. Remember Paris is a big airport and is 30-40 minutes from the city centre by taxi. Give yourself 1 hour to clear sustoms and find baggage if you are coming from the US or Canada where there are a lot of people in customs at that time. Be back to the airport 2 hours before your flight for sure as security lines can be long!

 

 

As posted already we flew Continental to Paris then Air France to Rome.

Our luggage was checked through to Rome and we did not have to collect our luggage and go through customs. No re-checking required. Didn't even see them again until Rome.

[agabbymama]

JenniferRenee - Thanks for the info. I knew we would have to collect our luggage. We are scheduled to arrive at 8:30 am, figured we might have our luggage by 10:00. An hour on Air France bus to Gare de Lyon to check our luggage for the day. Batobus is across the river from Gare de Lyon hopefully by noon. Then we would have about 4 hours to hop on/hop off Batobus. Then back to the airport by 5:00 for our 7:00 pm flight.

 

Of course sightseeing will be limited. I know with only a few hours we aren't going to see much, and will have to watch the clock. But want to see Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triumph if nothing else. The Batobus route says 1.5 hours if you just stay on it and do the loop.

 

Have to play it by ear once we are there. Any number of variables could happen.

 

My big concern is keeping the large 29" suitecase under 44 pounds for a 3 week vacation/cruise with formal wear and warmer clothing for fall weather. I even considered sending a suitcase on ahead to the hotel, but they want like $300 for one suitcase. Not a viable alternative.

[Globaliser]

I knew we would have to collect our luggage.

It will be worth asking, when you check in for your TN flight, whether they will through-tag it onto your AF flight to your final destination. If they will, then you will be able to avoid collecting it in Paris.

 

It's almost certain that it's technically possible for TN to do this; they probably do it all the time for people who have bought through tickets. They're not obliged to do so for you, because you're flying on two separate tickets. But it's worth asking, in case they will. That would save you one lot of hassle.

[agabbymama]

It will be worth asking, when you check in for your TN flight, whether they will through-tag it onto your AF flight to your final destination. If they will, then you will be able to avoid collecting it in Paris.

 

It's almost certain that it's technically possible for TN to do this; they probably do it all the time for people who have bought through tickets. They're not obliged to do so for you, because you're flying on two separate tickets. But it's worth asking, in case they will. That would save you one lot of hassle.

 

Thanks, You are right, it is certainly worth asking. All they can say is no.

But on the hand if they say yes, then I don't have to hassle with the storage at Gare de Lyon.