GoKunming Forums

over-limit baggage on domestic China flights

DiMing (17 posts) • 0

My wife and I are coming to Kunming from the U.S. next week. We fly to Pudong one night, then the next day take a flight on a separate itinerary to Kunming from Hongqiao, on Air China. We have 12 hours in Shanghai.

Since we're to be in Yunnan for a year, we're bringing a bunch of stuff -- fine for the international flight, but far above the Hongqiao-Kunming 20kg weight limit. Could anyone provide us with information on (1) what the excess weight fee is likely to be and (2) any ways of mitigating it?

Thanks!
John

Danmairen (510 posts) • 0

I recommend the Chinese way. Act really surprised at checkin and start an argument with every airport official in sight. After they've refused to yield repack all your stuff into your 5 bags counting as hand luggage while the plane is being held back for you. After boarding make a big fuzz over why there isn't any room for your 20 kilo carry-ons, then store it in the isle, under your seat and on the lap of the passenger next to you.

Going for broke: keep walking around in the plane untill the stewardess breaks down in tears trying to fasten your seatbelt before takeoff. Then light a cigarette and complain loudly to noone in particular the entire trip.

aandt (32 posts) • 0

My experience is that if you explain to them that you are transiting from the US and show them your tickets/boarding passes from your other flights they will usually grant you the baggage allowance provided your stopover is less than 24 hrs. I did this once in Shanghai several years ago doing the airport switch and it was no problem. It is somewhat dependent on who you get at check-in but if you push hard enough they should give it to you... if not you can always resort to Danmairen's suggestion as a back up plan. :)

Greginchina (239 posts) • 0

there's a company that seem to put an advert in the classified section of gokunming on an almost weekly basis that can do excess baggage inside China for cheaper than you'll get at the check-in desk. If you search back through the classified ads you'll find them.

Elisa (174 posts) • 0

As the previously mentioned wife, perhaps I should brush up on my ranting and raving. :)

Thanks for the suggestions. We'll be sure to hang onto our boarding passes from our arrival to try the free route first. It seems that the company that advertises here has offices at both Shanghai airports, so perhaps it would be easy to try to check it first then take it to them if necessary. has anyone used this company before?

mike4g_air (788 posts) • 0

I've been in contact with them and they are very efficient at returning calls, emails and giving good info... seems ok .
I'm preparing to bring a container from Canada next summer and they are helping with info, so far so good.

mike4g_air (788 posts) • 0

I had a friend pay 2000 RMB for an extra suitcase at the old Beijing airport, pre olympics, Jan 2008.

He was told he could not pay with credit card, nedded to pay cash/ rmb and didnt get recipt. He was scamed big time..
I had warned him to get recipts for everything...and I told him I had paid 180 rmb for my 20 kg case( which I learned later I could have avoided)
Ben Dan!!!
I now fly and suggest all my friends to fly Air Korea, From various cities in USA - Seoul - KM..
No re check-in luggage after a long flight in mainland china cities..

kal1982 (11 posts) • 0

Last year all my domestic flights charged me 20rmb/kg of additional checked in weight. 20kg was the checked in suitcase luggage limit so since mine weighed 32kg, i had to pay an additional 240rmb, and i paid in cash. This was both when entering china and exiting china, the additional charge was always 20rmb/kg for the domestic.

As for the hand luggage taken onto the plane, i never got them weighed at the counter and tagged, i just kept them on the floor next to my feet, the maximum i have taken o nto the plane was main hand luggage bag which weighed about 8kg and a laptop bag, and small giftbag with cigarattes, tea and a burger in it and it went ok.

So the chances are, you can probably sneak in a couple of bags on to the plane, but not OBVIOUSLY huge ones, because you might just get stopped before boarding. But for those 3 i took onboard, it went ok.

20rmb/kg is very good compared to emirates asking for equivelant of 300-500rmb per kg when boarding from UK for any over limit weight!!!

Related forum threads

Login to post