kondasd99

I am an exchange stundent in Michigan. Sadly my last week began today and i started packing. Im gonna fly back to germany with united airlines...I have two packed suitcases, a backpack, a laptop and a small spoirtpack as a carry-on. Furthermore the weight of the second suitcase is more like 100 pounf then the 50 they say on the website...Any ideas how high my fees are gonna be...Im about to call them but sometimes people who travel alot know tricks to make everything easier and cheaper

Rastaguytoday

This is from the UA website.

http://www.united.com/CMS/enUS/trave...ageExcess.aspx

At least you're going to where there is decent beer and lovely frauleins.

Seamus

You may want to take a look at what you are packing as you will face some pretty hefty charges for that close to 100 lb bag. Have a look at the information posted at http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/trav...ageExcess.aspx where you will see that for checking two bags, one of which is over 70 lbs but less than 100 lbs you will be charged $500. {$100 second bag charge + $400 excess weight charge} From the United Baggage FAQ:
<b>What is the service charge for an overweight bag during non-excess baggage embargo periods? </b>
Customers who travel in United Economy with checked baggage weighing more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and not exceeding 70 pounds (32 kg) will be charged at the rate of up to $200 per piece depending on the destination. Baggage weighing from 71 pounds (32 kg) to 99.9 pounds (45 kg) will be charged at a rate up to $400 per piece, depending on the destination. <b>These charges are <u>in addition</u> to any charge assessed for additional or oversized baggage.</b> Baggage weighing 100 pounds (45 kg) or more will not be accepted as checked baggage. View the Excess Baggage page for more information.

I would not hold out any hope of getting the charges waived. If there are items that you do not need right away when you get home you might look into other ways to ship them.

As for your carry ones, technically speaking you are limited to two and you list three. You may get away with it if the sportpack is very small.

mowmow

Try intercargo.com or google and call some air freight companies; I think one of them will be your best bet.

clevelandbrown

I think a shipping service may be your best option. If speed is not important, surface shipping is usually the least expensive.

If nothing else, buy one or two duffel bags, to get your weight per bag below 50 pounds, and pay the excess baggage fees.

mrwunrfl

You are going to have at least two checked bags and there are charges for each, depending on when your ticket was purchased:
http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/trav...edBaggage.aspx

What you need to do is minimize the fees on top of that.

How big is the backpack? Does it have a pocket for a laptop? Is your laptop in a laptop bag?

If I understand this correctly, then the second bag if over 70 pounds is going to cost $400 overweight fee. But if you had a third checked bag, and all three bags were under 50 lbs, then the charge would be $200 for that extra bag.

You might want to buy a third suitcase. Distribute the stuff so that all of your bags are underweight. Pay $200 extra for the extra bag.

Then maybe you can also redistibute your other stuff. For example, take stuff out of the backpack and put it into the three checked bags. Put the laptop bag into a suitcase. Put laptop into the carryon backpack.

Or put the sportpack into the extra room in your backpack and carry that with your laptop in your laptop bag on board. Once on board, take the sportpack out of your backpack (assuming the sportpack holds stuff you want to during the flight). Then stow the laptop bag and backpack in the bin.

mrwunrfl

Which is what I just realized clevelandbrown was suggesting: pay the additional bag fee instead of the overweight bag fee.