pepperment

Hi All,
Flying Air NewZealand for a month-long trip to the two islands: I'd rather drink horrid airplane coffee than check a bag!

But I'm an inch over the "absolute" limit with my bag for domestic economy. Will I get away with it or will I be able to gate check it?
Given getting busted, I'm okay with checking it, but I see alot of NZ media about how Air New Zealand loses alot of bags.

Does anyone have any recent experience with the carryons? I also regularly bring a carryon backpack, but I'm thinking that might be really pushing it.

I'm hoping for some common-sense advice based on real life experience. Can any one help?

Thank you!

northie

Ive had no experience with AirNz but I do note that Australian and NZ are much stricter than US airlines with caryyon and domestically evem more so.
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mlgb

I have no idea if you will be busted. I recommend packing anything you can't absolutely lose in your (legal) carryon. If your attempted oversized second carryon bag is pulled because it is oversized (or overweight), you will not get a free gate check, you will be charged an excess fee (and I assume it will be sent to the hold). Note that there are weight as well size limits. Many people weigh their bags before going to the airport to avoid having to repack there.

KayF

No experience with Air NZ but we've found it can depend on the check in person. Sometimes they are strict, other times they ignore the guidelines. (Once we were way over the cabin baggage limit but just got a sympathetic look, no idea why.) In other words, it's risky but if you can afford to pay the extra baggage fee, then try it. You might be lucky.

mlgb

My experience had been that ANZ is strict. Can't imagine with mostly full flights that would have changed . Might ask on FlyerTalk.

Remember you have a very long over ocean flight. Weight is probably more important than being an inch over size.
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pepperment

Thank you all for your very informative and wise replies.

I gather that AirNZ is far more flexible on International Business class flights, is this true? I will double-check the website-but we are flying a Boeing 777-300, so bins should be bigger. Has anyone had any experience with carry-on for int'l?

My concern was on the r/t domestic econ flights to Christchurch, which I gather the only viable option is to check the bag. Carryon the backpack.

Would the AirNZ airport check in clerk be able to confirm my carryon? Or would staff at the gate be the enforcer?
The problems with lost baggage appear always with their international flights, so I want to carry on for sure. Media reports that several cases that bags on long haul flights can go missing for 9-10 days!! That's a sure fire way to ruin the vacation!

Pepperment

dreamon

Super important to be compliant with weight as well as size. I've never seen a bag measured (unless it's clearly oversize) but they weigh them more often than not. I always have to check my bag into the hold for international flights because most airlines I use have a 7kg limit. As much as I like to think I travel light, I can't go for several weeks with less than 7kg. Check the airline weight restrictions as they may vary.

magritten

We had no issues with our carry ons last month on a total of 5 Air New Zealand flights: 1 was international (777), 3 were domestic (A320) and 1 was regional (Q300). While our bags conformed to the published carry on limits, we never had them weighed or placed in the sizer by Air New Zealand staff. We each a small daypack/backpack that we were wearing. That said, if you do a fair amount of international travel, I'd consider getting smaller carry ons that you know will work in New Zealand (and most other countries). Until about 7 years ago, we were also slightly over the size and while it generally worked (with the notable exception of a tough Lufthansa agent in Milan), travel is easier now that I know we're okay.

3Gnhgirl

What kind of carryon suitcase do you have ?
thanks

magritten

Our bags are Delsey--we picked them because they're relatively light, so that also helps with the weight limits. They're not as durable as a high end brand--if I was still traveling weekly for work, I'm not sure how well the would hold up. But we've taken them on a dozen or so trips in the past 6-7 years--half of which have been international--and they've held up perfectly fine for that. The other part of traveling with a smaller bag is we've found that packing cubes come in really handy for maximizing space.

3Gnhgirl

Hello magritten, thank you for the info on the carryon bags. My current bag has a tired zipper so I am looking to replace at some point. "one more trip". We always carry backpacks and I've tried to leave room in there for souvenirs and it always seems packing for return Never fits the same as going...seems the clothes gain weight.

I am new to packing cubes and would like to more how you use them...all shirts in one, pants in another, or outfits in the cubes? I tend to roll my clothes but with cubes they will lay flat. Suggestions?
Thanks....

magritten

We sort our packing cubes by type of clothes--I think the benefit to the cubes is the organization just as much as the efficiency. I still roll smaller items like underwear and t-shirts within each cube, although dress shirts and pants I put flat within each cube. Our cubes are a mix of sizes and are either Eagle Creek or REI--both seem to work equally well. The first time I used them I was surprised at how much extra space I ended up with in my bag!

janisj

cubes work for a lot of people -- but do bear in mind if you are sidling right up this [ ] close to weight limits that each cube weighs as much as one or two garments.

I travel carry-on only no matter the length or type of trip and have converted to the lightest soft sided carry-on suitcase I could find. Just under 5 lbs empty. Being soft sided I can squeeze it into the sizer box if needed.

Rolling works, but I personally prefer the 'bundle method'. 6 of 1/half dozen of the other - mostly up to personal preference. No packing cubes, organizers, etc. Just clothes, a pair or two of shoes, dry toiletries, and liquids baggie. Chargers, electronics, plug adapters, travel docs, basic make up, that's in my personal item -- really just a hobo handbag. Typically my carry on weighs about 9 kg or a skosh more, but if I know it is a strict 7 kg airline -- simply transfer 3 or 4 lbs of stuff into my personal item.

3Gnhgirl

Janisj, thanks for taking the time to answer, your suitcase is light as a feather! Good tips on packing, yesterday I was weighing the packing cubes!

I am also in the die-hard carryon thinking, and do try to stick to the weight limits and size. I happen to like the soft sided with pockets for very reason you stated, adding scarfs, etc. However, 7kg is really a stretch since my husband’s suitcase weighs 7.8 lbs EMPTY! With our fare rate we can take two bags on carryon so perhaps the 14kg total weight is achievable for me….as for my husband, stay tuned. Perhaps, I could ditch a pair of socks! (Of his).

magritten

I know everyone brings different amounts of "stuff," but on initial packing, my wife and I had bags weighing 12.6 kgs and 14.3 kgs (she had an extra pair of shoes, I just wore a pair of Allbirds for the whole trip). This was just our clothes and we planned on doing the laundry at the halfway point of our trip--everything else went in our daypacks. (Toiletry kit and a bunch of covid test kits.) I had planned on wearing my jacket to save weight, but there was plenty of room and I was so far under the limit, I added my jacket to our bag. I don't think our packing cubes meaningfully added to the weight, but I suppose every gram counts.

FYI, here's the current thread on Flyertalk on carry on limits on Air New Zealand: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-...on-limits.html. I suspect you'll be fine!

3Gnhgirl

Thanks @magritten, I had not seen that site, flyer talk before and looked it over. Wow, no holding back on comments! Most were very relevant. I was concerned about the domestic flight from Auckland to Christchurch, only 7kg but one bag more. I'm simply going to keep the bag light, think light and not ask questions....we do need more than 2 pairs of shoes because of going to rainy areas and will get wet. Safe travels.

mlgb

My shoe approach is 1 pair of waterproof hiking shoes, 1 pair of lightweight knit slipons or running shoes which are sprayed with waterproofing and 1 pair of crocs flipflops. I use the knit slipons on boat trips and around town and the flipflops to give my feet a rest indoors and as beach shoes (be sure to sunscreen the tops of your feet!) I wear the hiking shoes on the plane and put the flipflops in an easily accessible outer pocket along with the folding umbrella LOL.

Some types of luggage benefit from packing cubes but I prefer to use ziplocks. NZ has gone far toward limiting plastic use so as I mentioned above, bringing a few plastic bags is a good idea (especially as you may want to store wet or muddy items until they can dry out).

mlgb

Re packing COVID tests, be sure to pick up your free pack of RAT tests when you arrive international in Auckland. They are not mandatory to take, but are nice to have on hand or else you may wind up having to find a pharmacy and buy them. I think I was the only person in our group of 6 who bothered to pick one up.

3Gnhgirl

I am not familiar with the RAT test, will be on the lookout for that when getting into the Airport. And thanks for the reminder about packing Covid tests....lightweight slip-on Crocs are so comfortable, and they don't look like sloppy shoes....

mlgb

RAT is just Rapid Antigen Test. They are the home tests. Look around as you approach the end of the customs/immigration queue. There are four to a package.