BabsB

We are leaving for Roatan Honduras on June 17th. Continental Airlines web site states that there is a luggage embargo and each person will be allowed two checked pieces maximum 50 pounds each, one carry on with a maximum of 40 pounds and one personal item such as a laptop computer. They will not allow overweight pieces and we can't even pay extra for the heavy pieces. I called the airlines and the very nice gal stated that the only information she could provide was what was posted on the web site. There will be five of us traveling over so we can distribute all the weight around as needed to make the limits but we are leaving our 18 year old son there for the summer for an internship program and he will be flying home alone. He is taking a dive bag, underwater camera case, backpack for his clothes and a laptop computer. We have thinned things down as far as possible but there is no way he can meet the weight limitations. We have already discussed that he will leave all toiletry items, batteries, and paperback books behind. We considered shipping but are uneasy about shipping such expensive dive equipment or camera equipment home. Has anyone had an experience recently regarding weight limits and the embargo. Do they stay strickly with the posted limits or will they let us fudge about 10-15 pounds. I don't really want him to have to leave all his clothes, but leaving anything else behind is out of the question. Thanks for any help.

hopefulist

My sons as AFS exchange students, one in Holland, the other in Panamá. They were allowed one bag each weighing no more than 50# plus one carry-on or personal item - tough to do when you're going to be away for a year! Leaving clothes there won't buy you much - clothes are light. Maybe he could befriend someone who is traveling light? When will he be leaving and where will he be heading?

BabsB

He is leaving Honduras on Aug 5th and flying into SF. I had also thought that since he will be working at a dive resort he might make friends with someone coming back the same day but that is hard to count on. Good thought though. Thanks

acctg

Maybe I'm nuts, but unless you are moving there or bringing tons of diving gear, I can't understand why you can't meet these weight restrictions. They do have laudramats in Roatan, don't they?

Jeff_Costa_Rica

The summertime luggage embargoes to and from Central America have no room for fudging. I realize dive equipment takes up a lot of room, but two 50-pound bags, one 40-pound bag and a personal item still does seem like a lot of space to me. We're talking Roatan too. No one needs a huge wardrobe there.

BabsB

You are very correct, the wardrobe is the least of his problems. He is taking two wet suits, 3 mil and shortie. (He's thin and gets cold easy), two regulator/octo set ups and some save a dive/safety gear as he is getting his master dive cert and needs the stuff. The main problem is the camera gear, housing, lights, lens, batteries etc. The pelican case starts out heavy to begin with. I know we will figure it out, was just hoping we could fudge a bit.

hopefulist

We're flying out of Roatán to SAP on the 5th, then staying in Miami overnight before flying home to Portland through DFW. I doubt there's anything we can do to help, but let us know in case there is (I travel with just a carry-on, though I may check it on the way home): [email protected]

BabsB

Dear hopfulist

Thanks for the kind offer, are you staying at Coco View by chance?

hopefulist

We'll be in Honduras for about 4 weeks, splitting our last week and a half before heading home on Roatán: Mango Creek Lodge in the SE area (flyfishing for bonefish) and a little rental house in the Sandy Bay area (NE).

Our youngest son (20) will be spending the month of August inland studying Spanish and working in a health clinic; ironically, he's flying into SAP a few hours before we fly out.

Here's the hotmail account we use when we travel: [email protected] - in case you want to contact us while we're on the road or in case your son needs a mom while we're on Roatán.

BabsB

hopefulist, That is very nice of you. Thanks so much and have a terrific trip. Barb

TrvlMaven

Have you considered "Fed-Ex-ing" or UPS or DHL for some items? Many travel editors regularly ship their luggage ahead.

BabsB

We are back from our trip and found that they did not say anything about the weight or number of bags. Hopefully, when our son comes back in August he will not have a problem then either.

hopefulist

Did you have a good trip?! We leave for Honduras on the 12th.

BabsB

The trip was good. We stayed at CoCo View and scuba dived. The resort had a problem with their generator so we went about 12 hours without electricity but they compensated with free beer. The diving was good, the weather was good some days, rainy and/or overcast on others. It was definitedly more humid than what we are used to. We took a taxi to the West End and had a nice dinner and did a bit of shopping. Other than that we spent our time diving, eating, napping, repeat. Hope you have a great trip. Barb

hopefulist

Thanks - we can hardly wait! Looking forward to diving but will also be studying Spanish, hiking, rafting, kayaking, riding horses, visiting villages, flyfishing, snorkeling, caving, etc. Way too many interests but Honduras accommodates them. Happy trails...