Overweight/oversize luggage

How strict are VS on the overweight/oversize thing? If I'm 2 kg over, i.e. 25 kg, will they insist on charging me the overweight fee? Or if I'm 3 cm over, e.g. 46 cm in shortest dimension, will they insist on charging me the oversize fee? (This is for doing part of a house move.)

I'm a Gold card holder, but I will be travelling economy on a reward flight, if that makes any difference.

This is for NRT->LHR; as far as I can tell from the availability of reward flights the flight will not be that full.

Mark

P.S.: I don't suppose there's any scheme like the Clubhouse scheme where Gold card holders offer to use some of their luggage allowance for the benefit of fellow travellers (though I guess I could see some potential legal risks here)?

[Nottingham Nick]

This is a frequently discussed topic.

Th bottom line is, you should be okay, but there are no guarantees.

As a gold card holder, you will have seen some of the gargantuan things that are checked in and carried onto the aircraft.

99 times out of a hundred no one will bat an eyelid, but every now and again they seem to have a clamp down and follow the rules to the letter (or inch / ounce). Unfortunately you won't know till you check in.

Nick

If I have a lot of things to take, I always aim to pack an extra 1 or 2kg into the hold luggage. Usually there is no problem but as said no gaurantee.

I have travelled with companions with about 3-5kg over the 23kg allowance. The agent usually ask to take abit out and put it in hand luggage. Even removing some of the excess weight the luggage was still 1-2kg over but the agent still let the luggage.

As for size, I think they are more concern about weight than size of luggage.

Size, they won't notice 3 cm ... weight, if you check in at the UC desk I feel confident you'll be let through, but, don't forget as a Au you can take one extra 23 kilo bag on all routes in Y and I couldn't tell from your post if you are taking one or two bags?

P.S.: I don't suppose there's any scheme like the Clubhouse scheme where Gold card holders offer to use some of their luggage allowance for the benefit of fellow travellers (though I guess I could see some potential legal risks here)?

'some' - there would be lots!

It would be your name on the bags and you would be taking full legal responsibility for it. Could you answer the security questions = do you know whats in your bag, anyone touched it etc etc

And if (yes its a big if) it does turn out to contain illegal stuff you would be well up the creek without a paddle.

I saw on a documentary where the bags had the wrong tag put on them (never clear if this was an innocent mistake our done deliberatly by the agent) a totally innocent woman spent a few years in prison in Jamaica because 'her' bag contained drugs.

As to weight as a AU don't you get an extra bag anyway or are you going over that as well? A couple of KG *should* be ok but don't take the mickey or they will charge.

Size, they won't notice 3 cm ... weight, if you check in at the UC desk I feel confident you'll be let through, but, don't forget as a Au you can take one extra 23 kilo bag on all routes in Y and I couldn't tell from your post if you are taking one or two bags?

I plan to take two bags, one of which will actually be a box weighing about 25 kg.

BTW, why are VS so stingy on luggage? As far as I can tell other carriers on NRT-LHR (well, at least ANA and JAL) allow even lowly non-FF economy passengers two 23-kg bags.

Mark