Do Emirates look inside your golf bag?

[Gentleman Geoff]

A mate of mine told me that Emirates will transport a set of golf clubs for free in addition to the usual baggage allowances.

So... what is stopping me getting a golf bag and filling it with other stuff I wish to take over to Dubai? Do the check-in staff look inside the bag to make sure it really contains golf clubs or do they just take your word for it?

[Hitch78]

Depends on what airport you're flying from and how arsey they are. Emirates give you 25kg or 30kg now, not so sure, but if you step over that they can be right gits. Especially at Birmingham where they would charge you to breathe their stinking midlands smog if they could. bds...

Sorry, not sure what came over me. If you get away with it fine, if not you'll look a bit of a muppet and you'll be stuck at the airport with a golf bag they might refuse to carry. Chances are it will have to go through the 'funny shaped bags' desk where some dreadlocked ginger loser will throw a cursory glance over it before calling in his supervisor and then quoting you the ridiculous xGBP per kilo they tried to charge me for some extra luggage.

[DubaiJohn]

I'm not 100% sure but I thought if you were emigrating you got additional luggage allowance as well?

'er indoors has just said that was the case when she worked for Emirates, mind you that was about 4 years ago so may have changed, worth getting in touch with them to check though.

[Chilli]

A colleague asked me this the other day. He did some investigation and found that Emirates will indeed fly them for free.
However, if they sus, and charge you, it'll be expensive.
I got charged 35 quid a kilo when we came out....we were 10 kilo's over!

[thb]

As is always the case at airports, it depends on the numpty at the counter. When I first came over I packed my hand luggage (within the size restrictions) with quite a lot of weighty stuff, however I had my mum (who wasn't checking in) hold onto the stuff from the bag whilst I was at the counter. Lo and behold, they wanted to check my hand luggage was within the 8kg allowance. And it was, until I then filled it back up again before going through security.

Emirates' website says they'll transport 'a set of golf clubs and shoes' for free - but if the person at the counter asks you to open the bag to check the contents and they see it stuffed full of anything but, they would charge you the excess baggage allowance.

You can even take a surf board for free...

[Gentleman Geoff]

thb said:

it depends on the numpty at the counter.

Hmm. I thought this would be the case.

I had also heard that some airlines offered to take additional luggage for passengers who were emigrating, just like DubaiJohn has said. When I called Emirates to ask them about it, they offered to take any additional baggage via their cargo division at a £200 flat rate for the first 20kg then something like £3/kg for anything above this. As already mentioned on here, it's something like £30/kg if you just turn up with excess baggage!

Maybe I don't need to fill a golf bag full of shower gel?

[Hitch78]

Gentleman Geoff said:

thb said:

it depends on the numpty at the counter.

Hmm. I thought this would be the case.

I had also heard that some airlines offered to take additional luggage for passengers who were emigrating, just like DubaiJohn has said. When I called Emirates to ask them about it, they offered to take any additional baggage via their cargo division at a £200 flat rate for the first 20kg then something like £3/kg for anything above this. As already mentioned on here, it's something like £30/kg if you just turn up with excess baggage!

Maybe I don't need to fill a golf bag full of shower gel?

Nah - Matt's got loads left and his boss keeps topping him up!

Edited by Hitch78 on Monday 15th March 15:08

[Mattt]

Etihad will take upto 15kgs for free in a golf bag - guys at work stuff clothes etc inside theirs 'to protect the clubs'.