I've been to Sharm on seveal occasions, as often by "myself" in as much as
I'm going with a group of unrelated divers, or with my younger son who
dives - never been with a non-diver. I find that Explorers gives each diver
the standard 20kg PLUS an additional 5kg for free on production of a
suitable card at check-in, within which limits I have always managed to be.
This has been honoured without fail at Manchester and Gatwick, but no-one at
Sharm ever bothers to look - except for the last visit I described when
anyone who was obviously a diver was being charged for EVERY KG they
carried.

Monarch were v good when a party of three went on a trip to Tenerife - all
were given an extra 13kg free of charge. They now charge a relatively small
sum for this enhancement.

But I agree- the Egyptian authorities are acting despicably. Good for the
Egyptian economy though diving is, it's not as important as it used to be,
so I don't expect them to do act as they should. More and more people from
the UK see the Red Sea as an all-year sun destination. Many of these folk
would rarely if ever venture from their hotel complex wherever in the world
they go - they just go so they can come back with a suntan. To them the
marvels of ocean life as are pointless as the Mayan remains are to those who
take a similar holiday to Mexico. Why take a 10hr flight when a 5hr flight
will do? Why these folk don't just buy a sunbed to set up in the spare room
and save themselves a packet beats me.

Ken