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Digs - 23 Nov 2003 19:38 GMT

I've looked at the price for a flight to helsinki, and excess baggage on the
RB is a lot more than the price of a seat, so is airfreighting it in
advance.

I thought about booking a seat for Mr Inspiration, 'cause that would at
least give me the extra baggage allowance (assuming they won't actually
allow me to strap the baby in next to me!)

Anyone done this? If so, did you have any problems?

Digs
http://www.diving-delinquent.co.uk

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Keith Lawrence - 23 Nov 2003 20:01 GMT

> I thought about booking a seat for Mr Inspiration, 'cause that would at
> least give me the extra baggage allowance (assuming they won't actually
> allow me to strap the baby in next to me!)

> Anyone done this? If so, did you have any problems?

Your problems with Mr Inspiration start at check-in, if his (her?) passport
don't match the ticket then he wont get on. Also - unless Mr Inspiration can
assume the brace position and operate an emergency exit then he probably
wont be allowed to board, you might be able to blag your way around the O2
mask problem though :-)

It may even be cheaper to consider business/first class, airlines are a lot
more flexible with their "better" passengers and you might even end up with
a decent seat + flexibility for the price of cattle class + shipping.

A cheaper way? Land freight it, but then you'll probably pine being away
from Mr Inspiration for so long.

Keith L

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Steve Parry - 23 Nov 2003 21:49 GMT

> I've looked at the price for a flight to helsinki, and excess baggage
> on the RB is a lot more than the price of a seat, so is airfreighting
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Digs
> http://www.diving-delinquent.co.uk

have you looked at the ferries Digs?

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Steve Parry

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

http://wrexhamseals.tripod.com

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Digger - 24 Nov 2003 13:00 GMT

> > I've looked at the price for a flight to helsinki, and excess baggage
> > on the RB is a lot more than the price of a seat, so is airfreighting
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> have you looked at the ferries Digs?

Thanks Steve, yes I did, it works out several times the cost of
flights (even assuming 2 tickets each), not to mention the time it
would take. Helsinki is a fair old distance by sea.

I have contemplated suggesting to the others who want to go that they
fly, and Rob and I drive with the inspirations, as I wouldn't mind
driving across at least part of Scandinavia anyway, I haven't got that
far in planning yet tho.

PS, Zak if you pick this up, please email me, I can't get through your
cruelmail blocks.

Digs
http://www.diving-delinquent.co.uk

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Keith Manning - 24 Nov 2003 13:15 GMT

"Digger" <somogyi@btinternet.com> wrote in message

> > have you looked at the ferries Digs?
>
> Thanks Steve, yes I did, it works out several times the cost of
> flights (even assuming 2 tickets each), not to mention the time it
> would take. Helsinki is a fair old distance by sea.

3 - 4 days if I remember correctly. It is quicker to go to Holland, drive to
Hamburg, ferry to Copenhagen, drive to Stockholm, ferry to Helsinki.

Driving in Scandinavia is absolutely fantastic, a very beautiful place.
Don't forget that most of that area has a ZERO tolerance to drink driving
(i.e. 24 hrs abstention)

Keith

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Steve Parry - 24 Nov 2003 19:06 GMT

>>> I've looked at the price for a flight to helsinki, and excess
>>> baggage
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> Digs
> http://www.diving-delinquent.co.uk

Ive done the flight a couple of times with work and all I can say was I
was glad they were picking up the airfair ... the last time I went the
cost of the flight alone would have paid for two weeks at Sharm .

I looked at the ferry across the north sea to Norway and the town of
Tysfjord where they do the orca watch/snorkling around this time of year
..

http://www.orca-tysfjord.com/

I think at one time I priced it a about 300 quid for a long weekend.

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Steve Parry

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

http://wrexhamseals.tripod.com

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David Walker - 23 Nov 2003 23:58 GMT

> I thought about booking a seat for Mr Inspiration, 'cause that would at
> least give me the extra baggage allowance (assuming they won't actually
> allow me to strap the baby in next to me!)

Can't you just wear it as a backpack and pretend its hand luggage? Most
places don't weigh that! Tell them its got your sandwiches and a crossword
in it... and the rest of the dangly bits are just decoration!

David

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Alun Harford - 24 Nov 2003 01:37 GMT

> > I thought about booking a seat for Mr Inspiration, 'cause that would at
> > least give me the extra baggage allowance (assuming they won't actually
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> places don't weigh that! Tell them its got your sandwiches and a crossword
> in it... and the rest of the dangly bits are just decoration!

They'd probably blow it up if you did that.

Alun Harford

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Imorital - 24 Nov 2003 18:27 GMT

> I thought about booking a seat for Mr Inspiration, 'cause that would at
> least give me the extra baggage allowance (assuming they won't actually
> allow me to strap the baby in next to me!)

I don't know, but I always thought that to check-in to a light you needed a
valid passport. I'm not sure, but I don't think you can get a passport for
an Inspiration, can you?

On a more useful note, I took my unit along with 12 others to Narvik
(Norway) with SAS and Braathans. The excess baggage was £7/kg each way. We
asked in advance and they allowed us a 30% discount. At checkin they added
10kg each to the allowance. I think that made 20kg+8kg allowance then 10kgs
extra so 38kg each. The bill would have been £45 each for the excess with
the 30% discount. You can fit 10kg of assorted items into your coat pockets
(I took 2 coats!) and put the contents back into your hand luggage after
"weight-in".

When we asked the supervisor at check-in she said that because we were such
a big group that she could wave all the charges. On the way back they
didn't even ask. Whole trip, 13 people, no excess baggage to pay. I guess
you take your luck in which case I know a lot of lucky people.

If anyone is interested I have weighed almost all my kit individually at
work before I went and I can let you have the weights if that's helpful.

Cheers
Matt.

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Pete Young - 25 Nov 2003 11:17 GMT

>On a more useful note, I took my unit along with 12 others to Narvik
>(Norway) with SAS and Braathans. The excess baggage was £7/kg each way. We
>asked in advance and they allowed us a 30% discount. At checkin they added
>10kg each to the allowance.

Another data point: I went to Narvik with a group of 6 this year and
despite several emails and pleading letters to SAS, they resolutely
refused to budge on the 20Kg allowance, and suggested the name of a
shipping agent who didn't know where Evenes airport was.

At the check-in, by which time there were 4 of us, the SAS staff
couldn't have been more helpful and didn't charge us any extra for
the 4 bags which varied between 25 and 35 Kg.

Pete

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Timo Ahom?ki - 25 Nov 2003 09:50 GMT

> I've looked at the price for a flight to helsinki, and excess baggage on the
> RB is a lot more than the price of a seat, so is airfreighting it in
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Digs
> http://www.diving-delinquent.co.uk

At Flying Finn's web site
(http://www.flyingfinn.fi/index.php?page=info&sub=regu&id=9&lang=eng) they
say among other things:
9.6 Musical instruments

A cello may be carried in the cabin if a seat for it has been reserved and
the appropriate fare paid. Otherwise Flying Finn will only carry musical
instruments in the cabin if space is available and strictly subject to the
Captain's discretion. Any musical instruments for which a separate seat has
not been reserved and paid must fit into the overhead lockers.

So maybe, if you add a nice quilded bag, it would pass as bagpipes?

Seriously, though, At least Finnair offers a 50% discount on oveweight
charges for diving gear.

The full explanation (in Finnish) is here
http://www.sukellus.fi/archives/000042.shtml#more

www.finnair.com for more info, I suppose.

Regards,

timo

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