Air Canada baggage restrictions

[David Baldwin]

Hey fellas

Traveling to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a weeklong infomercial shoot. The director's mother (seriously)

emailed me my flight itinerary and while looking through the fine print I noticed that Air Canada says that all bags 50-70lbs are subject to excess baggage fees and NO bags will be accepted over 70lbs. Yikes. My pelican 1660 that I keep my Flyer in is about 80lbs. Now I suppose I can start parcelling things out here and there to make the weight cut-off, but 70 lbs max seems a little severe. Any experiences with Air Canada and their leniency at check-in?

Thanks everyone.

David Baldwin

Los Feliz

[Sean Jensen]

David,

 

Air Canada SUCKS! This is from personal experience. I have never even heard of them being helpful in any way when it comes to oversized baggage. They have screwed me around so many times. I always use WestJet now. I know they fly to LA and they are usually way cheaper. It's a no-frills airline but they are always friendly and helpful. Call them. If the ticket has already been booked, your only choice (without parcelling things out) is Air Canada Cargo or another cargo company (West Jet?).

 

Halifax is a great city. I've already done two shows there this year.

 

 

Good Luck!

 

Sean

 

WestJet

[RobVanGelder]

Somewhere on an international airport I have seen an announcement that stated that 35kgs (approx. 70 LBS) is the maximum that the people, working at the belts, are allowed to handle.

 

This is a safety/health regulation that will probably come into effect in every (civelized) country, so you better start repacking or use a shipping company.

 

Other then that, I think it was Ted Churchill, (or I read in an old AOL folder) who once said that is is not the Steadicam operating that can hurt your back, but more likely the schlepping of your flightcases.....

That was true a long time ago and no different nowadays.

 

So it's not only Air Canada, you will see this more and more.

[David Baldwin]

Sean, Rob, thanks for weighing in...

 

I've traveled abroad a couple of times, but I usually don't pack nothin' but a toothbrush and a speedo.

Dave "bon soir" Baldwin

[Brad Hruboska]

Now my only beef with using shipping companies is when you return from small countries like Turks and Caicos, they sometimes screw up some element of the paperwork so my gear languished in customs both US and canada for almost 10 days, I just got the gear released in time to (a) get it fixed as it was damaged on the shoot, thanks to Tim Merkel for the spares and Willy the machinist who fixed me up, and (B) fulfill a booking obligation for the next day. As much as hate humping cases, when I fly I break the cases down to managable weights.

The other bummer i have faced is the refusal of more than 4 pieces at ALL on chartered flights ( producers always book whats cheapest, right?) so there was mad scambling to get the gear on the plane. Initially the attendent was totally unhelpful guess they figure they have your money now, regardless of what the sales agent told the office staff about extra bags, but finally i got someone at the counter to help me repack the stuff into large bags ( three pelicans became one "package" and that fulfilled the airline at that time.)

I remember being refused boarding a plane in Venezuela because my ticket had had an errer and the sales agent in canada had re written over it and the attendants refused to accept it. I told the smarmy little bastard to fuck himself ( a rare occurance but I was dog tired)and walked over to the AA counter and booked a flight through them, also to find that their overweight extra baggage plan at the time was cheaper.

My other question is why after 15 years does every production manager/producer think I am ripping him off on the rate? Why does every booking conversation have that horrible pause when the rate gets discussed. I almost want to say yeah its a hundred for the day, all in, i bring my own lunch, cover my own gas, and I'll detail your mercedes benz at wrap......sorry dont want to get off on a rant.. :blink:

[Hervé Colosio]

i travel all the time with my master in 3x1650 pelicase each near 70 lbs .

the problems does not come from the companies , the problems comes from the airports .

airports have different rules for the maximum you can carry in one box ,

for example i have fly to Sydney via Hong Kong and Paris with a quantas plane and a 100 lbs box , no problems . but for the return , they says it's impossible to take the box , 80 lbs max airport rules.

the companies do not mind how much you take , you pay the big price for baggage?s excess .

now the problem i have is the security controls , specially with batteries . it takes always a very very long time. it's better to comes in airports 4 hours before flight for international airlines .

do not use hard lock , if the security cant open your box , the box will stay in the airport !

use plastic collars , they can brake them if they want to check.

don?t forget your ATA carnet , with your number 5 smile for the customs , it help very much :)

[David A. Wolf]

To all travelers with gear:

I just got home from a trip this weekend with my rig. A Continental ticket agent told me that starting September 7th they will begin their 70 lb limit. No cases over 70 pounds!!! Most airlines are going this same "route". I will now be schlepping even more cases to accomodate the airlines. And traveling was just starting get fun.

 

David Wolf