62" luggage allowed

Sue M

About two months ago there was some discussion in the travel forum about the size of the checked luggage bags. The website said the bag could be up to 62 inches (length, width and height), but final documents were stating that the size could not exceed 54 inches. This caused confusion for a lot of people. I called Tauck and a supervisor checked into it. She got back to me and assured me that the checked piece of luggage could be 62 inches. The 54 inch limit (listed in the final documents) was an error. She said that changes would be made in future final documents. As of now, that change has not been made. I just received my final documents (for the Feb. 9th tour) and noticed that it still says 54 inches for the size of the checked luggage. I called Tauck once again and was assured that 62 inch luggage was allowed.
I figured I would bring this up again, so those of you who will soon be receiving your documents know that indeed, your checked luggage piece can be 62 inches (and no more than 50 lbs).
Sue

CAR

Thanks for this information.

AlanS

Don't forget any airline restrictions getting there and back.

jdurkin

And don't forget size isn't everything. Weight counts, too. The details are all covered on individual airline web sites. When it comes down to it, these are the rules that matter.

crackers54

Don't forget ther are plenty of opportunities to wash clothes from Sydney on. In Sydney ther is an affordable laundry very near hotel and others have washer/dryer for your use.

lori

We traveled in October and were also told that 62 inch suitcases were allowed. However, what is most important is the weight. On our flight from Sydney to New Zealand, all luggage was weighed including the carry-ons. If the carry-ons exceeded 15 pounds and/or if they were too large, they had to be checked. Additionally, while waiting at the gate, someone from the airline came around again to pick up the carry-ons in order to determine if they exceeded the weight restriction. She said that people have been known to shift things into their suitcases after passing through security. This particular flight was full.

The biggest problems occurred in Uluru because of the heat. However, I have heard that Tauck may be using a charter flight, so maybe the issues will be resolved.

jdurkin

lori wrote:

The biggest problems occurred in Uluru because of the heat. However, I have heard that Tauck may be using a charter flight, so maybe the issues will be resolved.

You should already be aware that you are travelling at the height of summer to an inland desert, when temperatures reach extreme levels. As a point of reference I just checked the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) * web site for this week's forecast for Uluru, commencing tomorrow, Monday 7th December, 2014. In a very abbreviated fashion, it reads thus:

Mon: 40C, possible storm; Tues: 41C, pos. storm; Wed: 41C, pos. storm; Thurs: 40C, pos. storms; Fri: 37C, sunny; Sat: 39C, mainly sunny; Sun: 40C, sunny.

Not being any more than a regular airline passenger, I have no idea how these extreme temperatures affect air travel. I can only add that it obviously continues, because without air travel nothing would happen in the Outback!

* I realise most of you have no understanding of what the BOM is and the value of the information provided. I have therefore included part of the BOM's mission statement for your further information.

About Us
The Bureau of Meteorology is Australia's national weather, climate and water agency. Its expertise and services assist Australians in dealing with the harsh realities of their natural environment, including drought, floods, fires, storms, tsunami and tropical cyclones. Through regular forecasts, warnings, monitoring and advice spanning the Australian region and Antarctic territory, the Bureau provides one of the most fundamental and widely used services of government.

Cheers,

Jan

lori

Personnel from the airline informed us that the runway becomes extremely hot in the summer, and for this reason the planes are unable to take off. We were there in October, and the temperature was 36°C. I can only imagine what it would be like in February. At one point, we were told that some of our checked luggage may not accompany us to our destination, so, we moved some essentials to our carry-ons. This was disconcerting, to say the least. In the end, however, everything and everyone made it on board.

AlanS

Some geek info:

When the air is hot, it is less dense, just like it is at high altitudes (called density altitude). Airplane wings generate less lift in less dense air- those little Bernouli's just don't do their best work! - and as a result won't lift as much weight at a given speed. (Worst case- taking off from a high altitude airport on a really hot day!)

You either need a longer runway so the airplane can accelerate to a high enough speed, need to lighten the airplane by limiting the amount of fuel carried, number of passengers, and/or baggage so the aircraft can safely get airborne.

The same goes for landing- when the air is hot, an airplane will need to land at a higher speed. So, you need either a good headwind, a lighter plane, or a really long runway in which to slow down . . . . . unless you want to risk the wheel brakes catching fire or blown tires.

More than you ever wanted to know?

jdurkin

Very interesting, Alan! And particularly so for me today as just last night I watched a documentary on the plane that landed in the Hudson River a few years ago. What a pilot that bloke was! I hadn't realised that it was still a close run thing due to the water temperature and the difficulty of the water rescue. I had a vision of everyone standing, neatly like good tin soldiers, on the wing. I think that must have been the "easy" side ... while everyone was battling the tide, the temperature, a sinking plane and possibly trapped passengers on the other side. What a pilot!!

Thanks for the geek stuff!

Cheers,

Jan

lpt

Does the 62 inch limit include the wheels?
Thanks

British

Hi lpt, What does it say on the website for the airline you will ll be traveling with and the class of travel you have chosen. That is the best place to find out. Some Tauck travelers do not take heed of Tauck advice about baggage allowances but they have no choice with airline rules without paying extra fees.

Sue M

Yes, most airlines say to include the wheels in the measurements. I just measured my suitcase. It is called a 29" spinner. From the floor to the top it is about 32". The width is about 20". The depth is between 10 and 11 inches...depending on how stuffed those front pockets are. I have used this suitcase plenty of times where the limit is 62 inches.
You just have to be careful not to overstuff those outer pockets in the front. That adds to the depth of the suitcase.