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Original poster

To take 5kg of hand luggage only on beach holiday?

150 replies

Contactlass · 04/08/2017 00:22

Admit I'm rather tight but I love getting a bargain flight and feel a bit duped (never flown with this one before..just assumed 10kg). £75 to add in hold now.

Anyway I also love a challenge. Is it do-able?

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 04/08/2017 12:16

Hamman towel could definitely double as a scarf.

Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:17

Thanks Barbara..I'll take a look.

Thanks for link pirate..that's my kind of read! Grin

OP posts:
buzzmoon · 04/08/2017 12:19

Honestly doubt they'll actually weigh your bag at the gate?

caffeinestream · 04/08/2017 12:22

It's doable - make sure your actual bag is as light as possible, and wear your heaviest items/shoes on the plane. Buy toiletries/suncream etc. out there and pack as little as possible. Last holiday I washed plenty in the shower/sink - think underwear, swim stuff, t-shirts etc. and it was all dry the next day.

Have a good time! :)

PiratePanda · 04/08/2017 12:22

I absolutely swear by his tips -- a rectilinear maximum-legal-carry-on size soft sided bag with backpack straps but no internal frame, that zips open on three sides. Patagonia used to do beautiful ones, but not sure they do them any more.

Because of back problems, in recent years I have had to resign myself to a wheelie case, but I hate it :(

Mycarsmellsoflavender · 04/08/2017 12:24

How many pairs of shoes do you lot take on holiday?! If it's September, just wear some smart but comfortable sandals on the plane and either pack a pair of flip flops or buy some there.

DH went to Australia for 3 weeks in February i.e. Summer there but winter here, and managed with only hand luggage. It was with BA though who have a much more generous allowance.

AlpacaPicnic · 04/08/2017 12:27

If you could time it right, you could send a parcel of stuff to the hotel!

I know of a couple of people who did this to America... but they were there for a couple of weeks.

JustDanceAddict · 04/08/2017 12:32

I can do it for short breaks, but not more than 3 nights. We only ever put 2 cases in hold for 4 of us and we are fairly light packers (I don't take loads of shoes etc).

TroubleinDaFamily · 04/08/2017 12:32

Creeps in ............... off to Malaga tomorrow with BA.

We have 46 KG of checked in luggage each. Grin Happy Days....

Now where did I put the spanner, the kitchen sink is proving tricky. Grin

Aridane · 04/08/2017 12:33

Can't remember the airlines - but I have had hand luggage weighed before, both at check in and the departure gate. Plus - at the departure gate - having to demonstrate that it fits in a slot (so it doesn't exceed the maximum dimensions). And departure gate staff cheerily putting hand luggage in the hold (and charging for it) where it didn't quite fit in the slot thingie.

Though the return leg of the flight didn't seem to be so fussed about weighing and measuring

JustDanceAddict · 04/08/2017 12:36

Omg Trouble!! We have 40ish between 4 of us, plus one hand luggage each which we use for extra clothes etc for 2 weeks away. I could fill a case myself I'm sure, but we manage as we have a washing machine.

Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:37

Trouble. Are you going for the month Grin

Have a lovely time

OP posts:
Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:38

I read a tripadvisor chat thread that reckoned Thomson are pretty keen on weighing..bar stewards

OP posts:
TroubleinDaFamily · 04/08/2017 12:41

Two weeks. Blush

We got a mental deal on club, so we took it.

My brother and his wife and children are joining us, my DH went to Dublin on business last month and collected all their snorkelling gear and beach towels and suncreams and shampoos. We will bring it back with us when we go home at Christmas.

So DB and his crew are flying on handluggage only, it feels good to be doing Ryanair out of excessive charges. Grin

lurkingfromhome · 04/08/2017 12:46

I never do a holiday with check-in luggage - hand luggage is the only way! Saves hours at airports. But are you sure they weigh it? I've never had hand luggage weighed - it's all about the dimensions not the weight normally, no? We manage a week in the sun with one piece of hand luggage each quite easily (and I like taking a LOT of clothes and several books, plus straighteners etc).

Also, re sunscreen, I wait until through security, buy a couple of big bottles in Superdrug at the airport then stash them in my handbag.

lettuceWrap · 04/08/2017 12:50

Yes, they do actually weigh and measure bags as you get on the plane.

Traveling very light is very doable if you have access to a washing machine where you are going Smile

lettuceWrap · 04/08/2017 12:51

The thing that measures the dimensions is also a set of scales...

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 04/08/2017 12:54

Do people really worry about leaving behind most of a bottle of shower gel? It costs what? A couple of pounds?

The first time I just dumped all the half used stuff instead of trying to fit it all in our little bags was weirdly liberating. Once I had done it. I agonised about the waste a bit first

If you want a little of your posh toiletries but space is limited you can use a straw and put a kirby grip on one end with a little bit sticking out past the grip, melt that bit with a lighter to form a seal. Once it's cool squirt in your product. Then put your grip back on, trim the end to a small margin, melt and voila! Homemade sachet.

alphajuliet123 · 04/08/2017 13:00

I backpacked for over 3 months with 6kg, so yes it's do-able! Sarong instead of towel, flipflops only (aside from what you're wearing), buy toiletries there, wear combat trousers to carry heavier things like a camera or whatever. Have you checked if they allow a handbag as well, many do.

5kg is dead stingy, shame on you Thomson!

BarbaraofSeville · 04/08/2017 13:03

If you want a little of your posh toiletries but space is limited you can use a straw and put a kirby grip on one end with a little bit sticking out past the grip, melt that bit with a lighter to form a seal. Once it's cool squirt in your product. Then put your grip back on, trim the end to a small margin, melt and voila! Homemade sachet

Well I just decant them into the 100 ml bottles I bought from Ikea, but you could do that instead.

I don't want to throw away a nearly full bottle of shampoo because it feels so wasteful and bad for the environment etc. And yes, the irony of that when I have been on a plane is not lost.

BarbaraofSeville · 04/08/2017 13:06

The thing that measures the dimensions is also a set of scales...

No it's not. It's just a metal frame, that incidentally is usually slightly bigger than the size allowed. However, Ryanair used to pull the carboard box trick using a box that was only very very slightly bigger than the max dimensions. It had to fit over your case and touch the floor to pass the test.

lettuceWrap · 04/08/2017 13:15

Barbara, I feel conned if that's the case! I'm pretty sure that we have been told that the dimensions measuring thing was a scale...

BarbaraofSeville · 04/08/2017 13:19

To weigh luggage it would need a scale and a read out. I've never seen this type, although google images says they do exist.

I've only ever seen the standard ones by (mostly) low cost airlines like Ryanair, Flybe etc in UK and European airports.

To take 5kg of hand luggage only on beach holiday?
To take 5kg of hand luggage only on beach holiday?
milliemolliemou · 04/08/2017 13:21

Love travelling hand carry only. OP, does the 5Kg include handbag?

Always find on hot weather holidays I only ever wear swimsuits, shorts, tshirt, sandals/trainers and one dress + pashmina.. Buy cosmetics and light weight beach towel out where I am. And I bless the person who invented Kindle.

JustDanceAddict · 04/08/2017 13:31

It's usually 10kg for hand luggage which is still a fair amount.?