Qantaslink baggage allowance and golf clubs

[JohnK]

I am thinking of doing a short golf trip in October which will involve travel on a Dash 8. It will be a flight SYD-MEL-MQL, hire a car and then drive along Murray river to Albury playing some golf along the way and then returning on a flight ABX-SYD.

I want to take my own golf clubs for obvious reasons. On my last trip to DRW the golf clubs and luggage weighed 29kgs. An abvious problem travelling on a Dash 8 as you are only allowed to check-in 20kgs and only 1 piece and you are only allowed 4kgs carry on luggage. That leaves me 5kgs short. I think I have read the conditions concerning golfing equipment properly.

Golfing Equipment

A golf set consists of one golf bag including clubs, golf balls, and one pair of golf shoes. Golf bags and collapsible buggies are carried as baggage and are exempt from normal linear dimension restrictions.

Australian Domestic A golf set can be included in the baggage allowance. If the golf set and your checked baggage exceed the free baggage weight allowance, additional baggage rates will be charged.

My questions are has anyone here taken golfing equipment with them on a Dash 8 before? How strict is QF with weight allowance? If I checked-in 22-23kgs would this be a big deal. The rates for going over are quite expensive and would in my case involve 2 Dash 8 flights. If worse comes to worse I can fit as much as I can into the golf travel bag to make up 20kgs and then carry a separate bag with me and limit this to 4kgs and leave some things behind. Last time I had 3 pairs of shoes, golf shoes, sneakers and dress shoes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Depending on your schedule a bigger issue than any $$ for excess weight would be that the golf bag may be sent on later flights as the baggage hold is small.

 

[coco50]

Kiwi Flyer is right. I don't know what the payloads are like on MEL-MQL, but from ABX-SYD, the 1705 flight (QF2214, I think) is usually heavily booked although it is usually a Dash 8-300 series (50 seat) compared to earlier flights which sometimes may be -200 AC (36 seat). The earlier flights from ABX-SYD might be a better bet, either departing at 1005 or 1340 (assuming that present TT will still operate in October. Good luck, John K and enjoy the golfing along the Murray River, especially at Moama. There are a couple of good courses around Albury too.

 

[JohnK]

Kiwi Flyer is right. I don't know what the payloads are like on MEL-MQL, but from ABX-SYD, the 1705 flight (QF2214, I think) is usually heavily booked although it is usually a Dash 8-300 series (50 seat) compared to earlier flights which sometimes may be -200 AC (36 seat). The earlier flights from ABX-SYD might be a better bet, either departing at 1005 or 1340 (assuming that present TT will still operate in October.

No problem about golf clubs arriving on a later flight. I will have rental car plus the airline couriers to your door anyway. The plan was to take late Saturday afternoon flight from MEL so even if clubs arrive Sunday morning no problem and from ABX it does not matter as long as clubs arrive back safely. My biggest concern is weight allowances and what to leave behind.

Good luck, John K and enjoy the golfing along the Murray River, especially at Moama. There are a couple of good courses around Albury too.

Thanks. I have already played the 4 courses around Mildura, played most courses around Albury area, Thurgoona, Hume, Albury, Howlong, except Wodonga, played Corowa, Yarrawonga, Tocumwal, Cobram.

I am looking forward to Rich River and places like Shepparton and Swan Hill. The Murray river drive is very beautiful but just too far for me to drive there from Sydney and return.

 

[coco50]

You've played some good courses, John K. Alas, Hume is no more. It has been sold off to a housing developer. But the others are still operating, some with the support of larger licenced clubs. Albury SS&A Club has merged with Wodonga Country Club and Albury Commercial Club has taken over Albury Golf Club.