The luggage guy

[icehockeymadman]

Hey guys!

Glad to be a member of the forum and hopefully an active one at that!

I have worked in the luggage industry for the last five years or so and I know the ins and outs of pretty much all the brands including the all important warranties that are touted by some of the biggest brands (and how they really dont mean much). So if you have any questions in regard to luggage, ask away. If I dont know it, ill find out..... after all, when you are flying all the time it is important to know that the beautiful, lightweight, hardcase you are looking at, might not be the best choice....

I digress. I am planning on travelling in late august (the 24th/25th) and I need to get to croatia cheaply. My dad who is an experienced flyer said to sign up with airline websites and their deals and to fly to singapore/asia and get a flight from there. I was trying to get to slovenia but have now switched to Zagreb....

So if I can help anyone or anyone can help me drop me a line....

thanks guys....

Fedora/Icehockeymadman

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome ice hockey guy

Some more detail will allow us to help you better.

time of year? Any airline or Alliance preference? Cost the most important or a decent schedule too?

finnair and Lufthansa do have attractive deals ex Australia but it means going to HEL or FRA. Often you might get the onwards European leg for no additional cost. Asian LCCs presumably a good option too.

But let's talk about the important thing. Which hockey league / team?

Flames to win the Stanley Cup.

 

[TomVexille]

Welcome aboard!

And go Hawks!

 

[Steady]

Welcome to AFF icehockeymadman

 

[JessicaTam]

Greetings icehockeymadman!

 

[clazman]

Welcome aboard, sure AFF will help you get to your destination for the best price or on the best seat.

Go Sens go

 

[icehockeymadman]

Hey all! thanks for the welcome! I'm heading o/s in late august. wanting to be in zagreb on the 24/25th of august. I have absolutely no airline preference and though I have a tiny amount of FF points with qantas i dont think that they will help me much.

And as for the important thing.... I'm a Rangers fan..... have been the last ten years and if they dont get the cup this year I think i'll explode..... they should have what it takes, the depth, the goalies and the knowledge of what it takes to get there. it certainly is going to be an interesting playoff series.... LGR!!

IHM

 

[Fifa]

Welcome to AFF!
The other question on everyone's lips - which carry-on/wheel aboard and checked luggage do you travel with?

 

[RooFlyer]

Hey all! thanks for the welcome! I'm heading o/s in late august. wanting to be in zagreb on the 24/25th of august. I have absolutely no airline preference and though I have a tiny amount of FF points with qantas i dont think that they will help me much.

And as for the important thing.... I'm a Rangers fan..... have been the last ten years and if they dont get the cup this year I think i'll explode..... they should have what it takes, the depth, the goalies and the knowledge of what it takes to get there. it certainly is going to be an interesting playoff series.... LGR!!

IHM

This may sound like a cop-out from AFF, but if you just want a cheap fare Australia-Zagreb, my suggestion would be to ask a Travel Agent ... even a Flight Centre type. But ask them to provide prices for 3 options - say rock bottom cheapest (the schedule and connections and maybe the airline might be coughpy); one with decent connections and maybe ask for any mainstream carrier deals (Finnair, Lufthansa, any of the Gulf airlines). Also say when you want to pay - paying now will be cheaper, as well as the other conditions - such as fare flexibility. DON'T just take the fare they give you; query them about it, ask for variations etc.

TAs work on commission from the airline, so it shouldn't cost you ay more. You should be able to replicate the route/fare on-line to check, but remember TAs provide a service.

Penguins to beat the Rangers, sorry

 

[coolkid101]

Hey guys!

Glad to be a member of the forum and hopefully an active one at that!

I have worked in the luggage industry for the last five years or so and I know the ins and outs of pretty much all the brands including the all important warranties that are touted by some of the biggest brands (and how they really dont mean much). So if you have any questions in regard to luggage, ask away. If I dont know it, ill find out..... after all, when you are flying all the time it is important to know that the beautiful, lightweight, hardcase you are looking at, might not be the best choice....


Fedora/Icehockeymadman

Hi mate. welcome from a fellow newcomer...

about that beautiful, lightweight, hardcase you mentioned above - are you talking about rimowa? i'm always looking at those... more specifically the topas range...worth splashing the cash?

thanks and hope you have as much fun here as i have been having the last few months!

 

[JohnK]

Welcome to AFF icehockeymadman!

 

[icehockeymadman]

This may sound like a cop-out from AFF, but if you just want a cheap fare Australia-Zagreb, my suggestion would be to ask a Travel Agent ... even a Flight Centre type. But ask them to provide prices for 3 options - say rock bottom cheapest (the schedule and connections and maybe the airline might be coughpy); one with decent connections and maybe ask for any mainstream carrier deals (Finnair, Lufthansa, any of the Gulf airlines). Also say when you want to pay - paying now will be cheaper, as well as the other conditions - such as fare flexibility. DON'T just take the fare they give you; query them about it, ask for variations etc.

TAs work on commission from the airline, so it shouldn't cost you ay more. You should be able to replicate the route/fare on-line to check, but remember TAs provide a service.

Penguins to beat the Rangers, sorry

Hey Roo Flyer. Yeah ive asked my friend whos in the business for some idea. so im going to see him in the coming days. but excellent advice. I'll have to arm myself with that info when i see him. I've got rangers in 4 games..... hopefully. chased flower from the crease last game.... but then again it is playoffs

Hi mate. welcome from a fellow newcomer...

about that beautiful, lightweight, hardcase you mentioned above - are you talking about rimowa? i'm always looking at those... more specifically the topas range...worth splashing the cash?

thanks and hope you have as much fun here as i have been having the last few months!

Ah rimowa.... german engineering at its finest. the topas range is THE ONLY range that I would buy from rimowa. Here is what is good about it:
1. its tough as hell. That aluminium suitcase is designed to take punishment. somewhere in my career I heard ZZ Top use the cases for their kick pedals. if that is true im not surprised. Having sold them they are super sturdy
2. when it gets dented and scratched to the sh#$house, it looks awesome. harks back to the old days of doctors totes, cigars, panamas..... every dent and scratch is a story
3. They will protect your gear but..... the telescoping handle isnt the greatest, often that was what we needed to fix the most, that and the wheels. they are not exactly placed on the case the sturdiest way. that post that they sit on just wont be strong enough long term.
4. and they are heavy. if weight is an issue, these wont work. but if you are a careful packer and/or baggage weight doesnt factor in too much then they are super.

If i was travelling with one of these i would thoroughly enjoy it so I always have three categories:

Weight: 5/10 (not the heaviest on the market but still weighty
Strength: 9/10 (if they fix the handle and wheels it would be a 10)
Price: 7/10 ( for the price they are pretty good)
Overall: 7/10 - they are awesome but be prepared to get them fixed and its a slow process.

@Fifa - my go to bag is a caribee skymaster 40. best bag ever. but I also have tumi, rimowa, tatonka, victorinox and a lot of others. bit of a gear freak.

IHM

 

[coolkid101]

thanks for the review. great to hear from someone who's in the trade!

 

[JessicaTam]

Luggage specific posts have been moved to the Luggage thread: http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/travel-insider-tips/luggage-27515.html