hi.. the OH and i did 2 weeks in Crete last year on thos cook flights.. we had 15 +5 kg and yes it is possible BUT you will need to be ruthless DON'T PACK what you may need DON'T PACK multiple get ups [ eg 14 evening sets 14 pr shoes etc] pack mix and match cloths day shoes a nice evening pair and decant shampoo etc in to small bottles ..my oh got hers down to 13kg +hand baggage

wizard

definately ! last september me, hubby and 7yr old crammed everthing into one suitcase weighing 19kgs ! admitedly we had a washing machine in the apartment which made life easier, but we still never wore everything, you just gotta be really ruthless with your packing !
have fun !

Yes I easily do that but I make sure my clothes are very mix and match, I only take 1 or 2 pairs of shoes over what I travel in and try to limit the toiletries as I find that's what really takes up most weight. I don't know whether Corfu is like Turkey but I don't take medical type stuff with me bar some headache tablets and maybe some plasters as its cheaper and superior to our stuff anyway.

I guess you just have to be ruthless. Take what you have taken before and try to remember which things you never wore and leave them out.

Good luck!

I have just bought one of those large holdalls on wheels as the trolley cases do tend to be heavy even when empty.
I travel in shoes and put sandals and books in my hand luggage.I buy toiletries at Boots in the airport after going through security and if you are going to a non EU country you get them tax free!

I too have booked with Thomas Cook this year and was alarmed to find could only take 15kgs each! Don't go till June and already panicking! Going to try cutting down on shoes this year though as I find they can be heavy - going to get lots of those light flipflops instead in different colours (Asda and Primark sell them for about £2 a pair) We're lucky enough that this year our hotel provides beach towels and a hairdryer so that will be less things to take, I always think the beach towels weigh a ton so Becki buying yours there is a good idea. The only good thing is that summer clothes don't weigh a lot! I always make the mistake of taking far to many clothes to wear during the day - most of the day you're in your bikini so this year I'm just going to take a couple of kaftans to cover up during lunch and concentrate more on clothes for the evening.

My daughter went to Feurteventura in January flying with Thomas Cook
she struggled with 15kgs and that was onlt for a week

With a family of 4, will we have 60kg between us or will each bag not have to weigh over 15kg. If this is the case, we are in trouble!

Hi Starry
I am going for 4 x 15. For two fold reasons one because of Thomas Cook, but also I don't trust them at Dalaman either, and their excess bag charge is OTT. so it's a sort of double wammy.

Starry - I would double check with Thomas Cook on that one - in the past I have found that they usually weigh both mine & the boyfriend's cases together, so if we have more in one case and less in the other it doesn't matter. Not sure how it would work for 4 cases though.

Do they not take the total of the cases into account? We always have a couple of cases over weight and a couple under but as long as the total is not more than 60kg or whatever the allowance is they are normally quite happy to let them go. I would really struggle with 15kg each, no room for all the might needs there.

Im not sure Jimnliz.

For years what you are saying was definately the case (if you'll pardon the pun lol) but now so much seems to have changed regarding the rules and regulations on luggage and hand luggage, due both to security issues and cost cutting measures. Also different tour operators seem too have different terms and conditions. We always used to aggregate our allowances as well, but now I am worried to do this as they seem to want to find every possible way they can to charge you for extras.

Also Dalaman where I am flying back from are notorious for charging for excess on your way back into the UK.

we came back from Greece last year and the bags were weighed individualy.... may be down to the airport

hi, have booked with direct holidays this year but airline is thomas cook, phoned them this morning and was told allowance was now only 15kg, used to be 20kg and if i want an extra 5kg it will cost 30.00 per person . seems very extreme to me. I hope you can add total of suitcases as well, also can you pack heavy items like hairdryers and shoes in hand luggage ? Thats a good idea about buying toiletries at airport as well.

gosh we must have been lucky up to now then and going abroad 5-6 times a year to some different places i have always had our cases weighed together as my little daughters is always under and mine over, hope i havent tempted fate for my next holiday in 3 weeks gulp !!!

Don't take it as gospel Karen, I am totally confused by the whole thing.
We have done all sorts over the years, ie one huge case of say 30 and 2 small ones of 10 etc, but I am not so sure now.

came back from benidorm 2 weeks ago
and we were told that due to saftey regs
you cannot take a case that weighs over 23kilos as the baggage handlers are not allowed to lift anything heavier
so if your allowance is either 15 or 20 kilos even paying excess the max is 23kilo's

I struggled last year with my 23kg from First Choice!! After finding out I only had 15kg this year, I just HAD to pay the extra lol
Jayne

I don't think I could stick to 15kg either, in fact I struggle to get the cases near the 20kg limit. Always have 2 over and 2 under weight. I think I would have to opt for paying extra for the extra baggage just for peace of mind. Oh dear looks like I'm really going to have to whittle down the packing if this becomes the norm.

over the course of the last couple of years most charters and bargain holiday providers have reduced th allowance to 15 hold 5 hand [its another way to claw back some dosh having to compete with no frills mob] the only European holiday we have had in the last 2 yrs with 20 + 5 was a Thomson Package [flights only are 15 + 5 normally] thos cook /airtours and first choice were all 15+ 5

for the life of me i cannot understand people who take far more than nessasary... i have seen couples going for a week with more cases [and bigger] than us and we still bring un-used clothes home