Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Shell_e]

Hi all,

I'm heading over to Ulsan next month and I'm wondering if their are any airlines from Aus to South Korea that offer more than the standard 20kg. I'm purchasing a one way ticket and Korean Air advised my travel agent can request an extra allowance, but it didn't it didn't sound promising.

Another option might be for me to send some stuff over, like all my winter clothes etc.

How does everyone else cope only bringing a small amount for a year?

If you have any ideas that would be great.

Shell

[chasmmi]

Put all heavy stuff in your hand luggage and hope nobody picks up on it. My personal record is 20Kg worth of handluggage crammed into one smallish bag.

[fusionbarnone]

I had 20kgs over and Qantas wanted to charge $800 from NZ to ROK.

Ulsan has a lot of clothes sales in the $6-$7 range so if your say 180 cm /100kg rangeyou shouldn't have any trouble finding clothes. Your $500 dress shoes won't dissolve in the snow sludge(like mine did in my first year in Korea) as it hardly ever snows. You can buy shoes here quite reasonably too.

As for books(ESL otherwise), hooking up with the ESL teachers at Tombstone near Ulsan university(check UlsanWeb and Ulsan Pear online) will help as the bar has a lot of free to exchange books. You can leave those at home.

For excess luggage you should be allowed 25kgs max. Get the extra 10/20 kgs in via cabin luggage. Don't arrive too early as the airline may have someone doing the rounds during their slack hours weighing people's carry-on. Wait until hordes (especially Koreans) bearing loads of stuff rush to get through as this wil be a blessing for you. I got sprung because my wife was in a hurry. Didn't lose anything though.

Try to see/peg/scope the pink-slip writer before they see you it's not hard as they'll be waiting round the corner and probably busy writing up someone. Either wait for the crowds, or sneak out and fill up your pockets with the heaviest items in your backpack.

If, by the worst chance you do get flagged(pink-slipped) put on your heaviest coat and empty stuff out of your carry-on and into your pockets so when you'r weighed at check-in your bag will be lighter and cost negligible.

If all else fails, call someone to pick-up what you leave behind at the airline counter. Otherwise, you'll be asked to dump your stuff. Have ethem send it via snail mail(not airmail) if it's that important.

[ttompatz]

[ella]

I paid to bring an extra suitcase from home in addition to having stuff sent over from home periodically. It's definitely worth it.

[valkerie]

A friend who works in the airline industry told me there is a special extra allowance for people who are moving to another country to live. Maybe that was what the OP's travel agent meant?

I think (like a lot of things) they don't tell you, youi have to ask.

[kat2]

If you come in summer, mail all your winter clothes or vice versa. If you mail it on the boat, it should be fairly cheap, but it will take about 2 months to get here. There's really no way to get around the baggage restrictiosn except what people have already said about putting evrything in your carry on.
That being said, last time I lucked out and the scale at the ticket counter was broken. Sweet!

[newintown]

[insam]

bring a pair of panties and you're set. this ain't nairobi.

[Shell_e]

Thanks everyone,

So it seems i should wear as many clothes as I can and use all my pockets. Don't arrive to early, blend in with the crowds and push the absolute limits of carry on luggage.

Can anyone recommend a good snail mail company I can use? I can only seem to find airmail companies.

[Gemfinder]

You can use space saver bags to consolidate the space and pack more, but by adding more you will still add weight to the bags.

I wore my heaviest clothing items at the airport. I took the heaviest jeans with the heaviest sweater and wore my winter coat and scarf. Just take a power shower before you leave and layer the deodorant on thick and ignore any curious stares.

20kg. isn't very much, are you only allowed a carry-on? or do you get two pieces of checked luggage?

[kat2]

[aquagirl]

Get a friend / family member to come with you to the airport. Pack all of the heavy items in your carry on, plus pack some extra heavy duty large carrier bags that look like they could be gifts. Get your friend/family member to watch these items while you check in with your suitcase and then you're free to board the plane with your unweighed carry on and extra "gifts" that your friend/family suddenly gave you at the airport!
Works every time. I've done this more than 10 times without ever having any problems.