Always weigh and measure your baggage before you leave for the airport. Check out the situation about the carriage of sports equipment � some airlines require pre-booking and will only accept these items if there is available space on the aircraft. What happens if you turn up with your golf clubs and are told at check-in that there is no more room aboard the aircraft?

If you fly to the USA and subsequently take internal flights � remember the weight allowance changes!! To the USA you may be able to take 32kg/70lb per piece but when you fly on internally, this sometimes reduces to 23kg/50lb per piece. Also check the number of carry on pieces that you are permitted on your return.

If you know that you are unavoidably going to have to exceed the Free Baggage Allowance, weigh your baggage to assess the overweight amount well before you travel. Contact your airline as soon as possible as you may be able to reduce your penalties by sending some of the excess by cargo if this is practical.

Pack a Flylite foldaway bag at all times for emergency purposes in the event that you have to re-pack to reduce the weight of any pieces of luggage at check-in.

Don't be fooled by the new 32kgs limit, this is not a baggage allowance but a weight restriction on single pieces of checked in luggage.