Has This Ever happened to anyone?

[jtaylo69]

Like the title says, I am asking for those of you that know of a situation & can help direct me as to how to either resolve this matter, or is there another and much better approach to dealing with these;

 

I went Nanning last year (The First Time out of the USA) My first experiance at an airport other than the ones in the usa was at the GuangZhou Airport. After getting off of the plane, I made the (what seemed a 2 mile walk) to their customs point. I showed the guy my passport & my Plane tickets & he said for me to continue on through.

 

After that, I continued on to an area that looked like some kind of check point, which had 2 guards, a metal detector and a line of people. While standing in line, A chinese guy who was dressed in what I like to call his Sunday's best (Black Suit and finely dressed) had motioned me to come towards him.

 

Not knowing the process of all of this, I went to the guy & he told me that he could get me processed much faster & get me to where I needed to go, all for 400 yuan. Now, to me, that seemed a little strange as I thought that I had to go through some kind of luggage check, etc. But what the heck, my next segment of my journey was about to take off in about an hour. So I paid him the 400 yuan and he took my bags & told me to follow him.

 

We proceeded around the metal detector and through the check point. We were almost at the elevators when one of the guards came up to us making a fuss about something (He was speaking Chinese & pointing for what seemed that he wanted me to go back to the Check point) I tried to tell him that I had paid this man the money & that he assured me that what we were doing was lagit. After a couple of minutes of the guard and the "Guide", the guide said that everything was ok and for me to continue to follow him.

 

He proceeded to escort me through the maze upto the domestic check in, at which point he said that he could not go any further.

 

My question to this is, Why do i have the feeling that I got ripped, especially when I am thinking that the airport tax is only about 90yuan? What was this guy? And what is the actual procedure that I should adhear to? (Step by Step please)

 

 

Then, On my way back to the states, I get to the International check in counter there in Guangzhou, check my 2 pieces of luggage, (I had One super Large suitcase, which they said that I had to take it over to another counter, get it weighed, & pay the 400 yuan excess baggage fee. (that I could understand as I was bringing many of her things back with me) But now the strange portion:

 

As I was begining to procede down the concourse, I cam upon yet another guard with a scale. He made me weigh my carry on (Which was my carry on when I came in) & he said that the max weight I could take on was 10kg, & mine was 15kg, and that I had to go back & check that one as well. I tried to explain to this jack ass that this was my bag that had all of my medicine, (I'm a diabetic) as well as my other comforts while during the flight. But he could care less.

 

So when I went back to the counter, the lady wanted me to yet pay another 400yuan excess baggage fee, at which I got so pissed off that I told her to go get bent. They had a guard come up to me, & I explained to him the situation and he informed me that this was their proceduree. That just pissed me off all the more & I again told him to go get bent & demanded to speak to the Floor Manager or there would be hell to pay.

 

He had me wait a few minutes and then a guy in an airport uniform & Id had asked me what was the problem. I once again told him my spield & after a few minutes, he came back to me and said that if I would be willing to just carry my medicine & needles on board, and check the rest, there wouldn't be an extra charge. WTF?? Now, I have thisw impression of this airport that they are there to only try & rip any and all foriegners off for as much as they can get.

 

I am just glad that I was able to keep my cool as I had with me, in a long box, a set of custom made swords. Which they had never checked the box, never x-rayed, nothing. If I were a stark craving lunatick, I could have had easily pulled them out and begin a rampage. Don't get me wrong, I would have never done that to begin with, but you would have thought that they would have at least made sure that they had themselves coverd.

 

Ok, enough on that.

 

I guess what I am asking here on this is, what has been the norm on the Luggage check in? How many can one check at the counter (Max weight) & how many carry on & (Max weight)?

 

This go round I am planning on taking my laptop with me so at least I have some sort of english entertainment , not to mention so that I can keep in touch with family back home.

 

 

Thanks again everyone.

[yave20b]

I've never had that happen to me personally. But my guess is yep you were getting fleeced both times. I've traveled to more than a few Chinese airports in the past 10 years. And pretty much most of the fleecing takes place outside the airport as soon as all the con-artists spot your Western face coming out the front entrance. Mostly they are taxi drivers and hotel touts. But never had anyone try to pull a quick one on me inside the airports. I've never had anyone official looking want to give me the Presidential treatment inside the airport. Mostly they probably could care less if I die right there in front of them. So if they are pulling out all the stops to make you feel VIP, probably they are looking to make a quick buck at rich old American's expense.

[olemanoman1950]

If youwent thru the old Guangzhou Airport last time, you will go thru the new one next time. You go from the plane to the immigration check point down stairs to the baggage claim pick up bags and head to the customs exit. You won't be attacked by the money grubbers until you exit that opening. Its nothing like the old airport. Also the constuction fee's are a thing of the past too. I was fore warned about the people who would come at you from all sides to try to offer to help. When I went thru the Customs inspection and exited the area and went to the connecting flight counter to guys in pink jackets tried to take my luggage but I was assured they worked for the airlines. I could find the place to pay the construction but, I saw another american with a man leading him by the arm and I fiqured this guy must be showing him the way for a price so I followed and there it was the place to pay the fee. Heck I was in Guangzhou withwife and a man came up a handed me a card with a chinese massage service that would come to your room. Geez if my wife saw that..

But a trip to China can be an experience not many will be likely to forget.

[Trigg]

Uh, Wayne, did you happen to save the card???

 

Actually, I almost got ripped int he airport by the money changers. Good thing I learned to count.

[ptcrusier333rph]

if it was spelling Trigg you be SOL glad you can count, sandle good on going pass 10 on counting grin

 

 

Robert

 

 

mop hankle=100

[olemanoman1950]

Uh, Wayne, did you happen to save the card???

 

Actually, I almost got ripped int he airport by the money changers. Good thing I learned to count.

No ripped it up... LOL did not want to die in china if wife saw it.. it was well printed in english though. Just go walk around the White Swan Area after dark they'll approach you.

[Guest blsqueaky]

The wife just came back from the new GZ airport, and the same pience of luggage that she carried on for the trip over, she was made to check comming back, so then she now had 3 checked luggage, and they did not charge here for the extra, and they did not charge for the weight.

 

She was ripped off in Detroit, good old states, someone charge her $5 to check her luggage, but no extra charge for the extra bag

[Trigg]

Uh, Wayne, did you happen to save the card???

 

Actually, I almost got ripped int he airport by the money changers. Good thing I learned to count.

No ripped it up... LOL did not want to die in china if wife saw it.. it was well printed in english though. Just go walk around the White Swan Area after dark they'll approach you.

Last time I was in GZ my wife and I were walking on the island-she stopped in a store to get something. While she was gone I was approached by a baby doll. She seemd to understand English, all but the word NO. She walked away about 10 seconds before wifey came out of the store.

 

I always wondered if it was a test???? Anyway-I didn't get mop slapped so I must have passed.

[impatient]

Trigg, after reading some of your posts I am amazed that you are not getting mop slapped alot. Your wife must not know much English yet.... You keep us all kne deep in laughter everyday, thanks, it is one way to keep what little sanity I have left.

 

 

Bill

[olemanoman1950]

The wife just came back from the new GZ airport, and the same pience of luggage that she carried on for the trip over, she was made to check comming back, so then she now had 3 checked luggage, and they did not charge here for the extra, and they did not charge for the weight.

 

She was ripped off in Detroit, good old states, someone charge her $5 to check her luggage, but no extra charge for the extra bag

You ever open up all your bags in the airport and transfer clothes from bag to bag to make sure one doesnt weight more then the other? Watch the wife travel the distance of the entire airport asking how much weight she can take on the plane, or watch her talk her way pass a guard to gointo the international departure checkin area to ask the same question she asked everybody else and got the sameanswer I had told her to begin with, oh life is grand married to a chinese women wouldnt give it up for any thing..

[frank1538]

Yea, I think you got ripped. The MIB probably gave the guard a few yuan to let you pass. Rule number one. Never give anybody money at a Chinese airport.

 

I remember when Jingwen and I were returning from Guangzhou, the check in lady said we should go to that weigh in counter "over there", which we did. Some guy took our bags, put them on the scales and them taped them. 160 yuan please. Please my ass. Why? I taped them for you. Asked him if it was required to get the bags on the plane. No. Take the damn tape off. Stare down time. Finally, he conceded and returned the bags with the tape - no charge.

 

Weight limits seem to vary a little, but I have never heard of having to weigh a carry on bag. I've taken my lap top without a problem, packed in my carry on with a ton of other stuff as well. On this last return from China, the checked bags were weighed. I can't remember the limits but I do know that we were within 1 kg of the max on one of the suitcases.

[Trigg]

Trigg, after reading some of your posts I am amazed that you are not getting mop slapped alot.   Your wife must not know much English yet.... You keep us all kne deep in laughter everyday, thanks, it is one way to keep what little sanity I have left.

 

 

Bill

You have sanity left??? Can I borrow some?? Unfortunaley her English is getting better everyday. She has learned that 'shit for brains' is not a term of endearment. Man, that lesson hurt-ouchy! She can even discrimainate between "you are besty wife" and "you are pesty wife" Once again=ouchy

 

More lesson in cultural diversity learned the hard way by Trigg--ouchy, ouchy, ocuhy

[Guest blsqueaky]

I remember when Jingwen and I were returning from Guangzhou, the check in lady said we should go to that weigh in counter "over there", which we did.  Some guy took our bags, put them on the scales and them taped them.  160 yuan please.  Please my ass.  Why?  I taped them for  you.  Asked him if it was required to get the bags on the plane.  No.  Take the damn tape off.  Stare down time.   Finally, he conceded and returned the bags with the tape - no charge.

 

Weight limits seem to vary a little, but I have never heard of having to weigh a carry on bag.  I've taken my lap top without a problem, packed in my carry on with a ton of other stuff as well.  On this last return from China, the checked bags were weighed.  I can't remember the limits but I do know that we were within 1 kg of the max on one of the suitcases.

I remember doing the same thing, having my bags taped, paid them, and I thought that it was wrong, but I have to admit, one time when I returned home, they werre still taped, not touched, and one time they were.

 

Now today, I just returned home from flying, and Inoticed that at southwest air, they where weighing carry on if they thought heave, up to so many lbs, free, over, start to charge

[Trigg]

Yes, I've paid for the 'tape job'. I thought it was required!

[mike_m]

As far as the excess baggage fee I think every airline has it. There is a limit on carry-on bags also, usually for quantity, weight and size. It sounds as if the airline was just singling you out to pay the fees, which is a bit of bad luck for you. I think most people don't get asked to pay the excess baggage fees.

 

I've been on some domestic flights in other countries where the carry-on limit was 15 pounds and only one bag!

 

I have paid excess bag fees on United International flights and also China Northern domestic flights within China. The fees on United were US $125, and if the bag is heavy enough to be 'overweight or heavy' then it can cost a LOT of money. I don't remember what I paid for excess bags on China Northern. I think it was around RMB200 in September '01.

 

For the airport tax; my last time out of Beijing (11/04) I think the tax was included in the ticket. I haven't been on a domestic flight in China for over two years, so I don't know if that tax is included in the ticket now.

 

It seems that there are ALWAYS people waiting to 'help' a foreigner in a Chinese airport. I always tell them no or 'bu yao'. I can't imagine that he actually walked you around security though. That is bizarre, to say the least!

 

Getting upset with the counter people when they are just enforcing their rules usually doesn't pay, but it does seem a bit unfair though when they seem to be picking on you just because you're a foreigner.

 

Oh, I've had the bags banded before too. I don't remember what it cost, but I don't think it was very much. It is cheap security, and in some airports it may actually be required.

 

Just remember, if they can't speak English, yell louder... ; )