Way to Russia Talk Lounge

jacksquirt · Just Starting Joined: 01 Jul 2004 Posts: 6

I will be studying in Irkutsk for this coming academic year, and will be flying Transaero from Moscow to Irkutsk. I have never flown Domestic flights within Russia. How strict are they on weight restrictions for luggage. I checked Transaero's site and they say I can only take 20kg checked and one carry on. I will have atleast 25-30kg and two bags to carry on (back pack and lap top).

I know in the other countries sometimes they let the restrictions slide a little if you can show that you arrived on an international flight and are still traveling to your final destination. If anyone has any experience with this or knows how much they make you pay for every Kg over the amount it would be of great help. Thanks.

WayToRussia · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 8:09 pm Post subject:

It depends, this can be quite strict... Usually they let you through with 4-5 kilos, so I recommend you to put as much clothes on as you can, and fill your pockets with heavy stuff to make your backpack weigh not more than 24 kilos.

In the worst scenario you will have to pay about $8 per kilo.

wavetossed · WayToRussified Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 337

I flew Aeroflot and the limit was the same, 20 kg and that includes the flight from London to Moscow. On one of my 5 flights I got through with an extra 3 kg. But be careful about timing if you are overweight.

You go to checkin. It's too heavy. They give you a slip of paper and direct you to the payment desk somewhere else in the airport. In SVO 1 it was in the far corner of the checkin area. In Ekaterinburg it was upstairs. You have to go there and pay the extra fee so make sure you have enough money with you. If you arrive at SVO 2 for transfer to SVO 1 then you should immediately exchange some money at SVO 2 so that you have rubles handy when you need to pay at SVO 1. After you pay, they stamp the sheet of paper. You return to the same checkin that you just left, right to the head of the queue and hold up the stamped slip of paper so that they notice you standing there. They will trade the paper for your boarding pass and you can now go through the X-ray.

At Ekaterinburg, this process took so much time that I was the last person through the X-ray and the bus to the plane started loading 2 minutes after I got into the waiting lounge.