- Thread starter Luperon
- Start date
Delta. TV in luggage
small Tvs are no problem but a huge flat Tv box (50inch+) would have to be shipped as cargo. i think all airlines do that. the check in luggage has fixed dimensions and the box cannot exceed that size.
AZB
P.S. delta does let you check in carton boxes of allowed sizes but AA will not let you check in a carton box of any size.
AZB
P.S. delta does let you check in carton boxes of allowed sizes but AA will not let you check in a carton box of any size.
I wonder if TV in luggage means the cardboard box was the piece of luggage. Inside nobody would care. Yes, some of the airlines are not accepting cartons (jet blue).
If you are carrying the TV in your luggage there is no need for the bulky box. You can fit a larger TV without the box. I always take some towels with me to put over the screen. Never had breakage in about a dozen times, or any problem with the airline or TSA.
Are "real suitcases" hard to find? If you mean a hardshell case, check out thrift stores in the US. Adequate softsided suitcases here in Miami are around $35 new at the Opalocka Flea Market. I have bought adequate used suitcases with working wheels and unbroken zippers in yard sales from $2 to $15.
i think the biggest Tv you can fit inside the hard suitcase is 32 inch screen. make sure you get the 1080p smart TV with LED screen. the LED screen is the thin TV while the lcd TV is fat.
Airlines don't care if you have a TV in your suitcase and they can care even less if you have to pay duty in DR airport customs. The whole problem starts when the carton TV box is way bigger than the required dimensions of the check-in carton luggage. many TVs come in really huge boxed as compared to their actual screen size. this is when the airlines want you to check it in as cargo. Now you have to pay separate fee to have it shipped to DR. The customs will love to charge you the fees when you arrive here. Good luck.
I would buy a HD projector and have it carried in a bag. Now you will have a huge screen 1080P on your wall and no duty paid. the projector costs 600 bucks shipped to US address. example: opotma HD141x. you will not find a better projector in this price range.
AZB
Airlines don't care if you have a TV in your suitcase and they can care even less if you have to pay duty in DR airport customs. The whole problem starts when the carton TV box is way bigger than the required dimensions of the check-in carton luggage. many TVs come in really huge boxed as compared to their actual screen size. this is when the airlines want you to check it in as cargo. Now you have to pay separate fee to have it shipped to DR. The customs will love to charge you the fees when you arrive here. Good luck.
I would buy a HD projector and have it carried in a bag. Now you will have a huge screen 1080P on your wall and no duty paid. the projector costs 600 bucks shipped to US address. example: opotma HD141x. you will not find a better projector in this price range.
AZB
AZB is right, we easily fit a 32" LED TV into our suitcase, we just surrounded it with clothing, towels, etc. No questions asked in US or DR.
if you are white (looking like a tourist) and only has one checked in luggage then you can just walk out without being asked to pass luggage through x-ray machine. they usually xray people with lots of heavy luggage or carton box as checked-in luggage. when I bring lots of stuff for my baby and also check in a carton box full of baby stuff and toys then I get to pass my luggage through x ray machines at SD airport. they usually concentrate on huge boxes and huge heavy suitcases. this is why many Dominicans get to be asked to pass the suitcase through xray machine. When I have carry on bag and small suitcase then I just walk out without problems.
note: if your electronic item is less than 200 bucks then they don't bother you. I have walked out with huge ink printers that costs less than 200 dollars in usa but 400 dollars in DR, I was never asked to pay duties. laptops and cameras I walk out in my hand. I was once asked how many cell phones I am carrying as 2 showed up in x rayed bags. I told them one is a a phone and other one is ipod. no questions asked again. I guess they will stop you if you have many phones.
AZB
Every year we bring at least one suitcase that we picked up at a yard sale or thrift store, then give it away. Cheaper than paying to bring back an empty suitcase now that most of the airlines charge for them.
......As I bring back very little to the US....and almost always go down to DR with two full suitcases, I find using one large suitcase and one slightly smaller works well too. Smaller one fits inside the larger one for the return trip home....and with Jetblue (at least for now) there is no fee.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
here is a trick:
example delta airlines. check in a large suitcase (no more than 50 lbs) and then carry a huge carry-on that will not fit in the overhead compartment. Do not let the ticket agent see you with this huge carry-on when you go for check-in or when you check-in the bigger suitcase. Once you are at the gate of the departing plane, they will simply take that huge carry-on and check it in for free at the gate where you board the plane. You can always carry a small bag with you as you board. so here you have it. a huge suitcase checked in, a large carry-on will be checked in at the gate of boarding the plane and then you still get to carry a smaller bag and carry-on. This is for airlines that only let you check in 1 suitcase free.
AZB
example delta airlines. check in a large suitcase (no more than 50 lbs) and then carry a huge carry-on that will not fit in the overhead compartment. Do not let the ticket agent see you with this huge carry-on when you go for check-in or when you check-in the bigger suitcase. Once you are at the gate of the departing plane, they will simply take that huge carry-on and check it in for free at the gate where you board the plane. You can always carry a small bag with you as you board. so here you have it. a huge suitcase checked in, a large carry-on will be checked in at the gate of boarding the plane and then you still get to carry a smaller bag and carry-on. This is for airlines that only let you check in 1 suitcase free.
AZB
It cannot be that hard....because Dominicans have perfected this to an art....and it is one of the reasons that flights usually get delayed.
The second Dominican trick is to have an abuela/o, tia/o need a wheelchair. There are usually multiple family members traveling with them.....and they all board early....guaranteeing their space in overhead bins. And while that may sound trivial, it is a big deal to them.
Counted 23 wheelchairs on one flight....and nowhere near that number needed by the time the flight touched down.
Sort of explains why I have only had one flight in years....leave/arrive on time.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
I guess my words got you confused. the large suitcase goes in check-in counter. the large carry-on goes through the x ray machine at the security. this carry-on is not big enough to be classified as large suitcase and can be carried in hand yet its heavily filed and will not fit in the upper compartment in the plane. so it will be taken away from you at the gate and checked in for free. Again, its a large carry-on that will be borderline bigger than the real small carry-on.
example: I have a small carry-on bag that can be unzipped from top to become slightly bigger. Now I can really fill it up to the max. it will hold a lot, almost 50lbs weight. So when I come to the gate I simply hand it over to the gate agent to be checked in at the gate. no money is charged and I still carry a small hand bag with electronic items and other stuff. This was done on delta many times. this trick works out for checking in 2 pieces of luggage where only 1 piece is allowed for free.
AZB
I come to the dr with one hard suitcase and 3 ( or more ) holdall types ( but the ones with hard bottoms, wheels and all ). When I travel back to europe, all the holdalls go into the hard suitcase, I slide the hard bottoms out so they fold easier and pile everything in ( along with tons of coffee amd vanilla....).
As for TV's, I wouldnt risk myself carrying in suitcases, not for customs but for break. ( I have a baggage handler friend at GVA and he tells all sorts of storys.....). Last time I had a hard case, imitation samsung ones, checked by customs in the US, arrived at santiago a day late, missing a wheel and cracked open and duck taped. American transport authority says it was fine when they checked it, Delta said it was put on the plane in miami like that........ I didnt follow up for a 30chf case....... ( now chickens are laying eggs in it :speechles...... dominican estyle ).