Date:������������ 4 April 2026
Subject:�������� Airlines: Accompanied Luggage
Information���
From:����������� Paul
W. Jewett, MD; Wanless Hospital / MMC
Visitors heading to India are frequently asked to carry items for the hospital or for people who live and work there.� Travelers with a Trans-Atlantic crossing are entitled to free baggage of two checked pieces, and one or two carryon items.� The checked pieces can each weigh up to 70 lbs. (always weighed) and there is a maximum size of height + width + depth which is to equal a certain value, 62 in. total, I believe (seldom measured).� We have found that the Rubbermaid Action Packers of foot-locker size (�24 gallon�) are well suited to packing and taking to India for this purpose.� These are usually gray in color, with lighter gray lids, need two locks, and are available from K-Mart, WalMart, Target, etc. for about $20 each.� Many travelers can fit everything they truly need into their carry-on bags, leaving both checked pieces free to carry items out to India.� (Clothes can be washed and returned to you twice a week while staying in Fletcher Hall, if needed.)� Each checked piece in excess of the two allowed per ticket costs about $150.� This baggage allowance is called the �Trans-Atlantic Luggage Concession� and is not available for Europeans traveling to India.� Travelers from America who break journey in Europe en route to India also are likely to lose this allowance.� They then revert� to the standard international allowance of 20 kg. or 44 lbs.(total checked luggage).� A �break in journey� is staying more than 24 hours in Europe between flights from USA to India.� If you�re planning a stop-over in Europe, consider making it on the return trip, instead of the outward leg for this reason.
We encourage travelers packing items for the hospital to secure the containers with locks.� Often you can buy inexpensive locks which
come in sets of two or four locks, using the same key, which is handy.
To make clearing goods through Indian Customs easier, we recommend carrying a certificate of donation that lists the items you are bringing as donations.� These documents can be obtained from MBF (call 1/800 547 7627; e-mail: [email protected] (Ms.Jennifer Garst) or from International Health Ministries Office, Presbyterian Church USA, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY� 40202-1396, tel. 1 888 728 7228 X 5276 (Ms. JoAnn Saunders; e-mail: [email protected]).� Send them a list of the equipment & supplies, and tell them that you are carrying donated hospital supplies and equipment for Wanless Hospital, which are� NOT FOR RESALE.� They will put official looking stamps, etc. on their certification letter, and that�s often very helpful to clear Customs, duty free.� Ask for such documentation two weeks or more before your departure (because the document will need to be returned to you by mail).� Do not show the documents to Customs unless you are stopped and asked to open the luggage.� We suggest you go through the �green line�, instead of the �red line� when clearing customs, which tells the Customs people that you have �nothing to declare�.� Tourists commonly carry a lot of luggage, and thus draw less scrutiny from Customs.� However, when we brought ten Action Packers through Customs in Bombay in September 2001, Action Packers attracted attention from Customs Officers, so you might want to bring inexpensive, large suitcases, or duffle bags instead of Action Packers, unless there are fragile items.
The checked
luggage should be checked in from your point of departure all the way to Mumbai
(Bombay), India, so that you won�t be bothered with it en route.� It is helpful for you to keep a general
packing list with you in your carryon luggage for you to refer to when clearing
Customs in Bombay, but highly detailed information is not necessary.� Generously reporting the value of items may
result in heavy Customs Duty.� Have a
great trip.����������������� Paul� (e-mail:�
[email protected])
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