So, you got very much and discovered a cheap flight for your surfing destination. Should you are packing up your Dakine bag in your a couple of favorite surfboards, you are able to be in for your nasty surprise. Inside world of surf travel, not all airlines treat your surfboard the same. How do the airlines stack up? Quite a few of them, not so well.
Let\’s start on the worst. One major US based air carrier charges in between $175 and $250 each way for your surfboard bag. To fly with this airline in your surfboard you might be going being paying among $350 and $500 round trip just for your surfboard. You are able to purchase a brand new surfboard for $500 or a used surfboard for even less. Possibly you could use that dollars to buy a surfboard whenever you state and give it to a local kid when you leave. Essentially you\’d be giving the funds to a local kid instead of a company that was trying to stick it to you for merely wanting to travel with your surfboard. When you get back home, all of your surfboards are nonetheless heading to become inside shape you left them and you won\’t be out any far more income than in case you had brought your personal surfboard with you. That is certainly a single method to make a very good case out of an ugly one.
Now for ones bad. Unfortunately, most of the other major airlines around the globe fall into this category. It is well-known method for ones airlines to deem your surfboard bag excess luggage and levy high fee\’s on the surfboard bag. You can expect to pay around $100 every way with most airlines to travel in your surfboard. If you plan to travel inside your surfboard, I cannot recommend highly ample that you verify the airlines policy on surfboard bags previous to booking any flight. Many airlines have luggage restrictions at particular times in the year and you\’ll be able to not be able to bring your surfboard for any price on a airline.
In today\’s world of high jet fuel prices, it appears the airlines are competing tooth and nail on cost after which try to produce up for it with all the \”extras\”. Well, right here stands out as the excellent news. Quite a few airlines do want surf traveler\’s business. A handful of airlines supply free travel to your surf bag. Quantas Airlines was awarded Surfer Magazine\’s \”Airline in the Year Award\”. 1 on the factors in their decision was because Quantas don\’t charge for surfboard travel bags. In addition, Virgin Atlantic also supply free surfboard bag travel.
It is intriguing to note that in November 2007 British Airways produced a decision to no longer accept surfboards on all of their flights. This caused a stir with many travelers and even created its way into discussion in Britain\’s parliament. In September 2009, thanks to a campaign on Facebook, British Air eventually reversed their decision. They now enable surfboards as much as 6\’3 (190cm). However, for numerous surfers this unfortunately ways longboards and minimals (funboards) are not allowed.
If you are taking your surfboard on your next flight, I suggest you take in the time to email any airlines which you chose not to fly with as a result of their baggage rules / fees on surfboard travel bags. Permit them know they lost business. The Facebook campaign is an instance that consumer pressure makes a difference. While you are at it, let the airline you chose know what you believe of their policy on surfboard travel bag charges.
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