AIRLINE TRAVEL WITH BOARD AND KITE

[Jim]

The Canjet baggage rules say this - "Free" and "Any regular weight.", and "One kite board or one bag containing kite board equipment will be accepted towards our sporting equipment free baggage option. The bag and kite board equipment must be fully enclosed in a hard shell container specifically designed for shipping." Anyone have or know of such a container. Where could I get one. What do they cost. What do you think my chances are if I made a skookum one myself? If it was regular extra luggage, a 140 board is 55 inches long and the Maximum dimensions for regular luggage is 162 inches L+W+D. That would only leave 7 inches which won't compute. Thoughts?

[Stammy]

Get one of these:

http://nobilekiteboarding.com/products/splitboards.html

That will leave you the room you need in almost any bag.

[KUS]

"Air Canada is becoming stricter with their check-in policy of 45 minutes prior to flight time. This means travelers should have completed check-in (i.e. not standing in line waiting to check in) at least 45 minutes prior to departure time. If travelers are not checked in 45 minutes prior, regardless of their fare level, or if they have seats assigned, they may be bumped. "

this just in, looks like yet another reason to not fly Air Canada "Customer Service" is defined as a pictogram of a closed fist with an upright middle finger in their corporate dictionary

[winddude]

Air Canada and almost any star-alliance flight it's becoming a no go unless you ship it transport and be prepared to pay up the ass!

[nanmoo]

West jet and Alaska no issues today, under 9' up to 100lbs, the lady didn't even make Jesse pay the oversize fee.

[KUS]

West jet and Alaska no issues today, under 9' up to 100lbs, the lady didn't even make Jesse pay the oversize fee.

Alaska- there is not oversize AND overweight fee when 50-100lbs and it's one kit, no matter how many bags not sure about Wjet any longer

[nanmoo]

Wjet $50 per bag up to 100lbs, unless like Jesse the ticket person doesn't charge you. Alaska $75 for the whole kit which should be cheaper than wjet unless youre Red Baron and are able to charm the clerk.

[SmallWaveSteve]

I just did Victoria to Costa Rica and back.

On the way down:
First flight (Vic-Van) was Air Canada, all were booked through United and should have been United's baggage policy (including the AC flight).
My golf bag was oversized, they knew it wasn't golf clubs, and the bag weighed 54 lbs. The girl at the desk put it through as a scale error, no baggage fee incurred.
It should have been $200 as per their policy on it being oversize kite equipment, and overweight.

On the way back:
United all the way through, I had a printed copy of their baggage policies for kiteboarding equipment, including the part about overweight etc... That I gave to them. They were 'ticos working the desk and english wasn't their first language, so maybe they had difficulty understanding it, (two of them discussed what they should do)
I had a second checked bag (undersize, underweight) on the way back, and my golf bag weighed 58 lbs.
They charged me $100, again it should have been $200 according to their policy.

[Driller]

I just flew air Canada to Los Cabos and back. I used a snowboard bag. I could fit a 150 cm board, one kite, and a few other items. Snow board gear is free from what I can tell. Provided it's within the correct dimensions.

[Cj]

I'm going to board a Alaska flight from Vic then a Delta flight, Seatle to NC. From what I'm picking up , Alaska's cool but ..any thoughts on Delta? How about returning?

CJ

[SmallWaveSteve]

If your bag gets checked through you should be all good on the way down. Do they do the same thing in Seattle as Vancouver where they show you your bag on a TV screen instead of unchecking it to do customs?

[Geoffy]

You pick up bag in Seattle, clear customs, and place it back on re-check right there before going through to terminal to next flight. Alaska and Delta are partners so usually no issues, airline staff generally does not see bag again in Seattle.

[Windsurfish]

We did the trip wit AS from YVR via PDX to OGG, and we never saw the gear again in transit, except through the window at the gate as they loaded it. Easy, and zero damage to two boards and two quiver bags. $75 / set, 100 lb limit (total). Show up early and smile alot...

[arturo]

Fly Alaska air , catch the flight at 6am arrive Seattle at 630am, catch flight to cabo at 11 am arrive at cabo at 4 pm , on the road in camper at 530 with cold cerveza and tunes heading to La Ventana,flight cost [because I book always about 4 days or less before I leave ] about $300 and two kite bags ,[ one oversize ] a suitcase , a travel bag and a laptop computer bag total about 150$for extra gear ,and I have three kites , two surfboards , skimboard, twin tip , harnesses , wetsuits , so usually under $500 each way . When you go to seattle you pick up your bags and I get a worker to stack it on a dolly and help me through the USA customs , then its checked onto the cabo flight . I would not advise stoppng in LAX or SanDiego and changing planes . Always a possibility of losing the gear especially with tight schedules

[Jim]

AIR TRANSAT - Direct to Cancun reasonable price - Weight was limiting factor, not size for free Kite equipment. 22 lbs max weight or charges will be levied. One stripped board and smaller kite together (21.4 lbs) were under limit . My other kite with all the extra stuff - bar, wetsuit, pieces, fix, pads, handle (21.6 lbs) also made weight limit but had to go counted as my wife's luggage to go free. Victoria airport has tons of digital luggage scales in the pre check in area. Use them ahead of time, follow weight limits and you won't have issues. Have printed copy of rules in case they give you grief and read them carefully. I had no hassles. Tulum (1.5 hrs south of Cancun) had wind and several kite schools but need 12 meter kite at bare minimum and 14 meters would have been much better. Onshore was challenging. Beach, sand, water outstanding, food and accommodation pricey. Great for families and non kite folks. Tons of activities for them.