WA
94 posts
just flew from perth to brisbane with 3 kites and board on virgin. was worried abbout excess,no worries!!!for your 20kg, 15kg is allowed for hand luggage and five for sporting equip.but it doesn't matter how much your sport equip weighs.(airline policy)so as long as you don't go over your 15kg it's all ok.my travel(kite) bag weighed 35kg and wasn't even put on the scales.
QLD
144 posts
I can second that. Just make sure that your suitcase is less than 15 kg and your boardbag can be as heavy as you like.
I don't think Jetstar have a policy or want to charge you. Anyone know?
I've run into someone who said he'd never fly with them and kites but can't remember the reason why.
I'm always careful to ring the airline ahead, as you can get hit up for some massive charges - especially on international flights. I did a round the world trip with 2 kites. (Bought 1 kite in the US, Board in Germany, another kite in thailand)
No charges internally in the US or from US - Europe.
But BA hit me up for 90 Euro for a flight from Frankfurt/Thailand. The old duck at check in said it was a windsurfer, which was 150, then I went to the cashier to pay and told her it was a kiteboard, not a windsurfer and she looked over to the sour old lady, winked at me and said it's a snowboard which attracted the smallest fee of 90. I think kiteboards are on their radar now, though 6 months ago I could only find kiteboards mentioned by Continental.
Thai airways from Bankok to Australia didn't care - all straight through.
My 2 cents - Check your airline, and check your destination. It can get expensive in the EU.
Don't fly an airline domestically that charges you. Virgin's policy is practical and workable. I think you're taking a risk with Jetstar and I'm not sure what Qantas's stance is. It would be interesting to find out.
VIC
61 posts
Hi guys,
just flew back from gold coast to melbourne with Jetstar, never gonna fly with them again!
Had two kites, one board, harness etc. etc. all in a wakeboarding bag, plus a surfboard that was seperate and a little bag only with some clothes in it.
On the way up (Melb-Goldy), got to Melbourne airport, put it all through the check in, no problems/no questions, straight through, didn't even tell me how much it all weighed, so assumed I was sweet, maybe two or three kilo over.
On the way back, the bloke at check in claimed I was 12kg over (7kg for my kiting bag and 5kg for the surfboard) and I got slapped with an excess baggage charge of $60 ($5/kilo). I asked the bloke how it was possible, seeing that I hadn't been charged on the way up, he answered "do you want me to check the record and charge you for that as well???". That really got under my skin, so I questioned him why they have double standards and that if I were told I was over on the way up and they were going to charge me, I could have put some stuff back in the car (eg. a kite, my surfboard etc.). He didn't want to hear about it, so I ended up just paying the charge with out arguing any further. He didn't even want to know about seperating the sporting equipment luggage (wakeboarding bag) from the normal luggage, just threw it all together as though I had one giant suitcase.
What I have learnt from this experience is I am personally not going to fly with them again, but to ring the airlines and make sure you find out about sporting equipment policies, excess baggage charges, or anything else that may be relevent when taking your kiting gear on a flight.
Hope this helps others.
WA
2782 posts
Hey guys,
I have travelled fairly extensively with kiting gear and this is my 2 bobs worth.
Everytime I have flown Qantas, I have been charged for excess and the same goes with Jetstar who are a division of Qantas. I have only been charged once out of many flights with Virgin and as the cold sweat of dread and anxiety of how much drew over me, it washed away when they said 12 dollars.
If you fly into New Zealand you will have problems with Air New Zealand on the way in and at all check in counters on the way out. This is due to an airport handlers maximum and there is no getting around it. It was expensive!
To fly to Hawaii or the USA, DO NOT FLY WITH ANY AMERICAN AIRLINE particularly Continental, they tried charging Tina and I $400 AUD for our gear. Naturally I threw a massive wobbly and created a scene but to no avail, we had to seriously repack and leave stuff behind.
Inter island flights to Maui also attract a $50 USD surplus baggage tax.
Apart from this, most airlines seem OK as long as your main bag is under 32 kilos.
be warned
Good winds and Peace
NSW
99 posts
In my experience its a matter of who you get at the register, some people will make you pay some wont. sounds as tho qantas/jetstar are tougher than virgin generally tho.
I have heard it will depend on how full the flight is as well.
NSW
656 posts
The best way to avoid excess charges is to buy a golf travel bag and put your kites and board inside that. Make sure the total weight in less than 32 kgs otherwise the bag-chuckers get a bit upset.
If you're in the US and you've got heaps of luggage you should "pay-off" the porters, it works a treat. I paid a porter $9US for my windurfing bag (30 odd kgs) and separate kiteboard and he checked it in no probs - if I had of gone to the check in counter I would have been up for $60+
WA
1119 posts
had a funny experience flying singapore to phuket, checked in next to a couple pole boarders... should have seen the size of their bags, i mean HUGE, full size board bag with 300 million sails each or something... man were they getting some greif, i think they got charged a ****load
was funny because i checked in next to them with a naish 130cm bag with a board and two kites, bars, pump, harnesses etc and the chick didnt even flinch...
as long as your gear doesnt look large and difficult to deal with you dont usually have any problems...
i flew qantas international on that trip also, but im a frequent flyer which gives you extra baggage yada yada
I was extremely shocked and swore never to fly with them again. BTW I took my kite on the plane (kept it nice and close to me) and this was fine. On numerous occasions I have flown with Virgin and Qantas with baggage weight in excess of 25kilos and have never been charged. It’s probably still a good idea to ring the airlines beforehand just to make sure.
