what's it like to travel with gear on planes within Oz? any airline better than others? excess charges? kit bag weight limits? any good scams? cheers easty

Easty

Virgin Blue carry up to 20kg of sporting equiptment free of charge -perhaps a little more if you are lucky They are generally pretty helpful...

Qantas are painful. I have had interesing experiences with them! Qantas use those packing crate things for luggage and freight on some planes - windsurfing gear can be too big for these and you can't get your gear on You may then have to put your gear through with Australian Air Express (Qantas outsource freight to Australian Air Express). Australian Air Express want a lot of cash for their trouble and don't give a sh!t if you are on the plane or not. They don't guarantee freight (other than animals) will be on the same flight either

From my experience, if travelling within Oz with kit, fly Virgin and avoid the drama

When weighing in carefully put your knee, another bag or anythig under your bag to help support the weight. This can turn a 40kg bag into a 30kg bag quite easily and effectively thus will save you heaps of dosh, just dont get caught!! and be reallllllllllly nice to the baggage people....they make the decision on whether to charge you heaps or let it go for nothing
Recently i had a really good experperience flying with hawaiian airlines. I was returning from maui and had to bring my gear and a friends gear back home, my mate had flown to Vegas the previous day. I was expecting to get charged heaps on the return trip as I was well over the baggage limit 2 boards five sails three masts two booms and all the rest my gear 60kgs+ . To my suprise i was only charged 50 us dollars extra and the Hawaiian air staff were great with it all. If anyone is flying to hawaii go with hawaiian air they rule!!!!!

I fly across to WA a couple of times a year with all my kit, throw in one or two annual international sailing trips as well and you're talking a heap of flights with a stack of gear.
As a rule of thumb Virgin Blue are the go over Qantarse every time

Been charged a handful of times by Qantarse (before i started using Virgin Blu) and also had a board smashed on a Qantarse flight even though it was bubble wrapped inside a thick travel bag and had cardboard rail guards !

Few little rules for worry free, excess free flying

When you book your flights (with Virgin) tell them you are travelling with sporting equipment
Keep everything under the 20 - 22 kilo mark... if it weights more you could be charged but more likely the baggage snatches out back will refuse to lift it !
Once while on a Qantarse flight I was paged through the airport and had to go out back, through security to where my kit bag was lying (it had been pushed off the luggage trolley) The baggae snatchers refusing to pick it up due to weight and union rules.
I lifted the whole thing up put it back on the trolley and removed 3 x 2 piece masts and slid them into a separate mast bag to reduce the weight.... I was then charged for an additional piece of luggage !

Now when I fly with Virgin I normally take 2 boards in a double board bag, a quiver bag with 4 sails 4 masts, a boom bag with 3 booms harness, fins and all my clothes... plus carry on luggage
This is normally around 60 - 70 kilos of kit but spread across 3 bags no one has a problem lifting it.
Check in at the oversize luggage line (at the bigger airports) and when departing Perth stack your gear near the check in line and have someone stand near it as you go through.
When you get to the counter be polite and mention that you are traveling with sporting equipment as per your booking
When they put your gear through remember to say thankyou and that you really appreciate it.

Being friendly and nice goes a long way... it also helps to lift the image of fellow windsurfers and make it easier for them.
If you act like a tool they are less likely to want to help the next windsurfer who comes through

Kremlin

PS NEVER FLY AIR CANADA TO MAUI -$350(US) in excess luggage fees and then they sent the board to Hong Kong cause we dared to question the charge

Virgin blue for sure, i managed to get 2 windsurf boards, 2 sails 2 booms, a large box of spare stuff and a mast up here (qld) from tassie without any hassles or extra caharges

put it all in a golf bag as they ride fo free