 Poster: A snowHead
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Of course you don't actually need to take skis to get the 32kgs allowance, just pay for the 'ski carriage' and take advantage of the extra 12kgs in your normal bags. Cheaper than paying 12ks excess baggage charges.
Alternatively, get a lighter bag and maximise the hand luggage limits (ski boots in hold of course).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Megamum wrote: |
| bertie bassett, Thanks for the tip, but I think the bit you missed in my post is that we haven't paid for taking skis we are hiring in resort as its only a short trip. I've got the big ski bag with wheels from the epic VT by train trip last April, but won't be using it in Dec. due to not taking my skis. |
Nah I'm not missing the point at all. You're worried about your baggage limits so I suggested a way around them. Who says you have to have 'skis' in your ski bag - it's big and it's got wheels, sounds perfect for some ski booots to me (and a whole bunch of other junk!)
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Personally I've decided to boycot 'budget' airlines and go for Swiss/BA to GVA or Lufthansa to Munich for Austria.... with free ski carriage, free in-flight food and drinks (OK not always the best but has to be better than an overpriced tub of pringles), flights from airports you can get to on the tube/DLR at great times of the day for meeting transfers, that even pay you airmiles - why would I not. By the end of a season I could even earn enough points for a free flight! Try comparing with the queasyjet, ryan don't care and flybe-ware - they can offer great value in comparison.
Oh and you are probably right to be concerned about the United policy, but I would be very surprised if they started to charge their transatlantic passengers on connections the same way they are proposing for internal flights - I would be interested to know.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I heard from a freind today, about a worrying trend/ `hidden` charge thats hitting us Boarders when it comes to Wheelie Board Bags , like my big 165cm DaKine bag.
Is it true that some airline baggage clerks are charging you for excess baggage, whatever the cost per kg over the usual bagge allowance my be -Despite the fact that you have already pre-booked and paid up to £30.00 for the privelidge of carriage????
If so I think thats completely outrageous, -especially as I dont travel with any other luggage, or even hand luggage & my Dakine bag fully loaded (inc. 2 boards, bindings, and clothing for a week) weighs no more than 35kg
Can anyone enlighten me please??
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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boardstupid, Sorry being sutpid here. Are you complaining that the clearly(ish) baggage allowances are being checked by airport staff and if you go over them then you are charged. Whats wrong with that?
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boardstupid, there is an absolute limit for H&S reasons of 32kg sfor bag. Over that and you won't be paying excess, you'll be taking stuff out of it!
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I was guessing at the weight of my bag to be honest,- Its certainly under 32kg then, if ive never been stopped and asked to remove items, or charged for excess baggage..
This only leads me to beleive that there are some unscroupulous handlers making a fast buck out of breaking H&S manual handling regs.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I used Flybe.com last winter. Carriage of skis cost £40 (20 each way). What amused me when I booked the ski carriage was that they told me it was ok provided the skis were shorter than 10ft. as the plane was large enough. Had I been booked on a different type of plane I would've been restricted to skis shorter than 160cms.
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| boardstupid wrote: |
I heard from a freind today, about a worrying trend/ `hidden` charge thats hitting us Boarders when it comes to Wheelie Board Bags , like my big 165cm DaKine bag.
Is it true that some airline baggage clerks are charging you for excess baggage, whatever the cost per kg over the usual bagge allowance my be -Despite the fact that you have already pre-booked and paid up to £30.00 for the privelidge of carriage????
If so I think thats completely outrageous, -especially as I dont travel with any other luggage, or even hand luggage & my Dakine bag fully loaded (inc. 2 boards, bindings, and clothing for a week) weighs no more than 35kg
Can anyone enlighten me please?? |
You're 'friend' has probably got the wrong end of the stick
| beanie1 wrote: |
| boardstupid, there is an absolute limit for H&S reasons of 32kg sfor bag. Over that and you won't be paying excess, you'll be taking stuff out of it! |
Beanie1 is spot on - over 32kg and you're leaving it behind. BUT under 32kg and you'll be ok, provided you check what you're airline allows/permits and pay the extra for 'sporting equipment'. I have recently travelled with Ryanair, Sleazyjet x2 trips and some charter flight or other. Having paid the premium for ski equipment I stuff everything into my phat wheelie board bag and hit the scales around 28kg.
No issues or extra costs..
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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the original poster states they are travelling with crystal. we too are going with them in jan and were concerned about the boots in hand luggage issue. So i emailed the airline (thomsonfly) to ask them their policy. I had a very mice lady from customer services call me and said it was fine to take them on as hand lugage as long as they were within the stated size and weight limits (they are, i checked before i contacted them). I then said that this was great but i need something in writing as i had an issue last year at the same airport whereby the security staff would not let me thought as they were convinced the airline woudl not let me on with ski boots in my hand luggage (not true as i checked with the cabin crew). within 10 mins i had an email in my inbox stating that travelling with ski boots in hand luggage was ok on thomson fly . the "proof is in the pudding" and i will report back after our trip. I also contacted the airport direct and had a call from "servisair" the ground baggage handlers who said it was down to the airline. as i have it in writing i am in a strong position to argue my case - i plan to allow a little extra time to "negotiate" at check in and security !!!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| backhojo wrote: |
| the original poster states they are travelling with crystal. we too are going with them in jan and were concerned about the boots in hand luggage issue. So i emailed the airline (thomsonfly) to ask them their policy. I had a very mice lady from customer services call me and said it was fine to take them on as hand lugage as long as they were within the stated size and weight limits (they are, i checked before i contacted them). I then said that this was great but i need something in writing as i had an issue last year at the same airport whereby the security staff would not let me thought as they were convinced the airline woudl not let me on with ski boots in my hand luggage (not true as i checked with the cabin crew). within 10 mins i had an email in my inbox stating that travelling with ski boots in hand luggage was ok on thomson fly . the "proof is in the pudding" and i will report back after our trip. I also contacted the airport direct and had a call from "servisair" the ground baggage handlers who said it was down to the airline. as i have it in writing i am in a strong position to argue my case - i plan to allow a little extra time to "negotiate" at check in and security !!! |
Good Luck!!
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You know it makes sense.
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We just tried to book our board bags on with the airline, at a cost of £17.50 per bag. We were told as we had booked through a tour operator, we would have to book it through them, as a cost of £30.00 per bag ...
-Robbing barstewards!!!!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Sorry to bring this up again....
Bertie you said...
Beanie1 is spot on - over 32kg and you're leaving it behind. BUT under 32kg and you'll be ok, provided you check what you're airline allows/permits and pay the extra for 'sporting equipment'. I have recently travelled with Ryanair, Sleazyjet x2 trips and some charter flight or other. Having paid the premium for ski equipment I stuff everything into my phat wheelie board bag and hit the scales around 28kg.
We have paid 31.00 for our `sporting equipment` thru Total Ski
I have just received my E-tickets and its states I have 20kg baggage allowance PLUS ski carriage.
I checked on the Jet2 website and yes 32kg is the max.
Our bags weigh under 25-30 kg .
I phoned Jet 2 to confirm this allowed my WHEELIE GIG SNOWBOARD BAG, and they stated that yes, but thats all were allowed to put in it, c/w bindings and boots. Clothing, toilettries will have to travel in our suitcase. Excess baggage will be charged at £6.00/kilo . Tough poo-poo baby, or words to that effect. Write to our complaint dept etc etc etc...
Am I going mad???
a) Ive never paid excess baggage on any snow hol, in fact the oversize/ sporting equipment doesnt even get weighed,I HAS BEEN PRE BOOKED AND PAID FOR & it gets tagged at check in and sent off to the oversize section...!!
b) I dont take a suitcase, or hand luggage. I dont need an extra 20 kilos of bags to drag around!!!
c)I am way under the 50kg total allowance yet they want to charge me an excess!!!???? Cheeky sods!!!!!!!!!! 
Can anyone tell me if they have been ....
1) Weighed, and had to pay extra??
2) Told at airport they cannot carry all their kit and clothing in their wheelie bag?
3) Thrown a wobbly, knocked out ski rep, emptied contents of bag onto terminal floor and renamed it a `body bag`?
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Poster: A snowHead
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boardstupid, there are loads of threads about this and the bottom line is there is no consistency. Folk have been weighed & have had to pay extra, have had ski bags checked for contents and any other permutation you can think of.
the bottom line is when you book sports equipment, then that is what you paid to have carried. I really don;t see why people would expect the airline (a commercial business) to have any other attitude than you have stated, that is that the sporting equipment bag must only contain sporting equipment.
Now, having said that it seems that most folk here do cram as much as possible into the sports equipment bag and get away with it. I have never had my bag checked for contents but I have had it weighed and it has been under, but then again I get free carriage cos I fly BA or Swiss usually. The next trip will be with Monarch, for which I have paid £31 for skis & boots and thats what will be in the bags.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've been with Thomsonfly the past two trips. Bag & ski boots were weighed and went in the hold (11kg), skis were not weighed and got booked in separately and cost £15 extra. I don't begrudge paying this as it is levied by the airport handling company for loading/unloading special baggage by hand separately. I don't think any of the carriers make a profit from this, except possibly Ryanair who supplement their low flight prices by charging separately for baggage...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Shouldnt this be>> What is best Airline in Europe for carrying skis?
Swiss without a doubt. Swiss are relatively cheap compared to all the carriers. €150-200 round trip Amsterdam- Zurich half that price to Basel.
No charges for:
Skis or boots
Snack
Wine
Beer
Coffee
Tea
Chocolate
Hold luggage is 20Kg but 22- 23Kg no problem.
If your skiing in Switzerland for a small charge (free with certain frequent flyer cards) they even drop your bags off at the resort. Check them in Amsterdam next time you see your bags is Wengen, St Moritz etc !!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Here's our recent experience. We booked a holiday through Ski McNeill (sister to Directski.com) and pre-booked the ski carriage (a bargain at £15 for both ways). We were flying out on the 27th Dec and the carrier was Flybe. On the tuesday before christmas we got a call from the TO to say we could no longer take our skis on board. Flybe only had room for 10 pairs and there were 19 pre-booked so the last 9 on were the last 9 off. Needless to say I was very unhappy with this but there was nothing I could do.
At the airport we watched in envy as one or two people booked on their gear. Our flight then got delayed by 30 mins at a time but we eventually boarded 3hrs late. When we got on the crappy twin propellor jobby the captain apologised and said there had been a probelm with teh weight and they had to redistribute it to stay under the maxium. (not sure how that works - it still weighs the same wherever you put it!). We were at the front of the aircraft and we heard the stewards talking saying that the catering had been taken off at one point but they had managed to get it back on. It all sounded very fishy. Needless to say that when we arrived at Salzburg there were no skis or boards - Not one !
They had unloaded them but didn't bother to tell us. The poor people were waiting for their gear for an hour and then had to fill in forms, we were waiting on the bus for them ! The skis eventually arrived in time for their 3rd days skiing.
To cap it all, we got up early on the sunday (having arrived at midnight) and got to the ski hire shop as it opened. My OH had actually rung the shop a few days earlier to reserve a board but he didn't mention this at first and just asked for his size. There was nothing. I had a choice of 2 pairs of skis. A very heavy pair or some light rossis which were 4 cm shorter than my own K2 Burnin luvs.
We're now seeing if we can get the money for our ski hire back.
The point is though - if you are going to take skiers to a ski resort then surely the plane should be capable of carrying the skiers and their equipment ! 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Regarding hand carrying ski boots, I've carried boots many times through LHR without a problem. Just depends on the individual airport security regime. Of course the airlines can also choose to ban them on the plane at their discretion, so always check both airline and airport security restrictions first.
Stuffing loads of extra gear into ski bags is a bit of a risk and I would suggest having no skis in your ski bag and cramming it full of other stuff instead is a really bad idea.
Finally, why do people need to eat or drink on a 2 hour flight? I actually prefer the cheapo airline policy of OPTIONAL payment through the nose for food & drink bought on the plane v COMPULSORY payment through the nose by proper airlines. Why can't BA etc have a food/drink opt out discount? I'd go for it every time on short haul flights.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Jan
you were truly unlucky. Flybe is unusual in that they use turbo-prop aircraft (did you fly from Norwich, by any chance). I did a trip to Verbier with them - was most surprised to see a plan with propellors on it... but then understood why our TO had said 'you _will_ need to pre-book skis'. Ours made it on - but more by luck than judgement.
as for weight distribution - yes, it _does_ matter where it is in a 'small' plane (ever tried balancing something long on your finger? it's all about centre of gravity. not that it helps the passengers much.
I think most airlines offer no guarantee of luggage carriage, irrespective of whether you've paid for it or not. We lost 3 days use of our skis over xmas in Utah, as Northworst had arbitrarily decided we could do without our ski bag. missing skis was a pain.... but missing most of my ski clothes, which had been packing out the skis in the ski bag, was much more of a pain.
So much for flying 'commercial' airlines.
good luck all!
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Hows about this then, ....
Since this mornings rant, I have been on the phone to our agents Iglu.
Rather than chance it, and get weighed in at approx 10 kg of excess baggeage between us, -thats possibly £60 each way!!....
...I suggested we take a small suitcase to carry all our clothes, as they are not allowed to go in the wheelie bags (stupid idea, coz thats what theyre designed for!! - but hey)
This saves us paying any excess baggage. Correct? ......-Yarp!
However, when I said all thats left in my wheelie bag now, is my boards, bindings and boots, they said board S ??... I said yes Im taking two, and my missus is taking one.
`Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh no they said, you will have to pay for TWO SKI CARRIAGE PAYMENTS, as they are two separate pieces of equipment.`
YOURE HAVING A FCUKIN LARF AINT YOU??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
THE CONVERSATION ENDED THERE.
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uktrailmonster,
When I flew BA in early December I didn't get a "free" meal. I did get a very generous luggage allowance and very pleasant treatment from all of their staff.
I was even happier with my choice when I learned that passengers on the flight I had "cancelled" had had problems when their airline refused to carry their skis on their flight.
The BA fare was even cheaper than the "budget" airlines' fares.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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welshflyer, Oh yeah, don't get me wrong. I much prefer BA to the budgets, it's worth it just to avoid the chavs. But it would be nice if the meals were an optional extra.
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hamilton, Manchester
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
boardstupid, there are loads of threads about this and the bottom line is there is no consistency. Folk have been weighed & have had to pay extra, have had ski bags checked for contents and any other permutation you can think of.
the bottom line is when you book sports equipment, then that is what you paid to have carried. I really don;t see why people would expect the airline (a commercial business) to have any other attitude than you have stated, that is that the sporting equipment bag must only contain sporting equipment.
Now, having said that it seems that most folk here do cram as much as possible into the sports equipment bag and get away with it. I have never had my bag checked for contents but I have had it weighed and it has been under, but then again I get free carriage cos I fly BA or Swiss usually. The next trip will be with Monarch, for which I have paid £31 for skis & boots and thats what will be in the bags. |
Just for discussion sake, its probably arguable that ski jackets and ski pants are considered sports equipment. If that's the case, shouldn't airlines permit them to be in the ski bag if you've paid for sporting equipment.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Teckie, Most airlines specify what items are considered "sports equipment" so there isn't much room for argument. IME you can stash a few other things with your skis providing you don't go over the top.
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| Teckie wrote: |
| Just for discussion sake, its probably arguable that ski jackets and ski pants are considered sports equipment. If that's the case, shouldn't airlines permit them to be in the ski bag if you've paid for sporting equipment. |
Nope, one of the coolest sights I ever saw was a guy in Breckenrideg skiing in jeans, a duster coat and a cowboy hat - Yee - Haa. 
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You know it makes sense.
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I always put ski clothes in my ski bag - not so much to get away with extra luggage, though that can be useful on long trips, but rather to try and protect my darlings when they're thrown around by some Neanderthal half-wit baggage handler!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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flowa, D'ya think my black cowboy hat would go with my black Spyder gear?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Teckie, BA is consistent. Having flown with them several times over the last two years, I have always crammed my ski bag full of clothes (as well as skis), boot bag similar. Couple of weeks ago my suitcase was > 23K by a fair margin.
Two bags in the cabin and as many bottles of wine / beer as you can drink.
Never had a problem at all.
BA Plug over
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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US Airways are good for water-skiing 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I flew Globespan this winter.
I paid all the extra charges and happy to do so as I like my own equipment on holiday.
I weighed my bag and it was 15.5kg (20kg limit) so no problem no need to load the ski bag up!!
When I checked in I did not realise that Globespan weigh your hand baggage with the main baggage, unfortunately I was travelling with camera, laptop and book etc which I was surprised put me over the limit.
I was told that I would have to pay for excess baggage, I said that I have already paid for sports equipment and that most of it was in my main bag and that I would put this in my ski bag.
They then told me that under airport regulations I was not allowed to do this at check in. I asked to have a copy of these regulations that we are all supposed to know about, then the check in assistant got aggressive and said that I had to pay otherwise I would not get on the flight!
I asked for a receipt for this extortion! but was refused.
It is like the check in was running a fraud scheme as I still have not found regulations to say that I cannot touch my bag once they are on the weigh in scales at check in. They wouldn't even let me take my ski jacket out to wear it!
In the end my flight cost £45 but my bags that accompanied me cost £63.
I have since then flew British Airways with exactly the same bags and and it was no hassle. About the same price, but from now on I would rather pay more than travel with these money grabbing delinquents.
My advice IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE ROBBED AT CHECK IN DO NOT FLY GLOBESPAN!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I always wrap clothes around my skis to protect them and have never had a problem with this. The bag is usually approx 11kg.
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Southampton to Zurich or Geneva..............go with www.blueislands.com
With no credit card charges, no extra baggage charges (including Skis) and no hidden extras, the benefits of travelling Blue Islands bring a truly welcome difference to regional air travel.
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| Quote: |
My advice IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE ROBBED AT CHECK IN DO NOT FLY GLOBESPAN!!
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Or read the T&Cs and don't take more luggage than they allow?
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FAQ
, thanks penny's dropped 
I got an email today from the agent I've booked through saying that ski carriage is free on ThomsonFly and asking me to take my boots in my hand luggage. I think I'd better talk to her again 
