 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm thinking of buying my own skis soonish, the price of flying with an extra bag is putting me off a little though.
£25-£30 each way -.-
So I was wondering if many people fly with just 1 large ski bag and pack there clothes into that to avoid extra baggage charges? Anyone know if Easyjet, Jet2 are ok with that?
On a side note is it a good idea to buy skis while at the resort or do the French tend to rip off foreigners a little?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Jet2 often do offers for free ski carriage. Sleazyjet and other airlines often stipulate that you can't put anything in a ski bag except one pair of skis - however we usually cram as much stuff in there as possible. It's a bit risky though, they sometimes check.
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On a side note is it a good idea to buy skis while at the resort or do the French tend to rip off foreigners a little?
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I suspect resort shop prices for hardware might be higher for everyone, not just the english. 
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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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Daishan, Have a look at the easyjet website which talks about weights. http://support.easyjet.com/faq/en/request.do?view()=c{0fa4ed10-cedc-11e2-ef6e-000000000000}
Not sure if the link I have posted will work, but it goes through senarios of having one sport bag with no other bags etc. Hope that helps a bit
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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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Thx for the quick replies, I'd somehow managed to skim over the part where Easyjet let you take just 1 item of sports equipment and no other hold baggage.
I was mostly trying to work out if there's anything to stop me having a ski bag as my hold baggage without booking it in as sporting equipment. As far as I can tell there's only a weight limit on general hold baggage (no size restrictions) so assuming I could keep the weight down I could just pay for 1 normal bag?
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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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Daishan, I'd have thought you'd struggle to get skis, boots and a weeks kit under the single baggage allowance.
But, crack on with the scales and let us know. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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With easyjet, you pay for a bag, and get 20kg, and then you pay the sports supplement and get an additional 12kg. This means your one hold bag can weigh 32kg and you still get to carry a bag on board. I always travel like this when skiing.
I've found that skis are more expensive in resort and the best deals are here (unless you're going to the USA)
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Dirty Gibson, that was my point. In reality you're buying a bigger weight allowance.
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Daishan, Technically your plan should work - baggage is baggage and what's in it is none of their business (provided it's permitted by IATA etc). I think I managed to pull that one once by arguing it out with the check in desk (in the halcyon days of free hold baggage).
Practically however ask yourself how much you want to spend time arguing the odds with a computer says no desk harridan under threat of not taking your luggage or paying a ransom price supplement?
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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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Easyjet have a big notice telling you that you cannot take sports equipment such as skis as your normal checked in baggage and I am sure they will notice when you load them onto their scales. But why not put all your other stuff in your carry on bag - they allow huge carry on bags which are easily enough for me to pack for a weeks skiing (remember to wear the jacket)
Buying skis in the resort allows you to test them before buying. Most shops will allow you a free day's trial before purchase to make sure they suit you. The prices are the same for everyone whether you are French or any other nationality and typically, in my experience, significantly less expensive than the UK.
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Buying skis in resort also makes any returns problematic.
And if you shop around, you'll find the best deals are usually online and away from resorts.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I will be doing just that in a week to the uk and then back a week later, with said same ski bag, but with no skis in it.... I don't expect any problems
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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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| johnE wrote: |
| The prices are the same for everyone whether you are French or any other nationality and typically, in my experience, significantly less expensive than the UK. |
True and really? I've never found a Euro resort shop that sells at much lower than RRP (or standard selling price where RRP has clearly been created by JK Rowling) before April. Captive market economics etc. French people for instance frequently seem to shop down valley at Decathlon, Vieux Campeur etc.
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fatbob, It depends whether you consider Bourg st Maurice a resort or not, but my son bought a pair of green heads there last Christmas for about £250, about £150 less than the UK. Of course a lot depends on what is on offer at the time, but shopping around is shopping around in France or the UK.
A couple of years ago I bought a pair of skis in the UK and after a couple days I noticed that the bindings had not been put on correctly. I took them to a shop in Les Arcs, who confirmed that the bindings were incorrectly mounted but wouldn't touch them telling me to take them back to the UK for repair. So another reason to buy in the resort is that you can take them back if they are not correct and get them repaired.
Incidentally I find Decathlon very good at charging exactly the same price in pounds as euros instead of the normal mark up added to pound prices.
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You know it makes sense.
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| johnE wrote: |
| So another reason to buy in the resort is that you can take them back if they are not correct and get them repaired. |
Unless you find this out when you get home.
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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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Have looked at various Airlines see below , maybe we should have a forum detailing each airline & luggage rules for skiing!
Easyjet rules below , but can put boots & poles in with skiis but presumably nothing else ! though could pack skiibag with some stuff
& then use hand luggage for rest, so only pay for one hold bag
You pay for Baggage allowance
0 bags,1 sporting item • total allowance 1 item @ 32kg
• this item must be a genuine sporting good as defined
1 bag, 1 sporting item • total allowance 2 items @ 32kg total
• 1 item must be a genuine sporting good as defined
• you may distribute weight between items as desired
1bag, 2 sporting items • total allowance 3 items @ 44kg total
• 2 items must be a genuine sporting good as defined
• you may distribute weight between items as desired
British Airways rules say you can carry skiis in the one hold luggage bag , 23kg ,with rest of your gear except skiboots !
but can carry boots as hand luggage which is a sizable bag 56 x 45 x 25 & a handbag or laptop 45 x 36 x 20 with total weight limit of 23kg
Swissair is best as can carry skis & boots seperately for free as well as a paid for hold bag
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowxxx, good summary but swiss to GVA is using different rules
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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skimottaret,
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snowxxx, good summary but swiss to GVA is using different rules
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Please elaborate!
Flying on Swiss to GVA for the PSB and IOS Opener then returning same route.
Several (7+?) confirmed with Swiss for PSB so your comment/observation requires clarification please!
Is there something that I've missed?
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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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skimottaret,
No problems there, then - booked the bog-standard economy ticket!
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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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Daishan, get the skis, get the bag (with wheels!) then look for airlines that don't charge. An £88 return flight with EasyJet turns into £160 with luggage and skis, whereas for same route, similar times, BA is £118 because - at the moment - they don't charge for even bulky items: "Larger items of up to 190cm x 75cm x 65cm (75in x 29.5in x 25.5in) can be carried for an additional over-sized bag charge. (Currently, we waive this charge so you do not pay it.)" Must be under 23kg though. Of course this will all have changed by the time you get your gear! EJ is fine if you've hand luggage only, beyond that there's better deals to be had.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Tried to make clear with Swissair you have to make sure you have hold luggage or pay for hold luggage to get free ski carriage
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And avoid Flybe (and maybe some other airlines) from certain airports too. They have small planes on some routes and only take so many pairs of skis. Skis arriving 2 days late is an inconvenience, but you can get rental in resort. Full sized coffin bag turning up on Thursday lunchtime would be a major PITA.
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YES! This was a massive pain going to L2A and no ski bag 
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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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Just wondering which train would be best from Belfast then ?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| snowxxx wrote: |
Have looked at various Airlines see below , maybe we should have a forum detailing each airline & luggage rules for skiing!
Easyjet rules below , but can put boots & poles in with skiis but presumably nothing else ! though could pack skiibag with some stuff
& then use hand luggage for rest, so only pay for one hold bag
You pay for Baggage allowance
0 bags,1 sporting item • total allowance 1 item @ 32kg
• this item must be a genuine sporting good as defined
1 bag, 1 sporting item • total allowance 2 items @ 32kg total
• 1 item must be a genuine sporting good as defined
• you may distribute weight between items as desired
1bag, 2 sporting items • total allowance 3 items @ 44kg total
• 2 items must be a genuine sporting good as defined
• you may distribute weight between items as desired
British Airways rules say you can carry skiis in the one hold luggage bag , 23kg ,with rest of your gear except skiboots !
but can carry boots as hand luggage which is a sizable bag 56 x 45 x 25 & a handbag or laptop 45 x 36 x 20 with total weight limit of 23kg
Swissair is best as can carry skis & boots seperately for free as well as a paid for hold bag |
Never had any difficulty with a huge wheelie ski bag stuffed to brim with skis,for me and the kids, boots and anything else we need for me and the kids with Easyjet, Jet2 BA or Swiss. If anyone asks I'll happily argue all the clothes are sports gear. With Easyjet I just buy a couple of ski bags and we can get 2 sets of skis, a snowboard and all the other clobber for the week in them.
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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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We flew with easy jet ti Geneva a few years ago and they confirmed by phone and upon arrival at checkin that the ski package included your boots - even as a seperate bag (as I was going to carry them on as hand luggage). Both bags arrived ok, no probs and the same on the return flight. It would be worth checking although things may have changed....
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How much kit are you taking???? I had no problems getting my skis, boots, wash bag and various bits of clothing in a ski bag weighing under 23kgs.... Rest of clothes in a hand baggage sized wheelie as carry on... But then I always travel BA so this works for me!
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