British Airways/Club med ski boots

A snowHead

Hi all,

I've been looking up past posts about BA flights. We have are a group travelling gatwick to Cervinia in Feb, on BA on a Club Med holiday.

Our booking agent is charging £85 per ski bag (return) if we have more than 1 check in bag. So we've looked at sharing a case between 2, and 2 pairs of skis in a bag to keep costs down. I asked for confirmation that we could take our ski boots in carry on bags, to help save space. Today they came back to say

"Club Med have informed me that unfortunately Ski Boots are not allowed to be taken as hand luggage."

It seems they are determined to get us to pay for a ski bag, as having 2 pairs of boots in the main case will take up all of the space.

Anyone got any experience with BA?

Thanks

A snowHead

http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/baggage-essentials/sporting-goods-and-musical-instruments

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Hi Kitenski,

It's very ambiguous about boots:

We will accept ski and snowboard equipment up to 190cm (75in) in length provided it is packed correctly.

Please ensure that you:

pack your skis and snowboards in a recognised ski or snowboard bag
pack your ski poles with your skis
pack your boots separately from your skis or snowboard - either within your free allowance or in another bag (any bags over your free allowance are subject to additional charges)

Doesn't say, "sorry you can't bring your boots in hand baggage"

I think I'll email ba, and see if there is an official line on it, but difficult if Club med are saying no!

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Ive ALWAYS taken ski boots on as hand luggage in one of these: http://www.lange-boots.com/GB/GB/basic-duo_LKFB108_product_equipment.html - Fits hand luggage size and can squeeze a few extra bits in too (stuff socks into boots, fit in ipad, a light jacket etc)

with skis, I have a double sportube - fit 2 skis and some extra bits in - keep it below the weight (22kg I think) and there is no problem - of course your skis need padding (ie clothes) to protect them wink

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

We had a similar issue returning from Winter Park in Feb where BA refused to load the boot bags as hold luggage. They said we could take them through as hand luggage instead which was annoying in two ways.

1/ BA in Manchester let us put them on FOC as hold luggage.
2/ On our return trip I'd source some tasty BBQ sauces for ribs etc and stashed them in the boots so they wouldn't be damaged in transit. $30 of sauces had to be left in a bin.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Oh, no, you lost your sauces! I once forgot that my holiday hip flask was in my backpack coming home, and had some Baileys left in it. You should have seen customs face when I chugged the lot to empty it!!

Just spoken to BA on the phone. First of all he said 'yes you can put the boots in your hand luggage" then he change his mind and said we couldn't!

The issue is I've advised all our group of 16 to do this (after I read up on here about 6 months ago), so don't want to be the one to cause mayhem at check in, and result in charges for us all to end up havign to check them in!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I flew BA last winter (to Canada, first flight was a domestic Manchester to London, only check in was in Manchester):
- boots in hand luggage, stuffed with socks and underwear, and some other basic clothes fitted in there too. Laptop and a book in a separate small laptop bag.
- 2 pairs of skis, bindings, poles, helmet, all other clothes, and toiletries in a Thule roller ski bag. Came to under 23kg, even though I'd packed for a 2 week trip.

Not a single problem anywhere. (Well, apart from my big ski bag not showing up for 2 days... I was very grateful then that I had my ski boots and basic clothes in my hand luggage with me!)

Club Med won't be at the BA checkin desk, or airport security - so it doesn't matter what they say, it's the BA and airport rules that apply (and BA won't be checking the contents of your hand luggage at the desk - only airport security check that).

After all it is free

That's reassuring thanks fixx - BA themselves don't seem to know the rules!

I shall warn everyone it's at their own risk.

Btw I have, and love, these: http://www.snokart.com/products/boot-airliner

They were recommended on another thread on here, and have been brilliant for protecting my boots, but still getting them easily in hand luggage, plus generally carrying them around too.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I have flown with my Atomic boot bag stuffed full of boots, socks, gloves, baselayers etc. as hand luggage several times and never been stopped or questioned about it once. In my experience all airlines have no idea on their policy and as such I think it's best if you just carry on as normal and don't even mention the contents of your hand luggage unless asked (other than the no knives, sharp pointy thing, guns etc.). Or easier still avoid check in staff altogether and check in online and then use the bag drop facility for skis etc. That way the only people who see that you have ski boots in hand luggage are the security staff at the x-ray machines who won't care at all

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Club Med have f all to do with determining what you take as hand luggage. I've flown many times with BA with boots in hand luggage. I'd go as far to say anyone who doesn't is risking a crap trip if luggage is delayed/lost. You can rent skis, buy new pants etc but good fitting boots - priceless.

snow reports

No problems with BA and boots in hand luggage here either. Internal Manchester to Heathrow then Heathrow to Tokyo was last trip I did and no questions asked...

On BA - the winter LHR-Calgary flight is referred to as the CMH shuttle and is chock full of wealthy bankers in blue CMH million feet jackets all of whom will have their boots in hand luggage.

We found packing them in standard wheeled carry on cases worked very comfortably.

Who is going to check? The security agents don't care what each and every airline policy is...

You know it makes sense.

Thanks all, you are making me feel much better about it. I'm sure they are just trying to get us to add an extra bag each at £85. This holiday is more then we usually pay for our yearly trip, so we are all trying to keep the extras as low as possible! (and sharing a suitcase per room is a new thing to us, but making the most of that 23kg hand luggage)

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Did you book travel through Club Med?

I do that all the time and they automatically (caveat Flights from Manchester/Not BA) book me an extra bag for a "ski bag". In fact I could probably save money by getting them to change it as it's only one boot bag

A snowHead

We booked through Interactive Resorts, rather than direct with Club Med.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

BA don't care what's in your hand luggage so long as it's within their permitted dimensions and weight tolerances (and obviously contains nothing that breaches CAA restrictions)

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Great, I'll give everyone a link to this topic, so they can read up on it too!

Thanks all

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

When checking in I never show my ski boots, this is normally the airlines only opportunity to do something annoying/stupid.
I then string them round my neck and head off to security. When walking onto the plane I've occasionally been asked why I have ski boots round my neck/shoulders - I politely explain that I have strange feet and cannot use rental boots so cannot risk loosing my boots.
One or two friends have been challenged by staff when using this method - the solution, remove trainers/sandals/whatever, stuff them into hand luggage, put on ski boots and continue - one airline did try and say this was not allowed, simple remedy - ask to see where it says IN WRITING that this is not allowed - no airline/airport does Wink

You'll need to Register first of course.

Travelled with club med/ba last year and paid for ski carriage, and put our boots in a suitcase. After that trip we enjoyed so much were going back but making a change with the luggage.
Skis will be one of our hold baggage allowance with 1 suitcase, all our gear and clothes will be in here with the exception of boots and helmets with fit very nicely into a cabin sized hard shell case.
All sorted no extra charges no hassle.
Enjoy it.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Thanks Rocki, this will be our first Club med trip, really looking forward to it for a change, we usually go to catered chalets. Glad to hear you enjoyed it enough to do it again!

After all it is free

I've been on EasyJet flights with boots in hand luggage and not had a problem. If the pioneers of additional charges let me through then wouldn't have thought you'd actually have a problem with BA on the day. I also though that it's generally down to what the security at the airport say rather than the airline.

As @Idris, says the backstop is to wear them, can't recall seeing a set dress code for flying Very Happy

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I'll echo what everyone else is saying (I fly a lot with BA) - BA don't care about the contents of your bags as long as they are legal, and with hold baggage you can combine skis and clothes such that you don't need an extra bag.

Furthermore, at that time of year it's likely a weekend ski flight will be full, in which case BA usually ask for volunteers to check their hand baggage for free (this is done at the gate rather than checkin), in exchange for which they let you board first (a bit of an irrelevancy). I'd therefore plan to make maximum use of your two items of hand baggage - e.g. a rollaboard and a small backpack. I can easily do 10-day work trips without checking any bags.

Finally, if anyone in your group has a BA silver or gold card, they get an extra checked bag for free.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Thanks Snowdave, I'll ask if anyone else has a card, I'm only Blue level myself!

snow reports

I mainly travel with BA for ski trips. My hold bag is usually a large ski wheelie bag and I always take my ski boots in my hand luggage, along with a set of ski wear.

@philwig, ? I wasn't being classist... wink

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I have boot bag envy, NEEED this!!!:

http://youtube.com/v/IlSm7SIfB3I

A snowHead

Never hd a problem with boots as hand luggage provided the bag is hand luggage sized, most standard size wheelie bags will take a pair of boots (even large mens) plus lots of smaller items in and around the boots. Dont ask ahead just turn up, no looks in the hand bags at check in and security dont seem to have a problem with boots in bags, they just go through the x ray machines as normal.

A snowHead

@micheleperry, don't fret. I hauled my boots between Edinburgh and Stansted over a number of weeks and no-one batted an eye. I half expected Security to ask questions but they never did. Airlines are normally only interested in the size of your carry-on rather than the contents. I've taken hundreds of flights (I'm not exaggerating) over the years and have never once been asked by an airline to reveal the contents of my carry-on. There are the usual questions about knives, grenades, swords, guns, explosives, etc. NehNeh

but never once have I been asked if I'm carrying ski boots.

I used a standard trolley bag that conforms to the easyJet/BA size restrictions. As @FFIRMIN says you can get other stuff in with the boots. BA also give you another small bag as part of your cabin allowance.

The response from Club Med and BA was a classic CYA response i.e. it is easier for the CSR to say 'no' just in case there is an extremely remote possibility that it might not be permitted.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@micheleperry, as long as your hand luggage weighs less than 8kg and is within the stated size tolerances, why would you have a problem? My father in law has been known to wear ski boots as footwear to access the plane rather than pay additional charges.

The way I read BA's rules is that you can carry skis as part of hold luggage, but not if you check in another item for hold. Further, you have to carry boots in a second bag which if you want to put in the hold you will be charged.

Anecdotally, I have found sleazy jet flights to Basel, Milan and Munich in the last month where the ski carriage charges have been almost 50% higher than the seat prices, but I doubt they would let me rest the skis on the seat next to me.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@micheleperry, as long as your hand luggage weighs less than 8kg and is within the stated size tolerances, why would you have a problem? My father in law has been known to wear ski boots as footwear to access the plane rather than pay additional charges.

The way I read BA's rules is that you can carry skis as part of hold luggage, but not if you check in another item for hold. Further, you have to carry boots in a second bag which if you want to put in the hold you will be charged.

Anecdotally, I have found sleazy jet flights to Basel, Milan and Munich in the last month where the ski carriage charges have been almost 50% higher than the seat prices, but I doubt they would let me rest the skis on the seat next to me.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@micheleperry, if anyone is worried, just tell them not to put them in a boot bag. I travel with my ski boots in a ryanair compatible wheely suitcase as hand luggage. Only security know what's inside, and they definitely don't care about ski boots.

You'll need to Register first of course.

@Snowsartre, where do you get 8kg from? BA effectively don't ha ve a limit.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Gaza, they do have a limit, 23kg!!

http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/baggage-essentials/hand-baggage-allowances

After all it is free

@kitenski, yup. Getting 23kg in hand luggage takes some doing hence why U said 'effectively' there was no limit. Very Happy

Help!!

British Airways/Club med ski boots

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste