 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
I am flying BA from LHR Terminal 5 to Milan at the end of March for a trip to the Dolomites.
I have been told that I can take my own skis on the trip but at a cost ! Apparently payment is made at the airport. I have only ever flown with skis from LGW before so when I turn up at the check in desk clutching my trusty planks under my arm how do I go about paying for them - will they take payment at the check in desk or am I going to be sent on some wild goose chase to another desk on the other side of the building where the payment can be taken?
Depending on how much hassle this is going to be will determine whether the planks make the trip or not or whether I throw myself at the mercy of the local ski hire shop in resort !!
Regards to all
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Planks go on as standard hold luggage with BA, 23kg per bag. If you have boots separately they are another bag!
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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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I think I get one hold bag up to 23kg in weight but if I want to take my skis I have to in essence pay for another hold bag up to 23kg in weight. If I take the bindings off (and carry them in my main hold bag) I can get two or more sets in one double ski bag and still come under the 23kg weight limit on the extra bag. Can I pay for the skis at check in or does payment have to be made somewhere else (not sure I am going to have the option to pay online).
Thanks
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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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Excess baggage with BA is usually cheaper if done in advance.
I assume you didn't book directly with BA and have got the info. from a tour op ?
Can you log in to BA.com with your BA booking reference, if not call BA.
That way you should be able to pre-book at the discounted rate.
However, I've always taken my snowboard bag as my one piece of allocated BA luggage. Boots, helmet and skiwear I can get into hand luggage rucksack, though it's a bit of a game of tetris getting it to fit 
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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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BA Club Europe includes all the luggage you could wish - and is pleasant (provide the staff are not on strike). I understand that if you book Club Europe outbound, and come back steerage, you are still entitled to the Club Europe baggage allowance both ways - but check before you book.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ski bag can be the main bag - pack what you can in with skis. Then boots etc into a suitcase which fits their hand baggage criteria and a 2nd smaller hand bag - again , check sizing but weight allowance is good.
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@achilles, no need to check...that is true. I do it regularly. 3 times so far this season
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@Griggs, if you're taking two or more sets of skiis then take a look at booking or upgrading to Club seats. The checked luggage allowance in club is increased to two bags with max weight of 32kg each.
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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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That's expensive. I really don't understand why one would pay £120 per trip (France) for their skis (or £165 for board) to be taken from storage to resort and back, on top of the £23 per year subscription. Even if you have to pay excess baggage at 30 quid each way (I've never paid excess luggage for my board, it always goes as my prime bag, I've even done that on Easyjet) that means you are paying £60 for the service (ignoring the annual membership fee) which is expensive.
Also if you decide for example on a driving trip, your skis are off in storage so you still have to pay again to get them delivered. If you ding your board/ski's and need repair, you are tied to getting them done by them (assuming you haven't time to do it in resort) unless you pay another courier fee to get them home again, so they have an effective monopoly on your repair quote.
Plus having waited in for couriers and deliveries on numerous occasions the thought of hoping the courier will turn up on my arrival day in resort at the right time would drive me mad !
Without wishing to diss a service, I'm sure it works for some people, but I just don't get it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Gazzza, I have done exactly this trip only 2 weeks ago with BA to Milan. I bought a large ski bag and stuffed all my clothes into it along with the skis and poles. It goes as normal hold luggage provided it's less than 190cm and less than 23kgs. Took my boots in a back pack as hand luggage, simples!
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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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Agree with others above, I just take a snowboard bag as my one piece of hold luggage and put my skis, clothes, etc in there. No charge. Smaller cabin suitcase or bag for boots and things. Small handbag for essentials. No need to pay extra, ski carriage this way is free and no need to declare this until the airport. Check in as usual but need to take ski bag to oversized luggage. Just check it's not over 23kg (mine never is!).
If you really want to take a second bag, then you pay whatever the going rate is. Definitely cheaper to book this via BA in advance, don't wait til the airport.
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Thank you so much for all the replies. What large ski bag do you recommend ?
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You know it makes sense.
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@Griggs, if you want cheap Sportsdirect sell a wheeled single ski bag that you will easily get 23kg of stuff into. It won't last forever, indeed after two seasons mine has been well battered but still works fine, but they are dirt cheap. http://www.sportsdirect.com/nevica-elite-wheel-bag-407024?colcode=40702403
I took that, plus boots in my big hand luggage, also note BA allow you to take a handbag/laptop bag in your hand luggage, so you can really get a whole lot of stuff in (my ski trousers, thermals, and anything vaguely heavy) the ski bag with other clothes in boot bag, and the basic bits you need for travel in the small hand luggage bag.
I can't imagine needing 2 x 23kg bags for a ski trip, unless you have the allowance anyway with the upgraded tickets and want to carry your skis separately in a small ski bag, but carrying that lot through an airport is going to be a pain.
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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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I use a large Dakine 190cm roller bag. Only used it once and stuffed everything in there except for one boot and a jacket in the take on bag. Have a 'man bag' I use for documents, headphones etc.
Hate to say it but the bag weighed 31kg and almost broke me carrying up stairs in the chalet. Saying that most of you do not take pretty heavy avalanche airbags, spades etc. I over do the clothes a bit too. Sure if I did not take the avi bag I could share it out better into a BA sized carry on and manage 23kg. Lucky that trip was in BA Business Class (do you not love Avios!).
Taking both sets of skis on FlyMAYBe in a fortnight hoping for some powder for the fatboys. Alone they are 15kg in the bag. Have purchased extra allowance.
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Poster: A snowHead
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A timely thread as we are heading out with BA at Easter and intend taking skis for nearly the whole family in one ski bag. None of this one pair per bag nonsense.
Plus the extra bit of hand luggage, the allowance for children's strollers and car seats in addition to the checked bag, makes it easier to avoid the extortionate car rental companies charges for children's car seats at the other end.
I found the baggage t&cs refreshingly clear on the BA website (and indeed SAS when looking at their flights) when compared to some out there.
But guess I end up paying for the privilege in the end.
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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 thought I had the solution to get around paying ski carriage by using the 'pack everything is one big bag' solution. Problem us I'm a 5 foot 1 female ( it shouldn't matter but it does) and dragging this bag around Europe for nearly 3 weeks by plane, train and bus has been a pretty big hassle.
Had to laugh when I was standing behind my bag on the train to a Milan airport his afternoon. All anyone in front of me would have seen would have been my huge ski bag with a small pair of arms wrapped around it 
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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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@Raven, I have the same problem!
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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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@Raven, @Hurtle, i did too, although 5ft 4. I sold it after the first outing
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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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Hi All
Going to invest in a Dakine fall Line Double ski bag and pack everything in there. Ski boots can go in my son's bag as he never fills it up to be anywhere near the weight limit.
This should get round the issue of huge expense to take my own skis and make everything quite manageable. In terms of the Dakine bag - 175cm or 190cm best? Don't want it to sag too much when being pulled along. Skis are 175cm long btw.
Regards
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Griggs, I have the 175 Dakine fall Line and have modified the bag so that I can strap my skis in with Velcro ski ties. The bottom half of the bag has plastic base which you can carefully drill and cut slots in. This allows narrow ski ties to be threaded through to hold the skis firm. I lay my skis flat, side by side, and use old ski socks or the wife's old thick tights to protect the ski bases. Not only does this hold the skis safely but keeps the bag more rigid. I also found that rolling clothes up and held with elastic bands works well as there are no partitions in the bag. Going to investigate putting more Velcro patches next week so as to stop things gravitating to one end.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 15-02-17 23:26; edited 1 time in total
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I lay my skis flat, side by side, and use old ski socks or the wife's old thick tights to protest the ski bases.
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This is what I do but use my snow boots at either end. Plenty strong enough for when the baggage handlers throw the bag down a flight of stairs. 
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Just to add my halfpennys worth. Although many people on here have said you can just take your ski-bag as main luggage and not pay extra I've just spoken to Easyjet and they said you will now be charged extra at the airport and more than if you had done it online. However if you change it from "hold" luggage to "sports" luggage you will only pay £35 but you have to phone them. Obviously it makes no difference to the aircraft payload but maybe fractionally more handling. So they still manage to get some more money out of you but I didn't want to take the chance and end up paying more at the airport. As side thought, I paid £60 extra last year for a ski-bag with hold luggage through Crystal. Is this the same price if I had booked it direct with SleazyJet?
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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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| Quote: |
Just to add my halfpennys worth. Although many people on here have said you can just take your ski-bag as main luggage and not pay extra I've just spoken to Easyjet and they said you will now be charged extra at the airport and more than if you had done it online.
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That was specifically for BA wasn't it?
BA say their is an additional charge for ski carriage, but currently they waive it, so in reality you can use yous ski-bag as main luggage.
Easy Jet categorically state you have to pay for ski carriage.
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Indeed, the original poster was referring to a BA flight.
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FAQ
