Flight conundrum

A snowHead

Hopefully someone can bring some sense to my frazzled brain!

I have flown EasyJet for my last few ski trips, and have always taken my boot bag as hand luggage. But EasyJet have changed their luggage rules, and a boot bag definitely wouldn't fit their new dimensions. The same seems to be true of Ryanair. It's making flight booking more challenging than in previous years!

I have flight options for either
BA (23kg case plus good size cabin bag, big enough for boots)
Easyjet (23kg case plus under-seat bag - not big enough for boots)
Ryanair (20kg case plus under-seat bag - not big enough for boots)

So, unless we fly BA, boots will need to go in cases, but we've always managed to fill our cases before, so the thought of having to put boots in cases makes me nervous! And although the BA flight is cheapest, we'd need a hotel the night before, making it a fair bit more expensive.

So can anyone reassure me that its perfectly possible to ski with a 20kg allowance when that has to include boots??!

A snowHead

What do your boots weigh? 6kg tops I'd guess so 13kg should be easy to cope with for clothes assuming a 1 kg case.

It's a bit more marginal with boots and skis and airbag, shovel etc in a roller ski bag but can be done within 23kg IME.

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

20kg is doable with boots.

If you book extra legroom or up front seats with easyjet you get a second larger cabin bag.

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Are you simply taking more gear than you need? How much comes back each year unused, or only used once for a couple of hours?

Are you taking skis? stuff as much as you can in the ski bag up to max weight.

If you're not taking skis, then it should easily be possible.
I can get skis, boots, and gear for 2 weeks into 23kg (BA). This is usually split between ski bag (skis and clothing) and a holdall (boots+ some gear) as hand luggage, which I "volunteer" to go in the hold. Just take out a small rucksack, with cameras etc, as hand luggage.

Am I right in thinking EJ now have a weight limit for hand luggage as well as size limit?

Maybe split the boots between the case and the hand luggage?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Why would you take your boot bag as hand luggage? Easy Jet have always (in my experience) allowed 2 items in sports luggage: 1 x ski bag and 1 x boot bag.

Unless you’re not taking skis and you mean you put your boots in your hand luggage?! I which case, the old hand luggage allowance is still available but at a charge of about £15.

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@Timmycb5, I always take my boots as hand luggage. I have as a normal allowance on my preferred airline 2x 32kg plus 2 cabin bags so not based on saving money.

The reason I take them on board is if they loose my luggage I can always hire skis. But taking my boots onboard mean I know I will have my properly fitted boots to wear.

If my boots are in the hold and they loose them then I need to arrange a boot fitting.

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

I put them in the hold on the way back.

After all it is free

@Timmycb5, stowed luggage gets lost/delayed with some frequency; carried-on bags obviously do not. So in that worst-case scenario, which I've endured several times over the years, at least I have boots that fit my weird feet, a big deal. Unfortunately my boots are also big, and as carry-on bag allowances have shrunk, I can't bring them on board any longer. But if one can, one should.

We're not taking skis, just boots. We've always taken our boot bags as hand luggage. We never seem to have excess clothes - we take minimal 'normal' clothes, and have always worn everything we take to ski in.

I hadn't spotted the option to upgrade hand luggage - I'll have another look.

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@Scooter in Seattle, @WoottonBecs,

I use a Rab 50L kit bag with boots and basics. Angle the boots and this fits in hand luggage sizes. Happy

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boots will fit as hand luggage under the new rules, but you will only get your boots in & whatever you can stuff inside the boots!
Maximum size 45 x 36 x 20 cm for carry on.
Burton Annex fits within that limit
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08BLGR6WQ/?tag=amz07b-21
& I can easily get my boots in... but will have to clip my helmet outside!

It is really to stop all those with silly size carry-on's that are clearly bigger than old baggage rules.
I always 'offered' to check my hand luggage though.

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Fair point about lost luggage. Hadn’t considered that.

Looks like they’ve changed again. You need to get either an extra leg room seat (up the front), be an easy jet card holder or have a flexible plus ticket to get the large hand luggage allowance now

Look at the cost/benefit of booking upfront seats on Easyjet which will entitle you to take a larger carry on bag on board. Add this cost to your Easyjet flight then compare the total to the cost of the BA flight. I am actually a fan of this new rule (I know it it controversial!) as it ensures only those who actually need to take a larger back on board are able to do so, avoiding the bun fight for locker space and what had become frequent delays caused by having to off-load hand baggage.

As an additional benefit, you get access to dedicated check-in also if you have up-front seats. This is especially beneficial in Geneva where queues for check-in on peak Saturdays can be horrendous. Has never taken us more than 10 mins to check bags at Geneva doing this.

I have often managed a more business class experience on Easyjet for less than an economy BA flight by buying upfront seats and priority security. Hassle and stress free travel especially worth it with kids who can get fractious dealing with long queues/crowding.

You know it makes sense.

@zikomo ^+1 your point about the saturday queues at geneva. I used to have a plus card with easyjet when they cost much less and used to skip past the snake. same went for security. plus card are much more expensive now, probably as they have realised the value

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

I have always put my boots in my main case (stuff the boots with as much small stuff as possible) and generally come in under the 20kg limit for Crystal/Inghams.

You might have to re-think how much other bits/clothing you really need?

A snowHead

Similar to @Mr.Egg, is it not just worth spending c.£30 and getting a new ski boot bag that meets the requirements. Seems like a simpler and cheaper solution than having to only fly BA, or having to book an upgraded easy jet ticket every time.

This is my boot bag - technically it's 4cm too long according the website dimensions, but having just measured it with my boots in, it's actually flattens to 45cm with the boots in, so will be perfect.

https://www.theskierslounge.co.uk/luggage/pgr/lange-basic-duo-ski-boot-bag-with-backpack-straps__2439

A snowHead

I've also used a Samsonite 2 wheel roller that takes ski boots.

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

We always pack boots in the bag /hold luggage. All of ours are 100L soft bags, always comes in at 20kg or less, so no real stress.

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A trial pack is the way to go.

Pack your boots (stuffed with socks,etc) in your hold bag, then pack in "must have" order until it, and your permitted carry on bag are full. Now look at what's left and play the is it mor eimportant than something already in the bag, in which case swap them, and if not do you REALLY need it enough to pay for an extra bag...?

At a guess you'll find you don't and you've just been packing extra stuff in the past because you had the space.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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How strict are EasyJet in their new hand luggage policy?

I thought I would check my boot bag which is 49cm x 36 x 11cm

Given EasyJet allow 45 x 36 x 20 it is only 4cm out in the one dimension….?

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

@boarder2020,
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/travel-insurance/lost-luggage/

A few stats. As folks have suggested most seem to occur with multi leg journeys, not so much on point to point trips. So Heathrow appears bad but has many more transfer pax.

After all it is free

If not taking skis then it really comes down to weight as boots in reality when packed with socks / undercrackers / etc dont actually take up that much room.

but i suppose if your boots a big and heavy then its a problem, i use "alpine / backcountry" boots (basically a fancy way of saying, alpine boots with a walk mode) so they are a fair bit lighter than stock alpine boots.

23kg for hold bag including boots for a single week is easily doable, i regularly do 2 weeks with boots and will be around the 23kg mark.

I’ve bought three “easyjet max size” bags off amazon for about £15 each. They’re HUGE. I brought a giant stuffed lion (don’t ask) as well as a pair of ski boots back in September no bother. Just taken one to mallorca - 2x cycling helmets, cycling shoes, 5 days’ worth of cycling kit - again no bother. They do have a limited number of larger bags per flight though so book early.

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@WoottonBecs, as others have said here, a boot-bag such as this is the solution, as it fits under your seat. I have used it numerous times on Ryanair, EasyJet and BA etc. The boots sit side-by-side:

https://www.gravityprotection.co.uk/ski-race-boot-bags/rossignol-hero-dual-boot-bag.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtrSLBhCLARIsACh6Rmj9jdN9LXoeVnNNdrBPUw2W7PWeY2Xy_IjfqCS9VZ2eYMXTFg1NscUaAolwEALw_wcB

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@woottonbecs consider paying £10 each way with EasyJet for priority boarding, which gives you a bigger case in the cabin

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Same here. Was hoping to take the ski boots as the small personal bag on Ryanair next week though looks like it's too big. Got priority boarding so will fit boots in the little roller suitcase Smile

@WoottonBecs, in short yes. Have packed boots in case and got the weight fairly easily in the 20kg for a week trip. You do have to be ruthless about clothes you take. Do you really need a clean t-shirt every day? Wicking ones will dry overnight if you wash them out for example.

If your suitcase goes missing/is delayed you're not going to have the rest of your gear either...

You know it makes sense.

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

A snowHead

Gotcha. In that case, as I haven't flown since the rule change, I can't help.

My assumption has been that easyJet will have Ryanair style rigid basket things at the gate or check-in to verify sizings.

They need as much money coming in as possible after almost two years of disrupted business, and would expect them to therefore be enforcing this policy.

Ultimately, the decision is still entirely up to you and depends on how put out you'd be if you did have to pay extra at the gate to check the bag.

A snowHead

I’ve always just clipped my boots / helmet to a rucksack as hand baggage. Can swing around a bit but I’ve never had issues with it.

As others have mentioned, I’d rather keep my boots with me as they’re the last thing I’d want to get lost by baggage control.

Help!!

Flight conundrum

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