Just finalising some trip details and booking ski hire, with a discount code they have gone up 40% in the same shop we used last year - certain popular one n Val d'Isere.
Seems an excessive increase, I know prices of equipment/wages increased but seems like a lot!
Think we may bite the bullet and purchase this year.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
How much is the cost to put them on the plane? Always wondered whether this made is less cost-effective to buy skis.
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?
Where we're going this year (Sankt Gallenkirch) it's £170ish each for skis and boots for 8 days... So that's £340.
Not sure what it'd cost on the plane now as we're driving.
Cost-wise, my Mrs skis were 2nd hand Volkls, cost £120, boots end of line Head at the same. My skis were new, but previous year's model Line Blades - bargain at £400, and my boots another bargain Salomon at £110. Total £750. Edge and wax was around £40 iirc.
So if we use them for 3 years we're quids in.
As it is my wife's skis are now 5 years old and the boots 6. My boots are also 6, and the skis are 2 years old.
I flew once just before covid, and both sets of skis in 1 bag cost us £60.
£160 return with BA. I was quoted £280 for Val d'isere for 7 days hire so bought the extra bag on BA
I look at the same numbers differently: paying £120 over the cost of transporting skis gets me:
- a full quiver, I can change skis with the conditions
- up-to-date, well-serviced skis
- no servicing costs
- no initial outlay (or depreciation, or need to replace)
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@JayRo, I'm not that sort of skier that I need a quiver
My skis live in Austria and are used 5 or 6 weeks a year so are paid for with one seasons use and are serviced twice a year at a cost of £50. I brought them back in the car after my summer trip and will take them back in the car in January
After all it is free
After all it is free
@TopGooner, financially it depends on how you travel and with which airlines usually around the 100 quid return mark, but some airlines treat them as normal luggage so just included in the "premium economy" type ticket.
When I last checked skinhure, for the most, by the time you allow cost of transport, servicing kit (or paying someone to do it for you) etc. I don't think there was much benefit per trip, would certainly take a while to recoup ski and bag costs. Plus, if you're weak willed like me, you end up with several pairs of skis or looking at new ones.
As others have said, there are other benefits. E.g I know that I will have a ski I like and am familiar with. I can also take more than one pair, so different skis for different conditions.
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holidayloverxx wrote:
£160 return with BA. I was quoted £280 for Val d'isere for 7 days hire so bought the extra bag on BA
And that's assuming you need an extra hold bag and can't either get everything in your ski bag/get everything non-skis into your carry on bag and just politely ask a BA bag drop "Could I check my carry on bag in too?". The latter has always worked for me as ski flights are normally busy and full of people with lots of kit and one less person fighting for the overhead lockers is one less person who might need to be told "No room at the inn" and have their bag sent down to the hold at the gate. Certainly my plan for Saturday, en route to the PSB.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
I virtually always ski with other people and share a bag with two pairs of skis in it. Rental skis are pretty pricey nowadays
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
BA don't charge specifically for ski gear, unlike many other airlines, so as long as your ski bag is under the weight limit (23kg for economy, 32kg in business or with status) there's no extra fee to pay. But it does count as a bag, so in economy where you only get one bag included, you'd have to pay for a second bag (£55 e/w iirc) if you wanted to take a suitcase as well.
A way around this if there are 2 of you is to put both pairs of skis in the ski bag together, and then share a suitcase, that way no extra bags needed. BA don't actually care how many pairs of skis are in the ski bag, as long as it's under the weight limit. Though if the bag is lost/damaged I expect insurers would only pay out for one pair of skis per bag. Alternatively since BA also include a carry on, you can try to fit all your clothes/gear between your ski bag and carry on.
Sometimes though you can find that the difference between economy and business is less than or close to the price of adding a bag, in which case by booking that you can get the extra baggage allowance with a business class upgrade thrown in essentially for free.
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.
Mjit wrote:
holidayloverxx wrote:
£160 return with BA. I was quoted £280 for Val d'isere for 7 days hire so bought the extra bag on BA
And that's assuming you need an extra hold bag and can't either get everything in your ski bag/get everything non-skis into your carry on bag and just politely ask a BA bag drop "Could I check my carry on bag in too?". The latter has always worked for me as ski flights are normally busy and full of people with lots of kit and one less person fighting for the overhead lockers is one less person who might need to be told "No room at the inn" and have their bag sent down to the hold at the gate. Certainly my plan for Saturday, en route to the PSB.
I do - i had a big ski bag and sold it after one trip. Too heavy and cumbersome for me. My cabin bag has my ski boots and mojo - not going in the hold!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@zaphod424, the BA thing isn't necessarily as brilliant as is sometimes made out, I've found in the past that their base price can be quite a bit more. E.g you're effectly paying over the odds if you DON'T take skis
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
zaphod424 wrote:
BA don't charge specifically for ski gear, unlike many other airlines...
Most scheduled airlines don't change, so long as you're under 23Kgs, unless you buy a specific "no bags" ticket (which typically comes with other restrictions too). Air Canada carries skis free on international flights anyway. If you have a combination of international and internal flights, get it on one ticket or you'll end up paying for bags on the internal flight, in North America at least.
zaphod424 wrote:
...Though if the bag is lost/damaged I expect insurers would only pay out for one pair of skis per bag.
The Montreal convention makes the airline liable, they can't escape it.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Aye, £1400 regardless of what's inside your luggage.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I was just trying to see what sort of deal @admin managed to pull off us last year at the "Mountain Story"
This is the favourite hire shop in Tignes le Lac.
I can't remember how much it was but it was a very good deal.
I cant see where it is in last year's thread, as it only goes up to page 15.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Well, you have to pay for all these flash shops.
I was gobsmacked how much cheaper ski hire was in the Pyrennees and last time I went to Sierra Nevada it was E14 for a day but probably dearer now.
Another reason why skiing is gradually being killed off by greed as many the average earner wont be able to afford all these costs
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?
countryman wrote:
Another reason why skiing is gradually being killed off by greed as many the average earner wont be able to afford all these costs
I think lots of other factors , i do think there is a bit of a trickle down, the flash resorts that are not so price sensitive are getting more expensive so people (myself included) are looking elsewhere which is probably increasing demand and therefore cost.
I had a look at some of my costs from 2018 (I like a spreadsheet) for very similar trip, most of the costs, Lessons, accommodation, ski hire have gone up over 20% and lift pass 25%!
I had a look at some of my costs from 2018 (I like a spreadsheet) for very similar trip, most of the costs, Lessons, accommodation, ski hire have gone up over 20% and lift pass 25%!
According to the Bank of England's inflation calculator £10 in 2018 is now worth £12.46, which suggests to me that those prices have remained approximately the same in real terms.
Yes maybe inline with inflation but most salaries haven't caught up. I am certainly not earning 25% more than i was in 2018.
Looking at the average 'Director' level salary from ONS, which I am sure is significantly higher than most people but probably more inline with your average Brit skier. Salaries have increased between 10-15% in the same period.
So yeah inflation went up but salaries haven't to the same level. Thus the pinch.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Worth also pointing out that France,Austria,Switzerland haven't had as high levels of inflation over the same period.
After all it is free
After all it is free
therock wrote:
Looking at the average 'Director' level salary from ONS, which I am sure is significantly higher than most people but probably more inline with your average Brit skier.
£100k is in line with the average UK skier? You an I obviously know different skiers
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'Director' is such a broad and over/mis used term anyway, I'm amazed anyone would think there was value in averaging out a salary there. In my industry for certain, there aren't many people with that title who would be impressed with that sort of number. Although a lot of them do ski...
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@therock, if you know what you want why don't you buy your own skis? Even in the short term buying is more cost effective than renting at £150 per week!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
skimastaaah wrote:
@therock, if you know what you want why don't you buy your own skis? Even in the short term buying is more cost effective than renting at £150 per week!
I dont want to be rude but, as set out above, the price of airline ski carriage is also outrageous - probably driven by the cost of ski hire encouraging them to charge high prices
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.
Quote:
I dont want to be rude but, as set out above, the price of airline ski carriage is also outrageous - probably driven by the cost of ski hire encouraging them to charge high prices
Possibly, but not everyone flys and the last time I flew ski carrige was simply part of the baggage allowance (BA). Most times the skis are just carried in the car.
I think the high price charged by many airlines is simply so that they can charge a low first glance price than make everthing up on extras. One airline in the past used to sneak a paying charge on at the end of the booking process. See http://youtube.com/v/-6zIYPAKoyU
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Quote:
I dont want to be rude but, as set out above, the price of airline ski carriage is also outrageous - probably driven by the cost of ski hire encouraging them to charge high prices
It's a big generalisation that ski carriage is expensive. Some airlines include a free ski bag (e.g. air Canada). For this winter flying to kyrgyzstan (london-istanbul-bishkek) my ski bag cost £70 return. But you have to consider I'm packing everything in the ski bag, so i don't need a checked bag which would have probably been about £40 return. So basically £30 extra to take skis.
FWIW I don't actually think they take into account rental cost. I suspect your ski carriage is a similar cost to other bulky sports equipment.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
boarder2020 wrote:
Quote:
I dont want to be rude but, as set out above, the price of airline ski carriage is also outrageous - probably driven by the cost of ski hire encouraging them to charge high prices
It's a big generalisation that ski carriage is expensive. Some airlines include a free ski bag (e.g. air Canada). For this winter flying to kyrgyzstan (london-istanbul-bishkek) my ski bag cost £70 return. But you have to consider I'm packing everything in the ski bag, so i don't need a checked bag which would have probably been about £40 return. So basically £30 extra to take skis.
FWIW I don't actually think they take into account rental cost. I suspect your ski carriage is a similar cost to other bulky sports equipment.
Easyjet has dynamic pricing. I have seen 23kg under £20 each way, but also more expensive than the £37 each-way for ski bag. for £45 you can upgrade to large sports & take 30kg
Ryanair on the other hand.. £35 EW for sports equipment. £45 for ski's. Dunno if snowboard is ski or sports!
We share ski bag & by the time we got our boots, bindings & boards in there, it comes to nearly 15kg
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@countryman,I fly BA mainly so ski carriage is not a issue. BA have just had a "sale", I got to book flights and car hire 6 days LHR to Malpensa for 2 pax for £330. Not too bad when you factor in the ski carriage and convenient flight times.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Sadly, no BA flights anywhere near me.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:
Sadly, no BA flights anywhere near me.
Since Sabena became Brussels Airline I think BA should really be called London Airlines
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?
Quote:
I think BA should really be called London Airlines
Heathrow Airlines
you get the impression even gatwick is a distraction
I agree the cost of hire has risen, exponentially, since Covid. I suspect there are several factors: inflation, global supply chain problems, increases in tech and cost of skis and greed.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:
I agree the cost of hire has risen, exponentially, since Covid.
If the costs increase by 1% per annum it is an expoential rise
After all it is free
After all it is free
Every time I see this thread title I think of Prices Candles. In those cardboard boxes.
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Old Fartbag wrote:
therock wrote:
Anyway, just bought some skis! We are driving this year, so definitely makes sense. At least this year.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
You an I obviously know different skiers 
