 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm just in the process of booking flights for a trip to Hokkaido in January/February next season for our group of 8. However, trying to work out baggage allowances is a bit of a minefield.
I thought Cathay Pacific looked a good price at about £850 return; but if I read their website correctly, we'd incur an excess baggage charge of $200 per flight for the skis.
On the other hand ANA are about £900; but I can't see if any baggage at all is included for that, although skis appear to be another 75euro each way.
As their site is much more clear, I do know that Finnair are about £950 and that includes skis.
Has anyone had recent experience with any carrier, or been through a similar exercise to find a decent price?
Cheers
Marc
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Mosha Marc, I've flown with JAL, BA and KLM. JAL and BA allowed skis as part of the normal baggage alowance - they allow two checked bags per passenger and one can be skis. IIRC KLM allowed us to substitute one of our checked bags for a double ski tube. All the rest of our ski gear when into the second bag. Remember to use a Takkyubin to send your luggage onto the resort.
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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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It changes a lot. My last ski trip was in Jan2024 with Finnair. Bought tickets in May 2023 and Finnair changed rules re free ski bags for tickets bought as from 1 July 2023. Finnair still honoured “ski bag = regular 23 luggage” for tickets bought before July even if flying after July ddl.
Guess others are following this track too, best to check the small print or ring airlines directly
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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One thing to be aware of with JAL & BA is that they have different allowances. If you put it all on one booking (i.e you book from LHR to CTS with BA) then you get whatever the BA allowance is for both flights. If you book each flight independently (i.e LHR to HND on the BA website and HND to CTS on the JAL website) then I think you have to abide by the JAL allowance for the second leg.
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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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@SnoodyMcFlude, cheers. It also means you have to collect baggage and re check-in for the connecting flight which can be a PITA.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Mosha Marc, you're from Halifax/frozen north right? If so IMHO Cathay is by far the best. And you get around the ski charge by just having a 23kg Dakine ski bag each. Put your skis in, plus all your clothes. DM me if you want more info. I've flown the route (departing Manchester, via HK) around 10 times and always been v happy. The changes are good, and HK is a great transit airport. Finn Air was great (via Helsinki)... before the Russian routes all stopped... Say no to BA, via LHR etc. Air France/KLM can be cheap (via Paris etc) but I'd not recommend having done it. Note that Cathay only fly from MAN three or four times a week - not daily...
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Don’t split multi-leg flights on different airlines.
If the first leg got canceled, you’re stuck dealing with a different airline regarding the connecting 2nd leg.
Book through the same airline (even operated by a separate airline), they’re obligated to take care of you to your final destination.
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@wiigman, correct, I am lucky enough to come from Gods own County.
But, I'm not sure I can get 9 days kit, skis and boots in a bag and come in under 23Kg. Cathay is good otherwise. I might give them a call to check I've got the price correct.
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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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@abc, another good reason not to do it 
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@Mosha Marc, I've had to do that anyway as JAL flies from a different terminal than BA. The trick at HND is that you come out of baggage collection and turn right, walk to the end and there's a JAL desk where you can check your bags. They go off on a magical journey and you can catch the monorail or shuttle bus with just hand luggage
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Mosha Marc wrote: |
But, I'm not sure I can get 9 days kit, skis and boots in a bag and come in under 23Kg. Cathay is good otherwise. I might give them a call to check I've got the price correct. |
Put your boots in your hand luggage. The ski bag would have significantly less weight.
Wear your ski jackets so it doesn’t take up space in your carry-on.
Well, I’ll get to practice what I preach in 5 days, trying to keep my bike bag under 23kg (50lb). Bag itself is 9kg, bike 10kg, there’re still racks, packs… Everything else will have to go in my hand luggage (plus a “small” backpack)
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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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| Mosha Marc wrote: |
@wiigman, correct, I am lucky enough to come from Gods own County.
But, I'm not sure I can get 9 days kit, skis and boots in a bag and come in under 23Kg. Cathay is good otherwise. I might give them a call to check I've got the price correct. |
I did the same time period in Italy with 15kg - no boots and skis
22kg for my 5 weeks in Turkiye with skis and clothing in roller bag and boots in carry on
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@Mosha Marc, Had same conversation with dear girlfriend this January. Although we were doing Hokkaido (from Manchester) for 14 days. She made it (at 22kg), with me taking one of her ski boots  . IMHO it's worth the single bag/no cost policy...
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You know it makes sense.
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2.5 weeks - 190cm skibag with skis and poles and all the stuff at 23.5kg. Boots bag as cabin bag - boots, small stuff tucked into boots, as well as helmets and goggles tucked in in boots bag. Missus telling nonsense I can’t pack and fold neatly 
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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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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
| @Mosha Marc, I've had to do that anyway as JAL flies from a different terminal than BA. The trick at HND is that you come out of baggage collection and turn right, walk to the end and there's a JAL desk where you can check your bags. They go off on a magical journey and you can catch the monorail or shuttle bus with just hand luggage |
Hey Snoody, good to see you here again. Just finished my hotel plans for much more time in Japan and more locations and remote locations in 2026.
Just wondering, did you go straight through immigration, baggage claim, etc until you were out in the main airport hall or did you turn right before then?
My trip through immigration and baggage claim was a bit strange and I was out of sorts. I feel I went straight to far and when I dropped my stuff off at the JAL counter I felt I really shouldn't have been there. I asked the woman there who meets you at the end of the line (there was no line) at the JAL counter if I should have turned right earlier, but being a polite Japanese she was I got a non-answer.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Mosha Marc wrote: |
@wiigman, correct, I am lucky enough to come from Gods own County.
But, I'm not sure I can get 9 days kit, skis and boots in a bag and come in under 23Kg. Cathay is good otherwise. I might give them a call to check I've got the price correct. |
HK airport is great, but now with the HK government being the way it is I will never fly there or through there again. Too risky. You never know what the government will do. Heck, they smashed the Sino-British Joint Resolution to pieces.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| mooney058 wrote: |
2.5 weeks - 190cm skibag with skis and poles and all the stuff at 23.5kg. Boots bag as cabin bag - boots, small stuff tucked into boots, as well as helmets and goggles tucked in in boots bag. Missus telling nonsense I can’t pack and fold neatly
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190cm bag with 120cm kids skis does the trick every time.
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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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@Mosha Marc, what kind of ball park is 14 days coming out at overall? Thinking I do need to get back there whilst able!
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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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@skimachine,  skis go on the bottom making a nice solid base. Some soft stuff/clothing bag in top of bindings. Other stuff in separate bags filling the rest of space. Skis are 188, bag 190, soft shell. With various bags filled in it expands to circa 2m. The bag is circa 3kg, skis&bindings the same. 17kg woth of clothing and other stuff is plenty for 3-4 weeks. Washing machines available in all hotels/loggings I stayed at in Japan.
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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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| mooney058 wrote: |
| @skimachine, skis go on the bottom making a nice solid base. Some soft stuff/clothing bag in top of bindings. Other stuff in separate bags filling the rest of space. Skis are 188, bag 190, soft shell. With various bags filled in it expands to circa 2m. The bag is circa 3kg, skis&bindings the same. 17kg woth of clothing and other stuff is plenty for 3-4 weeks. Washing machines available in all hotels/loggings I stayed at in Japan. |
Thx for the detail. I just weighed my bag, 3.2kg or 7.2lbs. Your bag seems to be much thicker than mine. That might be something for me to explore since I have never heard of an airline worrying about that dimension. It could save me a bag to juggle.
Have you ever used one of those shipping services for your bag in Japan? I wonder if they would take it with all that gear in it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I did not use it during ski holidays. However worked great during “normal” hols with regular suitcases. For ski holidays I usually hire a car.
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| skimachine wrote: |
| Just wondering, did you go straight through immigration, baggage claim, etc until you were out in the main airport hall or did you turn right before then? |
Hey man, we went through immigration, collected bags and then headed out to the concourse, turn right and the check in as at the far end. It's all very confusing though, especially off the back of a 13hr flight when you're jetlagged and don't understand any of the language!
The one caveat is that I've seen someone suggest that the desk is closed for an hour sometime during the morning, but I can't remember the time and it's not something I've seen.
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| Quote: |
Have you ever used one of those shipping services for your bag in Japan? I wonder if they would take it with all that gear in it.
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On my 3 trips to Japan I used them every time while I have a few days site seeing. (Why go all that way and not visit Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanazawa). Drop the ski bags off at Yamato (other Takkyubin are available) just outside the exit from customs and take your small bag carrying a few spare clothes and camera with you for a few days exploring Japanese culture. Takkyubin charge more for heavy bags and for longer journeys but the prices are very reasnoble.
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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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| kitenski wrote: |
| @Mosha Marc, what kind of ball park is 14 days coming out at overall? Thinking I do need to get back there whilst able! |
Currently looking at £3,200 for; airport transfers, accommodation, breakfasts, daily guiding (one day off), lift passes etc etc. Basically everything except lunch, evening meals and booze. Flights are looking like sub £1K return with skis.
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FAQ
