| What's your attitude to Ski Carriage fees? |
| Quite reasonable. Happy to book them in advance. |
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13% |
[ 5 ] |
| Unfair, but book in advance anyway. |
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21% |
[ 8 ] |
| Fair, but leave it until the airport before I pay. |
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2% |
[ 1 ] |
| Most unfair. I do everything possible to avoid the rep. |
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10% |
[ 4 ] |
| I refuse to pay on principle. If my skis are left in the UK I buy new ones. |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
| I avoid operators that charge carriage. |
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21% |
[ 8 ] |
| I have no strong opinion. |
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2% |
[ 1 ] |
| I don't fly, but still think it's unfair. |
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10% |
[ 4 ] |
| I don't fly, but it sounds quite reasonable to me. |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
| Blighters! I lie and say I've already paid. |
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16% |
[ 6 ] |
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| Voted : 0 |
| Total Votes : 37 |
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 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok, this subject may already have been done to death, and constitutes another troll-like post, but hey, I like these rant opportunities. 
Are ski carriage fees just a scam to persuade punters to book ski rental via the tour operator, or are they a legitimate way of directing the cost of the typically heavier flight towards those passengers that add the extra weight?
Or maybe the airline never charges the tour operator extra anyway?
Should they be regarded as an unfair tax on repeat-skiers, another sneaky hidden cost, or something that is quite fair and should stay?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It seems to depend on who you fly with, I think Swiss take them FOC and I understand some other do as well, as for me mine stay in Wengen in a friends loft so I don't have to worry about paying extra
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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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As long as paying gets my ski bag on the plane, I don't object. I always take a double ski bag and put loads of padding around my skis to keep my luggage weight down. My boots weigh nearly 10 kilos because they're so big, and the luggage in with the skis means that I never sweat about having to pay for excess baggage. I've been lucky as my skis have always come off the plane at the other end along with ski trousers, fleeces etc inside the bag with them
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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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It seems that most proper scheduled airlines (not no-frills) won't charge you. It's the like of Sleazyjet and the charters who whack it on...
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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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I can confirm that Swiss don'r charge (one pair of skis per person, also one pair of boots, on top of the normal luggage allowanc, I think it is).
The cheapo airlines may charge, but if I've paid UKP40 for a ticket, I won't complain about another 20 or whatever. Though this last trip (because we booked late and went at half-term), Swiss were cheaper than Easyjet anyway.
Package co.'s charge them, though don't they? That'll be because of the charters they use?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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But they don't often pass the charge on, or at least only pass on part of it. My last few trips have been using BA, United or American, None of them have charged me. In fact, on the way back from Utah this time, I had 99kgs of bags, and didn't pay a penny in excess.
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The ski carriage doesn't actually guarantee your skis will be put on the plane.
A group of us were flying back from Sion, and on arrival at Gatwick discovered that no skis had been put on the plane because of some fuel/weight issue.
Not surprisingly there were no reps rushing around handing back 15 quid to everyone.
However, it was quite nice to have the skis arrive on one's doorstep the following morning.
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I've never had to pay - usually fly swiss or easyjet.
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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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Can confirm Air Canada don't charge. Flew back other week with 40kg + skis, no issue, no charge, not even a raised eyebrow.
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BA/Quantas didn't charge me. Hopefully Lufthansa/Tyrolean airways will be the same.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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No charge with Excel (they carry for Mark Warner amongst others) despite the tour operator's conditions saying that must go within normal allowance. I wouldn't mind paying a reasonable amount if it removed the uncertainty.
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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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I use easyjet a lot and they don't charge unlike ryan air.
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I had to pay with excel but was caught by the crystal rep, also had to pay with Air 2000 - last choice holidays the other week - adding up the costs of servicing etc makes my supersport 5 stars very expensive but I love them soooo much !
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You know it makes sense.
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I've never paid, on either chartered or scheduled flights, actually I've only been asked once and that was by the travel agent. I told them I'd sort it out at the aiport, but again no-one asked.
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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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In Manchester this January, I had to produce my invoice to show that I had paid for ski carriage on My Travel flight to Salzburg. If you hadn't paid, your skis weren't getting on, as there were no My Travel reps at 3.30am willing to take your money. One guy left his skis in lost property until he returned.
OK, if you're doing a DIY job, great, but tour operators seem to be imposing the payment all the time now. I just accept it as part of the cost.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Tue 24-02-04 14:50; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hells teeth, that's an eye opener. Perhaps we could list the operators who do actually check up.
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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 know that My Travel definitely do - I had to produce my invoice, as stated above. Let's face it, they charge £2 for headphones to watch the inflight programmes on the TVs, so it's not really surprising!
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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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Easyjet do not charge. It tends to be the charter airlines.
Just lie and tell them at the airport that you have already paid your travel agent.
If your overall weight allowance does not get exceeded why should you have to pay more, its not like they are slung on the tarmac any softer by the baggage handlers!
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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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| Peter B wrote: |
| Let's face it, they charge £2 for headphones to watch the inflight programmes on the TVs, so it's not really surprising! |
We were stranded at Munich once because due to delays the air crew exceeded their duty hours. So we're all stuck in an aeroplane at 11pm for several hours. And the prison camp stewardesses still demand that people pay for the headphones, and also refuse to put the sound on main speakers.
Sheesh! 
Luckily someone saw sense and after the plane's oxygen ran out let us out into an airport seating area. Not even musak...
Exciting hours later the new crew arrive and off we go.
We then discover that another chuck of our party didn't even make it to Munich, but hey, they got put up in hotels the lucky bugs.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think My Travel is the own airline of Airtours and Panorama. I certainly did not have to produce proof on the way back, so could easily have bought my skis in resort.
I'm flying with Britannia next. Does anyone know if I will need proof?
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Took a pair of skis through Dubai once in high summer (don't ask ......).
As the bag came up on the carouselle, the guy next to me looked long and hard, head scratched, then said .......
" Bloody big fishing rod ! "
But BA didn't charge for them. 
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Should have told him it was a gun.
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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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Peter b, I travelled with Britannia airways a month back. Didn't book my skis beforehand, and was not charged or questioned either in or out.
People I know fly with kayaks and paddles, and they reckon the best way is to turn up early, smile a lot and blag it. They almost always get away with it. Not on KLM though, apparently they are awkward sods.
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Thanks Richard, I paid £15 per ski bag yesterday! Why did I not wait until today??
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I did read on a thread somewhere (again, could have been 'the other place' that the tour company takes the money in effect as insurance, so that if the airline does have to leave skis behind for weight reasons, they have a pot of money to pay for the skis carriage to the resorts ASAP.
You cannot deny the airlines right to unload skis for safety reasons. Very few people with skis and boots will be under a 20kg limit.
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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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Just had tickets through for March holiday with Neilson. Ski carriage paid is printed on the airline tickets. On First Choice holiday 3 weeks ago, there were ski carriage paid stickers on the tickets. I guess charter flight holiday organisers are getting wise to the "blaggers" who say they've paid when they haven't 
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Well if Easyjet can manage without making extra charges I can`t see any real excuse why the others have to charge.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Pete Horn wrote: |
| You cannot deny the airlines right to unload skis for safety reasons. Very few people with skis and boots will be under a 20kg limit. |
I always thought the 20Kg limit was a cost one (e.g. fuel costs). Anyhoo, I managed about 20.5Kg with skis, boots rucksack last week (tip - put boots in rucksack, limits non-eseentials like clothes  )
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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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Perhaps the airlines should start charging chubbers extra then, if it's a safety issue. I only weigh 65kg, so does that mean I can carry an extra 70kg of baggage compared with Mr Creosote?
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Poster: A snowHead
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It's weight that is the real killer but I don't see why the companies couldn't change over to a charging system that includes the passenger as well. Why should a fat sod like me get away without paying any extra yet one of my skiing buddies who weighs half what I do has to pay for every kg over the limit?
The outsize nature of skis is a totally different thing all together, I was told that the newer, smaller planes being brought into service have less hold space per passenger and as a result there would be a problem physically fitting the stuff on if each passenger rolled up toting a suitcase, boot bag and ski bag.
Last year on the return flight the pilot came on the tannoy and announced that we were over the plane's structural limits, then paused, then said they'd offload the drinks carts to compensate. All the way back the woman in front of me kept moaning that she couldn't have a drink, tough titty missus, would you rather they took the luggage off?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Didn't pay with UA to USA or KLM to Europe
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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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Brought some skis back from Barcelona in November, flew with easyjet, and they didn't charge. I think they allow sports equipment free up to a certain weight.
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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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handyman, that's good news - I'm off to Geneva with KLM (via Amsterdam) next month!
FenlandSkier, sorry - didn't mean to offend! I think you have a point though, but thinking about my post more carefully, human rights / PC campaigners would be up in arms if "larger" people (there we are, I've got my PC hat on now!) were charged more. Anyway, I think the hole's large enough now, so I'll just stop digging!
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 25-02-04 0:44; edited 1 time in total
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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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I work for one of the "evil charging charter" tour operators- and from getting nasty screaming calls as soon as the phones open at 8am I can tell you that all charters will charge you! basically if you dont get charged you're lucky.
Charters are:
Britannia/Thomson Flights- book Thomson and Crystal Holidays
Air2000/FirstCHoice Airways- First choice hols
My Travel- Airtours and Panorama holidays
JMC/ THomas Cook Airlines- Neilson
Beware- they will charge you, and they rarely have reps in UK departure airports- it should be down to the Baggage Handlers eg Serviceair and always take your invoice with you- saves alot of the phone calls and hassle
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Luthansa didn't charge for my skis, and gave me an extra 15kg baggage allowance for free, just for the asking !
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How much does it cost to courier them to the resort? You wouldn't have to do next day delivery, unless Blighty gets a big dump just before you go.
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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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Oohh id say at least 25 so far this season. You dont get reps in UK departure airports, you get the Customer service staff but theyre pretty much there for appearances only and have to call Head Office for permission to wipe their own nose- let alone charge excess baggage. Its usually serviceair and Aviance who take your hard earned pennies.
 It costs on average £13 to take your skis with you- based on the average spend of £500 per week per person- my advice is dont be so stingey you people!! Just pre pay it and then you wont have to stress about it or call me up and whinge incessantly down the phone on the injustice of it all- because basically if its an avoidable problem - Its your own fault..... And as far as charging goes at the airport- starts around £10 per kilo for sports equipment,
Sooo please just give them the money!?
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FAQ
"Well, I've always been able to pay on check-in before!!!" 
