 Poster: A snowHead
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As I am sure most of you know - Ryanair has a stupidly low, and pretty well policed 15KG weight limit, and they charge an extortianate £10 per leg fee per bag, and £30 per leg fee for skis. Furthermore they seem to do everything possible to find a new way to charge you money. Ryanair also now charges an astronomical £15 per KG per kilo per leg of excess baggage. E.g. 5 kilos over, and that's 75 quid less beer money.
So the challenge is to get all your latest ski kit onto the plane when you have such little luggage allowance (my boots alone are 5.5KG).
Having carefully planned it, we managed to get all our luggage (skis, boots etc) of luggage onto the plane without problems.
1) Buy a large 'stroller' for carry-on and ensure it is just less than the Ryanair baggage size limits (55cm x 40cm x 20cm). I have actually found their carry on size measuring things near the checkin desks are smaller than this, so I took a mini tape-measure and a printout of their tape measure with me just in case.
2) Put ski boots and anything else heavy into your carry on. We got about 11KG each into our carry-on luggage (Ryanair limit is actually 10KG). They don't weigh them at the desk, although at Stansted they weigh them at security although only to put a 'heavy' sticker on presumably some silly Health & Safety thing for security scanners. Do not tell the Ryanair checkin people you have ski boots in your bag (any excuse to charge you more). The security people obviously see the boots and are ok with them.
3) Get one double ski-bag between two people (or even 3). Put all your skis in that bag and pad out with any heavy clothing (jeans/jackets/evening boots etc). At Stansted and Salzburg they didn't weigh ski bags and seemed to not care there were multiple sets of skis in there.
4) Make sure your hold bag is under 15KG (although at Salzburg we heard the checkin person tell someone that anything up to 17KG would get by).
5) Smile sweetly when you check in.
This worked for us. Your mileage may vary.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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kamikaze, you were lucky with the carry on ski boots !!
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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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kamikaze, Or you bite the bullet and go BA from Grotwick. I know it's further away but it's doable and valet parking is only £40-ish for a week. BA to Geneva £110 return including tax and luggage and a drink on the way.
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rayscoops - I've carried on ski boots on my last 5 or 6 ryanair ski flights. Never been a problem. If you are carrying a boot bag it looks obvious - but if you pack it into a stroller - nobody knows. Security people have never objected, and I would have thought the x-ray profile of a ski boot is pretty obvious.
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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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kamikaze, It depends on the airport.
Some airports specifically state in their rules that boots are not allowed in hand luggage, and there have been stories of people being turned back at security at those airports.
Last year Bristol were one which did not allow Ski Boots in Hand luggage, but that restriction no longer appears on their website.
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Note that in the baggage policy for ski carriage is says skis, boots and poles included- on my most recent trip have been able to carry a boot bag along with a ski bag for the overall price of one ski carriage, no problems- you don't need to pay for an extra bag with the boot bag (unlike with Easyjet)
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Dr. Will, kamikaze, Easyjet allow a boot bag and ski bag as standard ski carraige , I was asked in Dec at Bristol if I had boots in my hand luggage and if so they need to go in the hold. Grenoble have posters up all over the place saying the same thing.
maybe Ryanair are bucking the trend to keep hold luggage less weighty because maybe they are charged by the airport operators in some way for what actually gets 'weighed in' through the system and hand luggage does not get such scrutiny?
there is no set rule and it is risky accepting the idea that boots can go in hand luggage in all circumstances, so beware !! 
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| kamikaze wrote: |
| rayscoops - I've carried on ski boots on my last 5 or 6 ryanair ski flights. Never been a problem. If you are carrying a boot bag it looks obvious - but if you pack it into a stroller - nobody knows. Security people have never objected, and I would have thought the x-ray profile of a ski boot is pretty obvious. |
I just sling my boot bag over my back and it seems to work everytime
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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: |
| Working around Ryanair's stupid baggage polices |
Why are they stupid? They define the allowances and outline them and as always if you don't like them then you don't have to use Ryanair.
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thefatcontroller, I believe a ski bag with boots and poles etc can weigh more than the allowance you pay for as ski carraige
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| thefatcontroller wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Working around Ryanair's stupid baggage polices |
Why are they stupid? They define the allowances and outline them and as always if you don't like them then you don't have to use Ryanair. |
They are stupid because they advertise themselves as a "skiers airline", and the limitations are such that those with ski equipment find it hard to fit within them.
To be truly a skiers airline, they shoudl have baggage allowance on ski flights that reflects the requirements for skiing, rather than just going to airports convenient for ski resorts.
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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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rayscoops, alex_heney, Its simple if you think they are stupid and don't like them then don't fly with them 
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You know it makes sense.
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thefatcontroller, i don't 
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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 have wondered about wearing ski boots for the flight  . Is that allowed? Has anyone tried it?
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Poster: A snowHead
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espri, i asked eastjet and they said no
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Off topic and I know the answer will be somewhere in the vaults of Snowheads, but if flying with Easyjet, can you have your one hold bag as a board bag and that alone (ie all your stuff packed in the board 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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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martski, that is exactly what I do, and you get the weight allownace for the board bag 12 kg and standard hold alowance 20 kg (32 kg I think in total), but of course the charge for the hold bag is 0 bags x £8 or what ever up to a maximum of 20 kg, so 5 bags weighing 20 kg in total is 5 x £8 and zero bags weighing 20 kg is 0 x £8 = 0, so board bag carraige and no other checked in bag gives 32 kg, but i try to keep the board bag weight to something sensible and fill my hand luggage with as much as possible too, just in case 
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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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thefatcontroller, agreed, i just find Ryanair expensive because they do not fly from anywhere near me and the baggage and booking feesadd up to quite a lot. hand luggage only flights and you can get an exceptional bargain ,
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you could always but your ski boots on and stick your trainers in the hand luggage
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| alex_heney wrote: |
To be truly a skiers airline, they shoudl have baggage allowance on ski flights that reflects the requirements for skiing, rather than just going to airports convenient for ski resorts. |
I think that is so true. 
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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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thefatcontroller, try booking a flight as atest and pay for ski carraige only and have zero hold bags, they only charge you per bag that you check in up a max of 20 kg
edit - or to put it another way, you have 20 kg free allowance, and get charged £8 for each bag that allowance is spread over, so if you do not check a bag in you do not get charged but you still have that free allowances. Ski carraige (if you pay for it) is added to your free allowance, so you get 12 kg plus your free allowance of 20 kg
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Tue 13-01-09 13:34; edited 1 time in total
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| russ_e wrote: |
| you could always but your ski boots on and stick your trainers in the hand luggage |
No thanks it's enough of a hassle taking my trainers off at security as it is 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rayscoops, I'm not far from you so Easyjet to Geneva is ok  . Handy thing is now we have bought a place, we can leave our skis out there.
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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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thefatcontroller, sounds good, travelling with hand luggage and having your gear at the resort is by far the best way to travel
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You know it makes sense.
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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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thefatcontroller wrote:
"Handy thing is now we have bought a place, we can leave our skis out there".
Good idea, but this limits you to the one resort. Instead, why not buy your own plane in order to get round the silly baggage rules ?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
| 5) Smile sweetly when you check in. |
That is esential --I always do....but works only if check-in girl/boy/man /woman is duly receptive of good vibes! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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'm flying out with BMI baby - they charge extra for boot bags & don't allow boots as hand luggage (according to website) - however I can fit boots & my skis/poles & clothes into a double skibag (found in the back of a cupboard:)). Only paid for Ski carriage, no other bags, so nice to know I can get 32kg in there. Maybe I should take my bootbag for Easyjet on the way back? Or can I just put my boots in hand luggage both ways, & smile nicely at check-in? I'd certainly prefer that (flying MAN-GVA). Rather confused & slightly worried - my boots cost a lot more than my skis & I don't fancy a week without them, lucky I don't need to use T5 LHR!
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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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Obvious solution IMV : Win Lottery. Buy apartment in ski resort -- live there or be a seasonaire. No more travel/baggage hassle.
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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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| truffaut wrote: |
thefatcontroller wrote:
"Handy thing is now we have bought a place, we can leave our skis out there".
Good idea, but this limits you to the one resort. Instead, why not buy your own plane in order to get round the silly baggage rules ? |
Actually 2 resorts. La Plagne and Les Arcs, 465km of piste and the same again probably of off piste. Lifes a bitch . Buying a plane is a good idea though, why don't all those that complain about Ryanair buy their own plane?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| thefatcontroller wrote: |
| truffaut wrote: |
thefatcontroller wrote:
"Handy thing is now we have bought a place, we can leave our skis out there".
Good idea, but this limits you to the one resort. Instead, why not buy your own plane in order to get round the silly baggage rules ? |
Actually 2 resorts. La Plagne and Les Arcs, 465km of piste and the same again probably of off piste. Lifes a bitch . Buying a plane is a good idea though, why don't all those that complain about Ryanair buy their own plane? |
Check out the various bags offered by new Brit brand; SnoKart on www.snokart.com. They have been designed by snowsport nutters who are fed up with the thought of owning their own aircraft! The boot bag doesnt look too much like a boot bag and it splits in two to help by-pass check-in difficulties. The Kart Bag covers all options, its a standalone wheelie, a standalone skibag or both combined.... good luck
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Christian, "I liked the product so much, I bought the Company"
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Glad the TOs never use Ryanair. Clearly they have to make money somewhere and by offering absurdly cheap flights they recoup the money in charging people for baggage. Does it then work out to cost the same as the equivalent non-budget airline...?
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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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| martski wrote: |
| Christian, "I liked the product so much, I bought the Company" |
Haha.... exactly!
but not so much bought, more like created
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| thefatcontroller wrote: |
| rayscoops, alex_heney, Its simple if you think they are stupid and don't like them then don't fly with them |
I never have for ski trips, although I have used them for "normal" holidays.
I probably won't use them for a ski trip so long as tey have those luggage restrictions, because I would find it very difficult to fit within them.
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FAQ
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