 Poster: A snowHead
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We are flying from Manchester to Heathrow with BA then onto Calgary with Air Canada.
This is booked with Crystal who advise that ski carriage is free with AC (although I know I need to prebook this when checking in online) but that I have to book and pay for the ski carriage for the BA legs.
The question is, when we check in at Manchester will our bags be checked through to Calgary or are we going to have to collect them on arrival and recheck in at AC Heathrow.
Obviously we would love to have them checked through but then the worry is if there would be any link between the BA booking from Manchester and the AC booking from Heathrow for our ski bags or would they spend 2 weeks on a carousel.
If not checked through our concern is the length of time it would take to get our bags collected at Heathrow, get from terminal 5 to terminal 2 and check the bags with AC as there is only just over 2 hours between our flights.
Any thoughts or experience would be great.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We have done manchester BA and then out to Vancouver on the AC flight and yes they move the bags for you. 2Hours for the bags should be fine it is you that would have the worry. Internal bus transfer to move you to the terminal you need, we go out of T3 but yours could go out of T2 as you say. On the way out it is ok as you don't go through security again, but on way back in you do - which is an un known about of time.
Just put daughter on the BA all the way through flight from Manchester to Vancouver. Highly bemused to see that she gets in to T5 but the BA flight is also out of T3. Always been out of T5 for any BA flight since they moved there so not sure what is going on there. She only has 1:45 on return trip so fingers crossed.
The ski bag did not make it on to the Manchester hop back home last year, as they did not have room. So a nice chap drove all the way over with it the next day. Saved us lugging it round the airport which was kind of them don't you think. Mind on the way out it would have been loads more hassle and lost a day skiing.
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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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Interesting thread - so flying with BA to Heathrow, and then AC to Vancouver, the bags are checked in the whole way through from Manchester also? I'd just kind of assumed so when I booked my flights, and never thought about it being different 
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@Jake43, T5 isn't big enough for BA. They've always served some destinations from other terminals. This one must be a fairly recent switch; I flew from T5 to Vancouver last year.
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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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@Jake43, Did you have to make separate bookings for your ski bags or was the BA website able to handle the booking all the way through and without charging for the AC Heathrow / Calgary leg ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| laundryman wrote: |
| @Jake43, T5 isn't big enough for BA. They've always served some destinations from other terminals. This one must be a fairly recent switch; I flew from T5 to Vancouver last year. |
Yep we have always gone out from T5 too.
I just thought the words I heard when they built T5 was it was supposed to be the home for all of BA and I did not think it had got more slots. Maybe with the mergers they are having to rationalise. It is no real hassle just a faff for 10mins on a bus.
On another note dropped Daughter off yesterday and I was surprised that the hand luggage allowance was dimensionally what you would expect but 23Kgs, plus a laptop size bag. More amused that the checkin lady was not interested in the weight of anything at all. "Don't worry love I am not interested in weight" Quite a shock. Having spent some time trying to get the main bag, and ski bag to just under 23kgs each. So we could move some weight back into the main bag so that it was easier to get it in the locker. Mind she came back last year on BA and has 32kgs in the main bag without any hassle either.
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| fixx wrote: |
| Interesting thread - so flying with BA to Heathrow, and then AC to Vancouver, the bags are checked in the whole way through from Manchester also? I'd just kind of assumed so when I booked my flights, and never thought about it being different |
Yes. Slightly off this thread - we always take the AC flight, if we can, as it gets in a few hours earlier than the BA one and you get to see the view on the way up. It used to be so much better when AC flew in the morning, just a few years ago they put it back 3 hours. You could even get your passes and skis sorted that way then do "fresh tracks" as you are up at silly o'clock anyway.
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| Steve.S wrote: |
| @Jake43, Did you have to make separate bookings for your ski bags or was the BA website able to handle the booking all the way through and without charging for the AC Heathrow / Calgary leg ? |
Daughter just done BA flight through and it is one cost for all the legs of £60 each way for the extra bag. There was a brilliant idea posted on here that an upgrade to club class on any leg gave you the extra allowance. Too late for us but check that out if anyone going BA all the way.
We tend to do a package using BA then AC and they do the flights but it all just works. However, if you are doing the flights yourself then I am guessing you will have to book both yourself and pay each of them. Air Canada do have nice people working the call centre though so I would check with them.
See my other post vis BA not bothered about weight in Manchester though I guess they may not be too happy with trying to sneak and whole extra bag on the plane.
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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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Well after a long conversation with BA as their website would not allow me to book my skis on either flight and being told that there was nothing that could be done I threw myself back on the mercy of Crystal and after checking they tell me that I can book the extra bags from Manchester but only the day before the flight when we do the online check in and that they will be checked through to Calgary 
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I thought ski carriage was free with BA
Or are you checking in more than 1 bag??
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We have a bag each plus 1 bag with our skis in, the AC flights are free ski carriage but it's £65.00 each way for the ski bag on the BA flights but at least we get them checked through to Calgary.
Minus 28 this morning in Banff which looks a bit parky this early in the season
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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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@Steve.S, I don't want to be a pain but I think Crystal are being "economical with the truth". I can see that if the flights were booked through them only they would be able to change it (i.e. add the single extra bag) but they can do it now and they should as there is limited room on those flights. Or that was what we were told when the skis did not make it back last time ! Maybe the big bags did not get through the terminal change like the normal sized ones did? Who knows.
Also they are charging you £5 for the privilege so should put their fingers out as BA charge £60 direct.
You would think doing a package would be easier on your having to do so much to organise things. Not had this sort of problem with Ski Independence - mind they did mess up the lift passes but sorted it when I checked the confirmation.
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@Jake43, Yes, its not been the best experience with Crystal and leaving it so late also concerns me about the smaller aircraft from Manchester.
We have used them a lot previously and to be fair they have been pretty good but this ones a bit of a dufus so I am going to put some pressure on to get the skis booked earlier.
I will let you know how I get on.
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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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@Acacia, My sister booked the upgrade for the way home to get the extra luggage allowance.
We had to book the upgrade both ways mr joneski is 6' 5". He just doesn't fit in normal seats, every time the person in front moves the seat his knees get a battering and he claims he "knee'ds" them when we get there. So we pay the tall tax. Luggage allowance is a bonus until you try to get it all in the car at either end of the trip. Haven't used ac for the trips yet stuck with ba for the last 3 years since can aff stopped winter flights from Manchester. That was so much easier no traipsing round the country first.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Crystal are now telling us that we can only book the skis at the actual check in desk and looking on BA's website Manchester is one of the airports that operate this system so they are correct.
Obviously our concern is if they say they cannot take them, firstly we would be extremely annoyed as we both want to use our own skis and would have the hassle of hiring in Banff but secondly what on earth would we do with our skis as obviously they will be with us at the airport.
Has anyone had any experience of this, I guess if they refuse I could always get my wife to burst into tears and throw ourselves on their mercy but in this day and age it seems an odd system to operate when you are linking into a long haul flight particularly one that will be carrying skiers at this time of year.
Slightly off topic but I work in the shipping industry and as most will be aware Heathrow has been pushing itself as the main UK hub airport to get the extra runway but I have to say I would prefer more direct flights from a Northern airport (Manchester preferably) from both a business and personal standpoint.
Certainly the BA policy on extra bags hardly supports their support of the hub principle.
Any way if anyone has some experience of booking skis as extra baggage at the airport rather than the online check in please hopefully put my mind at rest.
Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Problem solved
We are sending the skis by courier to the hotel, there has to be some advantage in running a shipping company
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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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@Steve.S, Ba to Heathrow never had a problem putting the skis in at Manchester. Checkin T3 then go 50yds to the oversize drop off. Nice people no hassle.
Only once did the skis not arrive back with us to Manchester on return leg. No explanation but they delivered them to home the day after. Which is not bad really and must have cost them a fortune. The cost is the reason I think they really do want to keep you an luggage together as the cost for them is huge if they don't.
Good news is you don't have to worry about it shipping direct. When I have looked at that option it has been a pain trying to even get a price. Must be handy if you are in the know and can get a decent price.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Steve.S, wise choice.
A few years back, we entrusted our skis to BA at Heathrow. When arrived in the States, the skis hadn't been loaded onto the aircraft in the UK. They weren't missing: the baggage guys in the States knew exactly where they were and when they would arrive, so I can only assume that the skis had been bumped off a full flight in the same way that passengers sometimes get bumped. They probably had a hold full of paying cargo or a few first class passengers brought more baggage than expected, and my economy class ticket didn't carry enough clout to be regarded as important. The airline responsible for the final leg of our trip (American) eventually delivered the skis to our hotel and footed the bill for a couple of days' ski hire. It was a big hassle, though.
Courier services are the way forward IMV.
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