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British Airways Carriage fees ??- help please

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi
i've checked out their website and also phoned them but got totally
conflicting answers ..
anyone gone with BA and taken their skis in ski bag and separate big bag with clothes and ski boots?
were there extra costs? or were the skis counted as part of your checked allowance?

totally confused , we are looking to go to Fernie next year and use inghams to get the free connecting flight from edinburgh to heathrow, then heathrow to Calgary
there are 4 of us each taking our skis and boots
Any info would be great:-)
thanks
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
IIRC Std Economy allowance is 1 23kg bag (can contain skis) + 1 handluggage + 1 handbag or laptop bag. Think creatively.
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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?
fatbob, is right (assuming you are flying economy)
you have 4 hold bags, each weighing up to 23kg, between you.
if you all turn up with separate ski bags and boot/other junk bags you will have 8 bags to check and will be charged accordingly
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gemmie20, Just used BA to Venice and back last week - the allowance is as fatbob says. I paid for one extra bag for my skis which gave me another 23kg. IIRC this cost just under £60 and I added it on-line.

I wonder if the allowances are different for long haul?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I've checked this myself as flying over to Canada next weekend - 23KG allowance per person, skis / boards form part of this.

Boot bag counts towards this allowance too.

Don't think you can get away with not paying additional bag charges if you exceed this.
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ok thansk for all the info:-)
i am indeed going to have to think creatively to keep the costs down Sad
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I find the BA explanations the easiest to understand and they are as stated by fatbob

Your first bag is free and can weigh up to 23kg. It can be oversize (up to the specified dimensions but this allows for a big double ski roller bag) and can contain skis, boots, clothes etc.

Hand luggage can weigh up to 23kg (but you must be able to lift it into the overhead locker).

You can pay £30 (each way) for an extra bag if you pre-book it or £35 if you pay at the airport.

However, since your contract is with Inghams (presumably all the way, not just the connecting flight) they might impose different rules and charges.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
ok....question if i got 2 large/double skis bags and packed as much other stuff in there as well and also took 2 big bags with everythign else that would work right? then we would all just be checkign in 1 bag each.... as long as each is under the 23kg allowance Puzzled
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yup
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thanks Happy
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gemmie20 yes. Buy yourself a luggage scale. It's much more accurate than standing on the bathroom scales with and without a bag Laughing

Don't underestimate the weight of your skis and boots. You might find it better to spread some of the weight into your hand luggage. I usually travel with one boot in the ski bag and one in my maximum sized hand luggage. (Bit of a PITA if your bag goes missing I admit but then it is generally anyway). Never had a problem with BA with a boot in hand luggage.
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gemmie20, if any of your party has silver or higher status with BA you get to bring an extra bag for free. Otherwise tricks like boots in hand luggage help!
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 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
gemmie20, Have a look at this thread as many of us took advantage of upgrading a leg of the journey for little more than the ski carriage costs.

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=85384#1958915


Last edited by 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 on Tue 28-02-12 12:25; edited 1 time in total
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
why would not carry both of your heavy boots in your hand luggage ?
i always do this, most recently last month with both BA and Lufthansa
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
What I did on BA was get a snowboard bag and put skis, boots, helmet, wash bag, and all my ski clothing up to 23kgs. I took a weekend wheelie case type bag with all my other clothes in, and a laptop bag.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
What I did on BA was get a snowboard bag and put skis, boots, helmet, wash bag, and all my ski clothing up to 23kgs. I took a weekend wheelie case type bag with all my other clothes in, and a laptop bag.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
gemmie20,

Last year 2 of us flew BA to Vancvouver with a double ski bag containing 2 pairs skis+ poles + helmet and packed out with clothing as protective padding, plus one large suitcase with the rest of our gear for a 2-week stay (actually pretty minimal, since Canadian accommodation has laundry facilities). Both bags under the 23kg limit, so both carried free.

Hand luggage for me was my boot bag plus laptop (1 bag plus 1 personal item, free) and Mrs A carried a carry-on drag bag (1 bag) plus small back pack (1 personal item) also free.


We'll be doing the same in a couple of weeks snowHead

No problems.
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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?
Check your online boking information carefully before paying for extra bags - when we went to Canada earlier this month, I almost paid for an extra bag but noticed that they had, mistakenly, given us 2x23kg bags each as our luggage allowance.

I spoke to a nice chap at the Executive Club helpline ('standard' customer services simply said 'we are busy' and cut me off), who agreed that it was a mistake, but said as it's on the computer now, so it should work - he did advise to print evidence in case of dispute at the airport.

Got to the airport with 5 bags between 3 of us and no problems; similarly no questions at Calgary, when we had 6 bags. and all our luggage arrived with us in Edinburgh.
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Assuming you're not travelling on your own and that you don't mind sharing a suitcase with other members of your party, it's worth procuring a double (or bigger) ski bag, so that all the skis you take count as only one item of luggage. I'd avoid going over 23kg or exceeding the stated maximum size, but I've never had my ski-bag weighed or checked for size at Heathrow or Calgary. The ski bag will cost you less than BA's baggage charge, so it's a good investment.

With creative use of hand luggage, the person who takes the skis should be able to put the their luggage in the remaining bags. Problem soved: no additional baggage fees. That's how we managed on a trip to the States a couple of weeks back.

The Edinbugh to Heathrow leg is a little more complicated if you want to take your skis as additional paid baggage. If it's with a different airline from the Heathrow to Calgary leg - even if the airlines are on a codeshare, so you need to check your tickets very carefully - you need to pay an excess baggage fee to each airline. If both flights are with BA, you only pay once, provided you have a through booking. Also, some regional aircraft have restricted hand luggage space, so a bulging boot bag might not be allowed on board.

So, at one extreme, you could end up paying nothing. At the other extreme, you could pay four times: EDI->LHR, LHR->YYC, YYC->LHR, LHR->EDI.
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thanks jonny jones - i think we shoulb be ok as it's BA all the way and it looks like we have 23kg allowance each on the domestic flights and international flights - when i spoke to inghams they did say we had to collect our luggage again when we get to Heathrow which is a bit of a PITA but as long as i'm not paying any ski carriage i'll be happy Happy i'm sure they could check it straight through but nevermind
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gemmie20, ask the check-in assistant at EDI to check it straight through - they will do if they can. My experience from the States and Australia is that they will check luggage straight through sometimes even if it is not on the same ticket let alone airline.... it can be done!
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yea will do , no harm in asking:-)

bag wise looking at ...
Flow board snowboard bag
http://www.kingofsnow.co.uk/flow-board-shuttle-boardbag-with-wheels-2012-i13873.html

or
Looker double wheelie bag
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/200670530764?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

anyone have either? or have a better recomendation?
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
gemmie20, how long are your skis? The Flow bag is only 166cm long, the Lokker 175, according to those links...
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yea...
mine and other halfs are 160cm
Kids are 140cm and 168cm......so gonna need the Lokker i think to accomodate the latter
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NOTE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hidden away in BA's Baggage Information pertinent to Skis and Ski Luggage it states that Ski Boots should be packed in CHECKED baggage.

Quote:



We will accept skis and snowboards of all dimensions provided they are packed correctly.



Preparing skis and snowboards for travel:

•skis and snowboards must be packed in a recognised ski or snowboard bag
•if you are travelling with skis and ski boots you should pack them in one of the following ways:

- pack your skis and ski boots separately*
- pack your ski boots within your checked baggage

* Each bag that exceeds your free checked baggage allowance will incur an extra bag fee.

•American Airlines and Iberia have different allowances for the carriage of ski boots. Please follow the links on this page to ‘Information if you're travelling on American Airlines and Iberia’ for more information about their allowances.
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yea i had notice that one... other people seem to have carried them on in handluggage without issue though, i was gonna try my best to get them in the checked luggage just to be safe Happy thanks for pointing it out
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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.
We travel with skis on BA every year. Allowance on economy is one piece of baggage for the hold per person @ 23kg.

For the 2 of us we pack one large double wheeled ski bag (Dakine - great piece of kit) with 2 pairs skis, poles, probes, shovels, skins, other hardwear, flasks, gloves etc.

We then have a large wheeled duffel which we fill with everything else to 23kg. We pack ski boots and transcievers in our backpacks as hand baggage. You can easily pack for 2 people, 2 weeks backcountry like this. For 2 weeks in Kashmir we made it down to 2 x 20kg to comply with the internal flights.
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 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
I have seen ba weighing and checking band luggage fits into the metal basket at some places. As long as your bag inc boots fits the size and dimensions I reckon you'd be ok.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
theskibob,gemmie20,

To clarify, the BA instructions DON'T stipulate that boots should be packed in checked luggage, the instructions you've pasted in state how they should be packed if they ARE part of your checked baggage.

- pack your skis and ski boots separately*
- pack your ski boots within your checked baggage

*My interpretation of this is that "separately" can include boots "separately in carry-on luggage", as well as "boots separately in checked luggage".

- These instructions are identical to those in force this time last year, when my boots were acceptable as carry-on luggage, and I expect them to be acceptable this year. Boots are not included in the list of "banned or restricted items" in the BA guidelines.


Also, if your ski bag is a part of your allowed checked baggage, you can presumably pack your boots in your ski bag (if they fit).

Additionally, I'd echo what Scampi Dellahanti says about getting your bags checked right through to Calgary: this should be possible if your EDI-LHR flight is also a BA flight. If it's not, then you're screwed. I still have recurring nightmares about the hassle of lugging my gear between terminals because I was forced to use BMI for a connecting flight from Leeds-Bradford a few years back. (So there's at least one upside if BA get the go-ahead to buy BMI). - And if your connecting flight is NOT a BA flight, then check very carefully whether your carrier will charge you for carrying skis (like BMI from LBA!!).
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Hi
me again Happy
so i just received my paperwork through and it has the below in it - concerned about Bag MUST NOT EXceed dimensions 90cm X75cm x43cm and now also mentione dof paying to take skis and that the only things allowed in the ski bag ...


British Airways have recently made some changes to their baggage allowances, seating policy and other traveller information. We have
summarised these details below for you but you may also wish to read more information at www.ba.com
Baggage Allowance:
Customers travelling in World Traveller (Economy) will have a free allowance of one bag weighing up to 23kgs.
The bag must not exceed dimensions of 90cm x 75cm x 43cm

If passengers wish to take an extra bag, the charge for the first extra bag is £40 per sector, and a subsequent bag is £90 per sector. This is payable
directly to the airline at the airport. If you wish to purchase extra baggage online with BA prior to departure, the cost will be £34.
Passengers booked in World Traveller Plus, or Club World: Your luggage allowance is 2 pieces per person each weighing up to 23kgs.
Hand Baggage:
You will also be allowed to take one piece of hand luggage on board, plus a laptop or handbag. The bag must not exceed dimensions of 56cm x
45cm x 25cm and the weight limit is determined by your being able to lift this item into the overhead locker unaided.
Carriage of Ski/Snowboard Equipment:
Customers travelling in World Traveller have a free allowance of one bag weighing up to 23kgs.

If you intend to take skis or snowboard equipment in addition to this one bag you will be charged £40 per ski bag per sector (£80 return). This is
payable directly to the airline at the airport or online at www.ba.com/managemybooking
Please note - Clothing and other personal items etc cannot be carried in ski or board bags.
To avoid this charge or for convenience you may wish to consider pre-booking ski and boot hire


CHECKED BA SITE and it says.........
How large can my bag be?
The maximum dimensions of the bag are

90cm x 75cm x 43cm (35.5in x 29.5in x 16 in), including the handle, pockets and wheels.


What to do with larger/bulky items
You may take bags up to the dimensions 190cm x 75cm x 65cm (75in x 29.5in x 25.5in), including the handle, pockets and wheels.

•Any bags carried in addition to your free checked baggage allowance will incur an extra bag charge.
•A heavy bag charge may apply to bags over 23kg (51lb).
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
someone please tell me what inghams has sent is wrong and i can still take the massive ski bags i've already bought:-(
weird BA now have the MAximum size and then right after state " You may take bags up to dimensions"
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
gemmie20, I agree it's confusing as it does say

Quote:
You may take bags up to the dimensions 190cm x 75cm x 65cm (75in x 29.5in x 25.5in), including the handle, pockets and wheels.


if you take one 23kg bag AND a ski bag you will get charged for the ski bag.

I have status with BA so it wasn't an issue last time I flew with them in Dec so I have no first hand experience I'm afraid.
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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?
thanks Kitenski glad its not just me that thinks its confusing -easpeically as the BA site doesn't look to mention charging for ski gear? only charging if you go over weight /amount of bags/dimensions

anyone been with BA recently that can put my mind at rest?

there is 4 of us so my plan was ...
2 x double ski bags with 2 x skis and poles in each and any gear/clothing we can fit in
2 x holdall for everythign else

trying to keep each under 23kg so thought this was gonna be ok ?
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gemmie20, it's clear on charging for ski gear....

Try email/tweet regarding length of bag, citing their website which says "you can" .....

Quote:
Sporting equipment
There is no additional allowance for sporting equipment. If the total number of bags is more than your free checked allowance, you will need to pay extra bag charges. You can save money by paying for extra bags online before you check in. Charges at the airport will be higher.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
gemmie20, As long as the checked bags weigh less than 23kg you should be fine. I've flown on BA with a double ski bag quite a few times without problems, even when the ski bag weighed more than 23kg as the bags are longer than the scales and depending on how the bag is positioned, one end of the bag may be supported and unweighed. I got away with this quite a few times but at the last attempt I was caught out and made to stand the bag vertically on the scales, its true weight was recorded and I had to pay the excess baggage charge.
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gemmie20, as I understand it, everybody has a 23 kg hold bag PLUS up to 23 kg cabin baggage. Not to mention handbag and laptop. What could you need that would add up to more than 46 kg? Shocked
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Hi pam_w - yea that how I understood it from the ba website however it's inghams that have made me worried with the "ba have made recent changes" paperwork as quoted above stating the smaller dimensions of main checked luggage must not be breached and also 10kg for hand luggage ..not too worried bout the handluggage thing more the dimensions issue.... Basically acorrding to ba site I should be fine right? But the paperword inghams has sent is wrong ?
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
23kgs in the size of hand luggage would be some going - time to consider vacuum packing? May have to be nice to housekeeping the other side for the return journey Smile
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This is what we did with 2 x boots, 2 x skis and 2 x helmets plus usual clothing etc to Venice with BA recently. Paid for 3 checked hold bags.

2 x hold bags/suitcases with our boots in each bag plus clothing etc ( weighed about 17kgs each so loads of extra weight left over)
1x extra hold bag which was a ski bag with 2 sets of skis plus some clothing for padding. weighed less than 23 kg but cant remember exactly how much.

2 bags for in cabin.....one was a "boot bag " but contained ski helmets( very light but bulky), other was a backpack with books etc for journey.
Now in BA's allowance we could have had 2 cabin sized bags plus 2 handbags or briefcases/laptop bags but didn't need it. If we had used 2 cabin sized small suitcases with the helmets in plus other bits and pieces of clothing we may well have got away with just 1 main hold suitcase with 2 pairs of boots in and a few items of clothing etc.

So to summarise we paid for 3 hold bags which gave an allowance of 3x 23kgs...more then enough. And no problems with 2 pairs of skis as we paid for weight not items.

Phew ..I thought this would sound crystal clear. Laughing
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Hi pam_w - yea that how I understood it from the ba website however it's inghams that have made me worried with the "ba have made recent changes" paperwork as quoted above stating the smaller dimensions of main checked luggage must not be breached and also 10kg for hand luggage ..not too worried bout the handluggage thing more the dimensions issue.... Basically acorrding to ba site I should be fine right? But the paperword inghams has sent is wrong ?
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