Checking on a kitebag on a plane

MW · Since 09 Jan 2006 186 Posts Hood River, Oregon Stoked

Does anyone have any ideas of how to avoid the $80.00 charge to check on a kitebag when flying on Hawaiian Airlines? Even if I put my board in a box and mark it "keyboard" I still have a kitebag that is about 5 feet long with two kites, bar and lines, harness, and pump. Do they charge extra for the size of the bag, or just if it has a surfboard.

Bettyboarder · Sun Feb 12, 06 1:45 pm

Phil always tells them that the bag has ski's in it or golf clubs. Water or snow ski's and golf clubs are free on most airlines. We have a NSI golf bag and we have not have any problems.

Also keep the bag under 50 lbs or most airlines will charge for the extra weight.

tacksharp · Since 06 Dec 2005 91 Posts The Hood Photographer

Yep..I brought a huge Dakine coffin bag with two surfboards, a skimboard, a kite, and had half of my travel stuff to Oz with me last year. I told them it was golf gear and they didn't bat an eye. I also think they allow Windsurfers or surfing for free, so check into that. Also, double check your weight limit. Mine was 65 pounds and I made it by a pound. SOOOO close, but not a problem.

mit_noslrac · Since 17 May 2005 108 Posts Bend Oregon Stoked

Wish I would have had one! Returned yesterday from the Dominican Republic flying Continental airlines, they charged me and my buddy 100 frogskins each in Newark and another 100 bones each on the return trip from the DR and my board is only worth about 200 bucks. Evil or Very Mad

only got three out of seven days of kiting in Twisted Evil

Spend the Doe for the Golf Bag, at least you will have something I almost left my board there!

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

two rules are:

1) get a golf bag, NSI or actual. Or something that you can call a golf bag.

2) keep it under 50 lbs at least for domestic flights and flights to mexico. Trevor got boned for having his bag at 60lbs coming down here, $100. Evil or Very Mad

lance_k · Since 04 May 2005 565 Posts Hood River Photographer

The BEST stealth bag works great>>
http://www.bestkiteboarding.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.12/it.A/id.92/.f

GOLF clubs they are (never say anything about a board). Use the jedi mind trick.

Nak · Sun Feb 12, 06 11:53 pm

Northwest flys direct to Honolulu from PDX and has no extra charge for kite gear-including the board. Kind of late if you already have your tickets, but good to keep in mind for the future! Have fun in paradise! Remember to chack the local rules before heading out, There is still some danger of Kiteboarding being banned in Kailua.

Nak

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

one more thing, if the bag is too huge to be a golf bag sometimes "ski's works" ... I used this on the big dakine bags and the bag we had glides in coming down to cozumel, always works. If its someplace tropical just say "water skis" if they look at you funny, all the airlines I have been on accept both.

just never say "board" ... its an instant red flag for charging in my experience.

tonski · Since 11 Jun 2005 332 Posts NW Portland Obsessed

When we had the Dakine airwagon, we were charged $80-100 each and every time, except Air New Zealand which is more liberal with luggage.

Now that we stepped up to two NSI bags, we haven't been charged once and we haven't lied to customs either. I always make a point of being extra polite to the agent and saying clearly, "Honey, can you grab the golf bags and weigh them?" We're always careful to make sure they are 49.5 lbs or under. We actually do put a couple of clubs in there in case they ask what's inside. "Golf clubs and kites."

Last time we flew to Cabo, a customs agent on departure did check inside the bag right in front of us, so I'm glad we didn't lie about the contents. I would hate to be in trouble with Mexican customs agents. Laughing

Nak · Mon Feb 13, 06 12:54 pm

Just so everybody knows, customs does not share information like this with the airlines. When a Customs agent asks what's in the bag, it is in your best intrest to be VERY truthful. Go ahead and tell them kites, kite board and accessories. Customs is only interested in what is legal, not what you did or did not pay the airline in luggage fees.
Also, check your airline's website to find out what items incur excess baggage charges. If kiteboarding is not listed, just tell the airline agent "Kiting stuff, you know, stuff to fly big kites." Since the agent probably has no idea what kiteboarding is, there should no extra charges. Now, if the airline loses your gear, you can make a claim for your lost gear. If they do have kiteboards on their excess baggage list, just smile and let the agent draw their own conclusions as to what is in your "Golf " bag. Be aware though, that you may have a hard time collecting from the airline if they lose or damage your gear.
Be sure and check what the cost of excess weight per bag is as well. These charges can vary radically from airline to airline. If it's only $10.00 to pack your kite bag up to 60 pounds, that may be worth it.
I know I already talked about Customs, but please be really, really truthful and complete when you talk to these guys. "Forgetting" to mention an item as large as a kiteboard could ruin your whole day. Depending on the agent, they could laugh it off, they could detain you for hours or longer, they could confiscate any or all of you gear, they could completly rip your gear apart-including sawing your board in half-, in short they can do just about anything they want if they think you were trying to mislead them or play games with them. Customs also keeps a "shitlist". If they ever think you screwed with them, your name goes on their list for life. Every time you go through customs, you'll get "special" treatment.
One last thing. Consider registering the serial numbers of your gear with customs. Most Kiteboarding gear is made overseas. If the customs agent decides your gear was bought overseas, they can charge you import fees on your reentry to the US. Now, of course we all know that NO agent would EVER do this because they took a dislike to you. If your gear is registerd with customs, you can save a lot of hassle if customs ever randomly gives you a more thorough check.
I fly internationally for a living, so I know a little about this stuff...

Good winds!
Nak

tonski · Since 11 Jun 2005 332 Posts NW Portland Obsessed

Good points Nak - Only problem that comes up is when the customs agent checking backage contents is right next to and working with the ticket agent such as in Cabo. Luckily, when our ticket agent asked the customs agent, what's in our bags, she replied "golf bags" - we really lucked out. Laughing

coastercoe · Since 28 Mar 2005 35 Posts redmond

My last trip to SPI, my nsi golf bag went down free, but the agent in texas tried to charge me to bring it home.....as they did not charge me to come down, she relented, but printed out the policy from their book and highlighted the paragaph about kite gear and boards....it is listed along with surfboards and has a charge to travel.....this was on continental, and she knew what a nsi bag was.....

trevorsmith · Since 25 Apr 2005 501 Posts PDX Addicted

Originally the Airlines did not know what Kiteboarding was, so you could tell them: I fly Kites (leave the board part out). Then they could not find kites in the system or ask you if it is like windsufring (Always say NO).

But now they have it in their system, kites, kitesurfing, kiteboarding etc. and they will ding you for it. $70 for oversize, and $30 for over weight. Also they changed the weight for International travel, it was 70lbs..now it is 50lbs.

Phil said that "skis" (either water or snow) do not get chaged so that is what you will need to say. I did not get charged on the way back from the trip, but I had to make my bag 15 lbs lighter by stuffing wetsuits bars, into my checked luggage.

azazello · Since 11 Jun 2005 60 Posts Seattle

I'm amazed at how quickly all sorts of part- and mis-information is being spread about who charges for what and how to avoid this.

Just go and read the damn airline policy, will ya? Smile

It's different for each airline and you just can't discuss it in general.

I think that the only sure-fire way is to pack kites into a regular suitcase that doesn't attract any attention at all, plus take off fins/bindings from the board and pack it in cardboard. Every airline has an exclusion rule for stuff like waterskis and body boards, so you can always claim your board is a bodyboard and they won't have any legal grounds to charge you.

The challange of this approach is keeping the suitcase below 50lbs. Move some of the small and heavy stuff into carry-on.

azazello · Since 11 Jun 2005 60 Posts Seattle

trevorsmith · Since 25 Apr 2005 501 Posts PDX Addicted

Here is continental baggage policy..seems to more good luck with the ticket person cause I would like to see anyones gear regardless of contents meet this qualification

Oversized Baggage
Checked baggage exceeding 62 linear inches (157 cm)(total length + width + height) will be charged at the rate of $80.00 per piece.
These charges are in addition to any charge assessed for additional or overweight baggage.
Baggage measuring more than 115 in/292 cm (total outside dimensions; length + width + height) will not be accepted as checked baggage.

pacifichigh · Since 11 May 2005 1004 Posts ATX Texan

Continental charged me for a golf bag on the way down to Costa Rica. They asked what was in it, and I said beach gear. Dude then got out a tape measure and said it was way bigger than a standard golf bag. This was the first (and only) time I have ever been sweated with a golf bag.