Carry ons

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Anyone ever get hassled for carring on a bar/lines and harness?
I've carried on my kite numerous times no problem.

BigR · Since 05 Jul 2005 372 Posts White Salmon Obsessed

I've carryed on my kite and bar/lines no problem. not harness.

its gotta be a small enough kite like a 7 or 9m to fit in the overhead compartment >>> no room for the harness except in check-in or maybe small 2nd carry on.

Nak · Fri Nov 09, 07 12:37 pm

I've carried on my NSI golf bag with 3 kites, a board, and a harness inside. Damn thing barely fit through the x-ray machine. Of course I was flying the plane that day... Very Happy

Seriously though, I've never had a problem with any of the stuff I've carried on going through security, even when not in uniform. That includes every piece of kite gear I have. They always want to see the spreader bars though, so I take those out of the bag, just like a laptop computer.

Here's an industry secret that might help out some day... It's called "Door Checking". I use it extensively on Northwest and a couple of times on Alaska. You can bring baggage you need to check through security and check it at the gate. (As long as there is nothing inside banned for security screening.) Don't try this with lots of pieces of baggage, but you should be OK with one piece, say a board in a board bag. Pros: You will probably avoid the extra charge for the board. (Not a guarantee though.) Cons: you have to carry extra bags around. Generally, door checked bags are left at the door a the end of the Jetway, near the aircraft, by the passenger. The bag is also usually picked up by the passenger at the same location at the end of the flight. Check with the gate agent. Remember to tell them you want to "Door Check" the bag. If the board is the only item you need to check, you can save a lot of time by avoiding the wait for baggage at baggage claim. Note: Don't try this at the last minute in case you run into a jerk who sends you back to the counter. I've never seen that, but it's possible.

Another tip: Join the frequent flyer's club for the airline you are flying. Do this when you purchase your ticket if you aren't already a member. It doesn't cost anything and you MIGHT get some cool perks. If coach is oversold, and you're the only frequent flyer on that flight, guess who will get upgraded to first class? You may not fly enough to get free tickets, but occasionally there are other perks. Little things the agent may let you slide on, like oversize baggage, etc. Again, not a gauruntee.

Nak

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

thx - carried on 12m waroo, bar/lines, and nitro shorts - no questions asked.

no way was I going to take the red eye to get a saturday session and not have the essentials arrive

did I forget something?

endoshred · Since 22 May 2006 232 Posts HR Stoked

nak, do you think door checking would work when flying home from cabo?

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

I think anything goes in mexico - though they may take issue with your power drill

thealohakid · Since 09 Aug 2006 58 Posts MAUI

i have a super small surfboard style coffin bag that sucks because as soon as they see it they want to charge........so I read that they don't charge for snowboards so now i dont pack it so full, keep it under 50 lbs, (board, harness, bar, two kites) and when they ask what it is, I say snowboard and gear. They don't even second guess it. Especially this time of year.

Joshiebaby · Since 14 Oct 2007 569 Posts Vancouver, WA Addicted

I'm headed to Hawaii on Monday for some kitesurfing and haven't ever taken gear with me on the plane before... Pretty stoked!

Anyone have any information on these two airlines and whether or not they charge/how to get around it? I looked them up online and don't know what category they will fit me into.

I bough the NSI deceiver bag and packed it up. It looks really really big--way too big for a golf bag. Any ideas here or what is the best way not to get slammed. I'm making the flight over on NWA and then catching a commuter flight on IGO.

Thanks!

Nak · Sat Nov 10, 07 10:29 am

Nak · Sat Nov 10, 07 10:35 am **Re: IGO/NWA FLIGHT TO HAWAII**

shastadogs2 · Since 28 Mar 2005 336 Posts Obsessed

nak, thanks man for the tip: i am flying to bahamas in december, bringing my srt 5'11", will try to check it at the gate (if my wife will let me.)

i have only had one experience with problems with my trusty nsi bag, new ticket agent, lots of "whats in the bag, boose?" checking his computer, trying to find the right questions to ask, i got a bit huffy from my usual very friendly, said something about flying a competitor next time, drug my feet with the zipper when he wanted to look inside, more huffy, exasperated looks at the guy, his supe came over and waved it through. i figured he must have had a small penis. . .

jimmi

BigR · Since 05 Jul 2005 372 Posts White Salmon Obsessed

Uh, oh....

better make sure it's not near christmastime or on any bahamas owned airline.

If you happen to hit that double whammy then you'll find your stuff delayed for a week or so; b/c all the people fly back to the homeland with boxes and boxes and boxes of stuff which they pay the airline employees under the table to send before any of your stuff can make it on the plane...

Uglykiter · Since 15 Jun 2007 26 Posts

I took a long multi-leg trip this summer, so I packed a board, kite, bar/lines, and my clothes into an NSI Deciever - weighed about 55 pounds - at the airport, I ended up taking some clothes out of the NSI bag, stuck 'em in my kite bag, and checked 'em as two bags for the rest of the trip. Not a single overage charge between orlando, New York, Israel, back to New York, to San fran, Portland and back to O-town. All checked through fine.

Mark · Mon Nov 12, 07 9:35 am

Jimmi,
Please keep us informed on your luck with the Bahamas. As I am traveling thru at xmas thru new years. It would be below average not to have my kites....

Mark

Nak · Mon Nov 12, 07 9:38 am

Uglykiter · Since 15 Jun 2007 26 Posts

PS, I tend to try to avoid ever using the words "wind", "kite" or "surf", and if possible, "board".

Cozumel Tom · Since 14 Aug 2007 18 Posts Toronto / Cozumel

You can run into problems if you take a bar and lines as carry-on. As an example, airlines do not allow fishing reels with line as carry-on. They reason that fishing line (and kite line) can be used to restrain pasengers. Same reason you are not allowed duct tape or tools in carry-on. Bar can be used as a weapon and lines to tie people up. This usually happens on the beach and not on the plane, but best to pack the bar and lines in your checked luggage.