Heads up; If you plan on air travel with board

I flew with my board last week. First time in two years. I flew Continental. They ask if it was a surfboard, I said sure why not. They told me it was over sized and it costs $85 to send a surf board. So I tell them it was a wake board. While I waited as they searched there database to see how much to juice me for a wakeboard I saw a guy next to me check his golf clubs. I asked how much
they charge him for the clubs and find out clubs fly free. My bag is sitting next to his and they are the same size. So I tell the lady ( now a manager type) that it's not a wakeboard but a set of clubs. She says no way, $85. I point to the golf bag. Sorry no dice, $85. I'm ready to get the higher up now. She uses her 1 thoughtful act of the year and says, after I show her my empty wallet, that she will let me go this once.
So if you fly, dress in some gay golf shirt and tell them the bag has clubs in it. Don't expect any one to be able to think. What a crock of crap.

Found out last year... If you say trick skis, no problem. If you say SurfBOARD, wakeBOARD, kneeBOARD they will sock it to you. It's all part of a major conspiracy against all board sports!

You know how skateboarders for years have been busted by "the man" for riding on sidewalks, well now they are after all "punks" with a board in their hand.

There was also a commercial on TV a few years back that was pretty cool. It showed some people out on the golf green, then the cops pull up in the squad car and bust them for golfing. Then a voice says, "What if we treated all athletes like skateboarders." It was pretty cool, It may have been a shoe ad, I can't remember.

This has come up numerous times before. As I recall from previous discussions, if you say it's a snowboard, you're in the clear.

When I have flew with my board, no one knew what a wakeboard was, and they classified it as a boogie board and it was free.

The best way as Matt has stated is just to say its a snowboard.

I use the technique of having a really old smelly bag. They never ask what's in it.

You actually need to check the rules for whatever airline you're flying with. Each airline is different. I'm flying United (on 9/11 of all dates) to Orlando and must follow these rules: http://www.ual.com/page/article/0,1360,1034,00.html.

Don't tell them it's a wakeboard because that won't be in anybody's "rule book" and will only cause confusion. Don't call it a surfboard because just about every airline considers that to be "oversized." According to United's rules, most wakeboards would be charged the extra fee because the bag they're in most likely exceeds 62". They might have exceptions to the rules, but did not list them on their website.

American airlines has the same type of restrictions (http://www.aa.com/content/customerService/baggage/baggageAllowance.jhtml?anchorEvent=false), but lists the following as exceptions and there will be no charge for these items.

- Archery
- Backpack
- Bicycle (if within 50 lbs/32 kgs and 62 in/157 cm)
- Boogie/Knee board
- Bowling equipment (bowling case with up to three bowling balls and shoes)
- Fishing equipment (2 rods, reel, net, tackle box and 1 pair of boots)
- Golf equipment (1 bag, 14 clubs, 12 balls and 1 pair of shoes contained in a self-provided travel bag or box) is not subject to the $25 charge for baggage weighing over 50lbs. but no more than 70lbs
- Hockey/Lacrosse stick
- Shooting equipment
- Skateboard
- Ski equipment (1 pair of skis, poles, boots, and bindings. These items will count as 1 item.)
- Snowboard

I'm not sure why skateboards are even listed since I've never seen one longer than 62". Your best bet is probably to call it a snowboard. They may look at you funny if you're traveling to Orlando with a snowboard, but even if they open it up and look, sadly, most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a snowboard and a wakeboard.

When I went to Dallas, I just yelled at Frontier until they put us on a Delta flight. Delta had no problems with my wakeboard.

matt/Gareth, snowboards get ya busted too, husband had to pay xtra to get it to Co. last year..sux!

I Flew from Ireland to Vancouver recently with United Airlines and was on three different planes, the snowboard theory worked a treat for me!

With all the flying I've done with my boards, never had to pay extra, don't tell them anything, they just ticket it and I take it to the oversized luggage, and don't have to pay any charges.

(Message edited by kristian on September 06, 2003)

Tell them it's a bomb.

They're busting ya for bombs now too!

I flew American from LAX to O'Hare in May with my wakeboard and didn't get charged. I even told them it was a wakeboard when they asked. It's probably just luck of the draw though, like going through Canadian customs/immigration. Each agent just makes up their own rules.

Just tell them its ski equipment. Technically, you're not lying. I've flown all over with wakeboard bags and three-event waterski bags which are much larger than normal wakeboard bags and almost never had a problem. It usually helps too to make sure you get there really early for the flight and also try and check it at the curbside check-in.

i went to Vancouver (on united) with a snowboard... no problems no hassle, no extra fees!!!

Sean - thats funny.

Curbside check in is a great fix. Those guys can bend the rules, especially if you tip well. I've checked my slalom and my wakeboard on the same flight many times and never had a problem. Of course, I never fly Continental for the exact reason that started this thread. They are the worst for service out of the major airlines, IMO.

Has anybody had any experience flying Southwest?
I'm leaving tomorrow and wondering if the board will be a problem.

I am traveling with America West this month. Their policy says anything over 62" total(that's L + W + H) is subject to an $80 charge. Over 80" and it shipped via commercial shipper. I'd better go measure!

I flew Delta 5 weeks ago. I told them it was a wakeboard, and I was not charged extra. However, upon returning to LAX, my bag was torn open and my board was damaged! I am still trying to get them to pay.

Southwest does not charge. They didn't even ask what it was.
I travelled with a board a couple of weeks ago.

Southwest is awesome to fly with. I've checked multiple board bags at once with them and they never give me any problems.

i just got back from atlanta georgia and had no problem at all, they asked what it was and i told them that it was 2 wakeboards, the dude said alright and checked it in. you just got to be freindly with them

I flew from Sacramento to Los Angles not to long ago. I flew on American Alines they didn't mind so much of it. But when I got it that was a diffrent story. My board delmated and had cracks all over it. My video camera lense was busted and now it won't turn on. Apparently they can't read the fragile sign. And what really pissed me off was that they sent it on the wrong flight so I had to wait around the airport for 4 hours to get my ••••••••• even with that I was playing to ride that day all so but I couldnt compete becuase of that. So Its alot better than you having to pay 85 dollars becuase I got over 1000 dollars worth of damage to my stuff

I don't know about you Ryan, but I WOULD NEVER send anything electronics/camera equipment though luggage claim.

I went with a shop I work for to the Hyperlite factory to prebook 2004 product and we came back with 4 HL board bags each holding 6 boards (w/o bindings). There was three of us and we checked them at the outside gate with no problems, I was pretty amazed cause these things were huge and very heavy.
We kicked the guy a $20 tip and Im sure that helped.

Heres anothing thing, always check you bag at the airport when you land, because as soon as you leave, and find out they screwed up your stuff it is so much harder to get any compensation. So check your bag in the airport and deal with any situations immediately.

i flew southwest from seattle to vegas with my board and all of my clothes inside the bag, and nothing was asked on the inside or the outside. just luck of the draw if you ask me.

I flew from Minneapolis to Switzerland, Southwest took my wakeboard and my landlock (in a box) for free. Looks like international transportation is always for free up to 66" length. domestic seem to be 80$ pp