Lufthansa - Thieving Pikies!!

[Jeff101]

Off to Ras Sudr end of the month and am just booking my kit for the flight.

 

The airline want about 300 quid if it weighs more than 15Kg and 90 quid if it is less than 15 Kg!!

 

What are my options...these prices were saying that it was golf equipment! Do i stuff it all in my bag and take the board as excess or take the lot and try and blag it at the airport. (then repack in double quick time if required at the check in desk)!

 

Seriously though what to do? its almost cheaper to buy another ticket!

 

An ironic quote from their website...

 

'We would like you to be able to practise your sport while you’re away too. That’s why Lufthansa has special excess baggage rates for sports bags.'

[North Wind]

Not sure what to do about the Lufthansa situation. Although there is a risk of strikes and bankruptcy (the latter is true of most airlines?) the British Airways policy is not too bad.

 

BA policy

 

There are 3 things to get straight to calculate the charge:

 

1. Is the kitebag an "additional bag"?

2. Is it overweight?

3. Is it oversize?

 

1. First, work out your bag allowance. If you wish to take an "additional bag" (whether or not a sports bag of any kind) beyond that included in your ticket (which varies by route and cabin) you have to pay the additional bag charge. This charge (if you prebook) is:

 

Long haul: £72 per bag

 

Short haul: £28 per bag

 

UK domestic: £20 per bag

 

That is each way (not per sector) for a bag up to 23kgs and 90cm x 75cm x 43cm.

 

2. If you want an extra 9 kgs (i.e. up to 32kgs) you have to pay an extra £25 per bag each way.

 

3. If your bag exceeds 90cm x 75cm x 43cm, you have to pay an extra £25 per bag each way.

 

The max weight per bag they will take is 32kg and the max dimensions 240cm x 75cm x 65cm. Heavier or bigger and you have to send it World Cargo.

 

Notes:

 

1. Some sports are exempt from this and are taken for free, e.g. golf and skiing. Kitesurfing is not exempt. Some sports equipment is banned and won't be taken even as additional luggage. Kitesurfing equipment is not banned.

 

EDIT: I have rewritten the above to reflect the conversation I have just had with the BA lady at Waterside.

 

EDIT2: I started out saying the policy is not too bad. £244 for a 32kg bag return is less than some (I have heard horror stories of £600 charges and myself got charged £500 by Virgin) but is still too much. I have again emphasised to BA that they could get some competitive advantage by being more reasonable.

[naturalfreeride]

Those Lufthansa rules say you can take one ski bag free.

Then in the 'More info about sport and special baggage' table they lump water ski equipment in that group. So just as a snowboard qualifies as ski gear, it might be worth saying you are carrying a slalom water ski !! How many of the staff will know what the difference is, just don't mention the word surf at all.

May be worth a shot.

[Noo Noo]

water ski = wakeboard = kiteboard

 

just a thought

[Jeff101]

Thanks for the advice,

The women on the phone didnt even know what water skis were.

The ski kit is free if it is below the 20Kg baggage limit ie you can have more than one bag but total weight still the same.

Its a bit ridiculous really.

 

For once Thomas Cook seem to be the airline of choice as they charge £35 for an additional 32Kg of Kite Kit..shame they were booked!

[naturalfreeride]

The ski kit is free if it is below the 20Kg baggage limit ie you can have more than one bag but total weight still the same.

 

The rules online say 'over and above the free baggage allowance'