U.S. Airlines Now Charging As Much As $400 To Carry Surfboards
Airlines and surfers must be involved in some secret war, because how else can you explain why airlines are targeting them so savagely right now? Sure, snacks cost us $9, bags are $50 each, and seat belts will probably soon be auctioned off during the preflight check—but if you're a surfer, you can expect to pay up to $200 each way to bring along your board, pretty much blowing out the budget of any surfer who isn't Patrick Swayze.
Based on the chart provided at Surfline.com, the U.S. carriers are some of the worst culprits. Delta charges $150 each way, United charges between $100-$200 each way depending on board length, American charges $100 each way, and Continental charges $95 each way. (As you might expect, Jet Blue and Southwest are both more affordable, at $25 and $50 each way respectively.)
According to the Los Angeles Times, Delta says surfboards require too much special handling, and of course they blame fuel prices:
The surfboard fees are high because the boards require special care and extra handling, Delta said. They don't go through the normal baggage carousel but must be carried on special elevators to the claims area.
"There are handling costs associated with surfboards that we have to account for," Delta spokesman Kent Landers said. The hike in charges also reflects a general increase in fees to "cover and reflect the unprecedented increase in fuel costs," he added.
Surfers disagree:
But surfers contend that the fees for their boards are unfairly high compared with other items. Although they are large and need special handling as an oversize bag, a typical short board weighs about 4 pounds while a larger board may swell to only 15 pounds.
"It's not the weight thing," said Marcus Sanders, a Huntington Beach surfer and editor of surfing website Surfline.com, whose airline fee guide received 20,000 hits in the first two days it was posted last month. "They just think that it's an extra pain on their employees, that the boards take up extra space on their planes and that we make up a small percentage of its passengers."
The article points out that the combined fees from Delta and Hawaiian airlines cost one traveler about half what a new kite board (think smaller surfboard) would cost:
"You know, I just realized I'm going to be paying $360 to take my board along," Cowan, a Ridgway, Colo., resident, said after checking in his board, which was 4 feet, 9 inches long and weighed about 11 pounds.
Both the LA Times and Surfline.com suggest you look at foreign carriers if you want to avoid or minimize fees.
"Airlines' Fees for Surfboards are Dinging Surfers" [Los Angeles Times] (Thanks to David!)
RELATED
"Breakdown of boardbag charges by airline" [Surfline.com]
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Comments:
$400 is enough to buy a new surfboard. Maybe US Airlines should break out into a new field and start renting them at popular surfing destinations.
What does it cost to FedEx? Must be less expensive way to get the board there!
But are they charging similar rates for skis that are also bulky, despite their light weight?
To single out one specific type of cargo seems a bit unreasonable, but then this is the airlines.
How much would it cost to ship it in advance to wherever you're going? Once you're getting into these sorts of cost, that looks like a more viable option to me.
Well Patrick Swazye did rob banks to fund his surfing habit. Now we know where the money went.
Recover the costs? $400? One more bit of evidence the execs are golfing their way out of touch with lower rungs of (mis)management.
Does consumerist have a "wall of shame" for wildly unrealistic charges? You know, like returned check fees, tow/storage fees, surfboard shipping? It'd make a great browse.
@MercuryPDX: Why would you need to go through a specialty company to do it? I'm sure that's more expensive than FedEx or UPS.
Considering boards are long and fragile. They're harder to fit and stack. You can't just cram them into a small nook like you would a suitcase full of clothes.
I'm sure for that very reason it's also hard to ship a bicycle unless you were to break it down and box it.
You're probably better off UPS the board there.
Both the LA Times and Surfline.com suggest you look at foreign carriers if you want to avoid or minimize fees.
And if you want to have a better flying experience in every possible way.
Christ, the only thing that's going to keep US carriers alive at this point is protectionism.
When will golfers be charged an equivalent by-the-pound fee for their bags?
And what about golf clubs? They're considerably heavier, but not quite as bulky?
"They don't go through the normal baggage carousel but must be carried on special elevators to the claims area."
What the hell is so special about these elevators? If they go up and down, and they aren't form-fitted to a surf board, then it's just a regular elevator.
As many have said before, it would be such a better deal to ship it to yourself. Priority overnight it to your hotel or whoever you are staying with. it would probably cost less than 170 bucks total, for shipping there and back.
@Zeniq: My guess is it probably depends on where you're going whether it's a better deal that way. If it's to Hawaii, it's probably got to go on a plane anyway. If you're going to California from Arizona, there might be a cheaper option.
Fare's up dude.
This jsut kills me, as I'm an avid snowboarder and I have seen similar policies being applied to my gear. It used to be no extra charge. Then some airlines began charging the oversized/overwieght baggage fee. Now some airlines are charging additional fees on top of that.
Here's something for these no-talent assclowns at the airlines to consider...THE ONLY REASON I'M FLYING IS TO GO SNOWBOARDING! If you make it that much more expensive for me to take my snowboard and gear, then I might not go on the trip at all, which means you will not see my business or any of my money.
aren't there surfboard rental shops in hawaii? I wonder if that would be more cost effective.
Holy crap for $400 R/T you're probably better off just buying used at your destination or renting!
Or buying a seat for your board!
How much to ship UPS or FedEx to your location?
It sounds like the accountants and bean counters have taken over operations at the airlines.
Can I shoot a few of them, please? Maybe someone might grow a brain stem and start righting the wrongs they have created.
US Airlines hates beautiful people. And Spicoli.
I get the feeling that ten-times-heavier and equally unwieldy golf clubs got exempted from this surcharge since all the waddling, overweight US Air execs play golf and cried foul. Gods forbid THEY have to pay their way.
It seems likely that golf clubs and skis/snowboards are going to show up even more than surfboards in airplane luggage holds. Do the airlines really plan to treat golfers and skiers/boarders equally and hammer the crap out of them on extra baggage charges, too? Do they really think most travelers will just cave to the "convenience" and pay these ridiculous amounts?
The airlines must think they are the only game in town for shipping these items. If FedEx, UPS and other shippers are smart, they'll start offering an affordable way to accommodate sending travelers' big luggage items. They could get them to the door of the traveler's destination, also helping people avoid carrying as much luggage through airports.
If the airlines thought that way, maybe they would actually attract business, instead of scaring it off.
@johnva: I know Surfboards (and Skis) fall outside of the "standard package dimensions" for UPS, so there are "Over Maximum Limits charges" right there. LuggageForward isn't the only company out there though.
Dude! gotta get one of these inflatable boards:
[www.uliboards.com]
This one's just a concept, but if we get Swayze to make the pitch to some venture capitalists...
[www.yankodesign.com]
Definitely use a foreign airline if you are flying outside the US. I don't think you can fly on foreign airlines if you are flying from one US city to another.
@MercuryPDX: ...surfboard company that ships new boards via Fedex Ground for $65-95 dollars, so maybe Fedex is the way to go:
[www.islesurfboards.com]
@thrlsekr: Probably quite a bit, due to the dimensions. Especially if it's international, or to Hawaii.
Could you just buy a seat for the board in the back in Coach and get by any cheaper?
@MercuryPDX: surfboard company that ships new boards via Fedex Ground for $65-95 dollars, so maybe Fedex is the way to go:
They may have a "deal" since they ship so many, and they may also eat some of the cost or work it into the price. Your cost may be quite a bit higher, it's calculated on "dimensional weight" that can get really crazy for odd shaped packages.
Maybe if they start charging an extra $1,000 for babies I'll actually fly somewhere again.
If you have a Fedex account (free), you can get 25% off shipping rates. It saves me a ton of money over just about every other shipping option, but I do not ship surfboards.
I remember the good old days! I delivered my 11'9" windsurfer (tm) to San Francisco Airport at a freight terminal in 1982 and hand carried it between two terminals at LAX for delivery to Los Cabos with no problem....Okay, almost no problem! No one at the airline had seen a board that size and they wanted to treat it as freight. And coming back, I had to drag it thru Customs. $30 more and it was delivered
Let's face the facts. Any surfboard is "long", "fragile" and "special". Sorry if you are travelling to HI, or CA, or AUS, but you need to accept the fact that you should pay more for the privelege of taking "your" board to the destination. Not willing to pay the extra fees? Don't go!....
Fedex will only insure if you have them package it, at $200, on top of the $200 shipping cost (from HI to the East Coast). Ths USPS says they will ship it, but it has to be a pretty small surfboard (the USPS has a size limit) and it will still cost you over a hundred.
I've always been annoyed at this policy becuase it seems so discriminatory (not that the airlines aren't within their rights). They apparently make you sign a waiver that says if they mess it up it's not their fault. So what's the charge for:
1. Extra effort due to size - WRONG, Why isn't there an extra charge for skis?
2. Extra weight - WRONG, What about golf clubs?
3. They're fragile - WRONG, What's the waiver for? If they have no responsibility, there shouldn't be a handling charge and it's not like the fee is going to an insurance policy.
@waleeper:
Thanks for that. I was gonna ask about snowboards since that's what I would travel with. And since a snowboard + boots + helmet + other related gear probably weighs more than a surfboard, I could only assume they'd tack on a ridiculous surcharge if it really was due to fuel prices...
If you want a laugh look up the regulations for fishing gear. They are almost the same at every airline because one airline found one exec who fly fished only for trout only and got him to write the regs for them and the rest all copied them.
Most count a rod case, reel case/tackle bag, pair of waders and a net all as one piece of luggage (at least they used to until very recently when all this charging extra started).
@Git Em SteveDave displays attention-grabbing vanity:
Didn't you watch the movie Point Break? Swayze headed a gang called the Dead Presidents?
What in the name of tap-dancing-christ has the fuel cost got to do with carrying a surfboard? First it's special handing then it's fuel cost? If you're going to have a scapegoat, just pick one. I'd love to know how they could justify either. I don't see a surfboard needing that much extra fuel to carry. Aren't they super light? And special handing? How special is it to sit it aside and take it to the aircraft with the rest of the cargo & baggage? Lies. And all in the name of making extra money. Why are only US carriers doing this? Airliners need fuel and staff over here in Europe too, you know.
As an addition, I'm flying a European flight with BMI in a few days and paid extra on-line to book to carry a guitar in a flight case in the hold and paid a whopping £15 for the privilege. Approximately $30 USD and I bet it's about the same size as a small surfboard and considerably heavier.
@shufflemoomin:
Yeah, my brother has checked a full-size cello in a big flight case before and never been charged more than the overweight bag fee despite the fact that the thing is about five feet tall, three feet wide, and contains a $10,000 fragile hollow wooden object. This smells.
Though I've been surprised at the ease with which I've been able to carry my violin on board for years now. The case is a little suspicious-looking and although the total weight and volume are perfectly small enough, it is a little long. I always get a few odd looks from other passengers, but security and gate personnel have never had issues with it. I hope that doesn't change with the new finicky standards, because if it has to be checked it's almost sure to get broken with the way the baggage handlers throw things around and my insurance policy doesn't cover the damage if you are stupid enough to put it in a cargo hold.
unless you're a pro surfer, rent a board when you get there.
Foreign airlines on international flights. Some give free booze!!
@urban_ninjya: Actually, it's really expensive to check a bike, even if it is broken down. Call it a bike, and yer in trouble. Sporting goods, and it's less.
Really, really ridiculous.
As an aside, I've actually been to Bell's Beach, outside of Melbourne. I bet Quantas doesn't charge a ridiculous price if you want to take your board with you. Heck, I flew from LAX to Melbourne with a big 40-inch poster tube in addition to my carry-ons, and the flight attendants were happy to stow it behind my seat.
@redheadedstepchild: I used to fly with a mountain bike once a year in the early 90's and the airlines would provide a special bike box if you needed one. I had to pay a minimal charge for the box and that was it. Can't remember how much but it wasn't in the hundreds. What's the situation now?
A surfboard is light but ungainly. Yes it is more expensive to fly with a surfboard or snowboard because it is more difficult to transport and pack. I've both paid to ship and take bikes with me on the plane (carton size in inches - 44L x 30H x 11W, about 28 lbs) and usually pay $75 - $100 each way.
With the peanuts and movie cuts lately on flights, what else would you expect. Honestly, I would be UPSET if I saw someone check something as long as a snowboard and NOT get charged. Since the weight fee for over 50 lbs, I have not been able to use plastic hard cases, but even then they were only 48"L x 34"H X 14"W.
I would venture a guess that a nicely packed bike would be easier to pack into a plane than a longboard with a crappy packjob. Oh and BTW, just about EVERY snowboard I've seen on a plane has been in a nylon bag - I'm pretty sure you should lose any right to bitch about damages with such a job packing.
Mail it.