Anyone been charged for boards on Qantas?

Post by **Nick Carroll** » Tue May 31, 2005 3:18 pm

I hope you all don't mind me asking for help in researching a story.

Been following up on the ongoing dangers to surfers travelling with board bags in the wake of Ms Corby's troubles. In the process I've had a couple of reports that Qantas has suddenly begun cracking down on surfboard bags -- charging full excess rates when they used to let it slide, etc.

Has anyone had such an experience lately, particularly on an international flight? I got one report of a surfer being charged over $900.

Thanks for any help you can give. If it's not appropriate, moderators, gimme the boot.

Nick

Post by **thermalben** » Tue May 31, 2005 3:42 pm

I don't have any recent international stories Nick, but I have noticed all domestic airlines getting much stricter with boards - this seemed to happen around the start of the year. Virgin Blue used to just tag my coffin bag and let me take it through to the 'oversize' baggage door myself.. instead, they're now weighing each bag meticulously (same with the other two airlines as well).

However, I haven't been charged excess baggage on any airline as yet (QS, VB, JS), but have heard along the grapevine that it's much more likely on JS than the other two.

Post by **pig champion** » Tue May 31, 2005 3:48 pm

yep, slugged $400 on the way to indo last year & they tried to slug me another $350 on the way home. i disputed it & they dropped it to $150 ... it's a rip-off ... qantas can eat a big fat one ...

Post by **booter** » Tue May 31, 2005 4:14 pm

thermalben wrote: However, I haven't been charged excess baggage on any airline as yet (QS, VB, JS), but have heard along the grapevine that it's much more likely on JS than the other two.

I'm flying to the goldy mid june on VB so I'll let you know how it goes...

Post by **barstardos** » Tue May 31, 2005 4:28 pm

depends on which airport you are at. I took a single board bag out of Sydney on QF to AKL a little whil ago - no worries. Same board bag coming back from NZ cost me $100 checking in at AKL. Check in staff blamed Qantas directives. I didnt get too upset at the time I had just had epic Raglan and I didnt care that much

Post by **Hawkeye** » Tue May 31, 2005 6:27 pm

Nah, its the Kiwis. Officious bunch of so-and-sos.

I flew Air NZ to the US in 2002 for a seminar, and they wanted to charge me excess for my laptop. The bird at the counter had a Kiwi accent.

Never had that problem with QANTAS, or any of the US airlines, or indeed on the return check-in with the US Air NZ staff.

An English expat friend of mine who travels extensively and has settled in NZ mentioned that when he has this trouble with check-in staff, the person behind the counter usually has that same funny eccent, regardless of the airline.

Post by **snakes** » Tue May 31, 2005 6:41 pm

No, but they do slip you 4kaygees of phat buds for every bodyboard shipped to Bali

snakes

Post by **filthbarrel** » Tue May 31, 2005 10:57 pm

Not charging but when I got a Jetstar el cheapo from Newc to Gold Coast in April (just went for two days to have a slash at the superbank-yes it was worth it and yes it was more crowded than it looks on coastalwatch and yes I did drop in lots and yes I got dropped in on lots) the turds wouldn't let me check the boards because I was there only an hour before the flight -yea, a frickin' hour. But . . .the fine print on Jetstar ticket does say that you have to be there two hours before the flight if you have a range of things including surfboards.

So . . .what happened? I demanded to see a manager and got a nice PR type who told me that 'due to security compliance issues' the conditions were required to be observed by the airline -not me, but the airline.

I said what the heck do I do and they said that they would allow on this occasion but that it would be noted that I had been warned.

I later thought . . .so this went on my permanent record ?

I pray to Jeebus that my tardiness record will not stop me from entering the US at sometime in the future as apparently they have access to all records ever kept on anyone anywhere.

As for locking my bags, I always use cable ties on an ocean and earth coffin bag.

Post by **Cliff** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:27 am

Qantas at Auckland is the only place I've ever been harrasaed and that was about a month ago. They let me off because I had a special baggage allowance through frequent flyers - but she was keen to make me pay

Bloody Kiwi's

BB · Post by BB » Wed Jun 01, 2005 8:33 am

Never any problems with Garuda provided you are willing to lug your triple board bag to the oversize baggage counter at the other end of the terminal......but on a related issue I can't remember ever going through Ngurah Rai without having my bag opened, if only to count the boards!

GregD · Post by **GregD** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:17 am

Earlier this year Hawaiin Airlines charged me US$80.00 for my surfboard from Hawaii to Australia. Going from Australia, the Australian staff for Hawaiin Airlines were cool enough to waived the charged to Hawaii.

Unfortunately, it's also an additional US$25.00 between any two points in Hawaii. The charge will cover two boards if they're in the same board cover. It all adds up if you're going island hopping. What annoyed me the most was that the inter island flights were always half full, so cargo space would not have been at a premium and I also had minimal lugguge to check in.

Post by **Nick Carroll** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:54 am

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated.

I loved the Jetstar anecdote, Filthbarrel, what a lovable airline it is. How I will try to avoid it forever.

xxnc

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Anyone been charged for boards on Qantas?

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