Comments on: Airline sports equipment fees confusion http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/10/27/airline-sports-equipment-fees/ Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:52:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/10/27/airline-sports-equipment-fees/#comment-155305 Steve Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:57:16 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=5089#comment-155305 I think you might be a bit naive thinking that John. Sorry, but there are plenty of fees that do not relate to the actual service/process involved. Back on the main topic though, Darren this is a continual headache for anyone involved in winter sports. The rules are always changing and are different for every airline/operator. Read any of the forums to see how many times gear carriage comes up. The silly thing is a bit of common sense would remove most of the problems, however attempts to get away with more by customers and jobsworth attitudes of staff have created a lucky dip scenario at check-in. I think you might be a bit naive thinking that John. Sorry, but there are plenty of fees that do not relate to the actual service/process involved.

Back on the main topic though, Darren this is a continual headache for anyone involved in winter sports. The rules are always changing and are different for every airline/operator. Read any of the forums to see how many times gear carriage comes up. The silly thing is a bit of common sense would remove most of the problems, however attempts to get away with more by customers and jobsworth attitudes of staff have created a lucky dip scenario at check-in.

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]]> By: John http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/10/27/airline-sports-equipment-fees/#comment-154846 John Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:33:52 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=5089#comment-154846 Nick, They have to relate to some sort of reality or customers would move their business elsewhere. If you read the T&C's for Ryanair you can avoid a lot of their charges. Even Ryanair make it clear that the charges are for each journey. I was going to say per leg, but then they would charge you twice each time you flew! Nick,

They have to relate to some sort of reality or customers would move their business elsewhere. If you read the T&C’s for Ryanair you can avoid a lot of their charges. Even Ryanair make it clear that the charges are for each journey. I was going to say per leg, but then they would charge you twice each time you flew!

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]]> By: Nick http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/10/27/airline-sports-equipment-fees/#comment-154581 Nick Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:15:26 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=5089#comment-154581 Darren Airline fees have nothing to do with cost... they just are, take a bow and say thank you Mr O'Leary. Darren

Airline fees have nothing to do with cost… they just are, take a bow and say thank you Mr O’Leary.

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]]> By: John http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/10/27/airline-sports-equipment-fees/#comment-154562 John Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:59:21 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=5089#comment-154562 Darren, The Thomas Cook airline website still says "Surfboards and body boards are charged at £40 short haul/short haul plus and £60 long haul for the return trip." I personally, would assume that a one way trip was half the return. I would be confused by it and would wonder why the total flight amount differed from my expectations. I would probably stop the booking process and look at another travel option.Its hypothetical, as I have made a conscious decision not to fly, unless there is a very good reason, such as a family emergency and I doubt whether I would be taking a surfboard with me! I know this is unlikely, but say the journey with the airline involved two flights to get to the destination via a hub for example then potentially they would need to handle the bulky equipment twice (four times on a return.). In that case a set fee would work against the airline. My view is that charges should be related to expenses incurred by the airline for their services. Darren,
The Thomas Cook airline website still says “Surfboards and body boards are charged at £40 short haul/short haul plus and £60 long haul for the return trip.”

I personally, would assume that a one way trip was half the return. I would be confused by it and would wonder why the total flight amount differed from my expectations. I would probably stop the booking process and look at another travel option.Its hypothetical, as I have made a conscious decision not to fly, unless there is a very good reason, such as a family emergency and I doubt whether I would be taking a surfboard with me!

I know this is unlikely, but say the journey with the airline involved two flights to get to the destination via a hub for example then potentially they would need to handle the bulky equipment twice (four times on a return.). In that case a set fee would work against the airline. My view is that charges should be related to expenses incurred by the airline for their services.

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