This is becoming ridiculous; A huge part of planning any surf trip is now carefully choosing an airline that won’t old me upside down and slap me around at the ticket counter as I try and check a surfboard bag along with my luggage. The most I think I’ve been hit with so far is 120$ (flying AA to Mexico) and the least was free (to make up for flight being delayed out of PVR).
Delta airlines has just removed themselves from my list of potential airlines as they announced that it’s 300$ to bring your surfboard each way. I’ve actually never flown directly with Delta – but think I’ve been on Delta served connection.
I understand that extra baggage is extra baggage which I’m more than willing to pay for – if only they were based on fair and clear prices/rules that I could depend on. This is beyond what I remotely consider fair:
“Delta Airlines have increased their board bag fees to $300 each way for international flights, costing surfers $600 roundtrip to travel with their board. This rate has instantaneously tripled from its previous $100 charge.
It’s extremely important to note the outstanding difference in fees. The cost of checking your board may surpass the amount of your ticket, skewing your traveling budget entirely.
In conjunction with the rising cost of oil, airlines have increased the price of tickets and baggage fees with no exception to board bags. But where is the justice in tripling the rates of surfboard bags, while checking golf bags remain to be free of charge?” — surfermag.com
The worry about showing up to the airport and having them refuse a board bag altogether is a real one — potentially ruining a vacation or delaying travel by days. Something that’s always in the back of my mind on the way there. (this is still the case with British Airways).
5 responses to “I won’t be flying Delta Airlines”
That’s just ridiculous.
I have worked at the airport before and while size is certainly a factor, weight is the primary concern in an aircraft, and a golf bag weighs SO much more than a surfboard.
I guess they don’t want to impose on all those upper class penny pinching millionaires by charging them to transport their golf bags, and they’ll screw the rest of us to do so.
Just bring your xmas tree instead.
http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/baggage/special_baggage/fragile_bulky/christmas_trees/index.jsp
haha – that’s killer !!
Green board with laminated tree graphics. I would could just paint some decorations on my fish and swear myself blue in the face that my family uses surfboards as christmas trees! — http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevey/sets/72157600108984124/
I might need to bring a xmas tree just to do it.
http://swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?post=385308;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;
yea quite the diss to surfers. i still have a board stashed in south carolina because the us airways fee ($80) was more than the board was worth. also have had friends leave boards out here with me(socal) for the same reason.
snowboards are free to check as well.