BA and bags

Ok, so I am off to Zurich with BA in Jan 2011, and have been asked to look into baggage. Those in the know will understand BA allow one free bag up to 23kg. This can be either a regular case, or could be an item of sporting equipment, ie skis, as long as it is under 23kg.

If I want to take a suitcase AND a ski bag, I am told I have to pay £56 for the skis. Yet I can check in with one ski bag alone for free.
Yet if I book in with the 1 bag (ski bag) and pay extra for a 2nd bag (suitcase), I costs £28 extra.

So, the way I see it the options are ( for 2 of us):

* Check in with 2 suitcases and 2 ski bags and pay £112
* Check in with 2 suitcases and 1 double ski bag and pay £56
* Check in with 1 double ski bag and 1 suitcase (might be a bit cramped for us) and pay nothing
* Check in with 1 double ski bag, 1 suitcase and book a 2nd bag and pay £28

Or am I reading between the lines?

Anyone in the know? Bandit?

Check in 2 ski bags at limit of 23kg

take carry on suitcases at the edge of the allowable size, BA never check weight of hand luggage in my experience.

No charges.

6kg for skis, 1kg for bag, leaves 16kg for other luggage. Hand baggage, typically 10kg.

It's a good question, all my gear is weighed and recorded. My ambition is to go easyjet, just with hand baggage, (hire skis, or somewhere where I keep a set). For that to happen, Easyjet would need to give assurances they would accept the wearing of boots for going through security.

tino_11 wrote:Check in 2 ski bags at limit of 23kg

take carry on suitcases at the edge of the allowable size, BA never check weight of hand luggage in my experience.

No charges.

Hmmm, interesting. So 2 ski bags packed with ski gear and boots, and then a couple of small cases that will go on with us as non checked baggage.
I will have to go in the garage and see what we have got now.....

Tony,

This is what BA have to say about it:

Sporting equipment
There is no additional allowance for sporting equipment, but it can still be carried free of charge as part of your free checked baggage allowance. If it is in addition to your free checked allowance, you will need to pay extra bag charges.

Below, we have listed some sporting equipment that requires specific packing instructions. Other sporting equipment may be carried as long as it meets the dimensions and weight restrictions.

I don't think BA are very clear about whether a sporting bag is allowed as well as an ordinary suitcase if the combined weight is below their limit. They specify that skis should be in a special bag so it wouldn't be very fair if they only allowed you one bag in total of hold luggage. I rather think this is what Dave Mac is saying, when he says you can have 16 Kg of other luggage free of charge, as well as the carry on bags, and your skis.

The other issue is that I think the luggage allowances depend on what sort of ticket you have - i.e. how much you've paid for it.

Have you phoned them?

Edit
I phoned BA this morning, and Tony is right and the one bag you're allowed free of charge is either a sports bag or a regular bag/suitcase.

The bad news is that they said an additional bag (up to 23 Kg) is £28 one way, so to bring it back as well would be £56 per bag. Which means your final option - 1 double ski bag plus 1 suitcase and book a 2nd bag should read £56 not £28.

I think that's awfully mean :evil:

Ally

Snowboard bags mate, that's what ya need.

tino_11 wrote:Snowboard bags mate, that's what ya need.

Its kind of what I have got, albeit officially a double ski bag, but it holds some serious amount of cack.

AllyG wrote:Tony,

This is what BA have to say about it:

Sporting equipment
There is no additional allowance for sporting equipment, but it can still be carried free of charge as part of your free checked baggage allowance. If it is in addition to your free checked allowance, you will need to pay extra bag charges.

Below, we have listed some sporting equipment that requires specific packing instructions. Other sporting equipment may be carried as long as it meets the dimensions and weight restrictions.

I don't think BA are very clear about whether a sporting bag is allowed as well as an ordinary suitcase if the combined weight is below their limit. They specify that skis should be in a special bag so it wouldn't be very fair if they only allowed you one bag in total of hold luggage. I rather think this is what Dave Mac is saying, when he says you can have 16 Kg of other luggage free of charge, as well as the carry on bags, and your skis.

The other issue is that I think the luggage allowances depend on what sort of ticket you have - i.e. how much you've paid for it.

Have you phoned them?

Edit
I phoned BA this morning, and Tony is right and the one bag you're allowed free of charge is either a sports bag or a regular bag/suitcase.

The bad news is that they said an additional bag (up to 23 Kg) is £28 one way, so to bring it back as well would be £56 per bag. Which means your final option - 1 double ski bag plus 1 suitcase and book a 2nd bag should read £56 not £28.

I think that's awfully mean :evil:

Ally

Thanks for taking a look into this. I knew BA would have a "get out of jail free" card to play.
Basically, it doesnt matter if you book a suitcase of ski bag on if you take one of the other, you end up paying £56 for whatever.

I think Dave Mac is saying that you take a bag which weighs 1kg, put your 6kg skis in, and you can fill the rest with 16kg of clothes. Thats what I do with my ski bag anyway to be fair. Problem is, I take 2 pairs of skis in the 1 bag which means not much for clothes if weight comes into play.

So, looks like 1 double ski bag and 1 suitcase checked in, plus 2 smaller cabin sized bags stuffed with clothes is the way forward.

Am I right i8n saying the walk on luggage must weigh 10kg max, or was that what Tino was saying they never seem to worry about? I bet they do the day I fly......