Latest posts for the topic "BA stop FREE ski/board carriage "

BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:08:53 GMT

That's the end of that then....

http://www.metrosnow.co.uk/index.php?id=36&article_id=313

BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:03:50 GMT

NellyPS wrote:That's the end of that then....

http://www.metrosnow.co.uk/index.php?id=36&article_id=313

:evil: As far as I can work out, the price quoted is per flight, so it's also damn pricey :shock:

BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:35:32 GMT

bandit wrote:

NellyPS wrote:That's the end of that then....

http://www.metrosnow.co.uk/index.php?id=36&article_id=313

:evil: As far as I can work out, the price quoted is per flight, so it's also damn pricey :shock:

I thought it was a return cost, whereas the budget airline costs are per flight.
I have been pricing up BA vs Ryanair vs Easyjet for ski flights, and BA are roughly on a par with Ryanair's cheaper flights when you add in bags, charges and ski carriage. Easyjet are slightly cheaper. However, in the grand scheme of things, given a choice between BA and the budgets, I would most definitely pay a little premium to fly with them from T5 and experience a far more relaxing and stress free experience, well away from the cattle trucks, aggressive passengers, constant queueing and queue jumping that goes on etc that comes with a Ryanair trip. I dont have a problem with Easyjet.

Perhaps someone can clarify if this is a per flight or return trip cost. I would imagine its a return, to keep it in line with the charters. I hope so, anyway....!

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:22:09 GMT

Tony, This is Money, seem to think that the price for ski kit is per flight. As you buy flights individually on the BA site, it makes sense. Return tickets are available from Charter airlines.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/bargains-and-rip-offs/travel/article.html?in_article_id=489314&in_page_id=53946&ito=1565

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:06:37 GMT

Hmmm, that sheds a different light on it. Basically, it will cost me GBP70 more per person to use BA for a ski holiday compared to what it did last December. Not impressed at all :(

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:22:01 GMT

Just wondering if we could get round this by using a double ski bag as one piece of luggage and a suitcase as the other? It may be a bit of a squeeze getting everything in though, particularly with two pairs of ski boots to pack. :(

Was seriously considering flying BA to Turin for this year's holiday, however may have to have a rethink - Jet2 to Chambery (which was much cheaper anyway) and car hire perhaps? :D

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:21:08 GMT

Lynn_D wrote:Just wondering if we could get round this by using a double ski bag as one piece of luggage and a suitcase as the other? It may be a bit of a squeeze getting everything in though, particularly with two pairs of ski boots to pack. :(

Was seriously considering flying BA to Turin for this year's holiday, however may have to have a rethink - Jet2 to Chambery (which was much cheaper anyway) and car hire perhaps? :D

Heard people make this argument before, saying they are still within their weight limit including the ski bag so should'nt have to pay carrage.

The air line just see the bag. GBPGBPGBPGBPGBPGBP

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:24:26 GMT

I thought as much :twisted:

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:09:38 GMT

Damn - I have just bought our BA flights to Zurich from City Airport.

Swiss are still carrying skis for free.

I can see BA loosing a lot of ski business from City Airport because of this. Swiss fly similar routes, at the same times, for around the same price. Now BA is about 25% more expensive if you have skis.

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:40:39 GMT

I went to Andorra last jan and packed my girlfriends snowboard in my double board bag, my mate did the same with his girlfriends ski's . we'd prepaid for the ski bags when we booked the holiday but at the airport they wanted to know how many pairs of ski's were in his bag so he said 2 and then had to pay again,so when they asked me how many boards i had in mine i lied,they didn't check and i saved myself GBP15..on the way back they just took the ski bags and loaded them up,no questions asked . I'm just about to book our flights for Barcelona through easy-jet and its going to cost us GBP18.50 per ski/snowboard

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:28:17 GMT

ATOO, that Easyjet price is per sector, in case you want to bring your stuff back )

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:19:14 GMT

ATOO wrote:I went to Andorra last jan and packed my girlfriends snowboard in my double board bag, my mate did the same with his girlfriends ski's . we'd prepaid for the ski bags when we booked the holiday but at the airport they wanted to know how many pairs of ski's were in his bag so he said 2 and then had to pay again,so when they asked me how many boards i had in mine i lied,they didn't check and i saved myself GBP15..on the way back they just took the ski bags and loaded them up,no questions asked . I'm just about to book our flights for Barcelona through easy-jet and its going to cost us GBP18.50 per ski/snowboard

Depending on who your tour op and airline is, I wouldnt even declare ski carriage. Many airport check ins dont check to see if you have prepaid for skis, and many charter airlines dont actually charge for skis, its the tour ops that MAKE MONEY charging for these. For example, MOnarch Airlines clearly state they do not charge for ski carriage, yet Skiworld rep at the airport made sure anyone who was travelling with them paid GBP35 at the check in if they hadnt prebooked. Do a little research and it may be worth risking it. Me and Mrs H have skis each and it soon adds up with ski carriage, especially at these ridiculous new costs BA and Ryanair are applying. I suddenly see the attraction of driving, Ian.

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:29:09 GMT

Tony, give the driving a go, just for 1 winter. You have more choices if you want a late booking, as you can go straight to a Tourist Office in your chosen resort, without the worry of getting a flight to "fit". You've got a decent motor, the alps can be done in a day if you start early.

Our household went through a phase of following the snow for several winters, where we would book 1 week, and then just drive on to wherever we fancied skiing, and calling in at the Tourist Office, or stopping at houses with Zimmer Frei signs outside. Always found somewhere to stay, always had good memorable trips, feeling like I'd experienced the places properly, outside the package tourist cocoon.

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:41:41 GMT

Tony_H wrote:

ATOO wrote:I went to Andorra last jan and packed my girlfriends snowboard in my double board bag, my mate did the same with his girlfriends ski's . we'd prepaid for the ski bags when we booked the holiday but at the airport they wanted to know how many pairs of ski's were in his bag so he said 2 and then had to pay again,so when they asked me how many boards i had in mine i lied,they didn't check and i saved myself GBP15..on the way back they just took the ski bags and loaded them up,no questions asked . I'm just about to book our flights for Barcelona through easy-jet and its going to cost us GBP18.50 per ski/snowboard

Depending on who your tour op and airline is, I wouldnt even declare ski carriage. Many airport check ins dont check to see if you have prepaid for skis, and many charter airlines dont actually charge for skis, its the tour ops that MAKE MONEY charging for these. For example, MOnarch Airlines clearly state they do not charge for ski carriage, yet Skiworld rep at the airport made sure anyone who was travelling with them paid GBP35 at the check in if they hadnt prebooked. Do a little research and it may be worth risking it. Me and Mrs H have skis each and it soon adds up with ski carriage, especially at these ridiculous new costs BA and Ryanair are applying. I suddenly see the attraction of driving, Ian.

As Bandit has described there are a lot of pluses to driving but remember price is not one of them, the price of fuel, five star cover, ware and tear on your car, tunnel fares,but on saying that if you have not got young un's then it is a bit easier to just pack up and go and find accommodation at will. 8) 8)

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:38:16 GMT

Well at present I have the company pool car, a battered Golf 1.4 which is filthy and done 100k miles so I wouldnt go anywhere in it! However, come the winter I will have my new new A3 tdi which will be fine to take away. I was thinking it would need 4 of us to go to halve the costs to make it cost effective. Obviously wear and tear on the car dont come into it for me, and they cover it abroad on insurance, so it would just be fuel costs, but I know I can get to and from the alps for a reasonable amount of fuel, 50mpg average on the A3 when its full.
So yes, its something to consider, and I like the idea of independence, and it opens up several places to try with the freedom of a car that I would possibly not consider as a package, eg Flaine, Aosta Valley, and more.

As for BA, I think they are going to regret this decision to add ski carriage costs, as they are definitely going to lose business over it. I am just saving up my air miles for a short trip later this season, for which I might even consider hiring skis.

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:26:47 GMT

Cheers for the heads up bandit. i've just this minute booked the flights and it automatically adds the price on for the return flight for the ski bags...GBP392 return for 4 adults,luggage and ski bags so GBP100 each seems like a good deal ..oooow im so excited :0)

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:59:04 GMT

Just confirmed with BA that the current price for pre-booking an extra bag (for skis and poles, below 190cm's long) of up to 23 Kg's is 28 pounds per leg when flying to Zurich. It is per bag, so if you pack your boots seperately, expect to pay another 28 pounds per leg.

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:49:49 GMT

:shock:

So pleased I'm Eurostarring it this year.

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:03:11 GMT

NellyPS wrote: :shock:

So pleased I'm Eurostarring it this year.

You of course might be charged for the extra head room you now require :lol:

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:09:17 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:

NellyPS wrote: :shock:

So pleased I'm Eurostarring it this year.

You of course might be charged for the extra head room you now require :lol:

I reckon Nelly might get away with it if she wears a hat...

:lol:

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:49:10 GMT

snowb4ndit wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

NellyPS wrote: :shock:

So pleased I'm Eurostarring it this year.

You of course might be charged for the extra head room you now require :lol:

I reckon Nelly might get away with it if she wears a hat...

[picture]

:lol:

I like it! Perhaps I could put some fairy lights round it then I can look like a Christmas tree.

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:06:27 GMT

NellyPS wrote:

snowb4ndit wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

NellyPS wrote: :shock:

So pleased I'm Eurostarring it this year.

You of course might be charged for the extra head room you now require :lol:

I reckon Nelly might get away with it if she wears a hat...

[picture]

:lol:

I like it! Perhaps I could put some fairy lights round it then I can look like a Christmas tree.

Nelly, I still laugh everytime you make a post and I see your avatar...especially the serious/sensible ski talk posts. Soooooooooo funny! :lol:

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:10:21 GMT

I'm rarely taken seriously anyway :lol:

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:36:30 GMT

I seriously hope that BA revisit their decision to alienate lots of skiers this winter with this charge. It would help fill their planes with passengers if they did )

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:40:49 GMT

I cannot believe [my link spam's getting me abused wherever I go...]

Fixed it for you - no charge (this time), Admin

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:50:38 GMT

Admin has been practising with his shears...snip...snip :lol: :lol: 8)

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:06:51 GMT

Jog on Mr Spammer.

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:19:11 GMT

I suppose with all the extra charges being brought in i must count myself lucky my ski's stay out at my apartment, a couple of people who use it every yea have also started to leave them also( i just store them under one of the bunks r in the ski room) to avoid extra charges and the inconvenience of transport.

As bandit says if anyone hasn't tried to drive to the alps they should give it a whirl, it's not as terrifying as it may seem.

By the end of the thi season it will be interesting to see certain airlines and tour operators quarterly profit figures.

jon.

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:52:13 GMT

bandit wrote:Admin has been practising with his shears...snip...snip :lol: :lol: 8)

Didja see what Admin did to the goggles guy? Snip, snip, doublesnip. A veritable virtual vasectomy. :shock:

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:56:09 GMT

bandit wrote:Admin has been practising with his shears...snip...snip :lol: :lol: 8)

I wish he wouldn't snip till I've read :evil:

Re:BA stop FREE ski/board carriage

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:02:13 GMT

For the record:

Crystals charging GBP30.00 return for a pair of skis

Inghams charging GBP18.00 return for a pair of skis