Latest posts for the topic "BA and bags"

BA and bags

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 10:58:15 GMT

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 GBP56 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 GBP28 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 GBP112
* Check in with 2 suitcases and 1 double ski bag and pay GBP56
* 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 GBP28

Or am I reading between the lines?

Anyone in the know? Bandit?

Re:BA and bags

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:49:21 GMT

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.

Re:BA and bags

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:46:32 GMT

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.

Re:BA and bags

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:25:54 GMT

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.....

Re:BA and bags

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:47:13 GMT

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 GBP28 one way, so to bring it back as well would be GBP56 per bag. Which means your final option - 1 double ski bag plus 1 suitcase and book a 2nd bag should read GBP56 not GBP28.

I think that's awfully mean :evil:

Ally

Re:BA and bags

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:50:26 GMT

Snowboard bags mate, that's what ya need.

Re:BA and bags

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:05:51 GMT

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.

Re:BA and bags

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:10:21 GMT

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 GBP28 one way, so to bring it back as well would be GBP56 per bag. Which means your final option - 1 double ski bag plus 1 suitcase and book a 2nd bag should read GBP56 not GBP28.

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 GBP56 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......

Re:BA and bags

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 13:48:03 GMT

Tony,
Fill your Ski bag with yours and Mrs H's skis and anything else you get in to make it 23kg.
That is your bag.
Fill 1 suitcase with the rest of your clothes for you and Mrs H.
Take you boot bag with boots and anything else that can be crammed in as hand luggage.
Problem solved.

Re:BA and bags

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:02:42 GMT

the OH flew with Virgin today and they weighed her hand luggage at check-in and advised her that it would be weighted again at boarding. Weight limit is 6kg (my understanding is that 6kg has always been the weight limit for hand luggage although never previoulsy checked)
When questioned it transpires that Virgin have now cottoned onto the fact that people were stocking up in duty free and consequently being overweight..... If Virgin are doing this i would bet on BA following suit soon after if they haven't already....

Re:BA and bags

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:21:52 GMT

Tony,
BA don't seem to have a weight restriction on hand luggage, only a size restriction. They just say, for hand luggage:

You must be able to lift the bag into the overhead locker unaided

and, the allowance is:

One bag and one laptop-sized bag, handbag or briefcase.

So, I would suggest a few sessions in the gym on the weights :lol:

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagcabin/public/en_gb

If it was me I'd just bite the bullet and pay the extra GBP56 and take 2 suitcases and one double ski bag. I'm sure my daughter and I would never manage with just one suitcase on a ski-ing holiday (unless we did loads of washing when we were there).

It is very annoying, and I'd be pretty fed up as well, but it's the principle of the thing that would anger me. It's not really a great deal of money, and I suppose it's so that they can reduce the price of the plane tickets.

Ally

Re:BA and bags

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:46:38 GMT

GBP112 might not be a great deal of money to you Ally.

Re:BA and bags

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:58:00 GMT

Tony,
Wouldn't it only be GBP56 for 2 suitcases and one double ski bag for 2 people?

Ally

Re:BA and bags

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:26:28 GMT

AllyG wrote:Tony,
Wouldn't it only be GBP56 for 2 suitcases and one double ski bag for 2 people?

Ally

Yes, sorry. I misread your post.

Re:BA and bags

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:20:12 GMT

You tell him Ally.

Re:BA and bags

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:41:52 GMT

Tony_H wrote:

AllyG wrote:Tony,
Wouldn't it only be GBP56 for 2 suitcases and one double ski bag for 2 people?

Ally

Yes, sorry. I misread your post.

Thanks for the apology, Tony :D

I am sorry to be so pedantic about your costings, but I've always been very interested in money :lol:

I'm particularly interested in the hassle versus extra cost problems. And to me, anyway, avoiding the hassle of not having enough clothes or going to extreme lengths to try and squish everything into hand luggage bags etc. would be worth the extra GBP56. And if your wife is anything like my daughter, (feminine I mean), she'll be wanting to pack ridiculous things like hair straighteners, special shampoo and make-up etc.

I'm sure marital peace is worth a lot more than GBP56 :D

I am currently debating whether avoiding the stress involved in me driving GBP500 miles (down to Heathrow and back) is worth the GBP105 extra it would cost 3 of us to go by train. At the moment I think it's pretty much hanging in the balance :D

Ally

Re:BA and bags

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:34:17 GMT

Ally, if its only GBP105 for the 3 of you on the train, its a no brainer. Thats a long and painful drive for you to do. I would charge a hell of a lot more to drive you that journey and back. Book it.

As for the cases, you clearly dont know me well as its me that takes a suitcase full of stuff, although you are right about straighteners etc for Mrs H.

Anyway, you dont seem to be able to book ski carriage online so I will wait and decide later I think.

Re:BA and bags

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:05:07 GMT

Tony,
If you want to phone BA their number is 0844 493 0 787 and they are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. I was up early the other morning and rang them at 6-30 and got straight through. I would think they could book ski carriage over the phone, if you have made your decision.

Incidentally, if anyone wants to know, I was phoning them to check whether they needed a passport for domestic flights. At the moment they only need photographic i.d. (like a driving license).

And, the figures for my car versus train problem look like this:
Return adult ticket from West Wales to Heathrow = GBP102
2 teenagers on rail cards, outward half of the return fare = GBP67
Total cost = GBP169

Fuel cost for car driving 500 miles at 50 mpg = GBP57
One night parking at hotel = GBP7
Total cost of driving = 64

Money saved by driving is GBP105 over going on the train.

The point being, that they are going on the plane, and I'm not, and they are coming back on their own on the train. I am only going to help them. Heathrow airport is a very big place.

And, to satisfy your professional interest Tony, the cost of a Heathrow airport taxi transfer from here is GBP250 one way.

I won't have to decide until the last minute, because I can buy the tickets on the train. It will depend how stressed out (and short of money) I am feeling by the time we are ready to leave :D

Ally

Re:BA and bags

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:07:01 GMT

Dave Mac wrote: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.

I don't think the wearing of boots is an issue that's airline specific- whenever I've worn boots airport security tend to make you take them off & put them through the XRay machine. I've not tried it with my ski boots on yet but can't see them being treated differently.

Re:BA and bags

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:20:31 GMT

Andy, there were a couple of reports on J2 last year, where the punters were made to return from security, and put the skiboots through as hold baggage.
Equally, there was a pic of Jan Stenmark & family all wearing boots, waiting by the gate.

Re:BA and bags

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:07:40 GMT

So where we at then?

Check in two bags of clothing (including boots) with a max weight of 23kg each - if that's even possible.

Pay GBP56 for one double ski bag containing two pairs of skis with a max weight of 23kg.

Our ski bag weighs 16kg so presumably if we're a bit over on our luggage then we'll have a bit of a buffer.

Failing that, I need to burn all my heavy Spyder gear and get something a little bit lighter.

Re:BA and bags

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 19:28:50 GMT

I think the answer is to buy your own jet & take as much as you want,simples. :shock:

Re:BA and bags

Sun, 1 Aug 2010 08:47:52 GMT

brooksy wrote:
I think the answer is to buy your own jet & take as much as you want,simples. :shock:

Or send Tony on ahead with his people carrier full of skis and wait for him to arrive from the Hotel Bar :wink:

Re:BA and bags

Mon, 2 Aug 2010 07:09:56 GMT

Ellistine,

That is the best propsal I have heard.

Re:BA and bags

Mon, 2 Aug 2010 13:41:59 GMT

There is one more option....... Drive 8)

Re:BA and bags

Tue, 3 Aug 2010 11:40:40 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:There is one more option....... Drive 8)

No Ian, that is not an option when you have booked a holiday which involves flights!
It has been done before, and it will be done again, but not for this trip.

Now, Ellistine......I will not be driving anywhere, even to the airport, so you can forget that one!

I reckon you're right, check in 1 ski bag packed with clothing. Ok as long as the airline dont forget to load it onto the plane (yes I am still going on about that).

I also reckon your idea of binning the Spyder gear is an excellent one. Its time you got down with the kids, and not the Germans )