Latest posts for the topic "Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!"

Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:59:55 GMT

As some are aware, I'm off to Obergurgl in December. Problem is, in taking our own skis, boots and helmets, we are fed up of taking a zillion bags with us. I have just recently purchased two snowboard bags which incorporate boot compartments. I have had a trial packing session :wink: and the skis,poles,boots and and clothing fit a treat. We can also place a bit of bubblewrap around the boots for further protection. This cuts down the luggage from 5 bags to 3 which is more manageable. I know people will say place your boots in your main luggage but the logistics stack against this as we have to two helmets and casual clothing also. If the total weight of the snowboard bag is kept below 18kg do you think we will be in the clear? We a flying with Thompson. :?:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:25:12 GMT

I take it that you are happy to hire boots if your ski bag is offloaded?

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:41:35 GMT

Bandit, I would not be happy and suggest that sedatives and a straightjacket would be the order of the day. What I am trying to get my grey cells around is, it appears ok to place 5 bags on the plane with the extra weight of two S&N boot bags and use up more space. My logic tells me that I am in fact assisting the airlines by 1, reducing weight and reducing baggage space. As the snowboard bags would be under that recognised and marked as heavy. Perhaps the question is Am I mad! logic is a funny thing :wink:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:43:07 GMT

I think the point is the bag weight and not if the bag doesn't turn up. I lost both my suitcase and ski bag last season for 3 days.....
Where are you flying out of, would be a more relevant point, as that seems to be the big issue, believe it or not.
Put it this way, I have never ever had my ski bag (a double one which looks like a board bag) checked, opened or questioned, but I have not yet flown with Thomson, who do go to great lengths in their small print to say things like "only 1 pair of skis, no clothing...." etc etc.
Personally, I'd risk it.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:55:20 GMT

Tony, were flying from Gatwick to Innsbruck. I think it is worth it. When I think we used to take a double with two sets of skis and clothing and nothing was ever said. These snowboard bags are reasonably light when loaded. It should also cut the odds down on missing luggage :roll:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:04:08 GMT

No you're not bad. And if your bag does get lost don't they have to sort you out with skis and boots until they can get it to you? Seems like win win to me. :D

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:21:37 GMT

EmmaEvs wrote:No you're not bad. And if your bag does get lost don't they have to sort you out with skis and boots until they can get it to you? Seems like win win to me. :D

If the ski bag does not turn up, maybe they'll be needing underwear too :shock:

My point was to pack ski boots as hand luggage to avoid the chance of losing them.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:25:22 GMT

Emma, thanks,I was begining to question my sanity :roll: What annoys me is we will only use half of our joint 40 kg baggage allowance! Yet the jobsworths at the Airlines would have us take three bags each. Crazy situation :twisted:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:38:44 GMT

Yes point taken Bandit, but it is only ski clothing in the snowboard bag our casual clothes will be in our hold luggage. Including our off whites :wink: Perhaps we are long overdue a working party to review skiers/Boarders requirements in terms of baggage in what is a multi million pound industry.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:47:27 GMT

Yeah underwear would be useful, I agree. Maybe trying to use ski boots as pants could be quite uncomfortable though :shock: Or perhaps they could fashion some nappy type things out of the liners. That would be cool :lol:

On a more sensible note, I'm not sure about the 'lowering the chances of a bag getting lost' theory. It could work the other way wot with all your eggs in one basket and all. Poo or bust ? :?

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:57:52 GMT

Yea, Poo springs to mind - That makes me S*** for brains :lol:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:05:31 GMT

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Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:37:46 GMT

Karen, Many thanks for posting this. Good points made - Ski clothing would not be covered i'm sure. One pair of skis or board thats the crux of my issue. I personaly do not know anybody who does not pack some items of clothing in their ski/board bag. This normally provides an element of protection to the equipment from the rough handling and I mean rough handling they seem to receive. One pair of skis or board - what difference does this make. Most people that take their own skis will have their own boots In each case, forgive the pun, these will be loaded on the plane. Does it matter that these are together or apart! If people have prebooked their ski carrage the Airline should account for this in the total baggage carried. If people do not prebook but pay the levy and there is room then they are carried. If there is no baggage room left then they will not. Am i missing something :roll: My individual total baggage allowance is 20kg + prebooked ski carrage. Looking at the Thomson guidelines am i allowed 20kg including my ski boots and ski or snowboard bag upto a maximum of 23kg??? confused of Surrey beam me up scoty

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 09:32:34 GMT

I've never had my ski bags checked.
I would argue that the limited amount of clothing in the ski bag is protective packaging.

In a lot of airports oversize bags are checked in at a different desk (not usually specific to the airline) and as long as it passes the Xray security & isn't overwight they don't care.

We carry 4 pairs of skis in 2 large ski bags but pay for 4 lots of ski carriage - that way if the airline quibble we can always argue that they are paid for and if necessary we can go to the shop & buy 2 more bags. Hope I don't have to take this option and the airline will be reasonable as it has been paid for.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:35:18 GMT

I must say I never pack any clothing in with my skis,as I only pack what I need for example I only take one ski jacket and one pair of sallo's and yes one pair of socks, a couple of years ago I brought a double ski bag which I intend to use for the first time this January, I know Tony was unlucky last year but touch wood I have never had any luggage go missing or damaged in transit.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 11:11:11 GMT

We went last year and we packed all the meat in the snowboard bag it was so heavy that it needed 2 pepole to carry and it went threw no problem

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:53:06 GMT

I get the impression that Thomson are standing out from the crowd, and remember that when you check in with them, they have their own staff who are more than likely to adhere to their bespoke policy, rather than airport staff for example at the Monarch desks, where i have never ever had an issue with weight.
Usually, I check in the number of ski bags to correspond with the number booked with the holiday, and as long as that ties in, they give you a barcoded tag to put on the ski bag and take it round to the oversize check in, where no one at Gatwick ever checks anything, except that you have a boarding pass.

I have a double ski bag, in the past I have put 2 pairs in and I have taken just my own. Its a well padded bag, and it gives me room to pack stuff around the skis.

Heres the annoying thing: the stuff I take would be in my suitcase but because I prefer to pack my skis so they dont get damaged, I put them in the ski bag.
I only ever pack ski clothing like jackets and sallos, my "normal" clothes are always in my suitcase with my ski boots.

Last Jan when Monarch failed to load their flight properly, both bags didnt turn up so I was 100% knackered. The airline put it all down to force majeure, ie the weather, but my holiday insurance paid out for having to buy ski clothing (essential items) which basically meant sallopettes as I had enough basic stuff including a waterproof to ski in short term, and also paid out for renting skis and boots until my stuff turned up. The tour op did NOT cover this themselves, you have to pay out and claim back.
There was no question of which bag the clothing was packed in for them to pay out, it was simply the fact that the bag had not arrived and therefore they covered me.

Had my suitcase arrived, I would have had my boots, gloves, goggles, socks, base layers etc. My ski bag simply contained sallos and jackets, rolled up around the skis which I always wrap in bubble wrap.

Basically, I am not trying to abuse my allowances, I am simply packing the bags better so that I avoid damage to the skis.

From now on, I will be packing a small amount of everything in each bag so that if one does not arrive, I will still have the essentials for skiing. I will also now be putting some of each in my hand luggage just in case.

However, none of this helps with trying to guess how Thomson intend to police this. I do not for one minute believe that they will ask each person with a ski bag to open it to prove whats inside and either fine them or not allow them to take the bag on the flight, as this would at the very least cause delays at check in, and some quite irate passengers i am sure!
They could ask you to put them on the scales, and anything over their stated weight could be charged extra, but again this would only cause delays and chaos at check in. Their stated allowance is ridiculously low for a ski bag anyway. My skis are particularly heavy. Do they want me to take my bindings off and put them in my suitcase????

I have had hand luggage weighed this year with Thomson, but I just told them it was full of food which I was going to eat before I flew, and they didnt ask anymore or charge me extra.

I think this will be very interesting to see how it fans out over this coming season, as clearly Thomson are keen on making some easy money by charging excess baggage fees for skiers. Or maybe I have got it all wrong, and its just a load of beaurocracy that simply cant or wont be policed.

I think its up to the individual to decide what they want to do. I would imagine most people will read this and just do whats stated, with only a small number of people like myself packing their ski bags with either 2 pairs of skis or some clothing.
Time will tell.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:22:13 GMT

Am I being slow here - how does Thompson's wording apply to the snowboard bags like my son has, which is for his snowboard, boots and all the rest of the packing, thus avoiding the need for a suitcase. As far as I know he has never had a problem.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:07:40 GMT

Tony, There has been much discussion in relation to ski/board insurance in order to try and get too some common ground, in terms of clarification. It all boils down to good or in both these cases poor communications at the end of the day. IMO the same applies to all airlines who provide a service of transporting winter sports equipment. They must/should provide a concise benchmark so people know where they stand in terms of baggage allowance. It is all to messy at the moment and as paying customers we should at least expect clear criteria to work towards. My argument which also needs clarification is why do some airlines insist on passengers packing their boots and skis in separate bags? With new technology and products coming to the market for instance, snowboard bags that allow boarders to pack their boots and board in one bag. Why should this not also apply to skiers. At the present time skiers seem to get the rough deal in terms of having to pack their boots in special bags, in their hold luggage, in their hand luggage etc. Am I being utopian in suggesting that the skier who pays extra for the privilege of taking their own equipment should be able to pack at least one pair of skis, one pair of poles, one pair of boots and their ski clothing in one bag and have the luxury of an un-depleted hold baggage allowance. Because many airlines deduct the weight of your ski boots from your allowance. It would make very little difference in total flight weight as these items are the most common to be packed. Just a point I feel needs addressing by our friends in the Airline industry but I won't hold my breath!

It must have been a nightmare when your luggage put in a belated appearance in ADH :evil: Not a nice way to start any form of holiday or indeed a skiing one :shock:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:11:51 GMT

jastem wrote:Am I being slow here - how does Thompson's wording apply to the snowboard bags like my son has, which is for his snowboard, boots and all the rest of the packing, thus avoiding the need for a suitcase. As far as I know he has never had a problem.

Now this is different altogether, because as long as you keep to the bag limit, you only need 1 bag for this, and I guess that means you take less gear with you overall.
I believe most boarders will do what us skiers do - take a regular case up to the airline limit, and then pay extra for a ski/board bag. Sounds like your son just takes the one big board bag with everything in, which doesn't cost any more.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:16:16 GMT

Sorry Jastem, I was writing a reply when you posted. Clarification - Thomson Airlines indicate that if you pay ski/board carrage you bag should only contain 1 pair of skis or one board. As you know, there are bags available on the market to carry both boots and Board or boots and skis. So we do not get that option. Furthermore, they do not suggest an upper weight limit for these bags specifically however, their upper limit is 23kg. I do not know of skis or board which weigh anything near this amount. So where do we stand? :roll:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:22:33 GMT

I am sure I read somewhere that Thomson limited the weight of a ski bag to 8kg or something utterly unacceptable????

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:37:40 GMT

What :shock: thats less than that allocated to an infant (10kg) I think a letter to Thomson is in order. No specific weight limit was recorded on Karen's post. :evil:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:49:51 GMT

You will have to become a boarder then Alistair :D

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:56:19 GMT

What with my back :D

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:03:39 GMT

AlistairS wrote:What with my back :D

Most people do it on their feet

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:12:55 GMT

Tony_H wrote:

AlistairS wrote:What with my back :D

Most people do it on their feet

Some people do it with their feet in the air :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:14:54 GMT

Remember Tony, according to another post not a million miles away. The author thinks at my age i'm well passed it! and perhaps should end up being cast off of the mountain for the good of all :cry:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:17:38 GMT

Emma, some people simply fly through the air, its the landing that hurts ouch!

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:11:07 GMT

Oh yeah. I forgot. Well, now I'm 42 I really ought to think about hanging up my poles then I guess.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:35:02 GMT

Now listen here young man, at 54 I should be thinking of sitting in the ski lodge by the open fire roasting chestnuts and drinking mulled wine however, sod that its much more fun up the hill :D

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:40:39 GMT

AlistairS wrote:Now listen here young man, at 54 I should be thinking of sitting in the ski lodge by the open fire roasting chestnuts and drinking mulled wine however, sod that its much more fun up the hill :D

Mulled wine? No thanks, I hate that stuff. Mind you, Mrs H tends to ski better after a couple.
Don't sit too close to that fire or you just might roast your chestnuts.

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:37:56 GMT

Tony_H wrote:

AlistairS wrote:Now listen here young man, at 54 I should be thinking of sitting in the ski lodge by the open fire roasting chestnuts and drinking mulled wine however, sod that its much more fun up the hill :D

Mulled wine? No thanks, I hate that stuff. Mind you, Mrs H tends to ski better after a couple.
Don't sit too close to that fire or you just might roast your chestnuts.

I think it is a female thing "Mulled wine" Mrs W loves it, Me I only drink it if it's free :wink:

Re:Am I Bad? Will I end up on the BAA most wanted list!

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:01:27 GMT

Well hello boys :wink: woops Better get back to the virtual gangster character :D My chestnuts are fine, well they were the last time I saw them :roll: