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sammm
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cheap baggage

Postby sammm » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:44 am

Last time i went to Tarifa, i tried to let the people think my board bag was actually a snowboard bag, because snowboard and ski material was not priced more...while a kiteboard ( sack length : 145 cm ) was priced like 60 euro's. The girls was being a totally slut and went to her boss...he saw my smiling face and asked me to pay 60 euro's because he was so sure it was a kiteboard. now my question is, in a few weeks im going to tobago and the company im flying with is pricing everything, also golfbags, but snowboard material is priced less...!!!! any one has any idea's? im planning on buying a new travel bag, who can hold 3 kites and 2 board...would writing SNOWBOARD on the sack help?? do those check in people actually have the autority to check my luggage?? and what if my boardbag is shipped as snowboard and the scanner see's its a kiteboard, do they worry about that???

some help?? i want to keep the money for drinks on the island ;)

CozumelTom
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Cheap Baggage Info

Postby CozumelTom » Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:40 am

I have been traveling with gear since 1983, so here are a couple of things to consider....when you are going to a famous kite destination, Tarifa, Cabarete, etc. the airline staff all know what kite gear looks like and you get charged. If you want to try and get around it...1. Go to the airline web site and look what they say about various gear, limits, etc. This is something you might consider BEFORE you decide what airlines to book with. Print out their baggage policies and hand it to the check-in staff if you are having a disagreement to prove your exemption. 2. You don't have a kite board, you have a "water ski" or "wakeboard". Many airlines let water skis go for free. If they ask about the big padded bag, claim that the last time you traveled the airlines damaged your "waterski" and recommended you have better padding. The other way to weasel out of paying is when they ask you to pay, hand them a $100 US bill. Sorry, you "don't have a credit card" and guess what...they don't have change at the check-in counter. Sometimes they get fed-up and let you go. When you are going to a destination that is not kite specific, Caribbean, Florida, Hawaii, etc. use the golf bag routine. Always dress in golf shirt, golf hat and look as professional as possible, hair cut, shave, even a fake wedding ring if you are single and be very chatty and friendly to the agent. Tell them how much you have looked forward to this "golf" vacation, how often you fly on business and you are looking forward to flying on vacation for a change. Get a frequent flyer card and always present it at the counter. You get treated better if they know you are a regular. Many frequent flyer programs include a luggage waiver. Make your heaviest kite your carry-on bag if you can pack it small enough. I got a Naish 25M as carry-on once with no problem. Keep the gear bag as light as possible. Some charter airlines have a 20 kilo (2 bags total) limit and change heavily for overweight. I am usually 25 kilos per bag. You may find that a regular airline has a more expensive ticket than a charter airline, but when you consider that regluar airlines don't care much about luggage, give you more leg room, a meal and a movie, it can be worth the difference in ticket prices. Does not matter what you say to them about what it is, when you get to the luggage scanner, you are already past check-in. They won't send you back. If they stick you after all that, politely explain that you had a few different airlines to choose from when booking and that you and "your company" will be considering using another airline when you fly again. And finally...stop whining, I use to travel with 3-16 ft masts, a 9'6" slalom board and a 8'6" wave board, 2 quivers of sails and 3 booms. Traveling with kite gear is a breeze. Enjoy your vacation.
Tom
http://www.cozumeltom.com

karen
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Traveling with gear...

Postby karen » Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:42 pm

Well said, Tom!

Nothing beats experience- and it sure is nice to learn from that of others, when we can!

Cheers!
Karen

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North_Wind
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Flying with kite gear

Postby North_Wind » Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:23 pm

I agree that when booking you need to consider the cost, convenience and reliability (is the airline going to bankrupt or will they be on strike) in the round.

It is an obvious point but a £100 ticket plus £50 for your kitegear is more expensive than £120 with kitegear included!

British Airways' new sports bag policy is pretty clear:

"You may check in your free checked baggage allowance plus one additional item of sports equipment providing the item weighs up to 23kg, and does not exceed the following dimensions: 2.5m x 1.00m x 0.80m (98in x 39in x 31in). "

See http://www.britishairways.com/travel/ba ... blic/en_gb

The checked in baggage policy varies by airport of origin and destination though, so check that carefully. Agree also it is prudent to print a copy of the bag policy out at home and take it with you to the airport. The check in agents often know less about their policy than those who have taken the time to research it before going to the airport.

Happy flying (both kinds).

North Wind

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Postby cheddaz » Sun Mar 25, 2007 12:28 am

Alternatively,

when you point your kitebag "golf" logo at the checkin and they say what´s inside you say kites. It is not a lie, you "can´t mentioned everything for instance you had gloves and boots too. did you have to mention them too?" Avoiding the word board may save you a fortune over a few years.

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Postby CozumelTom » Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:18 am

A classic salesman training tip is that if you don't want to answer a question.....make a related statement that cannot be disputed.

When asked "what is in your 'golf' bag", you answer, "I'm going golfing".

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hej

Postby sammm » Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:14 am

thx for the answers, now im already in tobago, but i didn't catch my flight because of the golf bag excuse ;). I forgot the people who check in can be very mad at you if you lie to them, well the lady i had was so pissed off she didn't asked me if i had a visa ( because of the caricom you need a visa for 3 months if you go to tobago , a cricket contest or something ) if she did ask me i could have called to the ambassy and ask aproval and let it fax, well she did ask to a bunch of other people ( who could call the ambassy to get aprovall ) later on, just before the plane, i got stopped, my name was written on a paper, couldn't enter the plane. so mad !!! payed 600 euro's extra to get on a plane to miami where i could catch a plane to trinidad the day after, where i could catch the boat to tobago ( not just a regular boat , a boat where the people who pay the most, will eventually get on the boat ) after alot of bribing i did get on the boat the day after. 1500 euro's lost and 3 days to late i arrived in tobago... great place! love it


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