Almost all of us travel and make their (bad) experience with our sports luggage.

Let us post it all here, so we can help fellow kiters to learn tricks and get useful info!
The search will also help to find good info quickly.

Air Asia
- lots of weight options to book extra, fair priced

Swiss
- they allow economy 1x32 kg...they don't have size limits! So it can be sports bag size!

Airport Hamburg, Germany and Bangkok, Thailand
- the oversize counter is separate...a ghost could add more weight on the way to it, since you have to bring it personally

Air Korea
US$100 each way, up to 32kg "sports gear" and under 277cm linear... the "Large/surfboard" option.
http://www.koreanair.com/local/na/gd/en ... g_0201.jsp

However, convincing the pea-brain mini-Hitlers that staff the Air NZ check-in counters that you actually got that bag into the country and down from Auckland is another matter

Ho Chi Min (Saigon) Vietnam airport
- luggage belt is not too high and is lower in front...place a smaller bag in front, put sportsbag on top of belt and leave the end sticking out and with weight on your other bag....

Maybe works on all airports, didn't try though, but in Ho Chi Min

Emirates- 32 kgs per person- no limit on number of bags or dimensions of bags.

Alitalia 20 kgs. each passenger. You pay both for oversize/overweight. There are sport fees but they're not cheap (about 100 euros each flight for intercontinental flights). The belt system does not completely work: if you're more than one passenger (family for example), you can fool the check in clerk putting first a light bag and then an heavy one, they simply add the weight (e.g. you're three passengers, total weight must be under 60 kgs.) but then they double check when loading the airplane and, if they find an overload luggage, sometimes they ask for the money when you're fetching your bags at the arrival. Oversize bags of course are easy to spot, so you must go to the oversize belt (and pay). Also, if you want the sport fee, you MUST declare exactly what you're going to carry when you're booking your flight (surf, bicycle etc). Elsewhere, you don't pay the lower sport bag fee, you pay the size and weight difference (that means really a lot!!!).

Qatar Airways gives +15kg for golf/sport bag. Didn’t have any problem as total (20kg for luggage +15kg for golf bag) didn’t exceed the limit…

Swiss/Tap flying from Greece to Cape Verde…paid something close to €30 for excess…

Golf bag contains 2 kites, 1 twintip, winter suit, harness, poncho & shorts….aprox 20kg!!!

Don’t forget to be charming at the airline desk….wear your best smile and you might avoid paying!!!!

Chris
www.albatross.gr
Paros Hotel, Greece

Singapore Airlines - no extra charges for surfboards or boardbags. In theory they allow only 20 kg for economy class passengers, but in practice they tend to be very relaxed. I've never had to pay for overweight when flying Singapore Airlines. Last time I checked in 38 kg of bags and a surfboard and the check-in staff didn't bat an eye, just wished me a good surfing trip. I've also checked in bicycles without having to pay extra.

I use AA for flights from the continental US to the Caribbean. Most of those flights limit checked bags to 50 lbs and 62 total inches. Bags over 50 lbs but under 70 lbs are charged $100 each. Bags over 62 inches are supposed to be charged $200 each - I've never seen this fee enforced but that might be because I was a serious frequent flyer at the time.

Sporting equipment policies are worth reading closely:
* surfboards/kiteboards/wakeboards/wave-ski go as a regular checked bag if below 50 lbs and 62 dimensional inches (no chance!). If larger but still below 70 lbs and 126 dimensional inches then they cost $150.
* windsurf/kitesurf equipment (yes, this is a separate section from above) costs $150 - but can be two pieces, 70 lbs, and up to 126 dimensional inches.
* A golf bag goes as a checked bag with no extra fee and has the advantage of allowing up to 70 lbs without charge. It doesn't have a quantitative size limitation but says it "it limited to the size of a hard sided golf case".
* boogie/skim/speed board goes as a checked bag with no extra fee - but can't exceed the 50 lb 62 inch limitation. That won't work for your twin tip.
* skis/snowboards go as a checked bag with no extra fee and may be up to 126 dimensional inches. I have travelled to the Caribbean with kites in a duffel as a regular checked bag and taken my twin tip as a "snowboard" in a twin tip bag. Surprisingly, I didn't get many questions. They asked "What's this?" I said, "My snowboard." They said, "OK."

AA policy varies with origin/destination. For details on your location check http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/baggageAllowance.jsp. If you want the details on sporting equipment, make sure to check the appropriate checkboxes.

Cabrinha 140 wheeled Golf Bag (stealth)
136 Custom with syncs
3 kites, harness, wetsuit, vest, towel

American, United, Southwest, Continental, Alaska, Jet Blue, Hawaiian:
all domestic except for Baja
As long as it's under 50Lbs...never been charged

steve

West Jet (Canada/USA) best policy for gear. Surfboard/Kiteboard under 3 meters and 50 lbs just charged as extra bag