Recent as of 5 years ago.
I packed 2 boards, 4 sails, 3 booms, I don't know how many masts.
Anyway, it was 99.9999999 lbs not exceeding their oversized luggage limits.
The agent scratched his head, then called his buddy over, who then called one more over, who then called... at some point we must have had about 7 agents staring at the one screen trying to figure out how it was even remotely possibly to bring such luggage in a plane. It was comedy Very Happy !!!

In the end I paid the $100, 150 or 200 fee for windsurfing equipment under 100lbs and not going over the size limit and that was it. It travels along the oversize luggage.

Imagine the hassle of slalom pro sailors checking in I don't know 6 of those bags? Heck, some people even have their own plane. I will try that next time Very Happy !

Where ya going?

www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=33865&sid=1cbaace3289a15c0cd9bdad641899266

So On here you were quoted tha applicable guidelines that United use. Being an employee of United , last in 1999, I feel that on any given day they can be interpreted by the customer service agent at check in. Be nice to them. In this case they should use the Windsurf , under sporting goods, rather than oversized, length width, and excess weight.

a Windsurf board would incur the appropriate charge , no way I see a board not being charged, irregardless of weight. Unless it's very short and light, not likely.
baggage as checked , has a weight limit per piece, over that its excess weight. This depending on the weight, and the agent themselves can be a grey area, they do have the weight limit to back them up. A item like a board, cant go down the normal belt loader, it's too long, it needs to be hand carried , out to the cargo carts , and into the terminal for delivery at the destination. Depending on the plane, cargo is hand loaded in the underbelly bins, we always too extra care to top load, bikes, boards etc., size and weight play into this.

picky here, but Gate agents check baggage that have been brought through security, that generally don't fit in the overhead bins nor under the seat. The ticket counter agents, or check in ones would check your board.
Contential and United were separate airlines, that merged, now United, planes have the old Continental globe on the vertical stabilizer.

i would print the guidelines, so if needed to quote, , and the lighter the better and being nice may get you a break.

kinda like a car warranty issue, sort of interpretations

We don't have a connecting flight in Australia, we're coming through NZ.

One of the guys who previously had no problem with heavier windsurf bags on United just checked the United web site, and said that the wording has changed. In the past, they just stated a cost of $200. The phrase "These items are subject to standard oversize and overweight service charges." is new, he says. He is now worried that United will charge him more on future trips. Bummer.

It appears that United has changed the terms for windsurfing equipment on September 27, 2018. On archive.org, this version was captured on September 10:


Simple - $200 per bag.
This is what the version from November 14 looks like:

This is identical with the "Contract of carriage", version September 27, 2018. The general terms for sporting equipment also specify that sports equipment must weigh less than 23.1 kg, and have maximum outside linear dimensions of 158 cm. The new instructions are very clear: the charge for a windsurfing bag over 23 kg should be $400 ($200 overweight, $200 oversize).

Our only hope is the section that reads:
"UA may, in its sole discretion, change, consider or make exceptions to its Excess or Oversize/Overweight Baggage policy (e.g., to the number, size, weight, type and/or applicable service charges)."

It might help that they changed the terms after we bought the tickets. Maybe it even helps a bit that they just dropped the charges for surf equipment when someone travels to California. One can always hope. But in the end, it will depend on the person who checks us in.

robbo1111 said..
If you're flying Jetstar I wish you luck, they charge $25 per kg excess.

Windsurfers' rule #1... never fly Jetstar. They are pain to fly with even without oversized luggage. I think I rather get my wisdom teeth pulled without anaesthetic then going throw that stress.

say its golf equipment, most airlines take for free, has worked a treat for me many times around the world. most check in people are clueless - I flew with 100kg from oman - Brisbane and paid no excess baggage
Worth a shot

If you're flying Jetstar I wish you luck, they charge $25 per kg excess.

Not sure this is right?

I brought a board back from Launceston to Brisbane on Jetstar in April.
I had to pay the $25 oversize and we just upped the amount of baggage allowance on our tickets to cover it.

I think it only cost maybe $50 to $60 total? Don't have the exact amount, but I remember it being cheaper than a board I freighted down there. Which was a bit over a hundred depot to depot with Ego.

Has to be less than 230cm long to fit in the baggage containers, so masts are a no go. Turned up early expecting a hassle, but could not have been easier.

Maybe the $25 a kg is if you turn up to check in and are over?

BSN101 said..
I just read "speed sailing around Perth & Lake George", and about 3000km inbetween. Will you be flying to South Aust, LG or driving? or the other way? This is gonna be an expensive holiday!?!?

We're flying into Perth and back from Melbourne. We'll drive to LG. Not sure yet whether we'll buy a car or rent a car or van, depends on what we see when we get there. Hopefully, we'll get a relocation deal for the drive. If not, we'll probably have to pay a one-way rental fee, which would drive the cost up by $700. But the got the airline tickets for about $200 thanks to miles .
It's a "how many things can we check of the bucket list" trip. Here are a few of these things:
- Sail in the Lancelin Ocean Classic
- Do the Cervantes windsurf challenge
- Sail in WA waves
- See & sail Fangy's Weed Farm and try Fangy fins
- Windsurf on proper speedsailing spots with miles of flat water
- Get a selfie with a quokka (that's on my wife's list)
- Check out why everyone who goes to Lake George the first time sets so many PBs

We'll do a bit of sightseeing on the way. It should be worth digging into the savings account .

If anyone has a cheap car in the Perth area they were thinking about selling, or knows a trustworthy mechanic who'd check out a used car before a sale, please send me a message. The car would need to be big enough to fit a 7.0 race sail in the back. We'll also be looking for a used slalom board in the 110-120 l range and a FSW board in the 80-90 l range.

boardsurfr said..
We'll also be looking for a used slalom board in the 110-120 l range and a FSW board in the 80-90 l range.

Have you considered this option alone? ... WA happens to have the most gear available in the secondhand market.

Also... most of us dont bite ... much... borrowing gear might be an option too.

mathew said..

boardsurfr said..
We'll also be looking for a used slalom board in the 110-120 l range and a FSW board in the 80-90 l range.

Have you considered this option alone? ... WA happens to have the most gear available in the secondhand market.

Also... most of us dont bite ... much... borrowing gear might be an option too.

We have checked the listings. Buying everything for two would end up being much more expensive than bringing some of our own gear (and our budget is quite far below a Gulfstream budget). Even with just sails, which look quite reasonable, we have gotten quite partial to the race sails we have now (Loft Racingblades). We have had a couple of other brands with random masts in the past, and it's no comparison.

We will borrow some gear if possible. My wife already has a lead for some freestyle/wave sails, and we'll check out stuff Mike has mentioned, too. I also hope that I'll be able to borrow a small speedboard every now and then, the smallest we'll bring is a 54. But we'll probably sail just about every day when it's windy, and plan to participate at a few races, so I don't see how only borrowing would work. Renting for more than 2 months would be way too expensive.