![\"surfers](\"http:\/\/www.carvemag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC9705.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Travelling with your surfboard is getting harder year on year but as long as you do your homework it should be trouble free. Support the airlines that support surfers then everyone should be happy.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the current state of surfboard \/ sports equipment fees as of the start of\u00a02017.<\/p>\n
EU law doesn\u2019t allow bags over 32kg, due to it snapping baggage handlers spines off, so make sure you\u2019re always under weight for your chosen carrier. Most European routes limit you to 20kg and further afield 23kg. But sporting goods, if you’re paying extra, sometimes allow you more. Make sure you always double check the regulations and if in doubt call the airline before booking.<\/p>\n
Here are the main airlines that us surfers will encounter flying from the UK and Ireland seeing as that’s our turf.<\/p>\n
Speak to friends, get their recommendations, the main takeaway is be super careful when dealing with US carriers and of course Iberia they’re to avoided like the plague.<\/p>\n
Travel with surfer friendly flyers, the days of free board carriage are all but done but those that are happy to take boards for\u00a0a transparent\u00a0fee like Easyjet etc are to be admired, while they still allow us at least.
\nAdd your recent taking boards on board comments on the FB post and we\u2019ll add the best ones here as they come in.<\/p>\n
Compiled by Sharpy<\/a>\u00a0All info correct as of 2\/1\/17<\/em><\/p>\n AER LINGUS<\/strong> AIR ALASKA<\/strong> AIR ASIA<\/strong> AIR CALIN<\/strong> AIR CANADA<\/strong> AIR FRANCE<\/strong> AIR NEW ZEALAND<\/strong> AIR TAHITI NUI<\/strong> AMERICAN AIRLINES<\/strong> AVIANCA<\/strong> AZORES AIRLINES<\/strong> BRITISH AIRWAYS<\/strong> DELTA<\/strong> EASYJET<\/strong> EMIRATES<\/strong> ETIHAD<\/strong> FLYBE<\/strong> GARUDA INDONESIA<\/strong> HAWAIIAN<\/strong> IBERIA<\/strong> ICELAND AIR<\/strong> KLM<\/strong> LATAM\u00a0CHILE<\/strong> LUFTHANSA<\/strong> MALAYASIAN<\/strong> NORWEGIAN<\/strong> QANTAS<\/strong> QATAR<\/strong> RYANAIR<\/strong> SAS<\/strong> SINGAPORE AIRLINES<\/strong> SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS<\/strong> SOUTHWEST<\/strong> SRI LANKAN<\/strong> TAP PORTUGAL<\/strong> THAI AIRWAYS<\/strong> THOMAS COOK<\/strong> UNITED<\/strong> VIRGIN<\/strong> You're able to bring them as part of your baggage allowance. Full dimensions can be found at https:\/\/t.co\/BwUSyTVehu<\/a> ^S<\/p>\n — Virgin Atlantic (@VirginAtlantic) January 3, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nIreland\u2019s national carrier and a good option for hopping further afield as Dublin is a decent hub for the US.
\nMax weight: 23kg
\nMax length international: 2.77m\/110in
\nMax length regional: 2.05m\/80in
\nFee: To North America part of standard baggage allowance.
\nOther destinations \u20ac40 per leg.<\/p>\n
\nIf you fancy exploring in the US these guys take two boards in a bag.
\nMax length: 115in unless on a diddy plane in which case total dimensions: 115in
\nMax weight: 23kg
\nFee: $75<\/p>\n
\nAir Asia are a budget carrier based out of Kuala Lumpur and they\u2019re great for connecting to Indo and onwards from Malaysia.
\nPre-book board bags as way cheaper and you\u2019re limited to 20kg if you just check in without pre-booking. They\u2019re sticklers for fees but their excess weight fees are real world not crazy. Must be in a boardbag.
\nMax length: 2.77m\/109in
\nMax weight: 32kg
\nPre-book fees per leg: 30kg:\u00a316<\/p>\n
\nNew Caledonia’s carrier is groovy when it comes to boards, letting you take a 23kg boardbag in addition to your 23kg hold bag. Good work fellas.
\nMax dimensions: 3m
\nMax weight: 23kg<\/p>\n
\nAmenable to surfers and good way to connect to Hawaii or Central America without having to suffer through US custom queues. Not to mention the mysto cold water Canadian coasts. Board bag counts as one of your checked bags. You can pre-register when booking.
\nMax length: 80in
\nMax weight: 23kg
\nFee: $6.50 Canadian Dollars per leg handling charge. Not always enforced in our experience.<\/p>\n
\nFree as your checked luggage item\u00a0(except for Economy\u00a0Mini and Basic fare tickets).
\nMax length: 3m
\nMax weight: 23kg
\nFees: \u20ac65 to \u20ac125 depending on route, mainly the Americas. So slightly confusing all round.
\nReader comments<\/em>: Peg Leg Rik, Paul Phelan and many others strongly urge you avoid Air France at all costs.<\/p>\n
\nHistorically along with Virgin one of the legends of international surfer travel. Board bags no bother as long as in regulation and you can pre-book a board bag as an extra hold bag.
\nMax length: 2m
\nMax weight:23kg<\/p>\n
\nFor those of you fancying a pop at Teahupo\u2019o or some other Tahitian dreams you might be worth checking Air France. Baggage rules a bit restrictive. Unless you\u2019re going to hit Tea-ah-poo-poo on your 5\u20198\u201d. Bags between 1.8 and 2m need to be sent as cargo. Board bags over 2m not accepted due to ickle planes.
\nMax length: 1.8m\/70in
\nMax weight: 25kg
\nReader comments<\/em>: Board bags up to 2.5m ok according to Paul Lenfant<\/p>\n
\nThe American airlines that are left have taken real anti-surfer stance which is pretty ironic considering the Californian roots of most of the world\u2019s idea of surf culture. Anyhoose. AA at least don\u2019t outright ban them like some other carriers but one to be avoided if possible.
\nMax length: 126in combined dimensions
\nMax weight: 32kg
\nFee: $150USD<\/p>\n
\nYou can take a triple board bag in addition to your hold bag with Colombia’s national carrier.
\nMax dimensions: 3.7m
\nMax weight: 32kg
\nFee: $125-100 depending on destination<\/p>\n
\nAdditional 10kg allowance for boards.<\/p>\n
\nBoard bag considered checked baggage as long as it\u2019s in weight. But watch out for the tiny length restriction.
\nMax dimensions: 1.9m\/75in
\nMax weight: 23kg<\/p>\n
\nAllow max two boards in a bag and charge you for it. Like most US carriers best avoided.
\nMax length: 115in
\nMax weight: 32kg
\nFee: $100-$150 depending on route<\/p>\n
\nOur preferred European budget airline makes it easy to pre-book a board bag and extra hold bags if needed. They take canoes and windsurfers also so bag size rarely an issue. Never had an issue so far and they’ve got the Euro surf destinations down. One sports equipment per person. 6 max per booking.
\nMax weight: 32kg
\nFee: \u00a370 return<\/p>\n
\nOne of the main carriers from Europe to wave rich wonders of Asia features modern planes and a stop off in pleasurable, if not a tad pricey, Dubai. Board bag goes as part of your checked allowance.
\nMax dimensions: 118in
\nMax weight: 23kg<\/p>\n
\nA relatively new player that\u2019s also surfer friendly. Board bag is part of your checked allowance.
\nMax length: 3m
\nMax weight: 23kg<\/p>\n
\nA handy UK airline for getting around our islands and across to Ireland. Not the biggest planes but good fares and for SW surfers having a hub at Exeter is a treat. Leave a bit of time to pay the bag fee at the airport.
\nMax length: Depends on plane, between 1.67m and 3m.
\nMax weight: 20kg
\nFee: \u00a330 per leg payable at the airport<\/p>\n
\nFree boardbag in addition to your hold bag. Good work fellas. This is how it should be.
\nMax weight: 23kg
\nMax length: 3m<\/p>\n
\nBoards included in the baggage allowance. Limit of two per bag. Which seems a bit mental.
\nMax length: 115in
\nMax weight: 23kg
\nFee: Inter island $35, Hawaii to US $100. Price varies from free to NZ\/Oz to $150 per leg depending on destination.<\/p>\n
\nThere\u2019s no bones about it, in the last few decades of surf travel Iberia undoubtedly top the list when it comes to horror stories about fees. Seems they’ve changed to allow boards as part of checked baggage allowance for long haul. One board limit. Fees apply for extra bags. \u20ac45 for short\/medium haul.
\nMax length: 3.5m
\nMax weight: 23kg
\nFee: \u20ac45 per leg<\/p>\n
\nBook in advance to ensure carriage and there’s an each way fee for ‘medium’ sports equipment depending on route.
\nMax length: 2.5m
\nMax weight: 23kg
\nFee: UK to Iceland: \u00a357<\/p>\n
\nKLM let you take a board bag as part of your allowance. If you want a case as well then you can pay for an extra bag. On European routes you just prebook the standard hold baggage fee. If you want a hold bag and a board bag it’s \u20ac68 each way.
\nMax length: 118in
\nMax weight: 23kg<\/p>\n
\nNo stress with Chile\u2019s national carrier either your bag goes as your allowance as long as it follows the rules. Handy in a county so long that internal flights are pretty essential unless you really love 30 hour road trips.
\nMax dimensions: 3m
\nMax weight: 23kg<\/p>\n
\nNot an airline we\u2019ve used but like KLM they can be good value and hopping to their European hubs not a bother. Well. It wouldn\u2019t be if they didn\u2019t charge for boards.
\nMax length: 2m
\nMax weight: 32kg
\nFee: \u20ac100<\/p>\n
\nCarried as part of free checked allowance and Malaysian have an awesome free checked allowance of two 30kg bags which makes them a very worthwhile option. Prices are good too. Hook up with Air Asia from KL and you\u2019re sweet for Indo.
\nMax length: 2.5m
\nMax weight: 30kg<\/p>\n
\nEurope’s award winning budget carrier is a growing player and has a modern fleet and good prices, especially to the US. Boards are paid up at booking time.
\nMax weight: 25kg
\nMax length: 2.5m
\nFee: short haul \u00a333 – 38 GBP\u00a0(online) 43 – 52 GBP (airport). Long haul \u00a347 GBP (online) 52 GBP (airport).All items are charged per item, each way.<\/p>\n
\nAs you\u2019d expect from Australia\u2019s main airline they take boards for free. As with all the big players keep inside the rules or you\u2019ll get stung excess.
\nMax length: 2.7m\/109in
\nMax weight: 32kg<\/p>\n
\nAnother of the Middle Eastern airlines that are your ticket to the joys of Sri Lanka, the Maldives and beyond. Doha is a pretty functional but sparse airport but their prices tend to be good and free board carriage as part of your checked allowance. But double check if you’re taking a hold bag too.
\nMax dimensions: 118in
\nMax weight: 30kg<\/p>\n
\nRyanair always get their pound of flesh but they\u2019ve committed to being more human and simplifying charges. Their fares are also ridiculously cheap. But when you add the board fees then there\u2019s not much budget left about it.
\nMax length: Standard board bags always go with no problem. Hard to find a specific length on their site.
\nMax weight: 20kg
\nFee: \u00a350 each way for \u2018Large sports equipment\u2019<\/p>\n
\nLet you take a boardbag as your free checked bag. Additional bag fee if you want an extra hold bag. Thanks Paul Milner for the tip.<\/p>\n
\nFlying to Singapore is a joy, it\u2019s one of the world\u2019s leading airports and not a bad place for a layover. Singapore airlines run a new fleet of them fancy double decker Airbuses so you can really travel in style. Board bags are part of your checked allowance also.
\nMax length: 2m
\nMax weight: 32kg<\/p>\n
\nA tricky one with SAA, board bags under two metres go as a free additional bag. Over two must go as cargo. So make sure you get your small print sorted if venturing to J-Bay.
\nMax length: 2m
\nMax weight: 23kg<\/p>\n
\nAnother US airline you’ll only encounter if you fly code share to the US.
\nMax length: 80in
\nMax weight: 32kg
\nFee: $75 each way<\/p>\n
\nYour go to outfit for Sri Lanka or the Maldives are understandably cool with boards. Hell they used to sponsor surf events too! Nice weight limit too.
\nMax length: 118in
\nMax weight: 30kg<\/p>\n
\nThe main carrier to Portugal that isn\u2019t budget will actually take longboards which is a rare treat these days. Pity about the fees.
\nMax weight: 32kg
\nFees: Up to 2m \u20ac50 over 2m \u20ac100 per leg!
\nEditors comment<\/em>: Had my hold bag delayed by two days then an amateur hour scenario where rather than courier to hotel I had to go collect from a bus station. Fourth time I got told it would be there it was. 48 hours in limbo. And the bag padlock had been cut off and GoPro\u00a0burgled. So. Try and go with Easyjet eh?<\/p>\n
\nPerplexing rules but it ain’t good. Doesn’t count as your free baggage and only one board allowed.
\nMax length: 109in
\nMax weight: 30kg
\nFee: $100 if under 2m\u00a0$200 if over!<\/p>\n
\nThe British package holiday operator has their own planes on some routes, like the Caribbean, and don’t mind you taking a sled for a fee. But generous weight and no stress on longer boards. (2016 info from Tom Shep).
\nMax length: Longboard
\nMax weight: 32kg<\/p>\n
\nWith a fee scheme like this it\u2019s a surprise any surfer would book with United. Two hundred bucks each way?!? You guys are loco.
\nMax length: 115in
\nMax weight: 32kg
\nFee: $150 each way in US airspace and $200 each way international?!?<\/p>\n
\nBoard bag goes as part of your checked allowance. But the new length allowance is daft. If you want to take a hold bag and board bag then it’s \u00a365.
\nMax length: 75in
\nMax weight: 23kg
\nReaders comments<\/em>: Be warned, they told Joel Gray they won’t take boards at all on any route. As with all if in doubt get it in writing like we did!<\/p>\n\n