# Airline Baggage - experiences with new rules on "no clothes in ski bag"?



## fdskier (Feb 8, 2011)

for 20 years, i have always packed clothes in my ski bag, keeping it under 50 lbs and have never had an issue.. but recently a few buddies have heard that airlines are enforcing some rules - specifically that you are only supposed to have skis and poles in the ski bag and nothing else.

has anyone flown this winter and had a problem putting some clothes in the ski bag?
any info would be appreciated.


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## snoseek (Feb 8, 2011)

I packed two pairs of skis, helmet, ski pants, coat and thermal in my ski back last week on Jetblue and had no issues


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## redalienx11 (Feb 9, 2011)

ive flown american, alaskan, and delta recently and in my ski bag i pack skis, poles, boots, ice axes, sleeping bag, clothes, skins, showvel, helmet, probe, beacon, etc and no problem. Usually tipping the scale at around 49.5 pounds. Just be really nice and humble to the folks at the counter


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## Geoff (Feb 9, 2011)

The rules have always been "ski bag with nothing but skis and poles" & "boot bag with nothing but boots".   Airlines now treat baggage as a profit center.   If you get unlucky, you'll get charged extra.


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## soulseller (Feb 9, 2011)

I flew United 3-4 weeks ago to CO with my bag holding all my gear (board, boots, helmet, clothing) with no issue.


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## andyzee (Feb 9, 2011)

The way they've been going lately, airlines should stop all the pretense and tell it like it is:


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## Puck it (Feb 9, 2011)

It depends on airline and more on the person checking the bags.  This has always been the policy but never really enforced.  It is a crap shoot.


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## jaja111 (Feb 9, 2011)

I went west over Xmas and packed a good portion of my gear into my ski bag, which had a pair of skis and a monoski with poles. Mine and my wife's boots were in my main bag with the rest of my clothes / gear. Both were 40-45lbs and I didn't have an issue. 

However, I have a friend that works as a tech at the local airport who also skis. He has told me that the issue arises with a stink from the TSA people in luggage. When they open the ski bag, and the clothes are intricately wrapped around ski equipment, packed like a jigsaw puzzle, it drives them insane while inspecting. I think, maybe(?), that if you're not compression stuffing clothes in with the gear you're okay?

I'd at least bring an easily collapsible bag of some sort so you can remove some stuff if they do freak out. It'd suck to miss a flight because of this, or pay a $100 fee for oversized luggage.


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## dmc (Feb 9, 2011)

A smile and a kind word goes a loooooooooooooooooong way at the Airline counter.

I've skirted rules before on flights just by being engaging and nice..


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## Warp Daddy (Feb 9, 2011)

dmc said:


> A smile and a kind word goes a loooooooooooooooooong way at the Airline counter.
> 
> I've skirted rules before on flights just by being engaging and nice..



 OH yeah 4 sure you du  D !!! - takes a damn fine Drum Monkey  to smooze the hell outta da chicks    'member Ringo Hell everybody freakin luvs  the Drummer  -- 

Keep Grinnin


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## tekweezle (Feb 9, 2011)

an old style  plain boot and ski bag was counts as 1 bag.  doesn;t matter because now you will get charged for it anyway now.  if thats your ski bag stuffed with clothes, i don;t see how thats different from a bag with just clothes.

domestically, you are getting charged for 1 bag no matter what now so.  that;s going to be 50$ right away.  .

i travel with 2 bags-a ski bag with half my clothes and a carry on with the other half and my ski boots.  the carry on is one of those knapsack style that can fit in the overhead or under the seat if necessary. 

Internationally, they usually give you a 1 bag allowance at no charge.


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## dmc (Feb 9, 2011)

Warp Daddy said:


> OH yeah 4 sure you du  D !!! - takes a damn fine Drum Monkey  to smooze the hell outta da chicks    'member Ringo Hell everybody freakin luvs  the Drummer  --
> 
> Keep Grinnin



Maybe since I'm drummer people realized just how cool I am...


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## SkiDork (Feb 9, 2011)

tekweezle said:


> an old style  plain boot and ski bag was counts as 1 bag.  doesn;t matter because now you will get charged for it anyway now.  if thats your ski bag stuffed with clothes, i don;t see how thats different from a bag with just clothes.



You haven't read the fine print.  it explicitly states you can only have skis in the ski bag.


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## billski (Feb 9, 2011)

Puck it said:


> It depends on airline and more on the person checking the bags.  This has always been the policy but never really enforced.  It is a crap shoot.



Agreed.  Last year on a trip to Denver, I got nailed for clothes in my boot bag.  I put my dirty stuff in there thinking they would be repulsed.  Instead, I got to remove it and put it into a make-shift carry on plastic bag.  You never know.  Just like speeding tickets.


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## billski (Feb 9, 2011)

dmc said:


> A smile and a kind word goes a loooooooooooooooooong way



+100.  That goes for most things in life.  Treating them as a real breathing person as opposed to a mechanical bureaucratic mouthpiece wins big and it costs you _nothing_.


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## Cannonball (Feb 9, 2011)

I'm a rule follower so I never put clothes in my ski bag.  

However, I do put skis in my suitcase.  BTW: my suitcase is 7' long and made by K2.


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## BenedictGomez (Feb 9, 2011)

Geoff said:


> *Airlines now treat baggage as a profit center. *  If you get unlucky, you'll get charged extra.



Which is why I don't fly anymore, unless it's an absolute necessity.  I've put my foot down as the price per ticket and added baggage fees are now completely insane, especially around Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas. 

I used to fly to/from Florida at least twice per year, now I drive.  It's not bad at all, and we add a stop along the way to see something interesting (this January it was Mount Vernon, VA).  The driving saves quite a bit of $$ over the flying, the bastards arent getting my money, and we see interesting things.


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## dmc (Feb 9, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> Which is why I don't fly anymore, unless it's an absolute necessity.  I've put my foot down as the price per ticket and added baggage fees are now completely insane, especially around Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas.



Save that $150 and ski less??

No WAY!!  

I don't live on principal like most folks..  I think about the fun I'm going to have and the more the better...  my time is $!


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## dmc (Feb 9, 2011)

billski said:


> +100.  That goes for most things in life.  Treating them as a real breathing person as opposed to a mechanical bureaucratic mouthpiece wins big and it costs you _nothing_.



I treat them better then a living breathing person..

And they've let me slide on a few things... Not security related of course..


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## tekweezle (Feb 9, 2011)

SkiDork said:


> You haven't read the fine print.  it explicitly states you can only have skis in the ski bag.



i always took that as only if you want your separate ski bag and boot bag counted as 1 bag then no clothes in either bag-for which they will now charge you 50$ for anyway,  used to be domestically, 1 bag was not charged.  now they charge you no matter what.

but if your ski bag is under 50 pounds, i don;t see how they can charge you an overage fee even if there is clothes in it.    I admit, things may have changed since last year though and the Airline industry has become increasingly user unfriendly and money grubbing.

Last year, I was not charged going to Denver from JFK but they charged me for checking my bootbag on the way back.  maybe the western airports are on the lookout.  it was continental and they let me have a 1 bag allowance.

whats silly is that this is causing more people to bring even larger carry on suitcases and forgo checking anything-the aggravating thing is how the overheads are usually full when each person brings a carryon, a personal service bag(usually a womens purse or a guys backpack) AND a laptop bag plus an additional shopping bag with other items like food, ect....) and their coat.


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## BenedictGomez (Feb 9, 2011)

dmc said:


> *Save that $150 and ski less??*
> 
> No WAY!!
> 
> *I don't live on principal like most folks.*.  I think about the fun I'm going to have and the more the better...  my time is $!



Well, it works out to way more than $150, when you consider each bag is $100/roundtrip.  Plus, the gas expense is a fraction of the $500-$600 per person flights.

I have limits though.  For instance, friends I know drove from Northern Vermont to Vail.  Yes, true, as a family they saved a ridiculous amount of money together, but it was 31 hours each way.  I wouldnt have survived that!


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## Hawkshot99 (Feb 9, 2011)

You guys are saying you were charged extra for a ski bag.  If you go on the carriers sites they list the rules of the bags.  A ski bag does not fit within the guidelines for dimensions.  It is oversize.

Here is a link to American Airlines baggage rules.  You will see the bag can only be 62" long and has to be under 50 #'s.  Unless you are on some short skis, that is oversized.

I flew Southwest last winter to Utah. I had my suitcase with all my gear(boots, helmet, clothes), my ski bag(2 sets of skis, and 2 sets of poles and some clothes stuffed in to keep the skis from smacking each other) and my backpack carry on.  There was no extra charge for my ski bag with clothes in it.


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## BenedictGomez (Feb 9, 2011)

Hawkshot99 said:


> You guys are saying you were charged extra for a ski bag.  If you go on the carriers sites they list the rules of the bags.  A ski bag does not fit within the guidelines for dimensions*.  It is oversize.*
> 
> Here is a link to American Airlines baggage rules.  You will see the bag can only be 62" long and has to be under 50 #'s.  Unless you are on some short skis, that is oversized.
> 
> *I flew Southwest* last winter to Utah. I had my suitcase with all my gear(boots, helmet, clothes), my ski bag(2 sets of skis, and 2 sets of poles and some clothes stuffed in to keep the skis from smacking each other) and my backpack carry on.  There was no extra charge for my ski bag with clothes in it.




Oversized or extra bag, either way it's a new revenue ploy. 

And correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt Southwest the last remaining "decent sized" carrier that isnt scamming bag fees?


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## gladerider (Feb 9, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> Oversized or extra bag, either way it's a new revenue ploy.
> 
> And correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt Southwest the last remaining "decent sized" carrier that isnt scamming bag fees?



that's correct. southwest is good people


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## dmc (Feb 9, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> Well, it works out to way more than $150, when you consider each bag is $100/roundtrip.  Plus, the gas expense is a fraction of the $500-$600 per person flights.
> 
> I have limits though.  For instance, friends I know drove from Northern Vermont to Vail.  Yes, true, as a family they saved a ridiculous amount of money together, but it was 31 hours each way.  I wouldnt have survived that!



how much would it cost to Fedex your gear in advance?

All this stuff is moot to me - I'm platinum on Delta and Gold on American.. So I don't pay extra for luggage..  

I gotta get something out of all this traveling i do...


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## Hawkshot99 (Feb 9, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> And correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt Southwest the last remaining "decent sized" carrier that isnt scamming bag fees?



Dont know if they are the last, but they do not charge extra.  Played a big role on why they were chosen over other companies.


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## hammer (Feb 9, 2011)

How many people have managed to carry their boot bags on the plane?  I'll be going SWA and I'm wondering how my Transpack bags can fit in the overhead...

For family travel, SWA has become the airline of choice.  With 4 of us, one bag each adds up to $200 extra in luggage fees for a trip. :x


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## dropKickMurphy (Feb 9, 2011)

Hawkshot99 said:


> You guys are saying you were charged extra for a ski bag.  If you go on the carriers sites they list the rules of the bags.  A ski bag does not fit within the guidelines for dimensions.  It is oversize.
> 
> Here is a link to American Airlines baggage rules.  You will see the bag can only be 62" long and has to be under 50 #'s.  Unless you are on some short skis, that is oversized.
> 
> I flew Southwest last winter to Utah. I had my suitcase with all my gear(boots, helmet, clothes), my ski bag(2 sets of skis, and 2 sets of poles and some clothes stuffed in to keep the skis from smacking each other) and my backpack carry on.  There was no extra charge for my ski bag with clothes in it.



Pretty much all of the airlines count a a single pair of skis+a single pair of poles+a single pair of boots as a single item. You can have the skis/poles in 1 bag, and the boots in another, and it still counts as a single item of luggage. They allow the ski bag to be over the normal length limit without a penalty. The ski bag and boot bag together cannot exceed the normal weight allowance for a single piece.

So a ski bag with a single pair of skis/poles; a bag with your boots, and a full size piece of luggage count as 2 pieces total. Which is still free on SW  

Technically, you can't have anything else in the ski and boot bags if you want them to count as a single piece. Regardless of what you got away with in the past, you are definitely taking a chance of incurring extra baggage charges if you pack clothes or extra gear into the ski and boot bags.

I usually carry my boots on the plane with me on the way there, and check the skis in.  I stuff my empty Transpack into the main piece of luggage that contains my clothing. etc.

On the way home, I put the boots (and nothing else) into the Transpack and check it in along with the skis. That frees up room in my suitcase for any souvenirs, t-shirts, etc that I pick up during the trip.


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## mondeo (Feb 9, 2011)

tekweezle said:


> i always took that as only if you want your separate ski bag and boot bag counted as 1 bag then no clothes in either bag-for which they will now charge you 50$ for anyway, used to be domestically, 1 bag was not charged. now they charge you no matter what.
> 
> but if your ski bag is under 50 pounds, i don;t see how they can charge you an overage fee even if there is clothes in it. I admit, things may have changed since last year though and the Airline industry has become increasingly user unfriendly and money grubbing.
> 
> ...


By the rules for every airline I've looked at, skis, poles, and boots can be checked with skis and poles in one bag and boots in another as a single piece of luggage. The instant you put anything else in either of the bags, it doesn't fall under the sporting equipment exception and they can charge the bags seperately, and if it's the ski bag with clothes in it, as an oversized piece of luggage.

When I flew to Whistler this summer, I had no problem flying there, but had to explain the whole 2 bags, but one piece of luggage thing to the person at the counter on the way back. Difference was going straight to the counter on the way out and using a kiosk on the way back. It may just be someone that doesn't know the rules. If you do end up being charged, you might have success with calling the company later, explaining you regularly fly for skiing, and let them know you'll be taking your business elsewhere in the future. They'd rather have repeat business than a one time charge.

As far as money grubbing or being a profit center - you guys realize that airlines have been, at best, maginally profitable for the last three years and have lost money on the whole over that span? The luggage fees were introduced as a way to stay afloat while not alienating customers with increased ticket prices, despite spiraling fuel costs.


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## thetrailboss (Feb 9, 2011)

As said, the two times I have been out west, in March 2010 and December 2010, we have had no problems packing some clothes in with the ski boots and skis.  And I mean only some..like a jacket and ski pants.  We flew United, Delta, Southwest.  We have used kiosks and gone to the counter on both occasions.  Nobody asked, nobody looked.  But again, we did not go overboard.


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## fdskier (Feb 9, 2011)

thanks everyone for their recent experiences...it sounds like it can go either way.

in the past i had my ski bag packed with clothes, and a 2nd piece of luggage.
i always had my boots strapped through a loop of my carry on - a 'day pack' backpack..
that was before bag fees...

regardless of how i pack, it sounds like i am looking at 2 checked bags and baggage fees of $120 round trip...

have fun out there.
ski fast.


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## RISkier (Feb 9, 2011)

hammer said:


> How many people have managed to carry their boot bags on the plane?  I'll be going SWA and I'm wondering how my Transpack bags can fit in the overhead...
> 
> For family travel, SWA has become the airline of choice.  With 4 of us, one bag each adds up to $200 extra in luggage fees for a trip. :x



Last year we didn't really have any problems on Southwest. I had a Transpack with boots in the boot pockets. Didn't pack the middle compartment full so that the bag would compress. Wasn't a problem. Things seem to vary a lot by airline and we seem to be shooting at a moving target. I'd be very leery about checking boots. Especially on the flight out. Renting skis is one thing, renting boots...


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## hammer (Feb 9, 2011)

RISkier said:


> Last year we didn't really have any problems on Southwest. I had a Transpack with boots in the boot pockets. Didn't pack the middle compartment full so that the bag would compress. Wasn't a problem. Things seem to vary a lot by airline and we seem to be shooting at a moving target. I'd be very leery about checking boots. Especially on the flight out. Renting skis is one thing, renting boots...


Thanks...did you just put the helmets in with the checked luggage?


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## Smellytele (Feb 9, 2011)

I would never ever check boots. Always pack stuff around my skis to "protect" them.


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## RSTuthill (Feb 9, 2011)

I generally don't pay to check baggage either due to my business travel. I check my regular bag and ski bag and carry on my boot pack which has my helmet, goggles, gloves, wax stuff, and inner boots in it. The outer boot shells fit into the external side pockets. Are you folks saying I can no longer carry that pack on? If so, that'll truly suck.

Btw, I was checking in at BDL last winter when Hannah Teter (IIRC) was checking in at the USAirways first class counter. They made her take all her stuff out of her snowboard bag and cram it into her regular luggage for an overseas trip. I was tempted to tell the staff that she was an Olympic gold medalist. Nice person to talk to though.


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## dmc (Feb 9, 2011)

I saw the O2 masks drop down once when my buddy pulled his tele boots out of the boot bag to fit them in the overhead..   

Well maybe not... But when he pulled the dirty boots out - he got some nasty looks.. haha


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## Puck it (Feb 9, 2011)

Boots, helmet, goggles, and everything else to ski goes on the plane with me. And even on threturn home.  I do not trust baggage handlers especially at Logan.


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## Cannonball (Feb 10, 2011)

Puck it said:


> Boots, helmet, goggles, and everything else to ski goes on the plane with me. And even on threturn home.  I do not trust baggage handlers especially at Logan.



Damn, you must that guy I keep getting stuck behind in the security line!  I carry-on as little as possible.  If I already have to wait for bags (skis) everything goes in except sleeping essentials (Ipod & headphones).


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## dmc (Feb 10, 2011)

Cannonball said:


> Damn, you must that guy I keep getting stuck behind in the security line!  I carry-on as little as possible.  If I already have to wait for bags (skis) everything goes in except sleeping essentials (Ipod & headphones).



Me too - can;t be bothered..   I tip the baggage handlers...


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## Puck it (Feb 10, 2011)

Cannonball said:


> Damn, you must that guy I keep getting stuck behind in the security line!  I carry-on as little as possible.  If I already have to wait for bags (skis) everything goes in except sleeping essentials (Ipod & headphones).



The bag is not that big. Slides right into the overhead.  TSA has never had to open it. This is the only bag that goes on with me. I do not take the chance with my boots. I would not be able to ski without them. I figure everyday clothing is easy to shop for but ski stuff would be a royal pain.


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## RISkier (Feb 10, 2011)

hammer said:


> Thanks...did you just put the helmets in with the checked luggage?



I did. I wore fleece and my ski jacket on the plane. Packed ski pants, gloves, a vest, and a few necessary items that could compress in the transpack. Put my helmet in the middle of my checked bag. My wife gets her boots, helmet, and what's necessary to ski a day or two in a traditional carry on. My boots are too big. I know some folks used to just throw their boots over their shoulder unpacked. Don't have any idea how airlines view that these days. NSA sometimes likes to check the boots pretty carefully.


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## o3jeff (Feb 10, 2011)

It's getting to the point that it might be cheaper to buy a second seat for your luggage.


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## gores95 (Feb 10, 2011)

I flew Delta to SLC in mid-January and had no issues putting extra clothes in the ski bag I checked.  I also carried on a Transpack boot bag (with boots and helmet) along with a Northface carry-on roller.  Key is to board the plane as early as possible so there is room overhead for both bags.


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## drjeff (Feb 10, 2011)

dmc said:


> A smile and a kind word goes a loooooooooooooooooong way at the Airline counter.
> 
> I've skirted rules before on flights just by being engaging and nice..



This + a decent tip to the skycap at curbside takes care of many things in my experience


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## drjeff (Feb 10, 2011)

o3jeff said:


> It's getting to the point that it might be cheaper to buy a second seat for your luggage.



Or if you know you're going to get charged by your carrier, and have a few days leeway with your gear, just ship it either UPS or FedEx - their ground rates in many cases are really close to a $50 baggage fee, and then your gear is at your hotel when you arrive and you don't have to deal with lugging it to/from the airport


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## Puck it (Feb 10, 2011)

drjeff said:


> Or if you know you're going to get charged by your carrier, and have a few days leeway with your gear, just ship it either UPS or FedEx - their ground rates in many cases are really close to a $50 baggage fee, and then your gear is at your hotel when you arrive and you don't have to deal with lugging it to/from the airport



I always wondered about something with shipping. How do you return ship it?


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## drjeff (Feb 10, 2011)

Puck it said:


> I always wondered about something with shipping. How do you return ship it?



Easy, as most hotels have a person onsite who handles their shipping for the items that the hotel needs on a daily basis.  Just talk to the front desk, before you arrive and in my experiences, they'll be able to get things taken care of for you.  

What I've done, is the day or two before I was checking out, I just double checked with the hotels shipping person to confirm and find out where he/she wanted to leave my bags when I checked out, and then filled out the shipping labels ahead of time (with a free, Fedex account, you can get everything pre-arranged and billed to your credit card).  At check-out time, I just did with the bags what the shipping person asked me to (usually just tell the bellman that what bags were to be brought to the shipping dock of the hotel), and then usally before I even arrive back home, I've got the e-mail tracking number for my bags and a pick up notification from Fedex about them.

Some ski areas, will even allow you to ship your gear directly to/from their ski-check area via Fed-ex - I know that Deer Valley does this, and as a result is actually one of the reasons why when I go to Utah that I try and ski there the last day of my vacation.  At the end of the day, I just dry off my gear, and load my ski bag right there, and then hand the ski check people my packed bag and the shipping label.  Done!  3-4 days later, my gear is at my house!  Easy


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## tekweezle (Feb 10, 2011)

gores95 said:


> I flew Delta to SLC in mid-January and had no issues putting extra clothes in the ski bag I checked.  I also carried on a Transpack boot bag (with boots and helmet) along with a Northface carry-on roller.  Key is to board the plane as early as possible so there is room overhead for both bags.



i like the way you think!  i have a transpack style backpack for my boots, helmet and other incidentals but i usually count this as my carryon and put half my clothing in it.  seems like you got away with it as your personal service bag and managed to bring a separate carryon.  Funny thing is Delta( and American Airlines)seem to be most aggressive at charging fees.  

i;d probably never do it like that because i;d be a little worried about taking up too much overhead bin space so 1 bag is enough for me.  whats annoying is that properly packed, an overhead bin can fit up to 3 carryon each and considering each overhead bin serves usually just 2 seats, should be enough for everyone.  However, lots of people don;t pack the bin correctly and it annoys the flight attendants.

i always get a little apprehensive about the size of my boot bag knapsack. it says that it;s designed to fit in the overhead but moderately packed, it looks a little bulky and doesn;t fit the dimensions of typical carryon rolling suitcase.  However, I;ve used it on several domestic and international ski trips and have not had an issue.


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## Highway Star (Feb 10, 2011)

We recently flew with 5 people on southwest.  Everyone packed a large suitcase-ish bag, a ski bag with 2 pairs of skis poles plus clothing and misc items, a carryon bootbag, and a laptop bag/purse. 

Policy states ONE set of gear quite explicity.  We didn't not use the 2 for 1 ski bag/boot bag thing, because it just adds a layer of complication and makes them more likely to ask what's in your 'boot bag'.   If you're not checking your boots and are bringing two pairs of skis, you don't need to bother.

Some bags were slightly over 50lbs.  We all skycap'd and had zero probelms.  They don't have a scale outside and could care less, especially if you tip over $2 per bag.  Totally worth not standing in line with 100+lbs of luggage per person.


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## mondeo (Feb 10, 2011)

tekweezle said:


> Funny thing is Delta( and American Airlines)seem to be most aggressive at charging fees.


...which happen to be the two airlines with the oldest fleets. AA is the only major that still lost money last quarter. Both still have a huge number of 757s and DC-9/MD-80s in service, both of which burn a lot more fuel (around 25-30% for the MD-80) than modern airplanes.


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## BenedictGomez (Feb 11, 2011)

This article on airline fees from today slides nicely into this conversation.

As some have suspected, Delta charges more in "extra" or "hidden" fees than any carrier.



http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-bu.../what-airlines-really-charge?mod=bb-budgeting


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## dmc (Feb 11, 2011)

Flying to DEN first class on Delta with a buddy next month..  Used miles..

Stoked that luggage is free!    
So are drinks..  haha


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## hammer (Feb 11, 2011)

dmc said:


> Flying to DEN first class on Delta with a buddy next month..  Used miles..
> 
> Stoked that luggage is free!
> So are drinks..  haha


As a person with a family, I'm glad I don't have the business travel schedule you need to have to get the perks...:razz:

The fee policies will eventually backfire once enough travelers get smart enough to calculate their total travel cost and purchase tickets with the fees in mind.


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## dmc (Feb 11, 2011)

hammer said:


> As a person with a family, I'm glad I don't have the business travel schedule you need to have to get the perks...:razz:




It's one of the benefits of weekly travel..  Which I'm frankly getting sick and tired of...  But until i find something different - first class all the way baby!


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## mondeo (Feb 11, 2011)

hammer said:


> The fee policies will eventually backfire once enough travelers get smart enough to calculate their total travel cost and purchase tickets with the fees in mind.


I still flew American with including luggage fees. I don't pay for anything else. Better than the alternative of higher ticket prices outright.

Beauty of the system is that you get fairly cheap tickets if you can pack everything into carry-on and can live without crappy food or a pillow, and then the airlines get extra cargo space to sell. Win-win. What the airlines need to do is enforce the carry-on rules with everyone trying to skirt the luggage fees.


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## hammer (Feb 11, 2011)

dmc said:


> It's one of the benefits of weekly travel..  Which I'm frankly getting sick and tired of...  But until i find something different - first class all the way baby!


Good that you can take  the perks...I've been able to get some discounts and free tickets on  years that I've had to travel more.  I'd just rather not have to pay the  price.



mondeo said:


> I still flew American with including luggage fees. I don't pay for anything else. Better than the alternative of higher ticket prices outright.
> 
> Beauty of the system is that you get fairly cheap tickets if you can pack everything into carry-on and can live without crappy food or a pillow, and then the airlines get extra cargo space to sell. Win-win. What the airlines need to do is enforce the carry-on rules with everyone trying to skirt the luggage fees.


And when you (and every one else) crams their huge carry-ons into the overhead bins or we all have to wait while all of the bags that don't fit get gate checked...

Unless I'm traveling on business I'll stick with SWA, thanks.


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## mondeo (Feb 11, 2011)

hammer said:


> And when you (and every one else) crams their huge carry-ons into the overhead bins or we all have to wait while all of the bags that don't fit get gate checked...


I live by the carry-on rules, which I mentioned the airlines need to do a better job enforcing. I'd be in favor of a $10 additional fee for gate checking.


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## dmc (Feb 11, 2011)

hammer said:


> Good that you can take  the perks...I've been able to get some discounts and free tickets on  years that I've had to travel more.  I'd just rather not have to pay the  price.



Between all the miles for air and points for cars and hotels..  this trip is turning out to be cheap..  Also getting some Ski Patrol lift ticket hook ups as well as "guest lists" for the concerts we're attending...


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## BenedictGomez (Feb 11, 2011)

mondeo said:


> *What the airlines need to do is enforce the carry-on rules with everyone trying to skirt the luggage fees*.



Which I assume is coming.  Not because they care about the customer experience, but because it will equal more fees.

For me, the worst part about flying is all the idiots who:

1) Pack their entire apartment in 2000 carry-ons, when they're only allowed one, but yet the airline says nothing.  

2) Then, they lie and jump on the plane right after 1st class regardless of what their row is.  

3) Then, they take up 8000 overhead bins instead of 1, leaving everyone else scrambling

And the worst part is that people like the above used to be loathed, but now, since the airlines have done nothing people have said, "Screw it, I'M doing that too then!", and it gets worse every year.


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## tekweezle (Feb 11, 2011)

another article about the state of the airline industry-particularly Delta

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/201102...mschoolxidrssfullnationyahoo#mwpphu-container


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## dmc (Feb 11, 2011)

tekweezle said:


> another article about the state of the airline industry-particularly Delta
> 
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/201102...mschoolxidrssfullnationyahoo#mwpphu-container



huh... I always get upgrades and stuff from Delta..  My Delta experience blows away my AA and Continental experiences...

i wonder why so different from the commentators?  Probably because I don't fly through ATL..


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## mondeo (Feb 11, 2011)

dmc said:


> huh... I always get upgrades and stuff from Delta.. My Delta experience blows away my AA and Continental experiences...
> 
> i wonder why so different from the commentators? Probably because I don't fly through ATL..


I've stopped flying US Air following an atrocious handling of a cancelled flight ($70 for a hotel room...really? Where I won't get several STDs from just sleeping on the bed?) Next time I flew, flight got cancelled as well, but Delta handled it about as well as possible. Vouchers for dinner and breakfast at the airport, get assigned to a decent hotel, don't have to worry about a thing. AA was smooth flying to Vancouver and back.


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## gmcunni (Feb 11, 2011)

dmc said:


> i wonder why so different from the commentators?  Probably because I don't fly through ATL..



flew thru ATL on delta once.. had a problem, went to customer service. woman said to me "honey, don't fly through Atlanta, it is a nightmare"


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## dmc (Feb 11, 2011)

gmcunni said:


> flew thru ATL on delta once.. had a problem, went to customer service. woman said to me "honey, don't fly through Atlanta, it is a nightmare"



It's all about hubs...  ATL is nutz..

I have a stack of free drink coupons that i haven't had a chance to use from delayed flights and just getting them from the agents..   If your flight is ever delayed on Delta - scan the ticket at one of the kiosks and you may get a dinner voucher or drink coupns...


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## billski (Feb 11, 2011)

dmc said:


> It's all about hubs...  ATL is nutz..
> 
> I have a stack of free drink coupons that i haven't had a chance to use from delayed flights and just getting them from the agents..   If your flight is ever delayed on Delta - scan the ticket at one of the kiosks and you may get a dinner voucher or drink coupns...



I'm happy to be an airline gomer and leave the professional flying to dmc!  

btw, what state are you in today??  :smile:


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## dmc (Feb 11, 2011)

billski said:


> I'm happy to be an airline gomer and leave the professional flying to dmc!
> 
> btw, what state are you in today??  :smile:



Back in NY...  Upcoming trips are Columbus Ohio, Atlanta Ga, Chicago and Sand Diego...


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## darent (Feb 11, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> Which I assume is coming.  Not because they care about the customer experience, but because it will equal more fees.
> 
> For me, the worst part about flying is all the idiots who:
> 
> ...



I sent a very nice e-mail to AAairlines mentioning some of the above facts and a few others, received a nice e-mail back that didn't comment on one point I brought up, they basically said screw you we do what we want and we don't care what is fair, but thanks for writting and we appreciate your business.


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## Philpug (Feb 12, 2011)

I just found it easier to move out west. 

When I was doing a lot of flying to ski....I also used the tipping and nice method A LOT..never failed. As far as carry-on, Transpack Sidekicks are the best, they fit in the overhead compartment much better better than the triangle ones and actually hold much better. I also found if I wore the helmet and rocked back and forth in my seat, I tended to get the whole row to myself.


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## campgottagopee (Feb 12, 2011)

dmc said:


> Flying to DEN first class on Delta with a buddy next month..  Used miles..
> 
> Stoked that luggage is free!
> So are drinks..  haha



Damn, I like the way you roll D.


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## billski (Feb 12, 2011)

darent said:


> I sent a very nice e-mail to AAairlines mentioning some of the above facts and a few others, received a nice e-mail back that didn't comment on one point I brought up, they basically said screw you we do what we want and we don't care what is fair, but thanks for writting and we appreciate your business.



I overheard a flight crew complaining exactly about this and how their airline was totally unresponsive to their pleas for backup support.  They are given so many duties now that they are running ragged and have no time or power to be confrontational about this.  I think they need a big bouncer at the aircraft door.


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## darent (Feb 12, 2011)

billski said:


> I overheard a flight crew complaining exactly about this and how their airline was totally unresponsive to their pleas for backup support.  They are given so many duties now that they are running ragged and have no time or power to be confrontational about this.  I think they need a big bouncer at the aircraft door.



no sense shooting the messenger, like dmc says, speak nicely and tip well works with the help to ease the pain of flying. just wish the big dudes upstairs cared more,I think the government is so entrenched in the airline industry that that is the root of most of the problems


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## Geoff (Feb 13, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> Which I assume is coming.  Not because they care about the customer experience, but because it will equal more fees.
> 
> For me, the worst part about flying is all the idiots who:
> 
> ...



People can print out their own boarding passes.   The TSA doesn't give a damn how much carry-on baggage you feed through the X-Ray machine as long as it can physically fit through the machine.   You show up at the gate as the plane is boarding.   The customer service agent is judged on getting the flight off on time.   If they have to have huge arguments with tools trying to bring on more than a roll-aboard and a briefcase/purse, the flight is going to go out late and screw up the flight schedule.   Same goes with somebody boarding in the wrong order.   You'll get self-important tools screaming at the airline customer service agents and that delays the flight.  

If you want to fix this, you fix it at the security checkpoint.   The TSA troll checking your photo id against your boarding pass can also check to see how much you are wheeling along with you for carry-on baggage.   There's no way you can fix this at the gate as the plane is boarding.


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## tekweezle (Feb 14, 2011)

Just flew into Zurich on AA.  No problems with bags or customer service.


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## gmcunni (Feb 20, 2011)

just flew Frontier Airlines from NY to Denver.

checked 2 ski bags and 2 boot bags for the advertised $20/each.  My ski bag included my daughter's boots. Each boot bag was stuffed with as much clothing as they could hold.  No issue at all.

BONUS - as we walked away from the counter after checking the ski bags they guy asked "Would you like to check your carry-ons for FREE?"  sweet, of course we said YES and checked our 4 carry-on suitcases!


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