American Airlines $45 Lugage Fee?

[AlexRodriguez]

American Airlines has informed me that they charge a surcharge of $45 each way for any luggage carrying any scuba gear. Has anyone experienced this? Seems crazy to me.

Alex

 

[CDFDiveMaster]

While traveling and diving the only thing I've run into is weight issues and then and only then have I been charged extra. I'm now leaving my weights at home...just kidding. Dive gear should'nt matter, I would'nt think. Good Luck, I recently flew American to the Bahamas and did'nt get charged that. I usually Fly Delta and they don't either.

Jay

 

[fdog]

It's news to me. The closest to that is the $50 domestic overweight (greater than 70 lbs).

Oversize is $80. A scuba cylinder (if you don't pack it into something) falls into this, too.

It's been a while since I've flown AA, but they've always been pretty strict about weight.

All the best, James

 

[Charlie99]

The airlines have tariffs for taking non-standard luggage. For example, many airlines have a special fee for taking sports equipement such as javelins, hanggliders, and many other weird stuff. Some will be accepted in the place of one of the standard checked bags allowed. Other items are charged a fee. For many years, airlines have been willing to take one complete scuba gear set for a specified fee. If you go to the AA site and do a search for "scuba", it shows up as an $80 fee for carrying one scuba gear set, defined as "1 scuba tank, scuba regulator, tank harness, and tank pressure gauge.".

I have never heard of this being applied to gear that fits inside a normal suitcase.

 

[stackclimber]

I think that the fee is for added insurance. The international agreement is only good for like $150 or something like that.

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

I fly American all the time and have never had issues with "scuba gear". They're only worried about weight allowances and if you have cylinders in your luggage. If so, they want the valves removed.

 

[riguerin]

I haven't come across this one when traveling with SCUBA equipment. I also travel with surfboards. In fact, I routinely travel with both SCUBA equipment and boards. I'm kind of used to getting hit with the $50-$80 (each way) for the boards.

You know, come to think of it, I've never had to pay excess baggage fees when traveling with a snowboard or golf clubs either. I'm not sure why the airlines pick on poor surfers. It's just not fair

 

[uglyredshoes]

yes. there is a special 'sporting equipment' category. but ur dive gear doesnt apply as long as its packed in the standard sized bag (that of ur typical mesh bag) and u do not bring along a tank.

 

[Dive-aholic]

TSA doesn't work for AA, and they're the ones who open the bags...

 

[fishnchips]

If you use branded equipment bag with logos or art works that indicate it is a bag carrying dive gear, they may charge you. Actually, like others had mentioned. the charge is for over weight or odd size. But you should not be charged if your bag is not odd size and if your bag is not over weight. I NEVER use any dive travel bag as I don't want to advertise I have dive gear in my bag. I also never mentioned the purpose of my trip or I'm going diving to the counter agent, or when I buy the ticket. They don't need to know.