Baggage Charges

[blawler1]

It's in their official baggage policies on their website; however, I have never been charged. I generally follow the don't ask, don't tell approach, but just to make sure, I carry our regulators in a carry on portable cooler. Its great, I use it for a regulator bag coming and going and a cooler while we're there. I always throw clothes and towels on top. That way I can answer personal effects, clothes and,if they look, snorkeling gear.

Another thing, I use an ordinary duffle bag to carry everything in(I pack for two) Also, as I'm elite on Continental, I make sure to keep a priority tag on the equipment bag.

 

[chris_b]

Originally posted by blawler1
...I carry our regulators in a carry on portable cooler. Its great, I use it for a regulator bag coming and going and a cooler while we're there. I always throw clothes and towels on top. That way I can answer personal effects, clothes and,if they look, snorkeling gear...

What size of cooler are we talking about? I can't imagine being able to fit much into a cooler that is of a size acceptable for carry-on!

Chris

 

[PA/NJdiver]

I had one suitcase and one bag that is kind of similar to a suitcase and they didn't ask me anything. I think they asked him what he had because he had most of his gear in a plastic box.

Stacey

 

[seabass]

Continental doesn't, this is from their website (but delta does)

Scuba Equipment
Continental does accept one dive bag containing equipment used in the scuba-diving sport as part of the free baggage allowance. Scuba equipment in addition to the free baggage allowance will be assessed at the excess baggage charge applicable in the market for a single piece.

An empty dive tank will not be included in determining the Free Baggage Allowance and will be subject to a service charge of the applicable excess baggage charge. Contact Continental Airlines Reservations at 1-800-525-0280 or at our worldwide reservations numbers for service charge rates.

An item of SCUBA equipment consists of one empty SCUBA tank or one dive bag containing equipment used in the scuba-diving sport. The empty scuba tank and a separate dive bag containing SCUBA equipment will be charged as two separate pieces.

 

[metridium]

Originally posted by seabass
Continental doesn't, this is from their website (but delta does)

Scuba Equipment
Continental does accept one dive bag containing equipment used in the scuba-diving sport as part of the free baggage allowance. Scuba equipment in addition to the free baggage allowance will be assessed at the excess baggage charge applicable in the market for a single piece.

An empty dive tank will not be included in determining the Free Baggage Allowance

Sounds reasonable to me!

 

[Padipro]

Just a little reminder to everyone. When you fly, NEVER put your dive gear in your dive bag, always put your gear in a suit case and your cloths in the gear bag. Dishonest airline bag smashers, there aren't a lot of them but they are around, will take a dive gear bag without even looking inside because it's supposed to have very expensive diving equipment in it, they'll be less likely to take a plain old suit case that usually just contains cloths. Also, if you put your cloths in the gear bag and you're asked what the gear bag contains you won't be lying to the ticket agent when you tell them it only contains cloths.

Just for the record, I work for a major airline as an Aircraft Mechanic not a Ramp Agent, but I know this happens.

Happy Flying, Dive Safe,

Scott

 

[blawler1]

It looks like Continental revised their policies since last year to be more diver friendly as they now only exempt tanks from the check in allowance.

I guess I can "come out of the closet" and declare dive gear if asked, but I think I will still keep carrying on the regs.

I think the comment about special dive bags made in a earlier post make sense. My unstanding is that there is a very small reimbursement for lost baggage on international flights due to treaties (about $400 I think) and you could be screwed they got a bag full of gear and you weren't insured.

Here's to the roller duffle bag from Target.

 

[JamesK]

I have worked for baggage service, ticketing, gates, ramp, cargo, and now aircraft maintenance for a major airline. The reason airlines charge the additional fee is because of the cost of scuba gear. If the airlines were to lose your bag, you only get reimbursed up to a specific amount. Anything over that requres you to buy additional insurance. With people easily taking thousands of dollars of gear on a trip, you can go over the allowance very quick. Don't tell them you have scuba gear if you want. however, if your luggage is lost, do not cry when you have not paid the insurance fee, and do not get reimbursed for your shiny new regs and computer. A lawsuit will not help either, federal law sets the amount an airline must reimburse you without additional insurance.

 

[metridium]

1. You should have gear insurance in the first place.

2. It was my understanding that airline liability for sports equipment is negligible or non-existent, based on the contract of carriage. Following JamesK's comments, I'll have to look into it further.

3. Charging $80.00 one way for a customer who could have only a $75.00 mask in his bag is a phenomenal ripoff. Can that really be only for "insurance"?

 

[chris_b]

Originally posted by metridium
It was my understanding that airline liability for sports equipment is negligible or non-existent, based on the contract of carriage. Following JamesK's comments, I'll have to look into it further...

This is what I have read, too. JamesK, you seem to be suggesting that if one pays the "insurance fee" ($80 or otherwise) that the airline will then reimburse the traveler for loss or damage to their scuba gear?

I'm very skeptical of this, but maybe I'm misunderstanding or this actually is the case. If it is, then I would think that travelers should be able to show proof of insurance on their gear and have the fee waived.

Chris