Baggage tips....not necessarily COZ specific

[Jayfarmlaw]

Trying not to be pissed...really trying...I avoided Spirit air because of all the extra charges, but at least they are up front about it. We booked American and were told first checked bag free. While checking to see if there was a special rate for Scuba gear, we were told that each "first" bag would be $25 each way, provided they meet all Normal weight and size limits. Lady acted like I wizzed on her cornflakes during the entire call. This will add $100 to the flight for two bags. Seriously...just add it to the cost of the ticket up front.

Just taking reg sets, wetsuits, BCD's, fins, masks, lights, boots, no tanks. I think I can get it all in one bag, with clothing in another. Regs and masks will go carry on.

will have a flight change in Dallas.

any tips on flying with gear, or better yet, ways around extra baggage charge. We're not military.

Thanks in advance for your response.

jay

 

[oly5050user]

you say 1st bag free..so pack a bag each, with your gear and clothing. one bag is the wives the other is yours,This way you avoid overweigh charges..Both myself and wife check a bag each and manage to get all gear-wetsuits-bcd-maskboots-fins-etc in a bag with clothing no problem. Weight comes in for mine at 43lbs and hers is right on 50lb.
Take a backpack on board as personal bag . It can hold regulator and lap top or ipad and some tee shirt/shorts type clothing. For carry on we each have a rollerbag of the correct size acceptable by airlines that fits overhead . In mine I carry 3 ikelite strobes 125/160 and ds51 ,2 camera housings,chargers,dive light,3 cameras,etc..She has a 160 strobe,camera housing . camera. no additional fees to pay so far for us traveling this way.

 

[dmoore19]

Well, can't help much with the added expense, it is what they say it is. Having flown American to a couple of dive places, I was charged the last time I went on a trip. Came as a surprise but I think they quit the 1 free bag on international flights 6 months or so ago.

To avoid overweight charges, I would suggest a luggage scale. It will help you get things shifted around and avoid the overweight charges and the hassles of moving things around while in line at the check-in counter. Well worth the $20 IMO.

Try to keep the weight down by taking only what you need. I lay out clothes before the trip and then put 1/2 of them back before I pack them. Find and use lightweight luggage. I won't go into brands because there are a lot of different options. Just look for something lightweight. There is a guy here on scubaboard that sells some duffel bags that look like they would work well. I prefer something with wheels so I don't have to carry the weight. YMMV

Unless you go 1st class or have some sort of preferential treatment in the way of a special credit card with American, I don't think there is any way to get around the extra luggage charges. I don't really expect any change in policy anytime soon. Frontier started charging for carry-on that goes in the overhead. Such is the life of people who travel these days.

 

[uncfnp]

Looks like they have a similar program with CitiBank that Delta has with AmEx. First checked bag free and for up to 4 companion travelers.

Citi Platinum / AAdvantage Card

And they waive the fee the first year.

 

[Damselfish]

... We booked American and were told first checked bag free. While checking to see if there was a special rate for Scuba gear, we were told that each "first" bag would be $25 each way, provided they meet all Normal weight and size limits. Lady acted like I wizzed on her cornflakes during the entire call. This will add $100 to the flight for two bags...

unclear on this, is your first "regular" checked bag still free but someone is saying it's $25 because you mentioned scuba gear? Because there's no reason to tell them what's in the bag. Currently American says 1st checked free US->Mexico if ticket purchased before 4/8/14, $25 on or after - when did you buy your tickets?

Asking about scuba gear seems kind of a lost cause to me. There are some airlines with special scuba or sports allowances, sometimes free and sometimes paid, but mostly not US carriers. Aside from that the written policies of airlines seem mostly written long ago by people who really didn't understand what they were talking about, which are then interpreted in 10 different ways by airline employees.

We each take one checked bag with a mixture of clothes and gear; and each a carryon and personal item with gear we want with us and a few clothes, toiletries, etc. It fits and as long as it's within size/weight rules it's fine.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

When we booked the tickets...last week....we were told first bag free. I saw something about another airline with a special scuba gear policy. We have a large rolling gear bag, but it does not meet the size limits for airline travel. I wanted to know if the oversize fee applied to scuba gear. Called American and was told that whoever told us first bag free was wrong, it would be 25 per bag each way. While packing our normal bags, I realized just how much space 2 BC's and 4 fins take up. We will go with 2 carry on and divide up the other gear between two bags to check. Oversized gear bag would be 100 if I remember right.

Looking into the credit cards option since we plan on COZ or other Carribean spot several times a year.

again, thanks for your responses.

jay

unclear on this, is your first "regular" checked bag still free but someone is saying it's $25 because you mentioned scuba gear? Because there's no reason to tell them what's in the bag. Currently American says 1st checked free US->Mexico if ticket purchased before 4/8/14, $25 on or after - when did you buy your tickets?

Asking about scuba gear seems kind of a lost cause to me. There are some airlines with special scuba or sports allowances, sometimes free and sometimes paid, but mostly not US carriers. Aside from that the written policies of airlines seem mostly written long ago by people who really didn't understand what they were talking about, which are then interpreted in 10 different ways by airline employees.

We each take one checked bag with a mixture of clothes and gear; and each a carryon and personal item with gear we want with us and a few clothes, toiletries, etc. It fits and as long as it's within size/weight rules it's fine.

 

[DeputyDan]

Fees like this are here to stay and the government would like all the fees added to the ticket cost - then they would be subject to most if not all of the taxes and fees charged based on ticket price. It is probably a little cheaper to have them separate.

If you fly any specific airline multiple times a year - having their credit card with the perks is essentially a no brainer even with the $95 yearly fee.

 

[Scared Silly]

We have a large rolling gear bag, but it does not meet the size limits for airline travel.

My suggestion is get rid of it. The airlines will pretty much use any reason they can to charge you additional monies when traveling. Secondary fees have become a huge revenue stream. Having an airline CC is a way to have you fly a particular airline all the time. But does typically give you one bag free.

I would try to carry on as much as possible and only check one bag.

 

[uncfnp]

If you fly any specific airline multiple times a year - having their credit card with the perks is essentially a no brainer even with the $95 yearly fee.

Agreed. We finally smartened up with our Bonaire trips and signed up with AmEx and Delta this past summer. We each got enough bonus miles at signup to get the tickets for our 2015 trip free plus the free checked bag. Got to love it.

Plus we can use the Am Ex card for our Costco purchases! Looking for free tickets again next year.

 

[drrich2]

any tips on flying with gear, or better yet, ways around extra baggage charge.

A few of my own lessons from travel.

1.) Make sure you've got your passports on you. Most other things can be rented or bought at the destination. In fact, if your luggage gets delayed, you may be living without all that important stuff for a day or two anyway. But if you want to leave the U.S. & you don't have a passport, you don't go.

2.) You probably need nowhere near the clothes you think you do. It is my understanding this can be more of an issue for some women, and is a 'testy topic of discussion' with my wife. You ain't going to a fashion show. If you're not single and hunt'in love'in, nobody much cares what you look like. And people jumping in the ocean day after day probably don't need to worry about make up & hair care products. This is important because it frees up space & weight for more gear!

3.) I can generally take a small carryon luggage piece (I've got a little roller Samsonite) and a personal item (a LowePro MiniTrekker backpack for my camera, UW housing, dive computer and some other things. Small expensive electronics like an iPad can be carried in this. I've found an iPad Mini Retina with a small Bluetooth wireless keyboard is serviceable enough I don't need to lug a mid-size notebook computer around.

4.) Do take common over the counter medications that you are apt to want. Not always easy or obvious to find in foreign locales. My personal pharmacy includes 24 hour Sedafed, Ibuprofen, Neosporin (generic; for abrasions), Bonine, a generic tablet version of PeptoBismol, tropical fruit flavored Tums (or generic equivalent), Imodium (which I thankfully haven't needed on a trip), and some other things. Getting up early & the stress of getting to the airport can leave to some acid reflux on the fight. Many years ago I was stuck in a plane seat feeling like I'd swallowed a knife and it got stuck at the bottom of my esophagus; very painful.

5.) If you happen to do a cruise, and they give you the option to purchase the luggage valet service, where the bags you put outside your room the last night are taken to the airport & sent to your final destination for you, jump on it!

Richard.