Hawaiian Airlines $100 charge to check scuba equipment on flight

[whaleboy]

The secret is a single line in the Hawaiian Airlines carriage contract...



Hawaiian Airlines : Contract of Carriage


If it fits in a standard suitcase/bag and does not need special handling you are exempt from the charges. This would not include a tank, as that must be inspected and must have the valve removed. But most everything else should be OK.

I have an old Samsonite plastic clamshell that is just under the max dimensions. With careful packing I can fit, barely, two BCD's, two sets of fins, two shorties, booties, masks, snorkels and lights. It counts as a standard bag and I pay the usual bag fee. The camera, regs and computers go in the carry-on bags.

Thanks for pointing that out. I'm not freaking out as bad, since everyone who responded gave me more confidence to continue my trip.
Carriers, hotels, vendors need to state up front what they will charge and why. Curiosity lead me to read every page on the Hawaiian Air web-site. Speaking of more $, I won't even bring up that I need to tip 10-20% to the dive boat, per trip. (Really, I didn't know that until one of my dive buddies told me just this week...Nothing wrong with that, I just need to know in advance.)

 

[johnderose1956]

Just got back from Hawaii,had no such problem,flew hawaiian twice never charged like that,had same stuff as u and my bag is all patched out they knew what was in their,werte u over the weight limit

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

If you dig in, at one point most airlines had a standard charge for sporting gear, just like the $100 charge you mentioned. The reason was they did not charge for overweight / oversize, just a flat fee. Somewhat of a reasonable move at the time.

Now they charge for everything and there are no weight exemptions. Many airlines still have the fee list, but there is no reason to declare the bag as sporting gear or pay extra. Just check as normal baggage and bring a scale to make sure you don't go overweight on the return. They don't ask, you don't need to tell.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

I won't even bring up that I need to tip 10-20% to the dive boat, per trip.

I don't that's correct for Hawaii. Tipping is appreciated and customary, but it's not a requirement and amounts vary wildly. I've heard that $5-10/tank is a nice guideline; I've also seen people give $50+ tips for what looked like a single day's diving.

Back when I was diving here on vacation, if it was a particularly good dive or the DM/operator has done something helpful I made sure to tip $10 or $20 after the dive. But when I drove myself to and from the dock, hauled my own tanks, set up and changed over my gear, and generally required and desired a bare minimum of supervision... I felt fine paying for my dives and going on my way, and never felt pressured about it as a repeat customer -- prices in HI definitely aren't cheap in the first place. YMMV.

 

[scottitheduck]

Dr. Lector....... Don't you work at Kaimana Divers? Staff never needs to tip!

G

 

[whaleboy]

they sell 10 dollar hamburgers on flight also if your not satisfied with your small bag of peanuts

Interesting that a complementary "in flight meal" has been reduced to a small bag of peanuts, I guess if I were a squirrel that would be a meal! I'll have to make sure to eat a hearty breakfast on the way to the airport!

 

[theduckguru]

Have you read the policy on lost luggage? Some carriers exclude sporting equipment.

 

[ASA400]

My wife and I flew on Hawaiian last June and a complimentary meal was offered on both to and from Oahu from Las Vegas.

 

[scottitheduck]

Seriously? No sarcasm likes on my "Lector as Staff" post?

G

 

[whaleboy]

I don't that's correct for Hawaii. Tipping is appreciated and customary, but it's not a requirement and amounts vary wildly. I've heard that $5-10/tank is a nice guideline; I've also seen people give $50+ tips for what looked like a single day's diving.

Back when I was diving here on vacation, if it was a particularly good dive or the DM/operator has done something helpful I made sure to tip $10 or $20 after the dive. But when I drove myself to and from the dock, hauled my own tanks, set up and changed over my gear, and generally required and desired a bare minimum of supervision... I felt fine paying for my dives and going on my way, and never felt pressured about it as a repeat customer -- prices in HI definitely aren't cheap in the first place. YMMV.

Those are some good guidelines for tipping, as all of my boat dives thus far have been on private boats and all my dives were with buddies and events/classes put on by different LDS's in my region. So, this is terra incognita indeed...I just want to submerge, enjoy the dive and try to ID some fish, I'm hoping the journey to the sites will be just as fun, without too much stress.