United baggage rules updated - RETRACTION!!!

[Wookie]

No rules on balls. We are going to check on tees, gloves, and a towel.

Gloves must be inflated to 12.5 PSI + 1 lb. No rule on towels or tees. We all know about balls.

 

[KeithG]

If you think those rules are tough, try taking a golf bag through United. My wife, some friends, and I are going on a golf trip to Scotland soon. Out golf bags can only contain a set of clubs, one pair of golf shoes, and balls. They said they will open every bag, and if there is anything else in it, they will charge a $200 fee for oversized luggage. It doesn't matter how much it weighs.

if you think about it a bit (and ignore the specific case of scuba gear) the airline policies make sense.

they have standard dimension and weight limits on luggage. some things (like golf clubs and skis) do not fit within those restrictions. they could just refuse to allow you to check them. instead they make an exception for some commonly transported things. we should all be happy that we are not forced to ship this stuff as freight.

for me scuba gear is different. my gear all fits in a standard wheeled bag within normal luggage restrictions. so it is just another piece of luggage. nothing special. i do not even indicate it is scuba gear. none of their business what is in the bag. my gear bag also contains lots of non scuba stuff like clothes and books.

 

[ggunn]

My main problem is that they told me one thing, and I packed accordingly, and then they retracted what they told me. I had to unpack everything and start over. At least I started early.

 

[tridacna]

I'm Lifetime Platinum. That used to mean a lot before they started 1k and the Global nonsense. I still get free bags for me and whoever else is on my manifest but the good old days are over. Once, Continental lost my golf bag; called me when they found it then delivered it to my house with a logo towel and two dozen balls. Note read:"Sorry our service was not up to par". Dem was da days.

 

[boulderjohn]

Once, Continental lost my golf bag; called me when they found it then delivered it to my house with a logo towel and two dozen balls. Note read:"Sorry our service was not up to par". Dem was da days.

Here's a recent American Airline lost luggage story.

This past January, I was in Marianna, Florida, stopping off on my way to south Florida for a couple of days of cave diving. Amazingly enough, there were pretty much no motel rooms available because of a cheerleading competition in the area. A friend flew in with the intention of diving with me for a few days and while camping in a nearby state park. She flew in at night, but her luggage did not arrive. Her luggage included her tent and her diving gear. I will spare you everything that we ended up dong to get her a place to stay over the next few nights and dwell only on the luggage recovery. Her luggage finally got to Tallahassee, but the company with which American Airlines contracts to deliver lost luggage somehow missed hers and did not pick it up with the rest of the lost luggage. No delivery for her. They only make two runs per 24 hours, even if they screwed up, so she would have to wait. When they went to pick it up on the second run, they couldn't find it. No delivery for her. On the second day of her ordeal, she finally confirmed that her luggage was indeed within sight of the person with whom she was speaking in the Tallahassee airport. She told him not to contact anyone else, and she drove to Tallahassee to pick it up. By the time she got back we were able to do one dive together out of the weekend of diving we had planned.

As far as I know, there was nothing remotely akin to an apology.

 

[tridacna]

Over the years, my travel strategy has been structured to assume that my equipment bag will get lost and pack around that eventuality. I carry any equipment that is absolutely necessary for that trip with me on the plane. If I can get away with a rental, that equip is in the hold. Works most of the time-sometimes hard to convince an agent that my driver, wedge and putter be allowed in overhead!

 

[RJP]

There are many instances where bags are free. Get a United credit card. Annual fee pays for itself in one trip. (Spend enough and that can easily be waived) Use Chase points for a ticket. Accumulate premiere status. Book on United miles.

In the ten years I've been diving I can count the number of United bag fees I've paid on one hand.

"Retail is for suckers."

 

[cb5150]

There are many instances where bags are free. Get a United credit card. Annual fee pays for itself in one trip. (Spend enough and that can easily be waived) Use Chase points for a ticket. Accumulate premiere status. Book on United miles.

In the ten years I've been diving I can count the number of United bag fees I've paid on one hand.

"Retail is for suckers."

Yup...What this guy said ^^

 

[RJP]

PS - if you do have to pay baggage fees use a Barclay Arrival Mastercard to pay them. And then use Barclay Arrival travel statement credits to reimburse yourself.

 

[Skittl1321]

Your hotels have bathroom scales? It still takes two of you I bet.

No. Our house does. The amount of stuff we have does not change. And it doesn't take two people to hold a bag and read a scale.

---------- Post added May 10th, 2015 at 05:45 PM ----------

If you think those rules are tough, try taking a golf bag through United. My wife, some friends, and I are going on a golf trip to Scotland soon. Out golf bags can only contain a set of clubs, one pair of golf shoes, and balls. They said they will open every bag, and if there is anything else in it, they will charge a $200 fee for oversized luggage. It doesn't matter how much it weighs.

ive traveled with golf clubs before and remember the regulations- I wonder if this will change based on the "we are updating our policy" from the first post. It says they are not authorized to look into bags.