Kneeboards free on American Airlines ?

surfseeker7 · Post by **surfseeker7** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 5:16 pm

https://www.aa.com/content/customerServ ... ance.jhtml

So I'm planning a trip, and I wondered about fees for flying with my kneeboard. I found this link on AA site:

"The following items are free in place of one of the 62in/157cm bags within the free baggage allowance:

# Archery
# Backpack
# Bicycle (if within 50 lbs/32 kgs and 62 in/157 cm)
# Boogie/Knee board
# Bowling equipment (bowling case with up to three bowling balls and shoes)
# Fishing equipment (2 rods, reel, net, tackle box and 1 pair of boots)
# Golf equipment (1 bag, 14 clubs, 12 balls and 1 pair of shoes contained in a self-provided travel bag or box) is not subject to the $25 charge for baggage weighing over 50lbs. but no more than 70lbs
# Hockey/Lacrosse stick
# Shooting equipment
# Skateboard
# Ski equipment (1 pair of skis, poles, boots, and bindings. These items will count as 1 item.)
# Snowboard"

I wonder if all airlines don't charge for kneeboards ?
~SS7

Smokin Rock · Post by **Smokin Rock** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 6:00 pm

i wonder if they talking about the ones they tow behind a boat?

doc · Post by **doc** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 6:22 pm

Couple of things-

First, airlines can be awfully literal, so if you tell 'em it's a kneeboard-that-travels-free, then it is. As they have 'em listed right with another surf implement, I suspect you could get away with it.

Though my experience with American Airlines has been bad. They trashed a brand new board on me and have done in some others that I wound up fixing. Pad your boards well.

stemple · Post by **stemple** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 6:23 pm

I have never successfully talked my way onto a plane with a free board bag. I just went to LA, southwest charged me $45 each way. Aloha wanted to charge me per board but I made a pretty big stink and then they only charged for single bag. I think some of the foreign carriers air new zealand and singapore don't charge. Chek their website they ussually have info on extra bagage charges. It ussually cost about $50 each way. Good luck

quadfin · Post by **quadfin** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:11 pm

Amen on padding well. American charged me $50 for US-Caribbean but bubble packing that I had so diligently placed on board inside board bag was peeled back, I assume for security check, and had some rail dings and pressure dents on new board.

doc · Post by **doc** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:18 pm

quadfin wrote:Amen on padding well. American charged me $50 for US-Caribbean but bubble packing that I had so diligently placed on board inside board bag was peeled back, I assume for security check, and had some rail dings and pressure dents on new board.

And it took me a full day in their baggage claim office ( after a runaround) to get any dough out of them. I can't recommend them.

I can recommend LACSA, COPA and TACA. Never had a problem with any non-US carrier or US carriers once they got to an international route. Also, if you book through TACA, the much lower board fees carry over to their US partner: American Airlines.

I'd also recommend double bagging: putting your board in a run-around bag with 1/4" padding and that in turn inside a 1/2" padded travel bag. It may be overkill, but compare that to being off in some tropical paradise with your boards thrashed and ( as they are kneeboards) no replacements for a couple thousand miles.

Bryan Jackson · Post by **Bryan Jackson** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:41 am

Here is a general rule I've found in packing boards for airline travel:

If there is any spot however small or seemingly inconspicuous that is inadequately padded/protected the airline(s) will find it and do their best to demonstrate the utter futility of your feeble efforts to ensure that your board survives its journey unscathed

!

The worst offender I have come across in terms of both damaging boards and charging outrageous and exorbitant fees is Hawaiian Air. $85 one way mainland to Hawaii! What a rip

Polynesian Air and Air Pacific are some of the best as not only do boards ride free (as long as you are within your luggage limit, after that it's $50 per extra piece) but also all inflight alcohol and movies are free as well

!

SFKneelo · Post by **SFKneelo** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 9:18 am

If one of the check-in folks asked me if it's a kneeboard that's towed behind a boat... I'd say 'why yes, yes it is!'
If they replied 'wait a minute... Parkes quad... say, that's an Ocean-lovin' board, I'm charging you!'
I'd give him the $$ and consider it a tip for his saavy...

(OK, not a very good contribution... but I hit 100 posts! Had to do it!)

frencho · Post by **frencho** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 9:33 am

American Airlines charges $80.00 per board bag no matter what size or many boards inside. Most airlines like Delta, Pan Am, Continental etc. (mainly airlines from the US) are anti surfboard (kneeboard) travel charging you between $80 to 100 dollars per board inside the board bag. This makes A/A a kneeboarder friendly airline. The Ivan, Camello, and me took a total of ten boards to Santa Cruz California from Puerto Rico and with a little courtesy only paid $80.00 for the round trip of two huge board bags. So I recommend alwys dress nicely and be very courteous and polite to the person in the front desk and maybe you can save some money.

Att

Frencho

geo · Post by **geo** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 9:36 am

I am a united airlines employee and have been charge by the boards in the bag by my own airline! Other times I have not been charged it all comes down to the discretion of the agent up front. As for packing make it as light as possible but well protected, it's not easy to handle a odd size and heavy object.

DarcyM · Post by **DarcyM** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:39 pm

Actually, my last trip to Hawaii, I got the board sent free on Hawaiian Air. On the trip back, it was $80, so I considered that a fair price ($40 each way). Of course, the guy at the ticket counter was dazzled by my smile (har har

) and he also wasn't a Hawaiian Air ticket agent ... I think at San Diego that Hawaiian Air shares a ticket counter with ?? Delta?? (can't remember which). Anyway, I figured maybe he wasn't familiar with charging for boards, or because my little pink single board bag was so much smaller than the triple longboard bags (!!) of the guys ahead of me ... I wasn't going to remind him to charge me either way!

And Bob - I beat you to a hundred posts yesterday.

willkirkdrive · Post by **willkirkdrive** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 10:39 am

I travel extensively on American Airlines and what I found helpful was to bring a print out of the list from their website when I checked in for my flights. When I did have agents that wanted to charge me for a surfboard. I hand them the printout and offer to open the bag and show off my duckfeet fins and they can see my pressure dings from my knees on the board if they want to. They have never taken me up on that offer. Just be polite and point out their policy states kneeboard.

Good luck.

red · Post by **red** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 3:05 pm

I found this on the Qantas site. Qantas is the main airline for Australia. Their approach to boards varies from free to pain in the arse. I figure I can get 2 boards in a bicycle box. I'll put a toy bicycle in, too, so I'm telling the truth when I say "There's a bicycle inside".

Sporting Equipment
Sporting equipment can be carried as baggage depending on the conditions of your ticket and what allowance you are permitted. Some of the more common carried items are:

> Bicycles > Snow Ski/Snowboard
> Fishing Equipment > Tennis Racquets

Bicycles

To be accepted for carriage, bicycles must be suitably packed in a bike box. Bike boxes can be purchased from most Qantas Terminals at a cost of A$16.50 or NZ$20.00 (including GST) or the local currency equivalent to A$15.00.

Qantas bike pack dimensions are:

* Length: 180cm
* Width: 30cm
* Height: 80cm

This translates to about 6'4" on the diagonal. I'm sure I can get my 6'0" in there. My 6'2" may be a squeeze.

Bruce Royer · Post by **Bruce Royer** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:31 pm

Better late than never..... I researched this problem in the past. Here is how you get around the airline problem - honestly. It works on every airline I have traveled on. When the check-in agent asks you what’s in the bag. Just tell them it is a knee-ski. They will ask you what in the heck a knee-ski is. "Well, it's kind of like a water-ski, but you ride on your knees instead of standing up." Truth is you can use your kneeboard to ride behind a boat. This takes your kneeboard out of the "surfboard" category and there is no charge that I have encountered for a knee ski. Anyway, it has worked for me in the past.....I hope this helps...

surfhorn · Post by **surfhorn** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 5:16 pm

I've ridden my KB behind a boat in the late 1960's. Have you ever seen what a waterski rope handle can do to the nose of your board when you let go? Not a pretty picture.

I can truthfuly say that, yes, I ride my KB behind a boat.

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Kneeboards free on American Airlines ?

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