Excess baggage - skis/snowboards - JAL

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blu

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Just got a costing from JAL on taking ski gear to Europe via japan.
Any ideas on how to avoid or minimise as it is more than the cost of the air tickets.
I've been lucky & only had to pay once - Narita to Sydney.
Not sure I'm willing to take the risk this time.
 
I can't comment about long-haul but I had no problems checking in a ski bag, boot bag and suitcase with JAL at Sapporo for a flight to Narita. This was pre-Oneworld, so my Emerald status didn't help. I've found that when travelling with skis and boots excess charges can be a real lottery, although Qantas has never charged me - even when the check-in agent at Christchurch commented about the weight of my luggage (I took two pairs of skis on that trip!)
 
I'd suggest using a luggage delivery company. You get a door-to-door service for less than the price of excess luggage.
 
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Our family (2 adults and 3 kids - aged 15, 18 & 20) flew JAL to Japan in 2006.
We had clothes, 5 pairs of ski/snowboard boots plus 4 sets of skis and 1 snowboard for 3 weeks. Every item was weighed at each check-in (SYD, KIX, CTS & NRT) and added together but we were able to remain below 100kg total.
We achieved this in the following way:
We each carried a day pack with our own toiletry bag, one ski boot, helmet (so it didn't get damaged), gloves, goggles, reading material, camera etc plus our ski jacket over our arm.
Each family member was only allowed one pair of shoes/boots (this turned out to be sufficent as the snow in Japan is so dry that nothing gets wet), 1 pair ski pants, 2 pairs of jeans/pants, various tops/windstopper and the ski jackets doubled as going out jackets. Thermals kept us warm when we were skiing and also when we were sightseeing and it was easy to manage 3 suitcases and 2 ski & snowboard bags between us. I organised all ground transport (trains & buses) independantly and we didn't ever have a problem lugging our stuff up and down stairs, along streets and onto trains.
Not once did anyone complain that they didn't have enough clothes!
Happy skiing!!!
 
On my trip to Japan for the 2006/07 ski season I didn't get an extra charges.

I had 1 carry on; plus suitcase about 20kgs plus a bag for some snowboard boots which was about 10kgs and there was no problem checking in the second smaller bag. Flights were BNE-NRT; Haneda-Sapporo-Handeda NRT-BNE.

Do you really like your skis that much to take those things to Europe. Boots I can understand.

I don't know of any cheap courier companies. DHL; Fedex can deliver but they are not cheap.
 
I always take my snowboard & the +1's skis, but this year paid excess luggage Narita - Syd ($48 per kilo - $300).
We had become complacent over the years, we had 70kgs between the two of us on our return. Did Sapporo to Narita OK.
My guess is that the airlines have tighter margins now & will grab extra $$ where they can.
Next trip the boots are going in the carryon bags & we will post any excess purchases back home.
Interestingly, the JAL rep suggested our travel agent enquire about an additional luggage allowance (concessional).
The one world levy for skis is a maximum of 3kgs per ski bag. This is about $800 for Syd-Narita- Europe (one way).
 
it's nice to have a win - TA arranged special consideration - 30Kgs each.
 
It just goes to show...

If you don' t ask - you don't get!!! :D
 
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