Golf clubs on Qantas flight without travel bag

[asdf]

Kind members of AFF, I look to you for guidance.

I've just been (unexpectedly) given some golf clubs that are far better quality than the dusty old set in my garage. I am flying out of Canberra early tomorrow morning so don't have the time to find a travel bag.

I haven't flown with clubs before, but seem to recall that I've seem some sets wrapped in clear plastic. Is this something that Qantas are able to do for me at the airport?

Any and all help appreciated!

 

[JohnK]

I do not use a golf travel bag anymore. I used it about 3-4 times back in 2006 and no more.

I have since taken my golf clubs to Thailand 3-4 times a year and on countless domestic trips and so far the only damage has been to the golf bag and not the golf clubs. I will continue to take my golf clubs with golf bag only. My golf clubs are not cheap but I do have travel insurance which should cover their replacement if damaged.

Off to Hervey Bay tomorrow on a Dash-8.

As for the plastic wrapping I do not recall seeing it at domestic airports in Australia recently. I have seen it at international airports though.

Another option if you do not have a golf bag is to wrap the golf clubs with some newspaper inside the big plastic bag available at QF check-in or near the oversize counter.

 

[asdf]

Thanks for the response JohnK. One of my legs tomorrow is on a Dash-8 too.

I should have mentioned that I've received a golf bag as well, so I plan to pack the top of the drivers and irons with a couple of towels. I guess I'll see how I go tomorrow!

 

[asdf]

As it turns out the clubs were just fine inside a golf bag, I wrapped the club heads in a towel to give a little protection. Lesson learned for next time!

 

[Vim Fuego]

Sightly off topic but does anyone have feedback on how golf clubs are treated in the US? I've got return flights LAX to San Diego as part of a Sydney to LAX and was wondering whether they are viewed as excess baggage and charged accordingly by the US carriers.

Flight to San Diego is QF3113 and AA2654 on the way back. I have a couple of games lined up and was going to take the bats if there's no excess charge

 

[JohnK]

Have you looked at AA website?

I suspect if you are going to San Diego on the one itinerary from Australia then the luggage allowance of the carrier used for long hauls should be honoured.

 

[bugayev]

Have you looked at AA website?

I suspect if you are going to San Diego on the one itinerary from Australia then the luggage allowance of the carrier used for long hauls should be honoured.

AA were fine with me as a WP checking in the golf clubs plus an extra bag as part of the WP allowance. The biggest pain in the USA is that the TSA screen the big bags separately and you have to drag the clubs from one counter to another. I would actually suggest that in the US a travel bag is a good idea, as if the TSA do choose to manually screen your golf bag outside your presence (happened twice to me) then you dont have stuff falling out if they don't zip everything up properly.

 

[Vim Fuego]

Took the clubs and had no problems, paid $20 extra each way for two domestic Australian flights for the additional piece of luggage. Didn't need it international and AA flights.

The oversized baggage claims at LAX and SYD were close to the carousels and had to wait for no more than 5 minutes longer than for normal luggage. Because it was a tight schedule between LAX and flight to San Diego did have to take clubs from Tom Bradley terminal to Terminal 4, but that was not a real hassle.

They did get opened on arrival and departure, had a cheap travel bag with TSA lock and it looked like a general inspection of the clubs. Nothing went missing.