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Flying with two pairs of skis?

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Maximumsushi
Posts: 7837 - Karma: 3,351
Air Canada recently changed their policy to only allow one pair of skis to every passenger. I heard that you're dinged $150 if you try to take two. Has anyone been charged for a second pair?
Jan 20 2009 3:24PM
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JCsteezy
Posts: 758 - Karma: 211
idk but dont most companies charge you per ski case just stuff ttwo pairs of skis in to one bag
Jan 20 2009 3:28PM
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BigMeech621
Posts: 1257 - Karma: 16
are family is goin to colorado and they are chargin us 100 dollars per ski bag as an extra fee.
Jan 20 2009 3:44PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15951 - Karma: 9,451
word just stuff two pairs in one bag
Jan 20 2009 3:45PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15951 - Karma: 9,451
oh ad i thought the thread was going to be about flying around in a glider or something with skis on
Jan 20 2009 3:46PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
Never had that problem, but i don't usually fly Air Canada, maybe thats your problem
Jan 20 2009 3:48PM
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nathanielstyza
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 38
i would suggest flying southwest if that is a possibility.
they allow 2 checked bags(free) and one carry-on and one personal item.

Jan 20 2009 3:50PM
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i8van
Posts: 2953 - Karma: 230
just flew to whistler and back with westjet and had no problem. But i stuffed both pairs in 1 ski bag. I also had another bag for check-in and a carry-on.
Jan 20 2009 3:58PM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 150
Yeah thats correct - one pair constitutes a 'set'

I'm more concerned about the weight - 23kg is pretty easy to exceed.
Jan 20 2009 3:59PM
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ATLskier
Posts: 8203 - Karma: 406
I havne't flown air canada, but I have a double ski bag and always fly with two pairs of skis. it sucks if one pair gets messed up and you dont have a back up.

I've flown delta, and i was supposed to pay for my first checked bag, but they never wieghed or charged me for my bag.

You can keep your weight of your bag under 23 kg or 50 lbs easily. I even put clothes and other stuff with my skis and then have 1 carry on with my boots and essential clothes. I had no problems whatsoever.
Jan 20 2009 4:45PM
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k-rob
Posts: 14217 - Karma: 2,891
dammit i thought this was going to be about some crazy dude who made a personal flying machine out of two pairs of skis.
Jan 20 2009 4:48PM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 150
Yeah i'm intending to take a double ski bag with literally everything in it (so i can avoid taking another suitcase on top of that)
It just seems that a suitcase + double ski bag is a pain in the ass dragging around airports etc (but i guess it solves the 23kg problem and saves me a fair bit in baggage fees)
Jan 20 2009 4:48PM
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skiminnesota
Posts: 9093 - Karma: 429
you mean to tell me it costs money to fly? hot damn i have it good ;)

i would try and put 2 pair of skis in one bag (as many others have said) and then try and keep your bags as light as possible... spreading out the weight, check and see how many checked bags you can have (other than ski bags) before they start charging for over weight bags and spread your gear out accordingly.
Jan 20 2009 4:49PM
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five4ty
Posts: 153 - Karma: 19
A week ago I flew from Vancouver to San Francisco on Air Canada with two pairs of HEAVY skis, poles and boots all in one bag and had no issues.

I think key is to have a single bag with both pairs of skis in it. They asked me what was in the bag, "skis," and ended the conversation there. If they do ask, saying a pair of skis seems like a good answer.


Jan 20 2009 4:56PM
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Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
Shut up, Justin. My other friend, Dan, from Minnesota flies free too. Is Minnesota "Pilot Central"?
Jan 20 2009 5:04PM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
hahahaha rub it in why dont you



but yeah go with the dub ski bag, then boot bag with clothes and stuff as your carry on.


or you could always do the old "stick your foot under the bag and lift it up when they weigh it" trick
Jan 20 2009 5:05PM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,010
If we were cool like snowboarders I'd say just take the bindings off and put the one pair of skis between the other pair... as long as they aren't too heavy they shouldn't really be able to tell. My father used to work at Air Canada so I've always got free extra bags... they just let it go through.

Have you looked into West Jet?
Jan 20 2009 5:14PM
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Maximumsushi
Posts: 7837 - Karma: 3,351
West jet doesn't do the destination I'm looking at, so that's out. AirCanada is cheaper than any of the American fliers.

Definitely fly with your boots as a carry-on if you can. Air Canada is batting .500 for my bags. They lose them half the time. I swear I'm on some sort of "fuck with this guy" list.

Thanks for the help on AC guys. One bag with two pairs and a bunch of other stuff is the plan.

If you're ever flying with Porter, they don't do skis for free and I ended up paying more for my skis than my seat last time I fly with them.
Jan 20 2009 5:42PM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 150
Standby though yeah?
Jan 20 2009 5:50PM
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East.
Posts: 2314 - Karma: 128
Would it be cheap to ship rather than bring the skis? I'm just wondering because I dont know..
Jan 20 2009 6:11PM
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Bab.
Posts: 766 - Karma: 22

i dont understand this one?

Jan 20 2009 6:32PM
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el_chupacabra
Posts: 639 - Karma: 14
i dont know my friends and i flew united to vancouver and we had two double bags carrying 4 pairs and since united allows you to take a ski bag and boot bag and count it as one checked bag it was super cheap. i think we checked the two double bags and our 2 luggage bags (which the guy was nice enough to count as boot bags) for like 30 bucks, so we tipped him 20

also if you can do curbside checkin because those guys work for tips and usually get you better deals
Jan 20 2009 6:46PM
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JuliusJ
Posts: 3778 - Karma: 2,106
i don't know about the skis, but carry your boots anytime you fly... you can always rent a pair of skis and get used to them, but you don't want to have to rent boot that don't fit welll
Jan 20 2009 7:07PM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,199
I had the exact same problem, and you can't put two pairs in one bag, because it's a pair per person. I couldn't afford the 200$ there and 200$ american back so i had to settle on bringing one pair... :( worst policy ever.
Jan 20 2009 7:11PM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
hahaha no his dads a pilot
Jan 20 2009 7:33PM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 150
that doesn't matter - staff and beneficiaries generally travel on a seat available/standby basis

Well thats how it works in my country anyway.
Jan 20 2009 7:49PM
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mike720b
Posts: 669 - Karma: 27
ive sais this in posts before but you can just ship your skis to where you are going to be a few days early... or like so they arrive the same day you do.. as long as you know where you are staying it should be no big deal.. hell of a lot cheaper than bringing them on a plane nowadays..
Jan 20 2009 7:54PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
You are flying from TO right, what i usually do is fly from Buffalo, which tends to cut airplane tickets in half because person charges a shit ton. Just an option to consider if you have not already made the decision.
Jan 20 2009 11:56PM
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jca
Posts: 4171 - Karma: 6,311
dan is comming out west?
Jan 21 2009 12:00AM
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PhaedeD
Posts: 11498 - Karma: 327
just fly with one pair of skis...


Jan 21 2009 12:03AM
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Jwalk
Posts: 4647 - Karma: 134
WEST JET FTW
Jan 21 2009 12:05AM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
soooo gnarly
Jan 21 2009 12:06AM
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DietCoke
Posts: 1317 - Karma: 7
I flew delta to jackson hole last week and we were only allowed one pair of skis per bag and as much other shit as you could fit under 50 pounds.

it was like 25 bucks for the oversized bag with 1 pair, with 2 pairs it would have been like 75 or something
Jan 21 2009 12:16AM
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chewy15
Posts: 674 - Karma: 60
yo that ski jumper got at least 7 seconds of air time
Jan 21 2009 1:08AM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124

You obviously haven't tried to non rev lately

Good luck with that and it isn't free, but you know that.

The glory days of first class bumps and planes that aren't full were over a while ago

Jan 21 2009 9:07AM
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skiminnesota
Posts: 9093 - Karma: 429
actually, i fly free on delta, northwest, and ALL of their commuter airlines.

speak of the devil i actually was out in SLC the first week of january. and while its true i cant fly first class to aspen anymore, :(

and not a problem getting on either flight, it also helps that my dad has enough seniority so he can bump just about any other airline pilot. (depending on airline, idk about delta, because he is a northwest employee)
Jan 21 2009 11:46AM
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FujaSkiier
Posts: 96 - Karma: 10
Hmmm...  I thinking about the same thing.   I want my click back. 
Jan 21 2009 12:03PM
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Maximumsushi
Posts: 7837 - Karma: 3,351
Pippin, I'm not in Toronto anymore, I'm flying out of Halifax. Unfortunately, I can't fly with West Jet either. They don't have flights to SLC. It looks like they won't allow two pairs of skis in one bag, they've started charging up to $200 for an extra pair too.

I might just buy another pair of skis once I'm there or shipping a pair ahead of me. There's got to be something wrong with the airline industry when it's cheaper to buy a pair of skis than to fly return with them. Absurd.
Jan 21 2009 12:03PM
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Nadia.
Posts: 1124 - Karma: 1,104
I fly with 3 all the time, just take bindings off of two, and tell them i have boots and ski gear in there too. They don't know any better. I've been flying with a backpack full of 10-18s for the last few years.
Jan 21 2009 12:03PM
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Maximumsushi
Posts: 7837 - Karma: 3,351
Ahhh! Thanks Nadia. I was thinking about doing this! Do you fly with the same kind of skis or are they different?
Jan 21 2009 12:11PM
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FujaSkiier
Posts: 96 - Karma: 10
I've shipped my skis ahead of time before.  I just let the hotel know.  To be safe, I made sure it got there 3-4 days before arrival.  
Jan 21 2009 12:44PM
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Tross
Posts: 951 - Karma: 117
Oh please tell me that's worked for you.
Jan 21 2009 12:47PM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
it has, but actually not with a ski bag. i was flying back from germany with a MASSIVE checked bag, and i had a bunch of beer steins and other gifts in there so it weighed a shitload. i knew it was over the limit so when i put it on i left it hanging over the edge and just lifted it with my toe. it was just under the weight limit :)
Jan 21 2009 1:57PM
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skiminnesota
Posts: 9093 - Karma: 429
ahahah thats AWESOME!
Jan 21 2009 2:15PM
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Mex_LineJib^a
Posts: 3928 - Karma: 65
this whole traveling w/ski gear business is pain in the butt. i'm about to make my trip out west and i really don't wanna get rammed s/200dls for my double ski bag.... can't afford it since the damn thing cost me nearly 100! should have just crammed the 2 pairs in single ski bag... shit.
Jan 21 2009 2:30PM
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schism
Posts: 1705 - Karma: 389
This sucks. I guess only one pair of skis when i got to utah :(.


Westjet should really start flying into slc.
Jan 21 2009 2:49PM
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_alli_
Posts: 1792 - Karma: 34
No idea if this will work, but might be an idea to wrap the two pairs in all your ski clothes and hoodies and stuff, secure the whole package with duct tape, then slip them in an unpadded bag. May be easier to pass them off as one pair and with all the clothes should be protected enough. Shipping skis is usually pretty expensive, so even if you did get dinged for a second pair it might be cheaper than shipping the one pair ahead.

In any case, see you in jackson for beer and the mechanical bull riding smackdown!
Jan 21 2009 3:12PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,123
I have been on like 6 flights this year, all with either Air Canada or westjet.

I usualy take 3 pairs of skis in a double bag and never pay extra (other than the like 30 dollar oversize fee that you get with any amount of skis).

Just 2 days ago I opened my ski bag (which had 2 pairs of skis in it) right in front of the lady, to pack some clothes in because my other bag was overweight. She saw me take out 2 pairs of skis and did not say anything.

The only time I EVER get hassled is if my bag is above 50 pounds.
Jan 21 2009 6:19PM
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JQ89
Posts: 432 - Karma: 10
yes^
Jan 21 2009 6:45PM
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Nadia.
Posts: 1124 - Karma: 1,104
Put it this way, I've flown to europe, south america with two 4 pair ski bags with racing skis ranging 155-220cm and 2 pairs 190 pow skis, and I've gotten away with telling them its just 1 pair with vices, boots, clothing gloves in there. If you duct tape it up it helps too, taking off bindings really helps too. Atomic 10-18s slide on and off so it helps. I travel with 3 bags and I only ever pay the extra bag fee.

Now I just travel with 3 pairs sx skis and 2-3 pairs pow skis, same deal though. If you smile and if they ask, its just 1 pair, one really big fat pair with gear.

Sometimes you get a bitch on her rag and there's no way you're going to win... luck of the draw.
Jan 21 2009 7:00PM
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