When planning your next surfing trip, you’re going to have to allow for a significantly larger travel budget. That’s thanks to rising fuel prices which have led airlines to not only increase ticket prices but also baggage fees. Unfortunately, those baggage fees happen to include surfboard bags.
How much money are we talking? Delta Airlines increased its board bag fee from $100 to $300 one way for international flights. That means that your next venture to a sweet foreign surf spot will run you an extra $600.
Things aren’t that much brighter on the domestic front; four of the top US carriers (American, Continental, Northwest and United) all charge $100 one way for over-sized baggage. You can even find yourself with up to $250 added on for “excess baggage” (read: additional bags holding the rest of your gear).
What is a budget conscious surfer to do? Surfer Magazine recommends researching surf shops at your travel destination to see what rental prices are. Granted you won’t be on your own board, but at least you’ll have enough extra money to treat yourself and your friends to a couple rounds of beer.
Frustrated? Take a moment to send Delta a friendly email to tell them your thoughts.
[Via Surfer Magazine]
[Photo: deletem3, Flickr]
As much as I like to rail against the air carriers that are enemies to the surf community (I arrived to my Nicaraguan flight last year with all my boards only to find out that Continental doesn’t allow boards to Nica during certain seasons), it should also be noted that Alaska only charged me $50 bucks for my coffin down to Puerto Vallarta (as an additional bag), which is actually cheaper than the old system, which was oversized baggage costing $75-$100 each way.
Bravo, Alaska!
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