British Airways bans surfboards
Posted Tuesday, November 13, 2007, 4:33 PM by Lonely Planet
Inspired by our recent travel stories on surfing remote locations and are now ready to pack your board for Liberia or Yemen? Well don't think about booking with British Airways. The airline has declared surfboards too bulky and has banned them from all flights along with kayaks and windsurfs. Most other airlines charge between 15 and 27 pounds each way to carry surfboards.
Surfers are outraged that British Airways will still allow snowboards and skis on flights. The British Surfing Association (BSA) says surfers would face huge costs and delays if forced to use freight companies. BSA has started an online petition which has been signed by over 8000 people including world no.1 surfer (and British Airways Platinum member) Mick Fanning and there is also a Facebook campaign with around 10,000 members.
What do you think of the surfboard ban? Do you think other airlines will follow suit?
Labels: Airports, Breaking travel news, Britain
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9 Comments:
Erm. Why is this even a problem? BA flights are *passenger* flights. Snowboards and skis are not even in the same league as surfboards of kayaks! Winter sports equipment is considerably less bulky and is more 'over-sized luggage' than 'freight'.
Surfboards and kayaks are huge! What's next? Getting mad that they won't let you take your piano to a concert across the other side of the world?
A *small* amount of perspective would be good here people.
I'm all for petitions, but I think in order to be sure your voice is heard, people should be writing a letter directly to BA.
~lg
anonymous, my surfboard is 6 foot and in its bag ways around the same as my snowboard...... so shut up... winter sport equipment is less bulkey??? what about the considerable size of the clothing and boots required to snowboard and ski? compared to board shorts.......? if you combine the luggage weight of snowboard gear it is alot larger and heavier than other sports stuff..... i do both and quite frankly you are an idiot..... they shouldn't ban anything within reason........ i guess next time i'm on a "passenger# flight, and some one has a dog on board in there handbag i'll kick that off the plane too, along with my surfboard....?? or do dogs count as "passengers"?
you twat.!!!!
surfboards aren't that big or heavy in my experience. i've never travelled with one, but i've travelled with scuba diving gear. scuba gear is pretty bulky, can be fragile, and probably weighs the same as a surfboard. and people travel with bikes provided they are in a box. i don't get what the difference is . . .
basically, the first anonymous poster is a moron. BA is probably just feeling lazy and decided to ban surfboards because there are fewer people bring surfboards than skis and snowboards. just imagine what would happen if Hawaiian Air and Aloha Air decided to stop carrying surfboards.
jw
Hi Josh.
I'm the anonymous poster you just called a twat for having a different opinion to yours.
You are an ambassador for surfers right now on a very public blog. I can't possibly think why BA doesn't want to deal with you.
Congratulations, you just made a huge statement about the mindset of surfers, I hope your pals appreciate you representing them.
I agree with the first poster - what's next, pianos? Reality is, BA can decide not to carry anything they want. If you don't like it, I really don't imagine they'll care.
Josh, you made your own point irrelevant when you said 'within reason'. Clearly, BA has decided that surfboards are not within reason. They are considerably more bulky than skiis or snowboards - any additional equipment or clothing for those are considered part of the ticket-holder's luggage.
Get some perspective.
people travel for a variety of reasons and the reality is that is an airline has policies which make it more difficult for a surfer or other to travel they look elsewhere. the first posters comments are ignorant though I agree there was not a reason to call him a "twat". I think yuppy prick would be more appropriate.
helo british AIR WAYS frankly im pretty upset about his shtupid ban and i speak for all the other surfers who also travel with ba
you are just biused pompus old farts who dont know a thing about the art of surfing and the rich dont do it it started with cool and nice people
whom were mellow and relaxed
the rich were skiers
use water not snow
by the way i hate BA
What about me???
I'm a surfer as well and i bought the ticket before the policy was out (september). I am now in australia and i can't carry my surfboard back home. Do you think this is a good way of treating passenger? Do you think this is right? I don't see the problem with carrying surfboards, jsut make people sign a contract where, if the surfboard gets ruined, they don't get any money
Luca
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