Just for the record BRISTOL AIRPORT do not allow ski boots in hand luggage - there are several signs in the aiport advising this and I’ve seen people been turned back at security to check their boots in when they have ignored/been oblivious to this rule.
Why is it ski bots are not allowed? Sorry for my ignorance but I couldn’t help but ask…
regards,
debra
Simulation prêt

To be honest i think the charge is simply as an opportunity to make up for lost revenue of those not actually renting the skis from the tour operator, which is an imoportant revenue stream - especially in these difficult times. . All operators have to keep the headline prices as cheap as possible and so now add these charges on seperately.

I travelled with Neilson in Feb out of Gatwick. I had 20kgs of skis and boots in one bag ( snowboard bag ) and my wife had 20kgs of both our clothes in a regular suitcase. ( This involved taking bare minimum in actual fact but we did it )
      The booking in clerk for Thos Cook asked if there were skis in my snowboard bag. I of course answered honestly and said yes 2 pairs and she demanded £90 ( £45 each pair )
      When I pointed out that we had 2 bags of 20kgs which is the correct hold allowance on Thos Cook so would absolutely NOT pay the surcharge as it was unwarranted and unnecessary she withheld our boarding cards   until I paid servisair at a separate desk £90 .. Only on production of the Servisair receipt did she give us our boarding cards. Neilson rep said nothing to do with him
        How about that for blackmail ! When I asked her if my snowboard bag had been the same size and weight but contained no skis would I have to pay . She replied “of course not it would be free”............. GO FIGURE. I tried to get a refund from Neilson after the holiday and the phoneline rep was not at all repentent and said that he had been with Neilson for 4 years and that was the way it had always been ( SO THAT MAKES IT RIGHT THEN ? )  In Neilsons FAQ’s it says that “ski equipment is not part of your baggage allowance”  I believe they or the airline has no right in law or in airline rules and regs to say that . It is no concern of theirs if the weight and size is consistent with their hold regs then you can put in what you want . I cannot believe skiers and boarders put up with this nonsense.  Neilson have DEFINTELY lost me as a customer .  I have Visa on their tail at present for a chargeback since the T&C’s are NOT CLEAR for my case. Watch this space.
                                                          Swiss Tony

Calm down Tony!

You have to realise that the airlines are in the business of screwing the last farthing out of you, and then hide behind reams of incomprehensible legal guff in their T’s & C’s when somebody has the gall to actually challenge them on it. Add that to the fact that the (normally) 18 year old, work experience? check in clerk is not allowed to make any decision other than to tell you that ‘computer says no’ , and you sum up flying anywhere with our wonderful charter / low cost airlines.

I hope you have a result from Visa, but don’t hold your breath! Go by train next time - if enough people did this, then maybe the airlines would get the hint!

A post of mine (in my previous incarnation on this site) has gone missing. SPAM ISSUES in the Site Display Problems section explains how. It must have been immediately before the post which I repeat here:

john, 15 February 2008 03:14 PM:

“A thoughtful article. I think you desreve the prize for finding the bit about the extra charge.
“When I last flew to go skiing (not counting weekends) I flew with BA their website was clear. Skis and boots were included in the free baggage allowance and did not count towards the (IIRC) 23kg weight allowance. The skis just came around the baggage carousel at Lyon with the rest of the luggage.
“I have heard from other newsgroups and forums that wearing of ski boots on an aircraft constitutes a safety issue (exiting the plane in an emergency) and is banned. Where boarding boots fit into this is not clear.
“I also heard it rumoured that the introduction of extra charge for taking your own skiing equipment was to compensate the tour operator for the loss of income from their share of the ski hire. The person who recives £15 per pair of skis for taking them from the aircraft to the terminal must be very wealthy.”

So what was in the missing post? So far as I remember:

I’d found the bit about ski carriage charges in small print at the back OF THE BROCHURE (and quoted it, but there is no point in trying to repeat that now) [when the original complaint was about online booking].

I mentioned two old sayings (1) the labourer is worthy of his hire (meaning that the airline does have some extra costs to load and unload extra pieces of luggage - but the charge should be the same regardless of whether pre-booked or paid at the airport) (2) he who pays the piper calls the tune (meaning tour operators should not hide behind “airline rules” as an explanation: it is the charterers, i.e. the tour ops who should be dictating luggage rules ON CHARTER FLIGHTS to airlines, not the other way round: especially if the tour operator owns the airline!)

Richard

Then after Scully posted three days later:

      “Hi Everyone, re the boots in hand luggage, I bought a bag which allows my boots to fit on top of each other like a jigsaw rather than side by side ( its meant for a laptop ) and comes within the size regulations. when closed no one can tell as it doesn`t look like a boot bag.”

I replied something to the effect that [if I was near him on the plane] I wouldn’t like to have his bag with two heavy ski boots in the locker above my head.