Where to Ski And Snowboard - Calculate the cost of ski carriage v ski hire

Calculate the cost of ski carriage v ski hire

17th December 2012, by Abi Butcher

Intersport's online calculator promises a comparison at a glance

With only one mainstream airline offering free ski carriage this winter, more and more skiers and snowboarders are thinking about hiring equipment in resort this year.

The winter sports equipment retailer Intersport has come up with a handy online calculator that allows skiers to work out how much they will spend carting their kit abroad or hiring it in resort.

Earlier this month, Swiss airlines won a World Snow Award for its free ski carriage, while Monarch currently has a “skis fly free” offer on its new routes when booked before 31 December. Helvetic airways also carries skis for free between Bristol and Zurich, but if you choose to fly with BA, easyJet or Ryanair, taking skis can add a hefty extra to your travel costs.

To make a comparison on Intersport’s Ski & Snowboard Hire Calculator, you tap in the number of days you expect to spend skiing or snowboarding, the number of skiers in your party (if applicable) and this will be automatically calculated against the average charge for carrying skis.

Intersport claims the average family of four planning to ski for six days in France can save £128. One person can save £30 when skiing for six days. And the calculator gives a snappy little digital ‘print-out receipt’ with a breakdown of the final figures.

But the final calculations are based on an average cost of £82 for ski carriage — bumped up by Ryanair’s staggering £100 charges on top of return flights. If you fly with easyJet, however, ski carriage costs only £54 return, and even less with BA. The final calculations also factors in the 50% discount Intersport offers when you pre-book at a resort in France.

But there are other advantages to hiring. Intersport says it will always have a good range of equipment in stock and you can swap skis throughout the week depending on the conditions. It’s also less effort to than lugging your skis to and from the airport, and you don’t have to pay to have them serviced.

Book your equipment at http://www.intersport-rent-france.co.uk