Hello guys,

Been trying to search the internet for the past few days to no avail!

Basically I'm heading to NZ this July with Air NZ and bought the seat+bag option with 1 piece of luggage. Reading through the sporting equipment policy, I read that for international flights, "Items of sporting equipment - for example golf clubs, skis, snowboards, bicycles and surfboards - are included as part of the standard piece allowance." I've read this to mean that I can carry another bag of skis, in addition to my standard check in luggage, provided my total luggage don't exceed the total weight allowance. Am I reading this correctly?

I'm getting quite confused as I understand Air NZ's policy had recently changed. Previously they allowed a 10kg sporting equipment free of charge.

Thanks in advance!

I interpret it as a skibag counts towards your standard luggage limit. IE: in your case that ski bag would count as your 1 bag. If you bring a second bag to check in you will be charged a fee of $20 (half of the first bag rate) as per http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/excess-baggage-australia

Which is a very reasonable fee for an extra bag/extra luggage.

Axe Thief your interpretation is reasonable and arguably so, but what got me confused is the luggage policy for domestic flights, which adopts an entirely different wording. Assuming you are right, I'm confused as to why they don't they adopt the same wording for both Domestic and International Flight? This only led me to form the assumption that for international flights, an extra sporting equipment bag counts as the first piece of luggage if that makes sense. I've shot them an email but haven't got a proper response yet.

> Domestic New Zealand flights
Sporting equipment is counted as a piece of baggage therefore once the allowance has been exceeded domestic piece charges will apply.
> International flights
Items of sporting equipment - for example golf clubs, skis, snowboards, bicycles and surfboards - are included as part of the standard piece allowance. The first piece of sporting equipment over the allowance will be charged at 50% of the first bag rate. Subsequent pieces will be charged at standard excess rates for baggage.

Lady Mamabear: I made my booking after the 13th of Dec 2011 so my excess luggage fee is about $40 per way. I estimate my combined luggage to be around 15-16kg inc. skis (carrying boots in my handcarry) so its a little rich to be paying extra ~$40 per way. I would have been better off flying with Jetstar if I had known of this policy (rather inexperienced in flying as my first time hearing of a 1 bag policy).

You have 20kg to fill up a ski bag + your carry on of about 7kg
I can fit a lot including my skis, poles, helmet , gloves + general clothes in my dble ski bag & boots on carry on & Ive layered up , fleece ,thermo etc under jacket + shorts under trackies etc . Stripped on plane, pulled out plastic bag from carry on, filled it up , put up in overhead ,done

Yeah, I flew with ANZ for the world cup (rugby) last year. Was booked return, but on the outward leg, I was on a codeshare flight with pacific blue. Crap airline, but I was allowed two checked bags, under 20kg in total. On return flight I was with Air New Zealand, and I had to use the self-check-in counter, and you put each bag onto the scales and tag them individually. For the second bag it prompted me for a credit card for a $50 second bag fee. I complained about it to a staff member, saying how Pacific Blue, their partner, didn't charge me, and I wasn't even supposed to have flown with them...

Their solution - they gave me a real big and strong see through bag - imagine a massive bin bag, which I could use to put my two bags in, to create one... I believe the airlines have to pay for each piece of luggage processed by the airports baggage services, which they pass on to the customer +profit.

Therefore I don't think the airline would have any issue with you just strapping/taping/wrapping your boardbag and suitcase together, as long as they are combined total <20kg, of course... I for sure will be doing that next time I fly...

Yeah... Try getting stung for a few hundred at Narita because your stupid sons decided to NOT remove thier collection of 10 yen coins from their freaking pockets!! Or being a mere 8 kgs over and being told to pull it out and put it in stripey laundry bags to carry on (into business...) or pay an extra $2000 becaus your hubby wanted to take TWO boards to Europe. I reckon $40 each way is not too bad!! It used to be a whole lot worse!

Or you could wear the heavy stuff on the plane, stuff into your carry on and pack light (as already mentioned)........
I usually take ONLY my snowboard bag and carry on backpack, if it doesn't fit in the SB bag then I am being far too much of a girl. Over 2 weeks I might also take a suitcase. Depends.

Baby Gorge the difference in wording between the domestic and international is due to the lack of the 50% discount for the second bag (if one is a sports bag) on domestic flights. A lot of the domestic flights operate on smaller turboprop planes like the ATR72 so I imagine baggage is a greater issue and hence there is no discount.

Yep they have/are reducing their allowances

You are allowed 23kgs of luggage in 1 bag and then 7kgs of carry-on.

So one extra ski/board bag is $20 or $37.50

No if it's AFTER the 13th of Dec

It's $75

Which is halved for tems of sporting equipment - for example golf clubs, skis, snowboards, bicycles and surfboards - are included as part of the standard piece allowance. The first piece of sporting equipment over the allowance will be charged at 50% of the first bag rate. Subsequent pieces will be charged at standard excess rates for baggage.

So you'd rather pay $75 instead of $37.50 ?

Interesting

Thanks guy I think my question is answered. The reason I'm asking is because instead of paying $40 per way for an extra piece of sports luggage that weighs only 6kg, I will use the money and put it towards a massive double ski bag which can be used to store everything including my clothes and what not. This way problem solved, I only have one bag that saves handling time and I get to go bag shopping Oh and thanks ODNT for the tips will apply them when I get to first overseas ski trip in Queenstown! Can't wait!!!

Skidown: I meant that I thought the ski bag will form part of the standard allowance (1 piece as purchased), but apparently I was wrong.

Air NZ up til about 2010 allowed you to take a sport bag free, and then changed the policy.

Hi Babyg

I got hit with excess baggage (skis) last time I flew with air nz. Flew over with qantas no problems....

Edit: just realized this was already answered.

Without doing any intense research into the topic, will these same circumstances apply if you booked through Air NZ but are flying with Virgin?

That's what happened to me, see above post, I booked with ANZ but flew with Pacific blue I think they were called, who are chartered by virgin... a budget airline, but they had a more liberal approach to luggage...

Qantas have a similar wording, in that case I had to put my ski boots in my big bag and then fill out my ski bag to create "two" pieces. Having a bag, ski bag and boot bag counted as 3 bags.