Anytime you start talking about baggage fees on flights most people groan about how much of a ripoff it is and in many cases you would be absolutely correct. The baggage fees on airlines is a racket, that much is for sure. However, I discovered when I was traveling to certain destinations around the world and simply buying a surfboard and then selling it on at the end that this sort of gear falls into the "sports equipment" category for most airlines and is subjected to a far lower rate than a normal suitcase.
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For most people this would probably be golf clubs or in my case a surfboard. But it can be just about anything if you understand how the game works. For most airlines the weight limit including the box that the items will be stored in is generally 30-40 kg (66 to 88 lbs) and the max length it can be is 315 cm (125 inches.)
You don't have to be a math wizard to realize that this is an absolutely massive package and for most routes it is significantly cheaper than transporting clothes and in my case it was a much better value for transporting my $700 surfboard that I quite like. When I would arrive at certain places such as when I traveled to Costa Rica, surfboards were dramatically more expensive there than they were in the states. Also, as you would expect, it wasn't very easy to get a "good price" for the board when I was leaving because the locals of course realized that I wasn't really in a situation to negotiate.
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At first I was a little concerned about how they would handle the bag, but after about a half dozen trips with a relatively cheap surfboard bag I have never had any damage. I think they really do put some care into handling it because you do have some level of insurance should they damage or destroy it. I would be willing to bet that there are some people out there that would try to abuse this policy but don't be that guy! This is one of the few affordable things that airlines offer and I would hate to see that change.
For me and my surfing needs, the fact that for around $100 I could transport my own boards with me rather than buy a board (expensive, unlikely to get a decent return) or rent a board (almost always horrible quality boards) this was a wonderful alternative.
I have looked at the costs of these sorts of things and wondered if i could get away with filling a bag up with clothes and simply call it a surfboard in order to save money... ok, no, don't do that. :)
All airlines have different price schemes and of course there are some airlines that don't allow sports equipment at all. But the popularity of golf worldwide kind of ensures that this cost is something that I probably unlikely to increase too much in the future.
So if you are a golfer or a surfer, or even a kayaker or bicyclist, just know that transporting your own equipment with you, even internationally, doesn't necessarily cost as much as you think.
I was stunned to find this out when it was told to me because I feel as though airlines rip you off as much as they can, as often as they can. Now I will never rent a board again because it no longer makes financial sense to do so.