As I understand it , it is the baggage handlers employed by the airport that handle luggage no matter what airline you use. It is them that damage your boards no matter how well you pack them as i have found out. I think it is just luck if it doesn't end up damaged. Perhaps if the airport company paid better hourly rates and demanded high standards, then things would improve.
I feel your pain! Sorry to hear that. Had the same thing last year. Chose to pursue compensation from the airline rather than insurance. A lengthy and frustrating process but was a matter of principal. Now I just add the value of my board to my travel insurance. Doesn't protect the board but at least I don't hesitate to take it and won't be out of pocket if it happens again
Select to expand quoteGandalf said..
I feel your pain! Sorry to hear that. Had the same thing last year. Chose to pursue compensation from the airline rather than insurance. A lengthy and frustrating process but was a matter of principal. Now I just add the value of my board to my travel insurance. Doesn't protect the board but at least I don't hesitate to take it and won't be out of pocket if it happens again
I had Rac travel insurance but didn't see any option to add things :(
Select to expand quotekiwibro said..
As I understand it , it is the baggage handlers employed by the airport that handle luggage no matter what airline you use. It is them that damage your boards no matter how well you pack them as i have found out. I think it is just luck if it doesn't end up damaged. Perhaps if the airport company paid better hourly rates and demanded high standards, then things would improve.
Not quite correct Kiwibro
Each airline ground handling contract is up for tender every 3-4 years. Each time that happens all the ground handling companies( Aerocare, Menzies, Dnata, Express Ground Handling, Qantas, Oceana etc...) all bid for the contract and the airline ultimately chooses a contractor based on what the price is and the services involved. The Airport owner/operators have nothing to do with it. In Sydney, Jetstar Domestic is handled by Express Ground Handling, who is in fact owned by Jetstar themselves.
Select to expand quoteLindz1510 said..Gandalf said..
I feel your pain! Sorry to hear that. Had the same thing last year. Chose to pursue compensation from the airline rather than insurance. A lengthy and frustrating process but was a matter of principal. Now I just add the value of my board to my travel insurance. Doesn't protect the board but at least I don't hesitate to take it and won't be out of pocket if it happens again
I had Rac travel insurance but didn't see any option to add things :(
Lindz you need to write letters to the airline. As Gandalf said, its lengthy and frustrating, but eventually they'll relent and pay. You will receive standard replies from them like "You signed a waver on you fragile goods and we are not liable" "We take all care but no responsibility" and a heap of other standard responses, but if you just keep writing and persist with it, they will eventually come to the party.
My SUP was damaged on my last trip to NZ, Qantas agreed to cover the cost of repairs $150. I have sent my bank details through twice as requested no payment yet but will keep chasing. They did a lot of damage to the board bag on the way home which they won't cover and lost the board, all good delivered to my home late that night.
Have flown other airlines no issues.
Good luck
keep chasing.
Select to expand quoteLindz1510 said..Gandalf said..
I feel your pain! Sorry to hear that. Had the same thing last year. Chose to pursue compensation from the airline rather than insurance. A lengthy and frustrating process but was a matter of principal. Now I just add the value of my board to my travel insurance. Doesn't protect the board but at least I don't hesitate to take it and won't be out of pocket if it happens again
I had Rac travel insurance but didn't see any option to add things :(
I've used Allianz the last two times. Gave the option of adding items and was comparable in price to others.
I actually worked for Virgin on the Ramp in Brisbane as Ground Crew.
Its pretty hard to stack bags in the cargo hold on your oversize board board bag.Oversize go in last with Golf bags , Bikes . Guitars.Prams etc on designated barrow.
in defence to Menzies and other contractors most carriers have a 20 minute Aircraft turn around at busy times , Thats fueled,catered ,cleaned,unloaded and loaded , Stairs back loading doors locked as the Jets fire up,pretty stressfull for inexperienced Ground Crew and lapses in procedures happen,,have travel insurance
dont jetstar pack in boxes/mini ship containers so any board over 6 foot gets jammed on top in the small gap?
Always a gamble flying with sups. pack with heaps of pad. i use a 10mm board bag plus yoga mat round middle rails and foam noodle cut and fitted around nose and tail to try to get best protection.
Done 2 trips with 8`10 speeds with Garuda and never issues, very happy with Garuda,may have been luck but also many years travel with surfboards,never an issue,flew Jetstar once,never again.Just sayin
I use a similar setup to "caution"... matts and noodles... and seems to work.
wrap everything up in glad wrap and shove in a 10mm bag.
still a gamble though.
I am not endorsed by any airline and I have not travelled with sup before on an airline, but from my experience at the Tour down under in Adelaide (Bike race), everyone with a decent bike only uses Virgin and Qantas. And the airline staff at check in Adelaide always promote the use of hard cover cases. This is what the SUP world needs a coffin or trolley case.
Its like lucyloo points out try Garouda, or other asian carriers. By far the best airline I travelled where sub carriers of major brands these are the Pinnacle of flight travel. Same premium standards with a more local homely feel. British caledonia, Sub carrier to British Airways.
Is Garouda a sub carrier for Cathay Pacific?
You want a sub carrier of a premium airline, not a budget airline like Tiger. Anyone who has ever flown Ryan air (The budget of budget airlines) knows this sleeping over in european airports over night or arriving for your flight out of gatwick at 5.55am. Fun times. Or what you can hear whispered around Kingsford Smith in Sydney when it gets real quiet, TIGER is cheap but its not cheap enough.
Virgin Australia sub carrier for Virgin Atlantic. My local airline of choice.
However Jetstar is the exception to this rule as it flies the same routes as QANTAS its main carrier. This is the exception as Qantas default for Jetstar passengers, is that its budget passengers fly Jetstar.
Jetstar is great but its a tourist airline and athletes are encouraged to fly Qantas on the same route (This is why travel agents were great they knew all this important airline stuff). . Also why do people always get swept up in the cheapest fair over airline customer service. Sure Jetstar is cheaper and tiger but I prefer to fly and throw all my baggage in the hold, and expect a cold drink of water without paying through the nose.
Oh and when travelling internationally JAL is the one.
Please Japan never sell or close JAL its one of the reasons I can still cope with flying internationally.
