phonics1981 0 #1 July 16, 2003 Ive been reading alot of posts regarding airports in the US and problems with travelling with rigs. Does anyone know what the UK rules are on this? ------------------------------------------------------ "Ive given up on sigs cos I make a mess of them!" ------------------------------------------------------ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skytash 0 #2 July 16, 2003 As far as I know, there is less of a problem in the UK, as there is no new set of people doing additional screening here like the TSA in the US. There have been issues in the past with airlines and Cypres's. Just in case I carry a copy of the letter attached which came from the CAA after people had problems with airlines flying from the UK when airlines wouldn't even allow rigs with Cypres's to be checked in. But I never had problems in the UK, Germany or the US. After having reduced it in size to fit here, it may be difficult to read. PM me if you want the full sized file e-mailed. tashDon't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoHawley 0 #3 July 16, 2003 Some airlines won't touch them at all even in the hold if they realise what you have. Friends of mine have been refused passage on Ryan Air (our first trip to Empuria has still not happend) and I was told in East Midlands airport that Go and Easyjet won't touch them either. They insist that there is some sort of pressure canister in the rig which makes it unsafe - v annoying. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jmidgley 0 #4 July 16, 2003 Oh no, you're kidding? I'm flying Ryanair from Stansted to Girona in a couple of weeks. It's the random nature of this that pisses me off - there was a bloke on my Ryanair flight to Perpignan in March that walked on with a rigbag, no problems at all. Loads of other people I met in Empuriabrava had flown in from England with rigs, no problem. Of course if you *ask*, you're asking for trouble! John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vt1977 0 #5 July 16, 2003 QuoteI was told in East Midlands airport that Go and Easyjet won't touch them either. They insist that there is some sort of pressure canister in the rig which makes it unsafe - v annoying. I have flown to Barcelona approx 4 times in the last couple of years - 3 times with Easyjet and once with BA - always out of Gatwick - and have never had a problem. Just say nothing, check it in and go, in my experience! Obviously carry your Cypres data card and CAA letter in hand luggage just in case but I have never had to use them. Another tip about travelling to Empuria (or anywhere really) is that if you book with BA online using a credit card you basically put your card in the machine at the airport and it prints out your boarding pass for you. You then walk past the huge queue to the self-book-in desk, hand over your baggage (which isn't weighed - no more crappy Easyjet/Ryanair excess bagage charges!) and go shopping. Easy huh?! On the subject of excess baggage charges, the budget airlines can be real arseholes about this, however there is something on the Easyjet website (PM me if you can't find it and I'll try to help) which says that you are entitled to an extra 10kgs baggage allowance for sporting equipment - print the page off and use it! I hear that Ryanair give you a max allowance of 15kgs though with no extra, which is pretty crap if you're taking a rig etc. hth! Vicki Edit: To correct some really appalling typos! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skytash 0 #6 July 16, 2003 Quotethere is something on the Easyjet website (PM me if you can't find it and I'll try to help) which says that you are entitled to an extra 10kgs baggage allowance for sporting equipment - print the page off and use it! Has anyone ever tried using it? It's mentioned at the bottom of the flight confirmation page and e-mail too. Probably intended for skis and golfbags, but would be interested to know how they react to rigs. tashDon't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ricx 0 #7 July 17, 2003 I've been stopped at the check-in desk before at Standstead and Edinburgh. During the first half of this year I was flying down every 3-4 weeks and of-course took my rig with me as excess baggage. Both times I was stopped was at the check in desk because the person behind the check-in desk didn't think that parachutes were allowed as part off the excess baggage allowance. I mangaed to convince one of them once that I do it every time I fly with Easyjet and there should be no reason whey this time I have to pay. And the other time I had to go over to the easy jet desk and get the representitive to check on their own list that they were allowed. She said that it mentions nothing about parachuting equipment, only paragliding equipment. At which point I started to get worried about paying for the excess which I'd successfully mangaged to take on for free, 3-4 times before. I said I thought it was a bit unfair that golfers and the likes could take them on for free but I'd have to pay and she agreed and let me on with it for no extra charge. I plan to do the same when I go to Italy, which is an easyjet / BA flight combo. For info, I've had no problems on BA flights. I never even mentioned that my other bag was sporting equipment and they took both my bags! Nice one BA! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vt1977 0 #8 July 17, 2003 QuoteQuotethere is something on the Easyjet website (PM me if you can't find it and I'll try to help) which says that you are entitled to an extra 10kgs baggage allowance for sporting equipment - print the page off and use it! QuoteHas anyone ever tried using it? It's mentioned at the bottom of the flight confirmation page and e-mail too. Probably intended for skis and golfbags, but would be interested to know how they react to rigs. I've done it every time I've flown with Easyjet and they were fine with it. Normally I wait until they start telling me that I have too much baggage and then point at my rig bag and say that it contains sporting equipment (I always keep it as vague as possible unless asked specifically) and that I am therefore entitled to an extra 10kgs baggage allowance. I have had to produce the printout a couple of times. I was once asked what sporting equipment it was and I replied that it was sport parachuting equipment and that was accepted without question. If pressed on it, you can always tell them that it is recognised as a sport by the Sports Council, but I have never had to do this! Vicki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
