What do airlines think of dual-ski bags?

 I have used that bag for the past 4 years w/o issue, just keep it under 50lb. 

 But, will they allow a double bag and a boot bag to count as one bag?  Smiles

I carry my boots on, as you should too. 

 Um, yea, what Phil said ^^
If you read the airline baggage allowance, most say, 2 pr skis and one pair of boots = one sports bag, but combined they need to be 50lbs or less.
Always always always carry your boots on.

For the last 4 years on American and Delta I have traveled with hard case double ski http://www.sportube.com without any problems.  They ask if there is one pair of skis and I always say yes.    They never check. The important part is the double ski bag must be under 50LBS.  I bring a hand held digital luggage scale just to be sure its under 50lbs.  That scale was a great investment. 

My only check in bag was my one double hard case Sportube. 

Last year I traveled Delta.  I had two skis in the double Sportube which comes to 35 LBS for my skis/poles.  Add another 14 LBS of clothes for good padding and you got 49LBS.  My only other bag is a carry on bag which has my ski boots, helmet, ski pants, goggles,  gloves,  base layer, shampoo, shaving, etc.  If the airlines loose my check in ski bag for a few days,  I still have everything I need to ski with my ski boots for a few days by renting only skis and poles.  I also wear both outer and liner jackets on the plane.  
Edited by catskills - 11/13/09 at 5:08am

Yes, I know all about carrying on boots.  Sometimes, however, that won't work because one has to carry on baby supplies. No getting around that one.  And, sometimes, I travel for a number of days before I get on the snow and need to carry work materials on board.  In that instance, my boots can be delayed for days before it is a problem.  The preference is certainly to carry on.  I was wondering for those circumstances where I can't, or where it hopefully isn't as important. 

I did read the airline policy.  In this case, Delta's policy says "one ski/pole bag"  coupled with the boot bag, etc.  So the question is, can one bag have more than one pair of skis, and still be okay from their perspective?  It seems like the answer should probably be yes. 

Smiles 

I travel Delta Northwest all the time........
Keep it under 50 lbs and you're all right.

 I picked up a triple ski tube with it weighting in at 17LB, it will be tough to keep it under 50lb. I will put 2 pair in w/o bindings and a 3rd with. 

but....

be aware that the rule---if the airline actually wanted to enforce it---is ONLY skis, poles and boots.

You 'technically' can't add 14 pounds of winterwear or whatever in order to stay under the weight limit.

A United agent commented on that when we flew to JH last Feb, actually I believe it was at the JH airport---but I don;t remember it could have been Albany.  Saying that 'ski gear only' was going to get enforced 'soon'.

I don;t know exactly what that warning was supposed to mean and have not traveled with a ski bag since, but I'm inclined to pack a spare collapsable and lightweight duffle bag in the ski bag---just in case so if it does get questioned, I can unpack the soft goods into the duffle.  An extra checked bag fee is cheaper than getting an oversize bag fee!

 We have always traveled with a double bag with multiple sets of skis---but there are two travelers.

FWIW, the wife and I fly every year to CO carrying, (dragging?), a Sportube Double. 2 prs skis, 2 prs poles and my quickie tuning junk, NO chothing. Flown Delta, NW and US Air. No problems. I figure they have enough sense to see that there are two of us and both of our skis are in one bag. We do carry-on the boots.

My experience is that the check in agents only care about a) the number of bags and b) the weight of each bag.  If you're checking N bags and paying for N bags and each weighs under 50 lbs they don't care what's in them - that's TSA's job.

The problem comes if you try to pull the "ski bag and boot bag counts as only one bag" trick.  While this is true according to the letter of the airline rules, the rules also say that you can't have more than one pair of skis in the ski bag and you can't have anything other than "sports equipment" in these bags.  Since it's a PITA for the attendant to do the "free" bag (usually involving getting a supervisor to come over and approve it) they're not very cooperative about it.  And if you push it, they can pull out the rule book and ding you for an extra bag.

Anyway, never check your ski boots. You can rent or buy anything else, but you can't rent ski boots.  And don't try to tell me that those things they put on people's feet at the rental counter are ski boots.  They're not.

With curbside checkin and a good tip, sometimes the weight is overlooked. 

Hmm, these posts hit home on a couple fronts. I always check my boots (never had a problem..yet) and I usually have a double ski bag (with two sets of skis). Guess I'll start carrying the boots on. Off to buy a boot bag.

I carry my boots loose, with the power straps serving as a handle. Stuff them with things like socks, water bottle (empty at security), magazines. They are easier to stuff into compartments and under seats when they are separable. You can sling them over your shoulder or a back pack for transport.

 This has worked well for me, and if they can't take the overweight bag they help me, give me a plastic bag and let me rearrange things from the suitcase to the ski bag, to my carryon, etc.

I stand at the curbside kiosk with $40 in my hand, quite visible.  That's $10 per bag (there's two of us.)  I've seen guys saying "that's overweight sorry" then notice the money and say "let's see what we can do."

I like tipping them anyway, it's kind of a superstition for me.  They need the money and I've never lost a bag this way.

(Remember the Seinfeld where Elaine's bags went to Hawaii because she was telling Jerry not to tip them so much?)

I always find it funny that I finish a 2 or 3 hour boot fit/stance/balance only to have the customer tell me they are going to check their boots, even AFTER I tell them how important it is to carry on the boots. You can lead a horse to water I suppose.

^^^^  Works perfect every time!  Never had an issue doing exactly what catskills recommends..

the answer my friends is Southwest.  Sorry, couldn't resist.

 I'm flying Southwest for the first time in February (BOS to DEN.)

So they take dual ski bags as one piece of luggage if it's under 50lbs?

I have never had any problems with southwest whatsoever.  Last year, I checked a double ski bag with three pairs of skis (48 lbs) and a boot bag which had no boots, but included helmet, gloves, pants, etc.  I checked a full duffel as my second bag.

Frontier generally is pretty lenient on bags too, thought they do have baggage fees.  If you fly frontier, I recommend upgrading to the "Classis" ticket option as it comes out to like $40 RT more for the ticket, but does include 2 checked bags each way and free direcTV for the flight.

KAK

First, move to a city that Southwest serves.

But wait, why not move to a city you can drive to ski?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

(who needs southwest when one can have JetBlue anyway! :) )

I am also interested in this and have found this from southwest's site (I am flying Southwest this next trip):

 

Snow or water skis are accepted when enclosed in a suitable container. Southwest Airlines provides free plastic bags for ski equipment. These bags are used to prevent the various components of ski equipment from becoming separated. The skis will be conditionally accepted unless they are being transported in a hard, plastic case or standard ski bag. Snow ski equipment consists of one pair each of skis, ski poles, and boots. Water-ski equipment includes one pair of skis and one life preserver or vest. Snowboard equipment includes one snowboard and one pair of boots.

When substituting ski equipment for a free bag, Southwest Airlines allows up to two bags (containing one set of snow skis, ski poles, and ski boots) to count as one item, even if they are packed and tagged separately. (overweight charges may still apply.)

 

So it seems that, by the book, one can only have one pair of skis per bag but can have two bags, with boots and poles and they are counted as one bag.  The only caveat is that "overweight charges may still apply."  Contingencies can turn into facts and that may can turn into a will if you run into a not-so-friendly check in clerk. So I am going to make sure my kit weighs less than 50.

 

I am thinking of risking it and taking one bag with two pairs of skis, poles and some clothes for padding.  I have read the warnings about checking in ones boots, so I guess I will have to figure how to stuff my wife and I's boots in a carry on and all essential clothes in another.  Still need the computer bag, but that should be fine.

 

Does Southwest check to make sure you have only one set of skis or are they only concerned with the weight (< 50 #)?

 

I don't see how 2 pairs of skis with bindings, not to mention the bag will be less than 50lbs????

Pair of ski with bindings/race skis/ is around 30 lbs... I doubt the other skis are much lighter, unless they are kid's skis.

Choose lighter skis :)

 

I've had 2 pairs of skis, plus kids skis and enough clothes to pad everything in a double ski bag at less than 50 pounds.

 

This may have been mentioned above (and certainly recommended against), but if you choose to check your boot bag and consider it grouped together with the ski bag as "1 checked item", the 50 lb allowance is the combination of the ski and boot bag.  Not everyone enforces that, but it definitely can happen.

When i fly I check my boots and skis and have never had trouble with them taking as one item.  I don't put extra in my ski bag, though when Old Boot and I travel together we use a double ski bag, usually tell the girl we have both our skis in it (I carry the airline policy off the website that states boots and skis are one bag), and I have never had one try to charge, they say that's okay that's one each, as long as the bag is under 50lbs.  They have asked if the bag is under 50lbs.  As a precaution i have one pair of skis in the bag also in a soft shell bag so I could pull it out and say here, then, one each, but as I said, it's never been a problem.

 

I check my boots because at the current time I'm really not happy with them and if I lose them then I will have a good reason to buy new ones ... that I will probably equally dislike lol.  I have yet to find a pair of boots that are comfortable other then my old foam blown dachsteins that I look at longingly each time I head skiing wishing I could put them on instead.  I have had 3 pairs since, all fitted by a professional, refitted by more recommended professional and well, heck this is a travel thread, enough of my foot woes.  My husband travels soooo much and though his luggage has occasionally not arrived it has always arrived within 24 hours so I think the chances of losing them are very slim and I like to have one checked bag (my skis and boots), and a carry on with all my clothes to keep it as light as possible to travel with.  Since I can't have a boot bag, laptop and clothes... I don't carry my boots on.  I have been very fortunate and in 22 years of ski trips I have never not had my ski gear arrive at my resort (once it was shipped form the airport), before the next day of skiing, though I know it's a risk.  *knocks on wood I don't need to buy new boots when I arrive at Castle Mountain in three weeks for posting this*.

I do it a little differently. I never take my own skis when I fly. For me, carrying my boots and renting performance skis works great.  Done this for years. If possible, I rent from the shop closest to the lift, making it easy to exchange skis when conditions change. While skiing in the Alps a few years ago I turned in the rental skis every night and rented freshly tuned skis the next day. Never had a problem getting the ski I wanted each morning. For years now I have always been able to rent a ski very similiar to what I own. In addition, this gives me a chance to demo different models. Traveling w/o skis is only a problem if your personal skis are a big slice of your total confidence on the slopes.

 

I also don't check any luggage, regardless of how many days or weeks I am traveling. Instead, I carry on a small backpack and a separate bag for boots. I do bring everything I need including boot dryer, tune kit, ski clothes, helmet, and of course regular clothes. One trick I use in Europe is to rent apartments with washer/dryer (always cheaper than hotels when done correctly). I put the helmet in my backpack and stuff it full of socks or underwear. Stuff the boots full too! I only wear hi-tech T's and T-necks that work well for both skiing and dining out and can be easily hand-washed each night if necessary. My ski jacket is my only coat. I am able to bring one pair of ski pants, one pair of travel pants, and the jeans I am wearing.  When traveling this way, I have never felt out of place, out of fashion, or under-dressed.

 

Traveling light and checking no baggage makes a ski trip completely different - very freeing experience. Doing this does require a paradigm shift, but I do always arrive with my luggage in hand.

Everyone here is a worry wart. I have had one piece of luggage misplaced for 1 day before. for me, its much easier to check your boot bag then haul them onboard when u have much more important things to take onboard. laptop and some clothes...

 

 

Jeez, what the heck are you skiing on?  I pack two pairs of skis, both with demo bindings, plus a set of tire chains and some other miscelaneous gack into the ski bag and it's under 40 pounds.