The LA Times has finally dropped in on the story that has had surfers around the world getting more and more pissed off each day: the outrageous fees airlines are charging to fly with a surfboard.
Surfers note that most airlines don’t charge for golf bags, while surfers are paying as much as $300 a board for international flights. That’s nearly as much as a new board can cost. Avid surfers take as many as four boards in a bag, which can mean a $1,200 bill, or $2,400 for a round trip. . . . The charges have gotten so gnarly that some professional surfers are calling for a boycott of airlines that have high fees and are putting out their own personal lists of surfer-friendly carriers that wave riders should patronize. One of the hottest surfing websites is now also a guide to airline fees.
We agree and have decided that from now on when we travel to Hawaii we’re going to just buy boards off the rack when we get there and sell the off when we leave. Sadly, that doesn’t work in many places with great waves.
[Link: LA Times]
