Russian Railways heard the voice of numerous athletes: skiers, tourists, cyclists, track and field athletes! OJSC "Federal Passenger Company"(a subsidiary of JSC Russian Railways) established rules for the transportation of sports, tourist and hunting equipment on long-distance trains.
In accordance with the rules, snowboards, skis and poles are allowed to be carried free of charge on trains formed by JSC FPC. The equipment is placed in the hand luggage areas or together with the passengers carrying them in the carriage. Registration of transportation documents for this baggage is not required.
In addition, disassembled kayaks, non-disassembled kayaks and oars, as well as non-motorized bicycles, disassembled and packed, are allowed on trains. Inventory is also placed in hand luggage areas or in the carriage. For each kayak carried on the train, a baggage rate of 30 kg is charged, and for each bicycle, a baggage rate of 10 kg is charged.
Please note that equipment placed in the carriage should not interfere with other passengers.
We remind you that the size of sports, tourist and hunting luggage can exceed 180 cm in the sum of three dimensions.
Registration of transportation documents is carried out at the ticket offices of JSC FPC from the date of opening of sale of train tickets until its departure and does not depend on the date of purchase of the travel document by the passenger.
Ensuring the integrity and safety of luggage carried by a passenger is the responsibility of the passenger.
More details on the rules for transporting sports, tourist and hunting equipment on long-distance trains can be found on the Russian Railways website in the section
Before flying you should check:
1.
What's included in the ski kit?
2.
How should the equipment be packed? the period when you can transport skis at reduced rates.
3.
Restrictions on weight and size for packaged ski kit, presence of foreign objects in the ski bag.
4.
How many sets can be carried in one case, per passenger.
5.
Payment rules.
6.
The need to pre-book a place to transport ski kit.
7.
Which counter at the airport to drop off skis at, which counter at the airport to pick up skis.
A standard ski kit is a pair of skis, ski poles or snowboard + a pair of boots, a helmet, goggles, and special clothing. According to the rules of some airlines, only a pair of skis, a pair of poles or a snowboard + boots are included in a set of ski equipment, which is subject to preferential rules for transporting sports equipment.
The ski kit can be packed in one or two pieces of luggage. A soft or hard case or container is used to pack skis and snowboards; the packaging should have handles convenient for transportation.
The fastenings are wrapped with packaging material or a spare set of thermal underwear so that the cover does not break through or the fastenings do not break during transportation; it should be remembered that the lighter the cover, the easier it is to move.
The period of time when you can transport a ski set under preferential conditions is limited, for example, in Russia it is from October 27 to March 29, while the set (skis, poles, boots) must be packed only in one case, weighing no more than 15 kg, no size restrictions; AirBerlin carries free baggage allowance + ski kit from November 1 to April 25.
If the ski kit is transported free of charge, then the passenger's personal belongings are prohibited in the case with the skis.
Set ski equipment may be included in your baggage allowance; may be charged as an additional piece of baggage; as excess baggage in terms of weight, size, or you need to pay a fee for transporting sports equipment.
Almost always, mandatory prior approval is required to transport ski kit. The booking or purchased ticket must contain a note about the availability of ski equipment, if required by airline rules, therefore, when purchasing a ticket, you must warn about the carriage of sports equipment. When purchasing a ticket online, you must contact the sales agent or the airline hotline.
You can check out a set of ski equipment at the check-in desk or at the oversized luggage counter.
Below are examples of carrying skis and ski equipment on an airplane.
Aeroflot– the weight of the ski set should weigh no more than 23 kg; the case carries only a pair of skis, a pair of poles + one piece of boots; The kit is included in your free baggage allowance. You must make a request to transport ski kit 36 hours in advance.
Transaero– if a pair of skis or snowboard + helmet + goggles + boots + overalls weigh less than 10 kg (without size restrictions), then a set of ski equipment is carried free of charge, in addition to the baggage allowance. The request must be made at least 24 hours before departure.
Turkish Airlines– it is necessary to measure the weight and size of the ski set and make a preliminary request for the transportation of equipment at least 48 hours in advance. Upon confirmation of the request, the kit is transported free of charge.
North wind– if a set of ski equipment weighs no more than 15 kg and is no more than 203 cm in size, then it is carried free of charge.
Yakutia– if a set of ski equipment weighs less than 20 kg and dimensions are less than 203 cm in the sum of three dimensions, then the equipment is included in the free baggage allowance.
S7, Orenburg Airlines– if a set of ski equipment weighs no more than 20 kg, with the sum of three dimensions not exceeding 203 cm, then it is allowed to be carried free of charge in addition to the free baggage allowance.
In a/k S7, if a set of ski equipment in the sum of three sizes is more than 203 cm, then each kg of actual weight is paid according to the tariff for this direction.
Utair- If full set ski equipment weighs less than 20 kg, without size restrictions, then on regular flights it is carried free of charge in addition to the baggage allowance. Advance booking is required.
Ural Airlines– if the weight of one set of sports equipment and passenger luggage weighs less than 40 kg, then it is carried free of charge.
Easyjet– skis with boots should weigh no more than 20 kg.
Follow our instructions and you will never have any problems while traveling.
To go to ski resorts, many snowboarders have to travel by air. In winter, at airports at every turn you come across people carrying snowboards. How to transport a snowboard on a plane, how much it costs and how to save money on transporting your board, we will find out in this article.
Paid or free
Since ski tourism is the basis of the winter economy of a number of countries, many self-respecting airlines have agreed to accept one set of ski equipment per passenger for free transportation during the ski season (the specific dates should be checked in advance with the representative of the airline you are flying with).
A set of ski equipment means:
- One set of skis and poles + ski boots;
- One snowboard + snowboard boots.
By doing this, airlines attract an additional flow of passengers, and fans of winter holidays can save a lot of money.
However, it is worth finding out in advance whether your equipment will be accepted for free transportation. Some low-cost airlines, despite the general trend, charge a lot of money for transporting a snowboard. The fact is that if we consider snowboarding equipment as luggage, it falls under the heading “oversized luggage”, and therefore has an increasing factor when calculating the cost of transportation. If you are flying with a discount airline, be sure to calculate all the costs; the cost of baggage may be greater than your benefit in the cost of the flight.
In any form
The snowboard is accepted for transportation by air, packed in a special snowboard cover. Some airlines, such as Aeroflot, allow snowboards and boots to be carried in the same bag, while some foreign airlines, such as Czech Airlines, require that snowboards and boots be transported separately. In this case, you will need to have a special boot cover.
Officially, airlines prohibit transporting other personal items in a case with equipment, but in practice they do not find fault with this.
Therefore, people are actively filling up the free space in the case with their things. However, remember that you should not place hard or sharp objects next to the board that can scratch it, cover the crepes with something soft so that they reach their destination safe and sound, and be sure to stick identification marks and contact information on the cover. Just in case, take an extra bag, in case you come across strict dispatchers who will ask you to unload your things from the case.
Dimensions and weight
As a rule, airlines do not impose any requirements on the dimensions of snowboarding equipment. But the weight restrictions are quite strict: from 15 to 20 kg for all equipment, depending on the airline. Be sure to weigh your luggage at home when packing; the amount of re-sowing can be quite significant.
Be sure to check weight standards with all airlines you fly with. This advice is especially relevant for transit passengers, since rules and regulations may change during transfers.
The procedure for receiving and issuing equipment
To check in your snowboarding equipment, you need to take it to the check-in counter, where the dispatcher will bring your luggage onto the flight, weigh it and attach luggage tags to the covers. The case with your boots will be accepted at the counter there, but the case will have to be taken separately to the oversized baggage counter (usually close to the freight elevator). If you didn’t wrap it in film, you can add it to the case of things, because no one else will weigh it.
It will be possible to receive oversized luggage in a separate place, and sometimes ski equipment is dumped in one large pile near the conveyor belt. In any case, the unloading site can be identified by a large crowd of people.
No matter how confident you are in your right to free transportation of snowboarding equipment, be sure to check the transportation details with the carrier, since in modern conditions airlines tend to change transportation rules.
Ski season is just around the corner and today we will talk about transporting skis and snowboards on an airplane.
As always, it all depends on the airline.
During high season, most European carriers will carry your skis on the plane for free in addition to your standard baggage allowance.
This means that you can take with you, for example, 20 kg of checked baggage + 8 kg of hand luggage + a set of ski equipment (skis, poles and boots or snowboard + boots).
In most cases, your ski equipment set should consist of 2 pieces: skis and poles in one case and boots in the other.
How to transport skis on a plane?
After or at the time of purchasing your air ticket, you must notify the airline that you plan to fly with ski equipment. If you bought your ticket online, contact the agent on whose website you bought the ticket, or the airline.
If you do not report the transportation of skis, there is a chance that they will not be accepted.
When you check in for your flight, your skis or snowboard will be put aside and taken to the aircraft's hold as oversized baggage. At some airports, you will have to check your skis at a separate oversized baggage counter.
Upon arrival at your destination, you will also receive your skis not on the belt with regular baggage, but in the oversized baggage department.
Since a standard ski bag has handles, many airlines ask that they be packed with clear film so that they don't get caught on anything and interfere with loading onto the plane.
Which airlines transport skis for free?
These include:
- Aeroflot
2 pieces (skis + boots), total weight up to 23 kg. Dimensions are not limited.
- Transaero
2 pieces with a total weight of up to 10 kg. On flights where the number of pieces of baggage is valid - 1 piece, weighing up to 10 kg. Dimensions are not limited.
Transaero allows 2 passengers to carry skis in one case. In this case, the weight of sports equipment should not exceed 30 kg on flights where a weight system is in effect. And no more than 32 kg on flights where the number of seats system is in effect.
- UTair
The permissible weight of ski equipment is up to 20 kg. Dimensions are not limited.
The permissible weight of ski equipment is up to 20 kg. It is allowed to sum up the weight of additional luggage of two or more passengers, but the weight of one piece should not exceed 32 kg.
Ski equipment weighing more than 32 kg or dimensions exceeding 203 cm in the sum of three dimensions is paid as oversized baggage.
- Lufthansa
1 piece of ski equipment on all routes, with the exception of flights from/to the USA, Canada, Mexico, countries Central America. Weight Limit- 23 kg for economy class and 32 kg for business class.
- Austrian
You are allowed to carry 1 set of equipment on all flights except from/to the USA and Canada.
- SWISS
One pair of skis + boots and poles or snowboard + boots is transported free of charge. Maximum weight up to 32 kg.
- Russia
Only during the period from 10/27/13 to 03/29/14 it is allowed to transport one set of ski equipment per passenger free of charge. Maximum weight - 15 kg.
Airlines that carry skis for a fee
Let's make a small disclaimer right away. On flights of these airlines, you can carry ski equipment for free if it plus your luggage does not exceed the free baggage allowance.
For example, you are carrying a set of skis weighing 10 kg and a suitcase weighing 10 kg. The total weight of your luggage is 20 kg, which does not exceed the standard norm. If you want to take a larger suitcase, you will have to pay for the excess.
In addition, if there is a number of seats system on the route, when not only the weight of luggage, but also its quantity is limited, you can only check in your ski kit for free, i.e. 1 piece of luggage. In this case, as an exception to general rule, you can return 2 cases: one with skis and poles and the second with boots.
Airlines with paid transportation of ski equipment:
- Finnair
- Air Baltic (except business class passengers)
- Air Berlin
- Air France
How to deal with such airlines?
As a rule, the weight of a ski set (skis, bindings, boots and poles) is about 10 kg. If permissible norm The airline's luggage limit is 20 kg, then in addition to skis, you can also take a small suitcase, so that the total weight of the luggage does not exceed 20 kg. And of course, don’t forget about hand luggage, as a rule it is about 8 kg, but exact data can be found on the airline’s website.
If the airline does not use a weight system for baggage allowances, but a system for the number of seats, then everything is more complicated. You can check in only 1 piece of luggage weighing up to 23 kg free of charge. The option in this case is the following - put some of your things in your ski bag and boots, and the rest in your hand luggage.
Can I put clothes and other things in the ski bag?
Let's face it, many people do just that. But if ski equipment is carried free of charge, in excess of the free baggage allowance, this is prohibited.
But you can still try :)
