Hello
Has anyone travelled on Jet Star with windsurfing kit? I am heading over to Perth this Thursday, I was hoping to take my gear until I started reading there baggage rules. Excess baggage cannot exceed 1.9 metres!!
I just tried to get a board back from Melbourne on Jetstar and it was NO GO. Virgin will take them but take minimal gear as they will sting you quite a bit as you are only allowed to take 23 kg free.
Zubby
Sorry mate but you are buggered
JetStar policy states nothing over 1.9m in length.
This is because ALL luggage/baggage aboard Jetstar is packed into aluminium containers which are then locked into place in the hold of the aircraft.
Due to the size of the containers nothing over 1.9m will fit... no ifs, buts or maybe.
Virgin used to be the best option for flying as sporting gear 'used' to fly for free and was not included as part of your luggage.
Due to the Global Financial Crisis this policy has changed.
The Flying Bastards used to allow 23 kg and then charge you based on per additional piece.
They have now changed their policy to charge you for EVERYTHING above 23 kg.
Kev
In hurry to go to work so can't check, but earlier in the year Virgin allowed an extra 5kg if you have sporting gear, because I was with my young fella and we had more that one piece of sporting gear that gave us 58kg between us to share. So 1 board 2 sails and the rest of it cost me nothing, but may have changed, hope not have another trip planed 
qantas are the way to go, 2 boards from perth to melbourne no worries and if u book your flight early enough not that more expensive than budget carries(not much help as your flying thurs zubby sorry) ps bloody things even came out before the rest of the luggage
F you read the baggage clauses for most airlines they pretty much all say nothing over 1.8mtr. However most will turn a blind eye to the length depending on how much coin you have to give them. Domestic I always fly virgin, never had a problem with the "surfboards" getting on the plane. Also minimise the amount of bags your checking. Oh and if your really keen get married and have children the split the bags between all of you, works a treat.
Thanks guys, sounds like I will have to hire some gear.
I travelled with qantas last year and they didn't really care how much kit I had with me, they didn't even weight my quiver bag!
Im heading back to WA for a two week windsurfing trip in late Jan early Feb flying qantas so I should be looking good.
some jetstar aircaraft (A330) you can take more then 1.9m. unfortunately they are also the ones that fly to another country.
have had no issues flying qantas or virgin just be smart with how you pack and take as much onboard as you can.
Jetstar also weigh the carry-on, QF and VB usually don't(just make sure it will get through security).
Tiger is the worst of the lot.
If you take you harness with you as carry on don't call it a harness. They'll try and confiscate it as your not allowed to take "a restraining device" on the plane. They tried to do this to me going to tassie.
Also be very carefull of the return flight. In townsville they didnt charge me but on the return flight from melbourne they did even though i didnt get charged in townsville. Also who ever you fly with make sure you become a member of their loyalty program as this gives you a bit more "Pull" with them.
Qantas are now weighing ALL gear.
We do a heap of flying through work with a lot of gear and it has been getting progressively worse and worse.
They are clamping down on anything over 32 kg... it simply will not go on the plane because the bag snatchers out the back can not lift it under new HR regulations.
They WILL also charge you for every kilo over the regulated 23 kg mark.
As mentioned they used to charge per extra piece of equipment/bag.
They now weigh everything and tally up the total then multiply that by a figure.
The only recommendations I can make are:
Get there early.
Be nice to the check in person, they are most likely having a bad day and don't want to deal with anyone let alone someone with a heap of gear.
If asked, tell them it's boards and equipment you are carrying... you know, surf boards !
Be nice to the check in person.
Weigh your bags before you go and dont have anything over 30 kg in one bag.
Expect to pay for anything over 23 kg... that way if you don't it seems like a bonus !
As for loyalty programs as per pacman's post.
- Even with 2 Gold Card members as part of our regular crew all baggage is still being weighed and examined.
When it comes to airlines 'if you want loyalty... get a dog' just dont expect to be able to take it on the plane with you 
Kev
What Kev said.
I flew Qantas Perth to Melbourne at the end of September with my kit for the speed event at Sandy Point. I had 60kg of luggage (50kg of kit plus clothes etc).
37kg excess = $370.
Ouch. 
I avoided paying any excess baggage charges on the way home (with Virgin), and created a minor security scare, by arriving late for my flight, dumping my gear on the ground floor and running upstairs to check-in 
.
After paging me, and calling my wife back in Perth, they tracked me down. The baggage attendant took pity on me and let me take my kit in through the back door of the baggage area, so it didn't get weighed. 
i have had good luck with QANTAS domestically - they usually charge a surfboard rate per windsurf bag - $11 each - which i am happy to pay. I hope this is still the case..
I Have even done this with SUP boards.
Definitely keep each back to under 32 kg.
Flew Jet Star once to Hawaii (i paid for a qantas flight but they pulled the surprise codeshare trick) - and it was not a particularly nice experience..
As the virgins and jet stars have spread out the market and created more price pressure in the market (and all the other players on the intl scene), as well as higher fuel costs- every player now has to be super tight to protect their margin.
Its as simple as Weight = fuel costs for the airline.
Have just completed 2 x trips Syd to Perth in the last 3 weeks.
First trip I had 1 x board, 1 x sail, 1 x boom, harness, fins, extension... all in a double board bag.
I had one other bag with me for check in.
As I do a lot of flying I am able to have 2 x check in bags with Qantas.
Everything was weighed... and the total calculated to see what was over the allotted 30 kg (2 x bag Gold Frequent Flyer policy)
Was told by the check in staff the gear was over weight slightly but they would let it through... but was then warned I would be charged ex Perth if I had the same weight on the way back.
No probs ex Perth as I returned with just 1 bag.
Second trip ex Sydney to Perth return last week.
Checked in with a full crew (4 guys and a HEAP of camera gear which equated to 6 bags/cases checked in between 4)
Everything was weighed... right on the money no probs !
Ex Perth to Sydney on Saturday VERY DIFFERENT STORY
The official charge is now $10 per additional kilo over your allowable/allotted amount.
Had to shell out $270 in excess baggage fees
We were a man down at check in as one of our team had to leave on an earlier flight.
Long story short.
If you fly qantas and do NOT have gold frequent flyer or do NOT fly business class.
23kg is your allotted amount
They are now weighing everything... surfboards included :(
The weight of your board is now subject to your allowable weight.
Anything over 23kg is now charged at $10 per kilo.
Kev
PS - oh and anyone expecting to load up their carry on with additional weight... they are now looking at weighing ALL carry on luggage with a maximum allowed weight of 7.5kg
PPS - Matt they are no longer using the $11 per surfboard/windsurfer rate for additional luggage. It's all done on weight 
Just got done by virgin on the way to melbourne. $10/kg but they give you additional 5kgs for sporting so 28kgs all up. Seems the airlines are trying to recoup money from the cheap fairs. If you get a really cheap fair and travel with alot of gear it may be cheaper to book 2 tickets
