Hey, has anyone done this? I'm flying Singapore Airlines back to the UK in June, and they're threatening to charge me AUD$1500 for 25kg of windsurf gear.
Has anyone had any experience with any decent companies providing this kind of service? Ideally I'd like my gear to go direct to Vassiliki in Greece, but the UK would do.
Most companies seem to be interested only in full house removals or in parcels that aren't windsurfer sized...
Cheers...
I flew singapore from london to perth and got my gear on free. They had offered me a deal of an extra 15kg over standard allowance (20kg plus hand luggage) for the price of 6kg of excess (about $70/kg). In the end the bloke at the airport couldn't be bothered dealing with it and just tagged it and sent it through.
Best flights I've had with any airline as well, esp if you get one of the big fancy a380 thingys
If you are looking at shipping your gear then try Nippon Express. I've found their service to be excellent when moving from the UK to Singapore and from Singapore to Australia. Haven't tried to send windsurf gear but their general helpful attitude suggests that if it can be done then they will do everything to make it happen.
www.nipponexpress.com/
Good luck.
Your best bet is probably air freight. Expect to pay about $8 to $15 per kg. The way the calculate weight is actual weight vs. volumetric weight. What ever is higher is what gets charged as the actual weight.
Your first stop should be checking with the airline you are flying with. It's called "unaccompanied baggage". It essentially means you are sending your gear as air freight by dropping it off at the airport a few days before departure. The airline then tries to send the luggage on the same plane or around that time. In ideal situations you will be able to pick up your gear at the other end within a day of arrival. I haven't heard this working on overseas flights but it certainly has worked for people flying domestically within Australia.
Your second stop would be checking with a dedicated air freighter company. They are usually a bit cheaper than your first option.
Third option could be checking with the luggage storage facility at the airport. I know the guys at Terminal 1 in Singapore have international airfreight as a service option. It's cheaper than using Singapore airlines. Try Sydney or Melbourne airport baggage services to see if they have this option or might put you on to the right people.
Lastly, try various transport companies that specialize in helping out backpackers getting their excess luggage back to Europe (it's called Luggage Forwarding). You'll find flyers and adds in travellers mags at most major hostels and tourist locations in both Melbourne and Sydney.
Another option would be to see if you can cancel your ticket and actually choose an airline that takes windsurf gear without too much fuzz.
Did you know for example that if you fly via the US you are allowed 2 x 32 kgs of luggage vs. the measly 20kg in economy via Asia? Also, some airlines allow you to take a surf board bag instead of the second luggage item.
If you are traveling with windsurf gear you should always book your ticket with an airline that takes windsurf gear for little or no money... not the cheapest ticket you can get.
BTW, another option would be to only take a board and actually buy brand new sails/ masts and boom in Europe. Gun Sails for example will make you a pretty good deal if you buy say 3 sails plus mast plus boom plus extension and they usually offer free shipping.
Also take a look at these web sites:
www.globalsurfers.com/surfboard-airline-charge.cfm
www.flyingfees.com/
www.surfline.com/surf-news/boardbag-fees-airline/18407?id=15425
(there used to be a site which had a complete listing but I lost the link, maybe someone here can provide that)
They will list excess luggage policies of the different airlines. And what ever you do ALWAYS notify the airline in advance that you will be bringing a big surf board bag and get them to confirm the charges and get what ever they promise in writing.
Nippon are good but make sure you pack it very well, we use them for all our freight from the US and we do get damaged stock.
Damn - that's a good response. Thanks guys.
Didn't think I'd be flying back with kit when I booked the ticket, which explains Singapore Airlines. Contemplating just taking masts board and boom which'll bring the weight down. Might cancel the ticket and fly qantas if its cheaper.
Hey there flick,
I fly long haul with Singapore airlines carrying Slalom as well as Formula Kit.
Have taken about 6 long haul flights between Greece and Australia, and have never been charged a cent. I have never travelled with more than 2 bags for gear. (1board bag+1quiver bag) I do have a gold frequent flyers card, but have heard from other windsurfers that Singapore Air haven't charged them either.
The most important part of getting gear on planes is check in, and booking flights without too many connections. Most Australian airport check in staff are real tight on the rules. Just ask AUS5 who paid a small fortune to get his formula gear from sydney to portugal for the worlds last year. Heathrow is also a nightmare for gear.
The last time i needed to send all my gear from Sydney to Greece i used the guy who arranges all the shipments of custom surfboards for export. I sent 1 formula board, 2 slalom boards, a freewave board, 3 formula sails, 4 slalom sails, 4 wave sails, 8 masts, and 2 kit bags full of extensions, harnesses, wetsuits etc,,,, over 150kgs of gear!!! Air freight SYD-ATH delivery on specified day, all for under $1000.
BTW, vassiliki has heaps of kit available for rental. And if you are swinging by Greece, i know of loads of places to get your hands on well prices kit.
Let me know if you need some info on Greece.
Good luck.
GRE 200
NOTE,,,,, AUS 5 paid over $2000 (if i remember correctly) for his gear with OUR NATIONAL AIRLINE QANTAS!!!!!!!!!
Ill try to help you out man! ill be staying with flying fish for like a month on the 17th of May, so ill let you know of the address to send the kit too!
PLUS! id like to use it 
I shipped my gear from the UK to Sydney with Seven Seas shipping. Excellent service and about 8 weekshttp://www.sevenseasworldwide.com/usp.aspx
Best shipping it soon if you are and it'll be there in port at the UK when you arrive. From the UK it will be veery cheap to put your gear on a charter flight over to Greece and not a scheduled airline like the long haul ones over here...
Not to sure about air freight but if you can do it that way then do if not ship it now...
Has anyone ever shipped gear to Sydney from either California or Maui? I'm trying to ship my gear from one of those places while I continue trotting the globe. I'm not even sure if my gear would work in Sydney, I currently have a waveboard and sail in 20-25 knots on the coast of California. Any thoughts?
Isn't kit generally cheaper in the UK than Australia? Why not sell it and buy new toys in the UK or Greece?
