APH HIGHLIGHT EXCESS SKI LUGGAGE CHARGES IMPOSED BY AIRLINES

With recent heavy snowfall across Europe, the ski season is due to kick start earlier this year. So there is no time like the present for independent travellers to get savvy on all those additional charges airlines are imposing on excess baggage.

APH, the leading provider of airport parking, airport hotels and a wide of travel extras, is offering skiers and boarders information on how to keep the cost of transporting equipment down. Snow sport enthusiasts can visit APH to access the ‘Know Before You Go’ section of the site, which provides a comprehensive comparison table of 16 different airlines and the charges for ski or boarding equipment and excess baggage.

If you are travelling with the majority of airlines there is good news. Most airlines include ski and snowboard equipment in the ticket price, although there is a limit to one pair of skis and poles and one boot bag per person.

Some airlines offer a ‘special ski rate’, for example Emirates offer an extremely beneficial 3kg supplementary allowance per person and for those flying with Lufthansa, there is a 33% discount from the excess charge - although you are not allowed to carry the equipment as part of your baggage allowance.

Five of the airlines researched; BMI, Easyjet, Lufthansa and Ryanair exclude ski kit from the baggage allowance. Easyjet charge the most for equipment at £23 if you pay at the airport, compared to £15 if you travel with BMI. However the Easyjet charges are reduced to £16.50 if you pre-pay before checking in at the airport. Baggage allowances vary from carrier to carrier with 15kg on Easyjet and Ryanair increasing to 23kg per bag for up to two bags per person on Continental Airlines.

Ensure your ski equipment does not surpass the weight limits by taking advantage of the luggage scales provided at APH off-airport car parks; Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester. For the best prices on travel extras, visit the APH online one-stop shop for skiers which offers discounted lift passes, ski hire and resort guides.

You can find full details of all the excess baggage charges in this table at: www.aph.com/news/hiddencharges.htm