I am set to travel in a few days to Mexico on Alaska Airlines. I was reviewing their Baggage rules when I found where is said that Scuba Gear did not count as a part of your checked luggage. They said there was a charge of 75$ for one set of scuba gear (and they are not talking about tanks).
Has anyone flown on Alaska recently and were they charged for bringing scuba gear? Did they check to see if you had scuba gear?
Any other airlines with a policy like this?
As a second item I noticed that the baggage allotment for international (they specifically mentioned Mexico and Canada) is 50 lbs. Not the usually 70 lbs. that most airlines allow for international travel. Has anyone been charged an excess baggage fee for over 50 lbs. bags for Mexico travel?
Thanks in advance.
My most recent trip on Alaska Airlines with scuba gear was in October - I was not charged anything extra but I did have the scuba and UW photo gear (strobes, trays, and arms) mixed in with the rest so as to spread out the weight to two bags. It was also in-state. There has been a 2- bag - 50 pound limit in effect on Alaska Airlines for some time now.
Cheers from Alaska !
Tom
Nearly all the airlines are down to 2 bags/50 lbs, for domestic, as far as I can tell.
Aloha, United, etc, all have that to hawaii now.
To me, the alaska thing sounds like a great deal, if it means your scuba gear does not get counted against the weight limit, and it only costs 75 cents!
Don
I've flown Alaska several times in the last year. Usually to LA for Intl. connections. When they first lowered the restriction from 70 to 50 I was dinged $25.00 for being over on one bag. Since then, I've weighed the bags to be just under 50lbs. I've heard of the extra charge for Scuba gear but, I guess it's don't ask don't tell.
On the other hand, I've gotten out of excess baggage charges in other countries when flying the smaller plans by letting them know I'm a diver and U/W photographer.
Rand
The Alaska web site says there is an extra charge for scuba gear; regardless if your within the 50 lb. limit. Since the the definition on their web sites starts with "a scuba tank" I'm going to say no with a good conscience if they ask.
There use to be some airlines who didn't count scuba gear as part of your baggage allotment and didn't charge you extra. According to their web site; Alaska is definitely not one of these.
I found their definition: "One item of scuba-diving equipment is defined as one scuba tank (empty), one scuba regulator, one tank harness, one tank pressure gauge, one mask, two fins, one snorkel, one knife, one speargun, and one safety vest." Without a tank and speargun then ones equipment does not fall within this definition. BTW, I have flown to Anchorage with just my reg (no other scuba gear) to have its annual inspection there, most recently last month, without any hassles from them.
Cheers!
Tom
I did not fly Alaska but I think people should kno about a little trouble I had on American Airlines earlier this month........They charged me $80.00 for an overwieght bag, then did not deliver it in time for the boat to leave...thankfully the Abernethys bent over backword and suited me up with wetsuits, warm clothes and towels....Jim was even going to buy me clothes if he could not find things in his own closet to fit me!!..........They are truely a wonderful couple who went way beyond the call of duty to help me out......I cant thank them enough......a real class act......
Then on the return flight some one was kind enough to help themselves to my regulator/guages/dive computer.........cost me $1300 to replace........and these are just the highlights of the mysery of my trip......the details would read like a bad seinfeld episode....my housing being tossed around like a football by TSA people then being threatened with not boarding when I protested....the list goes on and on.....Never again with American.........
I've flown AK Air many times with gear. You do have to abide the 50# rule, other than that no problem.
