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Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:51 am
by Ken
Need to get to London to journey further afield. Anyone know what Aer Lingus' policy towards kayaks is? They don't mention them specificly on their site, but do say that sports equipment can be a max of 15kg. Don't see any costs for that or what the excess costs (cause kayaks weigh more than 15kg).

Baring that has anyone every tried to bring a playboat on a eurolines bus (the ones that go across on the ferry)?

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 1:50 pm
by ham n salad
No experience with busses.

Flown air lingus with boats a few times and just booked them on as surfboards. Weight has never been an issue, even when they were full of camping and kayaking gear and weighed 40kg! When they ask how heavy they are say 15-20kg and dont let the check in staff try pick them up!

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:04 pm
by Ken
Have you done that recently? airlines seem to be getting stricter these days. :(

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 7:49 am
by Briany
Ryanair are fine with kayaks once you book them in online. They go to Gatwick & Stanstead quite cheaply. Don't go over the 18kg weight limit though or they'll hit you. Getting across london with a boat is a bit of a pain (done it, not pretty but doable), but there are shuttle buses between the London airports that you could hop on to take the sting out of it. Give yourself loads of time.

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 10:10 am
by tiernan
Hi Ken

Is your flight to London a connecting flight. I know that Aer Lingus honour the baggage rules of the continuing flight if they are serving as a connecting flight (As in if you are flying Virgin to Uganda say, Aer Lingus should honour whatever baggage limits and rules Virgin are setting for that flight). They may even check you through so that you don't have to carry your kayak through the airport.

Tiernan

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:17 am
by Ken
Unfortunatly not Tiernan. Chears to everyone for the info.

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:28 pm
by ham n salad
Ken wrote:Have you done that recently? airlines seem to be getting stricter these days. :(
Yeah, two trips this summer

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:38 pm
by annie
Has anyone travelled with Aer Lingus recently and brought a boat? Thinking of just booking it on as a surfboard - it still seems to be the closest thing.

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 4:20 am
by davepierse
I always print out a copy of their sports policy and if there is any question of the boat not getting on I stand in front of the attendant until a massive line forms behind me. I've never had to pay for a boat or paddle with them.

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:21 am
by annie
I presume you pay the sports equipment carriage when you book it on but nothing extra? I'll arrive early and take that advice, cheers

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 5:50 pm
by Ken
We flew to Slovenia this year with Aer Lingus with our boats booked on as surfboards.

3 of us had no issues, left the boats at the overweight luggage check-in and then walked up to actual check in and told them it was there and we needed a tag for it. The 4th member of the group was made to go back for it and get it weighed, had to pay the excess (they only give 15kg!) but no issues with it clearly not being a surfboard.

Re: Aer Lingus and busses with kayaks?

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:53 pm
by AndrewR
Book them as surfboards. Cover with a boat bag of some sort. Smile and chat at the desk and you are golden.

Oh and if they asked if you've weighed it, always say 'yes, its under the max' and change subject!