Don't dive in head first

WATER sport enthusiasts will be planning on travelling abroad in the coming months in search of warmer climates, so Airport Parking & Hotels (APH) has created a guide comparing airline policies on the kit divers and anglers take with them. 

The research reviews the policies of 15 airlines, including British Airways, Emirates, and Virgin Atlantic for travelling with water sports equipment abroad and compares checked baggage allowances, additional costs for equipment, and which sports equipment is allowed on flights.

The checked baggage allocation differs between airlines, but starts at 20kg, as offered by six of the airlines, including bmi regional, Jet2, and easyJet. Of the 15 airlines researched, booking First Class flights with Emirates provides the highest maximum weight allowance of 50kg.

Diving equipment is permitted on 13 of the airlines researched, including KLM, Qantas Group, and Virgin Atlantic. Icelandair does not include diving equipment in its standard baggage allowance, while Aer Lingus and British Airways state that diving equipment must be packed in recognized kit bags, and Monarch and Air France specify that scuba diving tanks must be empty.

Fishing equipment is permitted on 10 of the airlines surveyed, including Jet2, Air France, and bmi Regional. Policies for carrying the equipment differ between airlines, with Norwegian Air specifying that fishing rods must be packed in suitable hard casing and Aer Lingus accepting equipment no longer than 2.05m/6.7ft.

Board sporting baggage is welcomed on all 15 airlines and includes surfboards, windsurfboards, kiteboards, bodyboards, longboards, sailboards, kneeboards, wakeboards, boogie boards, and skim boards. Virgin Atlantic enables passengers to carry either windsurfing or kitesurfing equipment, but will not permit both, and that the carriage of windsurfing equipment, surfboards, and wakeboards on Flybe flights is on a stand-by basis only. Water skis are permitted on four airlines, such as bmi regional and Qantas Group, while Delta bans canoes and kayaks.

The research can be found in the Know Before You Go section of the APH website at http://www.aph.com/water-sports-equipment.


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