recent board experience delta united

pauls · Since 20 Jun 2005 562 Posts white salmon Addicted

Anyone have recent experience flying small surfboards (64") in and out of PDX with Delta and United? Destination and return airport Cabo.

I prefer Alaska or Southwest but have lots of Delta and United miles.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4907 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Delta got rid of their curbside pdx check-in awhile back - tho I heard they are bringing it back

Hard to bribe folks inside - $150 each way kinda sucks

Nak · Tue Dec 13, 16 10:04 pm

Don't know about United, but as far as Delta:

OK, first off it is a wake board, not a surf board. Kinda looks like a surfboard I know, but it is designed to be used wake boarding behind a boat. And that is exactly what you will be doing with it in Mexico. Be really, really nice and pack it in a golf looking bag. There are bags that will fit such a surfboard. Oops, I mean wake board. (Delta does not charge extra for wake boards as of today.) They know it isn't a golf bag now, but you don't want a bag that looks like a surf board bag. You want to be clear if asked you are WAKE BOARDING. Wear a wake boarding t-shirt if you want to go overboard. Talk about the wake boarding competition you are going to. OK, that might be a bit much, but maybe not. Play it by ear. Probably all you need to do is call it a wakeboard when they ask. Airlines don't cover loss of any sporting goods anyway, so if they lose it it doesn't matter what you called it.

Make sure your home owner's/renters insurance covers loss of sporting goods if lost as baggage. You may need a rider to insure your gear.

Keep your bag under 50 pounds. Try for a 4 pound margin of error. (i.e. 46 pounds max.) That should keep you safe on scale errors and sand weight returning. Many agents take it as a personal affront if your bag is even barely over 50#. They don't like lifting heavy items.

Get there EARLY. If the agent is slammed, they are more likely to be irritable. While in line, look at the agents. Which ones are friendly, which are not? If you find that you are about to get a bad agent, nicely let the next person in line take cuts as you look for something you misplaced. Be friendly and personable with the agent.

Get a Delta Skymiles American express card and buy your ticket with that. Whatever you do, JOIN THE DELTA MILEAGE PROGRAM!!!!!! You WILL be treated better. If you have already bought your ticket, join the mileage program and get your trip associated with your membership BEFORE you show up at the airport. (This goes for any airline you fly. Join their program, buy your ticket with their card.) OP, I know you already are a sky miles member, this is really for the other guys reading this.

NEVER, EVER, lie to customs or give them shit. They might just cut all of your gear in half to inspect the interior if you do. They are totally legal to do just that. There is no appeal, there is no place to lodge a complaint. Give them shit, and they might just start up the saw. If you are going to lock your bag, make sure it is a TSA approved lock. If you make them cut off your lock they will get pissed and steal even more of your stuff. Seriously.

You can't use curbside anyways on international flights...

Have fun!

user124 · Since 02 Aug 2012 390 Posts Portland Obsessed

That wakeboard gear trick used to work with US Airways too until they merged with American.

Alaska's baggage policies are at least fair and reasonable. Alaska isn't a perfect airline but United, Delta, American etc all suck and so I try not to give them my business when I can.

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1804 Posts XTreme Poster

^^^^

Yep. Alaska goes out of their way for me to negotiate around their baggage policies. The agents TRY and save me fees.

My experience with Delta and United is they LOOK to FIND FEES, making me wonder if agents are on commission.

Buzz kill