Power Kite Forum

Transport kite buggy on airplane?

thoklo - 14-4-2019 at 03:24 PM

How do you transport tot kite buggy and equipment when transporting it when flying to another location?

I have a Libre V-Max II Strong, which means the rear all is 145cm (57in) long.

I asked Delta and once customer support person said, after speaking with a supervisor, you are not allowed this.

I called another customer support person who said if it is not listed or 'may've go as 'other sport equipment ' which means uptown 115 in (292cm) in linear dimension (L+H+W) and less than 70 lb (32kg).

.I can get everything in a large suit case where the back of the side bars and the rear axle will stick out, but overall be 82in in linear dimension

The challenge us to go to LAX and they say now and 'maybe'is nor increasing the certainty.

There must be a lot of people here who take the airplane to sites

If you are shipping, what do you choose?

Thank you in advance

Randy - 14-4-2019 at 07:03 PM

I hope you can get some feedback on this as I would like to know as well. I do wonder if you would be better off just getting a large box (or 2) and putting it all in the box along with whatever tools you need. Might be easier to put that on a plane than a big suitcase with stuff sticking out.

RedSky - 14-4-2019 at 07:40 PM

:karate: maybe i send smoke signals

abkayak - 14-4-2019 at 07:50 PM

Think global...kite local:thumbup:

BeamerBob - 15-4-2019 at 11:02 AM

I got a North Kiteboarding Deceiver bag. It's made with the word Golf in the outside. I put my side rails and rear axle in it and flew to Vegas and back. When asked what it was, I said "It's a golf bag" while pointing to the word Golf on the outside. It was under 50 lbs so no extra charges. All the other parts can fit in regular suitcases or travel cases.

Windstruck - 15-4-2019 at 02:20 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob  
I got a North Kiteboarding Deceiver bag. It's made with the word Golf in the outside. I put my side rails and rear axle in it and flew to Vegas and back. When asked what it was, I said "It's a golf bag" while pointing to the word Golf on the outside. It was under 50 lbs so no extra charges. All the other parts can fit in regular suitcases or travel cases.


That's OUTSTANDING. I just looked those up as I hadn't heard of them before. One of these years I'd like to make it out to JIBE and that would involve flying with my kit.

indigo_wolf - 15-4-2019 at 05:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob  
When asked what it was, I said "It's a golf bag" while pointing to the word Golf on the outside.


The art of misdirection.... :rolleyes:

I like the mimicry of the taper used by most "real" golf bags.




ATB,
Sam

thoklo - 16-4-2019 at 11:02 AM

Brilliant idea. Thank you for all comments.

so does this mean, most of you are either not bringing the kite buggy on a plane, using a bag as above, or packing in a large box as luggage with the extra costs? With Delta that is $285 for excess luggage, $100 for extra weight up to 70lb and $300 extra size up to 115 inch = $685. That is steep

markite - 16-4-2019 at 02:39 PM

things have changed over the years for luggage allowance and what is considered sporting goods etc. I used to take a buggy and also a bag that i would put a sonotube inside of for structural support and load with single line kites for festivals. then things changed and at one airport i was told for a buggy bag "that's not sporting goods" and they have you - either pay for it or leave it there.
Anyway the last few times taking a buggy (going back a few years) I used one of my snowboard bags for part. The shape of the side rails fit nicely the way the bag bulges in the middle and also fit the axle length. Cut tennis balls and put them over ends of axle and also on any tube ends that could bang and punch through side of bag with rough handling. I think I also included the seat and bolts and helmet and a couple of foils in that bag and then strapped all together tight inside the bag to keep from rattling around. second bag or suitcase had front fork and down tube - need to look at costs. it's usually cheaper to purchase a second bag vs cost on excess weight.
Traveling with a friend to NABX we would split the cost of an extra bag between us if we deeded to take wheels - one of us paid one way and then the other on the way back. Usually flew without tires heading to the desert. Bought tires and used them at Ivanpah and then if we happened to have tires on that were still good maybe rode them extra hard the last day or if too good to burn right out gave them away t save the transport cost.
I also have a surplus army duffle bag that I cut a hole in one end and sewed a sock attachment onto one end - sticking out like a stove pipe and it was an extension for the axle that stuck out about a foot. Never had an issue with that either but the snowboard bag is just a lot cleaner - the duffle I could fit a lot more into but it was always a very heavy bag before you get to oversize area to drop it off.
Using the golf bag and deceiver bags are really good - depending on where you go. With the popularity of kiteboarding at a number of islands many airlines were charging for taking boards etc and a lot more than the cost of golf clubs - hence the bags. but there are many stories of people getting asked to open the bags to show the clubs and then getting dinged for board fees - i think it's not as often now that more and more airlines are excepting kiteboarding gear but still limit you to a twin tip and one kite to keep you out of paying so you need to work some magic. When i fly to Scotland there are a lot of golfers going so i do use a golf bag and like Bobby i just say things like "need to weigh my golf bag?" Even paying a fee as a golf bag is cheaper than paying for an extra bag of sporting equipment. Coming back from Glasgow a number of years back the had a list of accepted sporting goods and costs. They didn't have kites and as we worked our way down the list a paraglider was going to be something like 150.00 and then she said parachute...how much is that I asked, 50.00 - yup that what i have, a parachute.
At Toronto and Glasgow I know that my longer bags are weighed and tagged at the check in counter but then i need to take them down to the oversized luggage area for loading - that has a straight through conveyor belt vs a few sharp 90 degree turns from regular check in. The key is to know that process, once your bag is weighed and tagged and you are taking it to the other oversize check in to have it loaded, you can now add in the extra things that your girlfriend has been holding for you in that heavy bag.
If they are going too weigh your carry on I will sometimes have a coat over my arm with cuff velcro cinched tight - heavier objects in the sleeves. Carry coat over arm at check in where they weigh carry on. then I have time to take things out of coat to add into carry on before proceeding through the airport. Don't take bolts in carry on, one change of flights to Vegas in somewhere like Chicago or Denver they pulled a friends axle bolts saying they were weapons. Good thing we managed to get them into checked luggage.

BeamerBob - 16-4-2019 at 06:04 PM

Lots of wisdom there Mark. I've wondered about putting a token golf club in the "golf" bag.

thoklo - 16-4-2019 at 07:29 PM

Thank you Mark. Very good info