Airline Policies On Packing Golf Clubs

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BRINGING YOUR GOLF CLUBS ON YOUR TRAVELS?:

As one of the countries most experienced executive car services we have received many questions over the years regarding airport transportation, baggage restrictions and travel in general including various airline options we are aware of or not.

No matter if you are traveling for business or family vacation, many travelers ask about bringing their golf clubs with them. We get questions about what airline policies we know about and what ground transportation considerations need to be observed.

Here is some other useful travel information we have shared with our clients:

• Get a rate quote on private sedan or limousine service to any airport
• Save Time By Having Us Create A Corporate Account For You
• Planning The Perfect Night Out With The Girls… Or Guys

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VARIOUS AIRLINE & CAR SERVICE POLICIES:

Golf is one of the more popular sports in the world. Our guess is that this is partially because you don’t need to depend on others to play. It’s in individual sport that you can play alone at almost any time and any player from novice to “scratch golfer” can enjoy. Its this ability to play almost anywhere at any time that fuels many questions we receive about packing, storing and transporting golf clubs.

It is always a good idea to be prepared and ask the appropriate questions, especially when traveling because surprise is the enemy of smooth travel. Hopefully this article will help you zero in on the specific policies held by sedan and limousine service providers, other ground transportation services, airlines, airports and hotels.

Here are some fundamental policies that will help your research:

1. Ground Transportation Policies

The most common ground transportation policies are that standard or quoted prices normally refer to 2 checked bags and one carry on bag. Here is some additional detail about what qualifies as a “checked” bag and what qualifies as a “carry on” bag. This information is provided by eBags.com. Depending on the specific limousine service provider you choose, be prepared to pay an additional fee for your golf clubs as they reflect an over sized or additional bag. Using a private car service will make your travels much easier because you will be dropped off and picked up much closer to baggage claim, your hotel and the airport making rolling all of your luggage shorter and more manageable.

Here are some direct policies for the better known and larger ground transportation companies:

1. Corporate Sedan Service – Contact, Questions Or Live Chat
2. Super Shuttle – Luggage Policy
3. GO Airport Shuttle – Luggage Policy
4. Amtrak – Luggage Policy

2. Domestic Airline Baggage Policies

There are many different airlines to choose from. Most of us know about the bigger names but there are plenty of smaller airline services that provide discount services or shorter distance service providers. Each airline has their own baggage policy and we advise you to check with them during the reservation process to be sure you understand whats expected when transporting a set of golf clubs.

Here are some standard policies from various airline service providers:

1. USAir – Special Items Baggage Policies
2. Delta – Special Baggage Policy – Hit the “Sports Equipment” link at the bottom of the page.
3. Southwest – Bags Fly Free Policy – Yes, even golf clubs.
4. Jetblue – Sports Equipment Policy – Jetblue also will not charge extra for your golf clubs.

3. International Airline Baggage Policies

Flying domestically and flying internationally have many differences. The basic differences are requiring a passport and needing to pass through customs when traveling internationally. Regarding the subject we are discussing in this article, it’s important to have the basic understanding that international and domestic bag fees vary greatly and in many cases the difference in these bag fees could easily make up the money you think you’re saving by securing a discounted airfare. When traveling overseas with your golf clubs, its important to spending the time to understand which airline has the best balance between the airfare and specific baggage fees for extra or over sized luggage. Below is some information, including policy details from some of the more well known airlines:

1. Air France – Golf Club Policy – You will see that they consider golf clubs an ordinary piece of baggage but there are exceptions so read carefully.
2. Alitalia – Golf Club Policy – Again you will read some possibly confusing language so a phone call and measurements may be in order.
3. British Airways – Sporting Good Baggage Policy – This airline considers weight as oppose to size. This is an interesting point because size (measurements) and weight are the two components that dictate if a bag is considered a typical checked bag or a bag that requires an extra fee.
4. Luftansa Airlines – Excess Baggage Fees – This policy is a little more difficult to understand than some of the others we looked at. Again you may care to spend a little extra time for research if you plan to use this airline.

4. Hotel Baggage Storage Considerations

Common sense may tell you that there should be zero problems storing golf clubs in your hotel room but that’s not always the truth. Normally it won’t be a problem storing clubs in your room. But when it comes to scheduling your golf outings, sometimes you may require additional assistance from concierge services for a number of logistical reasons. Our advice to make sure, when you book your hotel room what their golf club policy is, if they have one at all. We found on a Hotel Bulletin Board that some hotels have tried to use insurance as a reason to add fees to your accomodations. Many hotels have whats called a “Hotel Bag Room”. If this is an amenity you may require, don’t forget to ask about it and if there are any additional fees attached. You may also need to consider the ground transportation needed at your golfing destination. If your hotel provides a shuttle to various golf courses, find out what extra fees may be built in.

Here are some more tips to use when traveling with golf clubs:

• Non-stop flights will be beneficial in a number of ways. The less baggage handlers need to move or handle your clubs, the better for your precious equipment as well as your wallet.
• What are you using to pack your clubs? This is a situation where you can use the popular phrase, “you get what you pay for”. If at all possible, use the most durable hard shell case you can. It will pay dividends in the long run.
• If you do use a soft golf club bag? Try to pick up whats known as a golf club protection device and it uses aluminum crutches that are taller than your driver.
• Identify your golf club packing device completely. Make sure the name of the hotel you’re using is easily visible along with an ID or business card holder and maybe some unique, colorful touches so you can identify your bag more easily at each stage of your travel.

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PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER:

Transporting golf clubs on your vacation or business travels is nothing new but it’s in the preparation that you can avoid both hassles and extra expenditures. Spend the extra time to ask questions and you will be able to get most challenges covered so there are no surprises when it might be too late to make the best decision.

We encourage all of our clients to notify us if golf clubs will be included in the private car or limo service we provide so we can make that stage easy and without additional costs. For a rate quote and ask any specific questions, just use the button below. You can always call us directly at (888) 258-9555 if that works better.

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