Kayak paddles and flying

[Kate D]

Help! I'm tearing my hair out by the handful. I can't make any sense of Ryanair's website.

I'm planning to fly by Ryanair and need to take my 2 piece kayak paddle with me. It measures 123cm in length. Ryan air state that for health and safety reasons baggage cannot be more than 32kg or have combined dimensions of more than 81cms (height), 119cms (width) and 119cms (depth). Does this mean my 123cm x 20cm x 5cm paddle is too big or is this fine?

To call it sports equipment is much more expensive.

Someone must have done this before and have the details.

Hoping you can help me,
Kate

[CM2]

I may be wrong but Ryanair have a reputation for sticking to the letter of their rules when it comes to add on charges. They keep their fares low by maximising other revenue streams. I suspect they will classify it as sports equipment knowing you will have to pay up.

If you fly with Ryanair from Edinburgh to "Rome" via "London", and the flight from Edinburgh is 4 hours late causing you to miss your connection as your London to Rome ticket is classed as a separate journey you have to pay the walk up fare to travel on the next departure (as if you just turn up at the airport without a booking) and that is not cheap.

Do you know anyone with a 4 piece you can borrow?

[Mark R]

Basically it is sports equipment... but your best hope is to try and carry it on as hand luggage ( as others have done) and hope you get a nice check-in attendant.

[Jim]

Use Pythagoras.

119^2 + x^2 = 123^2
x = 31cm

So if you can find a box (fairly rigid bag/suitcase) that is 119cm x 31cm* by about 6 cm and put the paddle bits in diagonally it will fit the size limits. Fill the gaps with some spare clothing for extra padding around the paddle.

*due to the width of the blades you will actually need to make it a bit bigger in this direction, but you will be well within the 119cm allowance.

Next time buy 4-piece splits, they are so easily buried in ordinary luggage :)

[john.ruston]

Hello Kate,
I have Lendal 4-piece(Powermaster/Carbon) in carry case you could borrow. About 210cm loaded. Thing is in NI though - anyway you could get it collected ??

[TechnoEngineer]

I once took a beach tent on a plane as hand luggage - on the return journey the official wouldn't allow me to take the poles. So I'd be very wary about taking any kind of paddle on board. I'd look to use a different airline unless Ryanair are the only option.

[Kate D]

Thanks everyone, I have done as technoengineer suggested and found another airline that doesn't seem quite as picky. I have also found a bag that will fit my paddle and all my other kit. Think it's intended for golfers to take clubs on flights.Many thanks for all your help.
Kate

[Mikebelluk]

I'm converting a split paddle to a 4 piece one to take to New Zealand in March due to the hassle involved with different airlines.
If anyone else is considering doing this, AS Watersports stock the internal spigots and stainless spring locks, and offer a very quick service.

[johnb]

I flew with Scandinavian last year and they only allowed one bag, but it could be a sports bag. So I borrowed a snow board bag off a friend that took two pairs of splits and all my camping and paddling gear that I needed.

[Ceegee]

I recently travelled with split paddles in a hold-all (gear bag) on Air France. Just wrapped the blades in the BA and spray deck inside the bag and had about 10cm of shaft sticking out the zip at the end of the bag, wrapped in a bit of bubble wrap and duct tape. Nobody said anything, even though the long axis was 130cm (in a 119cm bag).

[Kate D]

I have bought myself a bag intended for carrying golf clubs on planes. It's 130cm long and about 30 x30 cm. Paddle will fit in along with all my other kit for a week away.
Thanks for all the advice and ideas,
Kate

[StewartR]

We have four piece Lendal paddles. The shafts get packed in tubes which, in turn, go into our main luggage bags. Our blades are typically packed in our Feathercraft bags.

Stewart

[dhkayaking]

Just for future reference. I have travelled twice in the last 8/9 months with Ryanair. Both times with my split wings attached to my check in bag. I dont see the point of paying for sports equip for a set of paddles.

No issue at check-in. I just ask for oversize drop off and some fragile stickers. I have to say Ryanair a lot better than their reputation from some horror stories. They have been very good taking white water boats as well in the last few years.

[StewartR]

Just for future reference. I have travelled twice in the last 8/9 months with Ryanair. Both times with my split wings attached to my check in bag. I dont see the point of paying for sports equip for a set of paddles. No issue at check-in. I just ask for oversize drop off and some fragile stickers. I have to say Ryanair a lot better than their reputation from some horror stories. They have been very good taking white water boats as well in the last few years.

You're very trusting of baggage handlers!