Anyone recently taken surfboards with Ryanair to Biarritz?

[westsurfer]

I'm going on a 10 day surf trip to biarritz, flying manchester to biarritz with Ryan air.
Forked out £100 to take boards both ways, but noticed today on their T&Cs this:

"For health and safety reasons Ryanair does not accept for carriage any individual item exceeding 32 kilos or with combined dimensions of more than 81cms (height), 119cms (width) and 119cms (depth)."

I was aiming to take three shortboards in my Creatures 2-4boards board bag (length 7'6"), but those combined dimensions don't look too hopeful. Need to do some measuring. And yet they say they take windsurfers, which are far bigger surely?!

Need some tips off someone whos recently used these pirates.

Cheers

[henryg]

I have taken boards with them in the past but not in the last couple of years. Can't see a problem if you've paid the charge for a surfboard. You'd almost be as well to buy a board there and donate it to a grom at that ridiculous price. I think it was 80 quid when I last went but me and my mate strapped all our boards together and paid as one.

[westsurfer]

Cool. Yeah thats what we're doing. Three guys, three boards, baggage cost going three ways.
It acutally fits within their combined dimensions, by 3 cm haha.
The worst bit is the hire car. They really hammer you if you're under 25. Once again, it's just about palatable going three ways!

[Biarritz Taxi]

Most of my clients arrive from Ryan Air flights into Biarritz (from Stanstead, Dublin and Manchester). So far the biggest surfboard any client has brought has been a 7'3". They didn't get charged and nobody's boards have been damaged yet (as far as I know).

I picked up some clients from San Sebastian airport a month ago, they flew with Vueling and they had a 9'2" coffin bag with them

[TeamBanana]

They're crooks.

First time I took boards to Biarritz it was £10 return (2004). Then last year £40 each way to Morocco! Then this year £50 each way to Portugal!

My ticket was only £20!

My advice is to get the biggest board bag you can and fill it with boards, wetsuits, towels and clothes.

I normally then get away with hand luggage so don't have to check a bag, which mitigates the cost to some degree.

[dj_hacker]

I flew to Lanzerote a few years ago and it was £70 return. Complete arseholes though as i saw them chuck the board off the plane and had my beloved board returned with the nose completely broken off :/ the fee doesn't include and guarantee or insurance for your board. So making sure it's covered on your travel insurance may be an idea. And as much padding as you can stick in the bag. good luck!

[petegee56]

Just got back from hossegor, flew with Ryanair, paid 100 quid for board carriage. Took two boards in a 6"8 padded board bag. No issues, only used 12kgs or the 20 limit on the board carriage and no damage caused. I thought it was going to be a nightmare but no problems at all. Just a shame about the cost for the boards

Pete

[Archy_is_God]

Just tell 'em it's a windsurfer if it goes over the dimensions...

I told Delta I had a 'kneeboard' when I brought a board back from NYC a few years back - it didn't feature on their list, so I just checked it in gratis