National Ski Council Federation

Airline Baggage Information

United Airlines has changed their baggage policy for ski and snowboard equipment starting May 5, 2008. You may read about it here:

United Baggage Information

Basically, the policy is this:

The new policy means from May 5 on you'll get one checked piece of baggage for free and pay $25 each way for a second; that means $50 per person for each trip. Our guess is at some later date they'll say a ski bag and a boot bag no longer count as one piece of checked baggage; that will mean $100 per person for each trip ($25 for second bag plus $25 for third bag, each way).

Our goal is not to get United to reverse the change; we can't hope to do that. Our goal is to get the other airlines to not follow United's lead; that might get United to reverse things.

With regard to the UA issue on baggage rules, here are two attachments. Click on the links at the right. One is a letter template you can use (and amend as you see fit) to advise airlines other than United how you feel about their new baggage policy. The second enclosure is a list of mailing addresses for nearly all the airlines you might want to write.

I would advise writing promptly as the longer the dust is allowed to settle without complaint, the more likely others are to follow suit. I will be sending one as prez.

We have already engaged several destination resorts whose primary service is United, several of our tour provider partners, NSAA and Congressman (Dem Senatorial Candidate Select) Mark Udall's office are working this issue. You may (are encouraged) to call in what ever reinforcements you may know to help - local congress person, related industry partners, local business people, influential whomevers.

You can download these two articles and format as you wish. You may even elect to send via e-mail but not sure where or on whose desk that may end up.

Any questions, obviously, don't hesitate to call.

Thanks in advance for your support,

Other Links to Airline Information

Delta Increases Fees

Southwest Airlines

Outside Online

NSCF Efforts Quoted

February 23, 2008 - Wanted to pass on the recent letter sent by our Congressional Caucus Leader Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO), concerning United Airlines' recent policy decision on charging for baggage. Along with other winter recreation agencies and industry resorts we had encouraged this action by the Congressman's office to express our displeasure with the UA actions on luggage policies. We are pleased to be part of the industry movement to convince UA (and other airlines contemplating similar actions) that the proposal for such charges are not in the interest of sports enthusiasts, nor the average traveling family and has the potential to be very harmful to our industry partner resorts reliant on UA as their primary air passenger providers. 

Our best to you all and wishes for a great season,

Mike Sanford, President National Ski Council Federation