Interesting Continental Luggage comment

[1_T_Submariner]

When we were leaving Roatan 2 weeks ago they weighed my wife and my luggage the first bag was 54 lbs we gave the oh man we got to move stuff around. When we opened the bag the Continental counter guy said oh it's Scuba gear you are ok no extra charge! Amazing!! Has this happened to anyone else? I guess Roatan realizes where their $$$ comes from.

 

[mohave_steve]

Interesting....
I think it really depends on the individual at the counter. I flew Continental to Belize last year and when we checked in my dive bag weighed 52lbs and I had to move stuff to my carry on.
In September we flew to Cabo I checked with Alaska for current baggage restrictions and found that my dive bag was oversize by 2-3 inches. I expected a hassle but it didn't happen. After she had placed my bag on the conveyor I asked about size enforcement. She told me that only measured a bag if it was obviously oversize.
YMMV???

While they didn't charge an oversize fee for my $230 dive bag they did manage to loose it (along with my wifes checked bag), find it and tear a 6" hole in the side of it.

 

[robint]

When we were leaving Roatan 2 weeks ago they weighed my wife and my luggage the first bag was 54 lbs we gave the oh man we got to move stuff around. When we opened the bag the Continental counter guy said oh it's Scuba gear you are ok no extra charge! Amazing!! Has this happened to anyone else? I guess Roatan realizes where their $$$ comes from.

I think it depends on the clerk. I always mention scuba gear and they always look at me like "uh what???" :shocked2:

Funny story posted on another board last year about a diver returning from somewhere...... the clerk told her that her bag was overweight, after fighting for some minutes she took out her mask, snorkel, and a few other things and put them on and wore them onto the plane. The clerk wasn't amused but she made her point.

robin

 

[Darnold9999]

I have had the same experience out of Belize. Overweight by 5 pounds - all scuba gear - no problem. Tried the same thing out of Bahamas got a blank look. Buried deep on the Continental web site is a scuba exception for over weight baggage. Problem is almost nobody on the front line knows about it.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Here is the link:Continental Airlines - Checked Baggage Fees

I talked to the rep at DEMA and if you can find your way through all the BS here is what they are trying to say! LOL:

The clerk in Roatan was right! If you buy a ticket associated with a Continental "Sports Vacation" the first bag of "Sports equipment" flies for free up to 50lbs! The second bag is $25.00 up to 50lbs! The problem is unless you print this out not all clerks know the policy! If you got stuck turn it over to your credit card company, as I did to my American Express, and let the big boys fight it out! If enough do this I will tell you they will all know the policy! BTW if your sport is Golf your only allowed 12 balls in your bag!

 

[Darnold9999]

You need to go a bit deeper - here is the relevant quote from:

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/sports.aspx:

"Continental does accept one dive bag containing equipment used in the scuba-diving sport as checked baggage. Scuba equipment in addition to the baggage allowance will be assessed at the excess baggage charge applicable in the market for a single piece.

Dive bags weighing over 50lbs (23kg) that contain other items in addition to or in place of appropriate dive equipment will be subject to the applicable overweight fee."

As I read this, and the clerk in Belize interpreted it, you can have a dive bag that weighs up to 70 lb (the limit for any bag) as long as the only thing in it is dive gear. No clothes, etc. - just dive gear. She made me move a few tshirts into my carry on and I moved something dive related from my carry on into the dive bag to make room.

Good luck explaining this at a gate with a long line of people waiting!

 

[landed]

The wording is ambiguous at best you might argue that scuba equipment is free. It clearly states that extra bags are 50 dollars. But I get the feeling that it is supposed to be free if its just scuba equipment, but you are at the mercy of the check in staff that day.

 

[robint]

another 2 year old post..............

 

[warmwaterturner]

Not a problem in 2008 - still not a problem in 2011.

 

[playadelloco]

However last month I flew Continental to Cancun with a perfect condition wheelie suitcase. Upon arriving, said suitcase no longer had its' wheels, 1 supporting leg was also gone, a smashed bottom corner and a tear by the zipper.

Lesson is -- be extra wary of how your gear is packed as apparently any kind of concern over the state of your luggage has been vanquished at Continental.