Trashed boards lately ?

you wrap your **** in bubble wrap?

 

American Airlines handiwork on a return trip from Panama. The blue fish got off lightly with a broken nose but, despite an excellent repair job by the shaper, the buckled board could never be the same and it was my all time favorite. Made a vow never to travel with a favorite custom shape again.

 

holy ****ing ****!! what did they do, drive over your bag w/ the baggage cart?? that's awful!!

 

had two boards trashed by American airlines on the way back from CR. Didn't realize it but had purchased the travel insurance with my tickets. Took a few months but $1200 check came in the mail, only downside I had to provide photo evidence of the original two boards being destroyed. Took a sledge hammer to the remains in my driveway, bada bing. Buy the insurance.

 

threads like this make me appreciate how (apparently) lucky i've been in my travels!

 

after getting a couple dings, i traced the nose and tail of my boards in a thin plywood added a inch or two and duct taped it to the top of the top board and the bottom of the bottom board. it has worked so far for me twice.

my biggest fear is my boards not being there at the terminal when i arrive at my tropical destination. my boards arrived 4 days after i did in PR once. they spent the weekend in miami. (i did not)

 

I think that is exactly what they did - likely after dropping it off the cart nose first. The bag was also ruined. They paid for the bag but not the contents. I fought like hell eventually posting the buckled board photo and my story on their FB page which is the only thing that got their attention. The most they would give me was a $300 flight credit and 8000 frequent flyer miles which I used on another trip to Panama (they were only viable airline going to Panama from Boston at the time - I took the only the repaired buckled board on that trip). I particularly enjoyed paying the $150 oversize bag fee so they could then destroy the bag and everything in it. I now avoid AA at all costs when possible and I recommend everyone else do so as well!

 

How many boards fit? Do you still remove fins?

 

jesus...i'd be super pissed (as i'm sure you were)! american is a horrible airline, like more domestic airlines are. they cut corners & charge an arm & a leg for things that overseas based airlines offer up for free. the only domestic airline i'll fly w/ at this point is jetblue. everyone else pretty much sucks.

 

All that and didn't wrap the nose? Pipe insulation around the rails tape around it. Then put your towels in on the nose / tail and wrap duct tape around them to tighten it. Bubble wrap on the deck does nothing. If there's that hard of an impact mid board, the thing will buckle before it dings through all the padding in the case.

 

I think it may be worth it to know that all the sweeties are safe. $350 for a shortboard case and it is able to carry boards up to 6'4". Yes the weight slinging that around would be some work...still think I am going to get one of these.

 

I have worked in the airline industry for about 25 years. I have seen guys put a board between two tugs and jump on it, run over them, take them out and bust the fins off, and in Hawaii some of the ramp guys had T handle screwdrivers they would punch a ton of holes through the case and board with. Best bet now in the digital age is take a photo of your board before and after, dont take one that you cant live without, bring it and sell before you leave, or ship it ahead and insure it. Avoid travel with glass on fins, and those Santa Monica surf cases are the best. Also, before you leave baggage claim, pull it out and inspect it for damage and if there is any, go directly to the office and make a claim. Once you leave it is much more difficult. Most of the time, if you are good at packing there are no problems, but if your board crosses paths with a ****head, no amount of packaging will help. Most bagrooms and ramps have cameras to discourage theft etc. but stuff can still happen.

 

I did use pipe insulation on the rails and I padded the noses with Styrofoam and towels. I removed all of it so the damage could be seen in the photos.

 

njshredmachine takes his private jet. Never a ding. Straps 'em to the roof, fins first.