Flying with boards?

[Randy T.]

Does anyone have any recent experience traveling with their board on Southwest Air? I'm fine with paying the $50 charge to be able to travel with my boards but my problem is my wheeled bag is 80" long without adding in the height and width.

Below is the info from Southwest's web site.

Weight and Size Allowance: Maximum weight is 50 pounds and maximum size is 62 inches (length + width + height) per checked piece of luggage. Effective June 17, 2009, overweight items from 51 to 100 pounds and oversized items in excess of 62 inches but not more than 80 inches (e.g.; surfboards, bicycles, vaulting poles) will be accepted for a charge of $50 per item. Any item weighing more than 100 pounds must be shipped as Air Cargo. However, Customers cannot use SWA Cargo unless classified as a Known Shipper as defined by the TSA or TSA approved Indirect Air Carriers (IAC). For full details about shipping cargo, visit swacargo.com

Snow or water skis are accepted when enclosed in a suitable container. Southwest Airlines provides free plastic bags for ski equipment. These bags are used to prevent the various components of ski equipment from becoming separated. The skis will be conditionally accepted unless they are being transported in a hard, plastic case or standard ski bag. Snow ski equipment consists of one pair each of skis, ski poles, and boots. Water-ski equipment includes one pair of skis and one life preserver or vest. Snowboard equipment includes one snowboard and one pair of boots.

When substituting ski equipment for a free bag, Southwest Airlines allows up to two bags (containing one set of snow skis, ski poles, and ski boots) to count as one item, even if they are packed and tagged separately. (overweight charges may still apply.)

[jp1]

I flew SW early December with a 'oversized' (longer than 62") Sportube III. They didn't hammer me for being 'oversize' but it was over 50 lbs. so they charged me an extra $50.