Free surfboard travel to and from California!
Five days ago I woke up grouchy, half-read that United Airlines was waiving surfboard baggage fees for surfers coming to California, in celebration of surfing becoming California’s official state sport, and popped off half-cocked. Something about it being an abomination, flying surfers to California from elsewhere to steal all our waves.
Well, if you can believe that in my grumpy fog, I both mis-read and misunderstood the announcement. In fact, all surfboard baggage fees either going to or originating from California are waved. A glorious gift!
Now, when the United Airlines representative read and reached out do you think he was chuckling and gentle or gruff and threatening?
Well?
I’ll tell you… chuckling and gentle!
Derek & Chas,
I admit I your story on United waiving the surfboard excess-baggage fee in California made me laugh. Funny. However, there is a slight correction to it. The surfboard excess-baggage fee is being waived for itineraries that start AND end in California. In other words, if you’re going from LA to Honolulu, your board fees would be waived. So it’s not just bringing the “hordes” of surfers to California that might happen, but “hordes” of Californians could be surfing elsewhere.
Oh United, never before has an airline spokesman been so kind. In honor, I am naming you The Official Airline of Chas Smith’s Rotten Attitude.
Congratulations!
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The Toddal Bore force generating that surfering, …hmm, suffering?…nah, surfering air is right…, is much less mystical than the Silver Dragon, but just as notorious.
At 3.40 of the Coffin/Callinan semi final vid there are some very pretty white pointers. Just sayin. Vive la difference!
Amen that exists bring all surfers to cali and let them surf!!!!
You surf the moving quarter pipe.
An agreement forged in a smoky backroom brokered by surf industry hacks and airline execs to fill seats and support board sales after all those “your board rides free” boards arrive at their destinations broken in half. Well played guys, well played.
“Big Surfboard” is a motherfucker!
No board fees is feel good customer service Feels good right up to the point when you realize your boards didn’t arrive with you at your destination. Then you just feel the weightlessness of any leverage you may have to complain.
Thanks to Emirates , who charge no fees for boards but make you sign a waiver , I have become an artistic genius with Solar Rez ! I swear as soon as they get my signature they telephone the baggage handlers and tell them to hit the bottom ( never the deck which could be camouflaged with wax ) with a hammer leaving on not one or two but 3 separate occasions a perfectly round hole about 5cm across .
Maybe they think a surfboard is blast-for-me.
All kidding aside, that’s fucked up.
If I had a hammer 🔨. Blasphemy !
i surf the dirt. i surf the air. i surf the trees.
Surfers will surf travel the exact same amount, but now they’ll be doing it on United.
So prepare yourselves for the grumpiest, meanest, fossils of former flight attendants on the planet – they make Chas look like Jimmy Fallon.