Virgin Blue

[jaredluke]

What is the maximum rod size you can take on virgin blue? I will be heading up to cairns. Also if they don't accept it does anyone know how much it costs to get a rod transported up their using australian air express.

[Noelm]

most of the "budget" Airlines have a 2 metre limit, Qantas will allow almost anything, have a look on their website, that will tell you for sure.

[Noelm]

OH and I have shipped rods by Road before hand and it was about $20 from South of Sydney to Brisbane, but remember you need an address and a person tp accept it at the other end, or ship it depot to depot and pick it up yourself

[wags on the water]

Virgin Blue have a 3m limit. I have just flown home from Rockhampton with 2 x 8' rods (2.4m) checked in with my luggage. Both rods in a pvc tube.
Part 2 of your question - ring them and find out. The customer services of these airlines are extremely helpful.

[sleepygreg]

Just as an amusing aside, I have travelled quite a bit with fishing rods - and I have one of those Black Plano Rod Tubes that extends to 2.4m - but usually only have it to 1.8m. On a number of occasions I have had a couple of security guys shadowing me through the airport and the carpark giving me filthy looks....then seen commomwealth coppers at the check in counter when I am checking in. LOL

Greg

[pontificator]

Having had the big red roo squash a couple of pvc rod tubes and contents, I suggest you cable tie a handle or something else onto them, so that they can't roll.

[NAGG]

I flew with Virgin to Cairns in May & I had no issues with my extendable rod tube .... which at the time would have been 7' 4"

More importantly ...... Make sure the rod tube is packed as tight as possible with the rod tips padded & bound together - there must not be any movement in that tube (specially up & down ... along the length of the tube) My loomis was adjusted by 1 inch:'( when they turned the tube upside down & stood it up along a wall)

Chris

[wags on the water]

The fragile stickers all over it help too.

37793 37794

[Ringoscar]

The good news is that if you check in your rods as sporting goods VB gives you an extra 5kg total baggage allowance, e.g. if your normal allowance is 23kg and you check in your 25kg bag and 3kg rod case, you pay nothing extra. Pacific Blue seems pretty good on this, too.
But 7'6" cases are a PITA to get around with, especially in airports & taxis - go the shorter 2-piece kit wherever you can.

[B_E_N]

not really, sometimes people are more inclined to kick it with stickers on!

[3rd degree]

Mate should be all good unless you are taking the surf rods!

I often head up that way to fish and regularly put excess baggae (tackle boxes and fishing rods) on the bus from Brisbane up to whereever. Only costs $20.

Should be able to send yourself the stuff, i.e. send to cairns transit centre with your name on it, and collect.

Cheers

Jim

[Marlin_Mike]

The fragile stickers all over it help too.

37793 37794


Wags I have a formula.......................

The amount of times your parcel is dropped is equivalent to the number of fragile stickers on it.......;D ;D

[Chris Ryan]

Send it up to Cairns Depot on a greyhound bus. Heaps cheaper and much smaller chance of the rods being smashed.

[Noelm]

I tend to agree with the send before you go bit, I have done it lots of times, but as I said, you need to arrange for a person at the other end to accept it for you, one tip when packing your tube is to make sure you have a butt to tip sort of thing, I make sure there is a thick butt (not mine) protruding beyond any rod tips, (that is rods end to end)so if anything slides back and forth, it only hits a butt end, try to put all guides to the inside to prevent any squashed guides, I use cable ties to make a nice tight package that will still fit in the tube, wrap some old sponge around one end, push it in to about half way, another wrap of sponge, then right in and more sponge for the end, chuck in a few cable ties for the return trip, screw on the cap, devise some sort of locking system if it is home made and your done.

[sleepygreg]

as well as the sponge for the tips and ends, I also spiral wrap a heap of old tea towels the whole length of the rod package to further protect them. I have never had a rod broken in transit.....touch wood. Be very careful of how the rods are tied together, as if you get some twists in them, the heat from up north before you get them out can put a 'set' in some blanks.......in other words make sure they are all straight AFTER you have tied them together....i have seen mates rods with sever figure S in the tip section of the blank because they were all twisted at the tip when tightened.
Cheers
Greg