BA bans boards on board

Last Modified: 06 Nov 2007
By: Rags Martel

From today surfers will no longer be able to take their boards on board. A change in British Airways policy means they have been banned.

Karen Walton, Director, British Surfing Association, said: "It will have an enormous effect on us. We won't be able to fly BA. We have to look around for other carriers. There are some areas that only BA flies to so it will affect the surfing industry throughout the whole world. "

The British Surfing Association has got a wave of supporters urging British Airway to change its policy. Seven thousand have signed an online petition. They've even got support in parliament from a surfer, David Davies, the Conservative MP.

British airways responded with this statement:

"Some items are simply not suitable for airport baggage systems to handle or travel in the aircraft hold due to size and weight restrictions, as well as customer demand. We are working with a number of freight forwarders to find an alternative way for customers to carry surfboards and other larger items. "

And it's not just surfers that will be affected. Windsurfing boards, javelins and canoes are also banned from today.