Sports equipment is special baggage or non-standard baggage. They are therefore subject to special restrictions if you decide to carry them with you on a Singapore Airlines plane.
If you’ve considered packing your diving goggles and snorkel in your carry-on baggage on a Singapore Airlines flight, don’t worry; you’re not breaking any rules. Generally, sports items or equipment are permitted in the cabin, provided they meet the airline’s size and weight requirements and pose no danger to you or other passengers on the plane.
However, most sports equipment is large and must be checked in at the airport. These items include baseball bats, hiking poles, tennis and paddle tennis rackets, martial arts equipment, golf clubs or pool cues, oars, canoes, kayaks and paddles, crampons, ice axes, hockey and bowling equipment, diving and spearfishing equipment, bicycles, and more.
Packing your sports equipment in your checked baggage
If you wish to bring these items, you must place them in your checked baggage. They cannot be transported in the cabin. You will therefore be required to check them in before boarding.
Rules for transporting sports equipment on Singapore Airlines flights
Many passengers preparing to fly with SIA are particularly concerned about the strict regulations that now govern bulky baggage, such as sports equipment. They are right to ask these questions: it would be catastrophic to arrive at the airport with your equipment under your arm and not be able to board it!
Sports equipment check-in fees
There is no charge for transporting your special equipment on Singapore Airlines aircraft; however, a fee may apply for each additional kilo.
Any excess weight or dimensions will incur an excess baggage fee, which must be paid before boarding.
If you are traveling on a scheduled flight to or from a destination in Canada or the United States, the piece policy applies (i.e., each piece of sports equipment is considered one piece of baggage).
Regarding weight limits: Aside from the weight included in the passenger’s allowance, which varies depending on the seat’s fare, no item weighing more than 32 kg is allowed in the hold.
List of sports equipment you can pack in your checked baggage on Singapore Airlines flights
Archery:
It must be packed in a protective bag (preferably a rigid one).
Avalanche rescue backpack:
– This equipment must be securely packed to prevent its activation.
– Ensure airbags are equipped with pressure relief valves.
– Gas cylinders must be integrated into the backpack.
– The weight of gunpowder must be less than 200 mg.
– Compressed gas cartridges installed in the bag must use flammable, non-toxic gas.
– Please note that SIA does not allow the transport of avalanche rescue backpacks containing Division 1.4 explosives and CO2.
– Bags that operate with a built-in battery are not permitted (they must instead operate with a portable battery).
Baseball:
Aside from proper packaging, the transport of this equipment is not subject to any additional restrictions.
Bicycles:
On Singapore Airlines flights, bicycles are considered checked baggage, but they must comply with the specified weight and certain restrictions:
– Pack the bicycle in a hard-shell suitcase or a special bicycle box.
– Secure the handlebars so that they align with the frame.
– Remove the pedals and deflate the tires.
– Electric bicycles (which operate with a built-in battery) are not permitted on passenger flights. However, they may be transported as cargo.
Bowling:
– A protective bag must contain bowling accessories.
– Regarding cleaning products: They must contain less than 70% alcohol and must not contain large amounts of acetone.
Canoes/Kayaks:
– Pack the equipment in a hard-shell bag or container.
– The equipment must not contain any motors or electrical components unless you plan to transport it as cargo.
Firearms:
First, you must contact Singapore Airlines customer service 48 hours in advance to inform them of the carriage of your firearms. In addition, certain conditions must be met:
– The firearm must be packed in a special bag for firearms
– The firearm must be empty of any ammunition
– Ammunition is subject to a weight limit: 5 kg maximum
– If traveling in a group, ammunition must be placed in separate bags
Fishing Equipment:
Please ensure it is securely packed in a hard-shell bag
Golf Bag:
Accepted as checked baggage, it must be securely packed in a hard-shell bag or case. If you wish to travel with your golf cart, you can do so by sending it through the cargo service (cargo page).
Hunting equipment:
Only knives and penknives are accepted as checked baggage. To transport rifles or firearms, you must first contact SIA customer service.
Inflatable sports balls:
The only condition for acceptance in the hold is that they must be deflated (from their valve).
Racket:
These can be tennis, squash, or badminton rackets. Please ensure they are properly packed in their original packaging (bag or hard case).
Scuba diving equipment:
– Before packing, empty the compressed gas cylinders and leave the valves open.
– Also, release the air from the life jacket.
– Remove the battery and bulb from the headlights and pack them in a separate bag for carry-on.
Windsurfing:
This equipment is large enough to fit in the aircraft’s hold, but since each part can be disassembled, passengers can still check it in as long as they place each piece of equipment in a separate bag:
– Board bag
– Mast bag
– Sail and quiver bag
– Fin and boom bag
Skateboard & Longboard:
Only non-electric models can be checked in.
Standard shipping conditions apply to other equipment:
The following equipment: Hang gliders, hockey/lacrosse, javelin, skis/snowboards, surfboards, pole vaults, and water skis are not subject to any special restrictions except that they must be properly packed in suitable bags (hard cases).