Sports boost for Virgin passengers

Virgin Atlantic has announced that its passengers can now take one item of sports equipment with them on its flights free of charge.

This is in addition to travellers' existing checked baggage allowance and comes shortly after British Airways implemented a ban on large sports equipment being brought onboard as normal luggage yesterday - such items must now go into the cargo hold.

Travellers needing to take surfboards, skis, pole vaults, javelins and other large sporting goods with them on holiday can now do so with Virgin Atlantic, as long as the items meet size and weight requirements.

Equipment should not weigh more than 32 kg unless permission has been granted beforehand, while the overall dimensions - width, height and length - should not be greater than 62 inches.

Goods that weigh more than 45 kg will not be accepted as checked baggage and will instead be transport as cargo, the carrier said, while items weighing between 32 and 45 kg will be viewed as two pieces of checked luggage, meaning that excess baggage charges will apply.

"Our new sports equipment policy enables all sports travellers, whether Olympic teams or not, to enjoy their journey throughout," commented Paul Dickinson, sales and marketing director for Virgin Atlantic.

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