A baggage handler, who is also a surfer, giving boards the proper care they deserve.
Traveling with surfboards can be an utter nuisance. Board fees can be downright outrageous, ranging from $50 to $200 per board each way. Most tricks we’ve adapted to, such as hiding multiple boards into one big bag and claiming that it’s only one surfboard, have been discovered by ticket agents. Thus, we are left with no other option than to pay up or hire a board when we arrive. But as most of us know, renting a board is not the same. We’ve grown a special attachment to our boards. They carry our DNA and our feet are imprinted on their decks. But don’t worry, I found a loophole.
Recently, I started working for an airline as a part-time baggage handler. In doing so, I stumbled upon quite possibly the greatest benefit a surfer can acquire. Free, unlimited round trip flights anywhere in the U.S, and when I fly internationally, I just pay the tax. As my new manager was going over flight benefits as a part of employment, I zoned out. I was just hired and I was already thinking about all of the surf trips that I was going to take. With the flight already paid for, board fees seem a lot easier to swallow. Now, strike missions to Costa Rica and Peru are possible without having to come home to an empty bank account. It is amazing.
As a baggage handler, my duties include packing and removing the luggage from the aircraft. So, not only do I reap the benefits of free travel, but I also make surfers rest assured knowing that their surfboards are being handled with the proper care they deserve. It feels nice. Also, the part-time schedule is very relaxed. I work four-hour shifts, five days a week. So if you’re uncertain if squeezing in a part-time position with an airline is worth it, you should ask yourself one question: Do you like traveling for free?
