Costa Rica/Sansa Airlines
 

We are flying from San Jose to Tambor on Sansa Airlines. I'm a little concerned about the weight guidelines. We want to bring our surfboards and are concerned we might go over our 25 pounds, will this be a problem? Please let me know.

Thanks, Calimon

We have always seen surfboards being loaded onto the domestic flights. So I know you can take them. I would assume you need to alert Sansa to the fact that you will be checking yours and ask for any additional fees that this will cost.

My Sansa flight confirmation info reads ...
"Extra luggage is subject to space. Carrier may refuse baggages on the basis of excessive volume or safety reasons. We handle a maximum of two (6'9")surfboards per flight and pay $10 each way." dfarmer gave you good advise to check with Sansa.

Excellent advise from the others. Just to add one more thing.

On at least 2 occasions I have had to leave luggage behind at the airline check in to be flown to the destination on a later flight. I wasn't even over the limit. I had no problem getting my stuff. One was delivered directly to the hotel in Drake Bay where we were staying. Another time I had to wait at the airport for 20 mins for a charter plane that they were able to put it on. Sometimes those "airports" aren't much more than dirt runways so try to be there when they say it will arrive if you do have to leave them behind. My point is, don't panic if they want to do that. You will miss a couple of waves for sure but your board(s) will probably get there safely. Do let the airline know when you will be flying to try to reserve space for your boards if possible.

We just returned from 2 weeks in Costa Rica and flew Sansa several times (ncluding to Tambor). We were a little overweight (not us, of course, but the luggage) and for the first trip (to Osa Peninsula) they kept one of our suitcases and sent it down on a later flight. There were surfboards on that flight and at first the attendants said one of them didn't fit, but the passenger made it fit in the cargo bay somehow. It might be worth ckg with Sansa about size restrictions (as well as weight).

The flight to Tambor went without comment, but coming back to San Jose from Tambor they charged us for the x-tra weight (but the suitcase made it onto the same flight we did).

I think my greatest worry would be getting separated from the luggage because it's overweight, especially if you're trying to make connecting flights going home. Good luck!

Just back from CR and on a flight from Tortuguero to San Jose, one passenger was charged 35 dollars in over weight fees - a dollar a pound. They are apparently quite strict regarding the weight. There is no real check in counter - the Sansa rep uses a fish scale right on the tarmac. The same method was in use last year in Tortuguero with Sansa and Nature Air, but not having travelled to Tambor, not sure what you'll encounter.

NatureAir is allowing 30 pounds, 5 pounds more than Sansa. Not much but it helps, overall NatureAir feels a lot more professional, they are alwayas on time and the airplanes were cleaner and seemed to be just a better choice, they fly out of Pavas as well so they have a real terminal, with bathrooms, a cafe and newspapers.

On all my confirmation forms with Sansa it actually says 30 pounds as well. Never had a problem with Sansa over half-dozen trips. Your hotel should be able to tell you the surfboard charge, sure they have handled that plenty of times.