Freight Costs

[Flighttourist]

Hello everyone!
I have a question that conerns myself for a long time. I fly very often with different airlines for business reasons or to reach a certain vacation destination. Right now I booked a surf trip to the Maldives

Convenient booking so far but now I'm searching a flight for the trip. And this is the unconvenient part and the thing I'm searching for an answer! The point is why every airline can decide arbitrary about freight costs for surfboards? Some charge only $50 others charge $150-$200 each way. Why is there not a specified rate that counts for every airline?
I don't get it!

[RevMan2]

They're not actually freight costs - they're baggage charges.

Why do they differ? Because it's a free market and airlines can charge what the market will accept, be it for tickets or excess baggage

[Remers]

Why does each shop sell surfboards for different prices?

[PAXboy]

You might check the relative costs of the ticket and the surf board. It might be that they lower the price of the seat - in order to attract surfers. Then make up the price by charging more for the board and vice versa. As with all tickets, the ONLY point you have to decide on is the bottom line charge, including all extras and credit card fees etc. If it's a price you are prepared to pay, then pay!

[Bluejay]

Flighttourist

As RevMan2 has said it looks like you have been looking at baggage costs as opposed to freight costs - have you already booked your flights if so which carrier are you using? It may well be worth looking at airlines that carry freight as well as opposed to just pax and bags, BA, SriLankan, Emirates etc etc (not sure who flies there but I am sure you have already found out!) versus others such as Thomson