I’ve flown Qantas to Japan with boots as carry on. That would have been 2015 I think. No issues whatsoever
Oi have done it a few times. Last year was my only issue on jetpoo. JAL domestic has never been an issue
Lady from united airlines mentioned they were supposed to check ski bags as ski bags are for skis only (no extra gear). I laughed at her and said I pay for two bags, what’s the difference if I have gear in my ski bag and less in my duffle. She shrugged and said she didn’t make the rules. we left it as all the bags were under weight. We have skis, boots and ski clothes in the ski bags. My parting comment was a polite the extra gear is there to protect the skis and the ski bag so please don’t enforce that rule as the airline will be forced to replace a lot of skis and bags.
So I have my boots in a Burton boot bag (a backpack). In that goes my boots, helmet, goggles, iPad, passport etc, and any snacks for the flight. I’m about to black cat my skis and most of my gear from Niseko to my Tokyo Hotel, so I’ll also carry some spare undies, a spare shirt and my puff jacket. It fits comfortably in overhead for international and Japanese domestic flights.
I thought this is what everyone does I've only had one issue - Qatar airlines checkin at Oslo airport last year - but I still carried it on, no probs I'm about to do it again on Saturday with JAL
Ok, so I've got a 1.2 kg, 56 x 36 x 23cm bag in which I can get my boots, a couple of thermal tops and a couple of pairs of ski socks and gloves. Plus a small backpack into which I can get ski jacket and pants in a vacuum pack plus goggles and headphones. Hiring skis anyway, so I can afford to have checked baggage lost and still good to go skiing.
Get to boarding gate Pull out snowboard boots, wear onto flight Once flight levels out, grab bag and switch footwear. ??? Profit!
