Winter sports lovers planning to travel to the mountains this winter with British Airways will find they will now have to pay to take their skis and snowboards.

The airline is changing its baggage policy for flights departing after October 7 and will no longer allow passengers to take a pair of skis or a snowboard in addition to their luggage allowance free of charge.

Travellers in BA’s economy class will only be allowed to take a single bag weighing 23kg.

Passengers carrying a pair of skis or a snowboard to the Alps will pay an additional fee of £28 if they book online in advance or £35 if they pay at the airport.

For long-haul services, the charges will be £32 and £40. By comparison, easyJet charges £18.50 online and £26 at the airport.

A BA spokeswoman said: “Sporting equipment will now be included as part of the customer’s free checked baggage allowance on all bookings for travel on or after October 7, 2009. Any bag that exceeds the free checked baggage allowance will incur an excess baggage fee.

“Most other airlines already charge for sporting goods. These are unprecedented economic times and we believe this can generate revenue for British Airways and help return us to profitability.”