Flying with BA on thursday and taking adavantage of being able to take sporting equipment (inc bikes) for free.

Am putting the bike in a bike bag but i remember when some friends put clothes in their snowboard bag, they were made to take them out. is this the same with bike bags?

Also, is it ok to have the air pressure in my maz forks and fox shock when flying?

thanks

I flew with BA last week, the woman on the desk asked where my clothes were and I said they were in the bike bag, she didn’t have a problem with it.

Left air pressure the saem in my Rebas and they were fine.

I’ve always had clothes in my bike bag when flying (and tools), no-one has ever said anything about them. Not flown with BA though, only Ryanair/Easyjet and once with American Airlines.

As for pressure in forks etc, it’ll be fine, the pressure difference is about 15psi at cruising altitude. Unfortunately the muppets at the airports security will probably still insist on tyres being deflated and, if they pick up on the air suspension, might just ask you to deflate them too.

Air Canada couldn’t care less if I pack clothes around my snowboard or bike but I try not to take the piss really, helmet, boots, pants, jacket etc for boarding but I expect if I put jeans and t’s in they might have something to say.

B A might be different though.

Give them a call and ask.

Shock, forks and tyres all left inflated last time I went, if they ask for your forks and shock to be deflated tell them they’re coil inside with no air

There is a fact sheet on the BA site which ciovers the additional stuff in the bag. I think technically, if you’re using the free sports equipment allocation for the bike bag then it should be a bag, containing a bike. The rest of your gear goes in checked baggage and if that’s overweight you pay for it.

What actually happens at the desk presumably varies wildly, but that’s the policy.

thanks very much for the info. will put helmet, tools in the bike bag and rest in my luggage. probably depends on whoever is on the desk i bet.

I always fly with BA to Spain and never let any air out of my shocks or tyres, there is a weight restriction on the bike bag/sporting goods of 23kg I think. They do weigh the bag.

DO NOT PUT HELMET IN ANY HOLD BAG

I travel a huge amount with bikes, and agree with comments above. Usually no probs to stuff clothes, helmets etc into the bike bag/box, just don’t take the piss. I’ve never been asked to even open the bike box at the check-in counter – I just take it straight to the oversize baggage drop after check-in, so I suppose as long as you are under 30kg with it they probably don’t care.

As for air pressure/deflating tires or suspension, Lennard Zinn touched on this in a couple of Velonews articles – here’s one I found just now:

http://www.velonews.com/article/87519

I usually deflate my tires for no reason other than superstition – I never bother with touching the shocks.

–Kristan

ABSOLUTELY FINE TO PUT HELMET IN HOLD BAG IF YOU HAVE PACKED IT SENSIBLY.

the pressure difference is about 15psi at cruising altitude

only after explosive decompression 🙁 The hold runs at the same pressure as the cabin

i flew out to verbier last year but had to transfer from one BA flight to another BA at Gatwick. i checked several times that my bike had been transfered across in my 7 hour wait in Gatwick which i was told it was…. they lied!!! got to Geneva…. no bike!!!! had all my riding kit in a seperate bag so still managed to ride a dodgy hire bike with brakes the wrong way round for the first day as my bike caught up with me the day after.
just a thought if you need to transfer flights at all….

I’ve got a mate in Italy and have flown with BA a few times to Bologna, never any problems, and he regularly flies back with his bike. I only put cycling related stuff in the bike bag and then only if my main case is getting a bit close to the limit.

I do let a bit of air out of my (tubless) tyres if I remember but it doesn’t seem to matter either way. Never touched forks or shock and never been asked about them.

simonfbarnes – Member

The hold runs at the same pressure as the cabin

I thought the hold wasn’t pressurised? Why would it need to be?

It’s a lot easier to put pressure seals on all the access ports to the interior of the plane and not have to worry about stuff people have forgotten about in their luggage (and you can carry animals and the like) if the whole plane is pressurised than if you just try to keep the cabin pressurised.