How strict are Easyjet about whats in your bike bag ? Can you get away with your helmet and shoes ? how about spares and tools.

I took, my bike, tools, helmet, spare parts to liverpool to barcelona, didnt get flagged up for it.

I’d think twice about putting your helmet in your bike bag, i’d hate to think how much it may get bashed about in the hold of a plane. I have seen people get on Ryan Air flights wearing full face helmets to get round the one piece of hand luggage thing if Easy Jet have the same policy.

IME hit and miss depends on the check out person. Last time I went had some stroppy cow at check out trying to make everyones life a misery.

You should be OK most times but it’s against their TCs so you have to factor in the possibility of getting stung for excess baggage when they decide that your bike bag doesn’t any longer have exemption from the normal excess baggage rules

you should be ok though 🙂

If in doubt tie / strap in on to the bike and may be a t-shirt wraped over the top to disguise it as “packing!

Keep it under the weight limit and be polite. Normally works for me. Also, have a light bag as well. They use a bit of common sense they. Plus, if rumbled, you can move stuff across to your hold luggage.

32kg weight limit. you’ll get away with anything sio long as they don’t decide that you’re the one in ten for inspection at the oversized luggage section.

I got 2000 cigs in mine on the way back from Tenerife.

We went in July and they was very very keen on the bike bag being below the 32kg max baggage limit, both at Liverpool and Geneva, they wasn’t bothered when we started moving bike spares, camelback etc between bags to even out the weights. Didn’t see any bag inspections and we had more than 10 in our group but I am sure they must do them.

It’ll be my road bike so weight wont be a problem. Its only a short trip so trying to avoid checking a hold bag. Have to see how much I can get in my hand luggage.

Dont put oil/fluids in there. Its the only thing I’ve ever heard of being a problem.

32kg max baggage limit

That’s an absolute limit – health and safety innit. Best to be on the safe side a bit too, Easyjet’s kilos aren’t as big as everyone elses.

Didn’t see any bag inspections

Most excess gauge desks x-ray bags, but they’re not going to grumble if easyjet have stickered it and it’s not full of illicit substances.

I use a bike box – they’re too much of a faff to open up for inspection.

Oh and don’t try taking torx drivers in your hand luggage (I had to dismantle my multitool at security and send the offending bits home in the post) Pedals and shock springs are fine though apparently.

At Luton the xray guy enforced the 2 co2 canister rule and had a can of gt50 extracted from each of 2 bags in our party.
My bag came to 26kg with shoes, camelbak, tools, spares Body armour and a few items of ride wear too.

Xray guys job is security and doesn’t care what you’ve paid for.
Easyjets job is to shift the “paid for” materials which is why you pay for weight – easyjet have no right afaik to open your bag and search it.

At Bristol airport when I’ve flown with a bike the checkout person just tells you to take it to the large bag place where it gets x-rayed. last time I went I had tools, oil, stans sealant, pump, helmet, shoes and pads in there and nothing was mentioned. As others have posted though it’s probably prudent to assume you might need to move stuff so don’t over-stuff the rest of your bags.
Not sure about Easyjet’s right to search your bag but they don’t have an obligation to fly you either so I wouldn’t be too obstructive :p

I took my helmet onto the plane. Check in checked and confirmed its a ‘hat’ or can be worn as one. No way I’d put it into a bike bag.

The check in staff may not have the legal right to search your bike bag but they can certainly ask you to open it to confirm it just contains a bike in order to comply with their T&Cs
you could off course refuse, in which case they may well refuse to take it believing that it doesn’t contain a bicycle

being awkward with the checkin staff is not usually a smart move unless you are absolutely certain that you comply to the letter with the T&Cs

I’ve flown with them twice this year with the road bike and no problems.

Both times I’d packed a lot of other stuff in with it, helmet and shoes both times plus a lot of dirty clothes on the way home. Both times had CO2 canisters and at least once GT85 and lube.

Last time I used a hard case, with that, the bike and the extra gear in it weighed in at 27kg, other bag was over 5 but not much. No problems.

Only thing that really had me worried was carrying SIS energy powder in a water bottle, white powder hidden in a water bottle could very easily have caused a search but thankfully didn’t as it was pretty tight getting the case to shut with the wheels in there.

I’d have thought it’s up to Servisair or whoever handles the baggage, rather than the airline. When you hand it in at oversize baggage for checking I doubt if the operator considers which airline you’re using.

Just get the weight within limits for the scales at the check-in desk.

In 2007 every bike bag on our flight back from Geneva was opened, all the guys that had put any thing else had to remove it, their luggage had already been checked in, they were given bin liners and charged excess baggage on what was removed.

never had an issue but seen people being busted for being overweight. always take my helmet strapped to my hand luggage too

forgot to add i always insist they put the bike bag on first, that way if there is a problem you can put parts/stuff in you hold luggage

You need one of these

No really! – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rufus-Roo-POCKET-Travel-Jacket/dp/B0050IOEOK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317199048&sr=8-1

I want to see other passengers faces when you walk on board with a full face helmet on.

I just packed 20kg’s of stuff, then took about a 3rd of it out as packageing for the bike (mainly armour, couple of hoodies etc), that way I could have just put it all back in the first bag.

Even including tools, spares etc I struggled to get upto 20kg so packed about 3kg of cereal bars, energy drinks etc!

I usually put my bike(!), shoes, tools (just pedal spanner and allen keys usually) and my on bike stuff (pump, tubes, multitool) in my bike bag – never had a problem with EasyJet and I’ve flown my bike with them quite a lot.

I always carry my helmet in the plane with me – just strap it onto my hand luggage. I don’t want it getting knocked around really…

Its only a short trip so trying to avoid checking a hold bag.

I have always checked in a hold bag as well as my bike bag, not sure if a lack of a hold bag may prompt a search and excess baggage.

Anyone flown with Monarch and taken a bike? I’m off to Spain with them next month and i’m wondering how far i can push things?

i’ve taken my bike with monarch. if i remember i had to pay for the bike at both inbound and outbound airports. paid in the uk but in true spanish style, they couldn’t be arsed in fuerteventura so i got in on the plane free of charge.

iirc, they were pretty relaxed about it. as long as you don’t exceed max weight you’ll be ok.

I’ve pre-paid for the bike both ways and their weight limit is a paltry 20kg 🙁 The bike is 15Kg!
Mind you, i’ve also paid for a 20kg hold luggage so i’ll stick all my bits and bobs in the suitcase 🙂

Never had a problem with either EasyJet or Ryanair in spite of packing the bag with clothes, helmet, tools etc. CO2 is about the only thing they’ve ever questioned at x-ray but even then they were OK about it once they saw the canisters.

Get to check in early, be polite and have a copy of the T’s & C’s with you in case they argue anything.