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Bikes on Planes !!
 

[Closed] Bikes on Planes !!

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[#2871456]

Not took a bike on a plane for about 15 years
Thinking about taking it with me to Tenerife

Any idea what airline would be worth looking at

Cheers

Andy


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 1:21 am
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Easyjet were the cheapest compared to many I looked at this year. (jet2, swiss,baby BMI etc)

max bike weight of 32kg, max allowance without £££ of 50kg. £18 each way i think.

They'll ask you if your tyres have been let down. Ask them if the captain does that to his tyres when he gets the plan in the air, they won't like it.


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 6:50 am
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Just done this for Lanzarote used Monarch £18.75 each way upto 20kilo thereafter surcharge about £10 per Kilo although chap in front of me got away for free with 26 kilo.

Don't do as some did and put CO2 canisters in the bike bag or anywhere else it won't be allowed on the plane.


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 7:39 am
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Any idea what airline would be worth looking at

I guess that depends where you're flying from


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 7:44 am
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Most airlines take them, price varies considerably. Could probably get them on free with BA. Swiss air wanted about £120 each way.....!

Worth noting most travel insurance policies will only cover upto about £250 for a single item of baggage, so your bikes need to be insured by other means, assuming they're worth more than that. Home contents etc.


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 7:56 am
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Just took mine to Nice and back on Easyjet. Would recommend a hard or tough wheel bag of some sort as one of my spokes broke. Fortunately on the rear wheel of the winter bike, not the front wheel I took from the good bike!

I let the tyres down just in case but never got asked. Also took a few CO2 cannisters without any problems. Did have a think about it before packing them but they can't be there must be plenty of pressurised air cannisters travel on planes all the time? They must get delivered via the air anyway so figured it was pretty safe.


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 8:18 am
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I think American airlines only take bikes at certain times of the year. I think September - March is ok but outside this they don't take them.

I have used American Airlines, easyjet, Jet2 BA and KLM and they were all fine


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 9:08 am
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Taking mine on Easyjet to the Alps later this year - about £40 return. The company I'm biking with said that so far they have not had any damage in transit to bikes with Easyjet. Have saved some threads on bike packing if these are any use to you:

[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bike-bags-and-easyjet ]bikes and Easyjet[/url]

[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/packing-bike-in-a-bag-for-a-flight-tips-please ]bike packing[/url]


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 10:39 am
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They usually ask you to let the tyres down simple because it makes the bike less likely to roll around which helps the baggage handlers.


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 10:51 am
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I've heard of snakes on 'planes but bikes? 😯

What a preposterous idea....


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 11:00 am
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Cheers boys n girls
I live in South Yorkshire but will fly from any airport that will take me !!


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 4:20 pm
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Wife, step-son and I took our bikes to Canada recently. We flew from Gatwick with Canadian Affair using Thomas Cook. Young lady at check in was a miserable cow who didn't know how to book the bikes in and the guy in oversized baggage in Gatwick was a complete knob. We were also asked to deflate the tyres. Totally different story coming back, couldn't have been easier. Cost us £20.00 per bike each way. My wife was even charged at Gatwick for paying by debit card!


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 4:54 pm
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so far they have not had any damage in transit to bikes with Easyjet

Easyjet never touch your bike, it's the baggage handlers that do all that so they should be pretty much the same for all airlines at a specific airport


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 4:57 pm
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Monarch seemed to be the cheapest when I went out to Tenerife (flew from Gatwick) although the initial price you see on the web page progressively increases as everything from taking your bike on board to breathing oxygen seems to be an extra. I just used a standard DHB bike bag and bought a large roll of bubble wrap and cocooned the frame and bars (removed and set horizontally with the forks.


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 5:05 pm
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just back from les Gets via geneva with easyjet as a first time bike flyer have to say things could not have been easier £25 per trip no issues or dammage


 
Posted : 21/06/2011 5:07 pm