Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!!

Jun 15, 08 18:30

Post #1 of 56 (8762 views)

OK, guys, enough whining about paying airlines. I guess most of you think that the baggage handlers are made like the Incredible Hulk and have no issue loading and unloading the 70+ lb oversized bike case. Frankly, I fully understand why the airlines charge. They need revenue from somewhere (they are not a a charity and gas prices are a mile high) and the baggage guy/union have issues with oversized....so triathletes take it on the chin when we pack the Scherman tank hardshell case and then stuff it with our 15 lb carbon bike, the kitchen sink and half of Home Depot.

So rather than complaining about the airlines, let's make things easier for everyone...ourselves, the airline and ticket agent...and guess what...if you keep this case ~ 40 lbs (very possible), and be really really really nice to ticket agent, over 90% of the time you will not pay to transport your bike even though it is marginally oversized:

http://www.akonabiospeed.com/travel_case.html

Good luck to everyone in your travels...and do remember that the ticket agent is your best friend. Treat the agent like you would your wife or girlfriend and good things will happen :-)

Last edited by: devashish_paul: Jun 15, 08 18:32

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 18:54

Post #2 of 56 (8634 views)

I have no problem with my trico case. Thank god for the idiots stuffing their cases. Mine looks feather weight after weighting 2-3 of those 60-70lbs cases full of crap.

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 19:06

Post #3 of 56 (8566 views)

In Reply To:

Treat the agent like you would your wife or girlfriend and good things will happen :-)[/quote] Until your wife or girlfriend finds out you shagged the ticket chick/dude to get special treatment.

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 19:09

Post #4 of 56 (8551 views)

Yep, that would do it. My bike case is about 30 lbs. The case you showed is 10.
Guess 40 is possible.

Thanks for the link

Dave

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [desert dude] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 19:13

Post #5 of 56 (8528 views)

Well, if you check in at Lufthansa in Munich, your girlfriend would have a lot of competition with the ticket agent...at this point, being with the same woman for 17 years, I know what is good for me and being super nice to the agent does have its limits, and as a wise man once said, "never put yourself into any situation whether there are witnesses or not, that you might one day have to explain your way out of....". :-)

Now DD, if you can come up with the ST guide to shagging the ticket girl, then you truly are the master. While I have heard of the mile high club, doing it behind the closed doors of the aircraft washroom, doing it with the ticket agent in front of a lineup of angry tri geeks trying to get their $200 oversized charge waived, would be take Zen like mastery.

Even this is beyond an DD capability. We need Paulo back to give a "non explanation" :-) on how to achieve this :-)

Dev

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 19:15

Post #6 of 56 (8519 views)

In Reply To:

Even this is beyond an DD capability.[/quote] Well beyond.

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 19:18

Post #7 of 56 (8499 views)

Titanflex Case. 35"x 26"x 10.5" - 9990 gms empty.

"100% of the people who confuse correlation and causation end up dying."

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 19:29

Post #8 of 56 (8455 views)

What happens when the case is packed flat with ten cases on top of it?

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 19:36

Post #9 of 56 (8413 views)

This is nice if you use a 52cm frame. Explain to me how I get a 61 cm. frame to fit into one of those things.

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [alexZA] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 19:44

Post #10 of 56 (8361 views)

It is ALWAYS at the top of the other 10 bike cases. You can't pile 10 hardshells on top of a softshell, without the entire pile falling over! I've travelled more miles with my bike over 20 years in a hardshell then most people will fly in a lifetime, and I have never had the bike damaged by the airlilne. The only damage to my bikes are from my own stupidity while actually riding or when the bike has been on top of a rack driving into a garage, but at least in that case the only thing that was wrecked was a seat cause I realized what I was doing "just in time"!

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [MOP_Mike] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 20:00

Post #11 of 56 (8296 views)

Yeah, but then you have to ride a titanflex, and that doesn't help anyone. :p

-------------------------------
Ignorance is bliss until they take your bliss away.

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 20:06

Post #12 of 56 (8267 views)

How many of those bikes in the last 20 years were carbon fiber?

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [bigred3] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 20:10

Post #13 of 56 (8247 views)

18 years riding and travelling with Carbon Fiber bikes...my first was a Kestrel4000, second was a Kestrel 200, third was a Kestrel 200....and so on. up to the current Kuota Kalibur

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [desert dude] [ In reply to ]

allkillanofilla

Jun 15, 08 20:20

Post #14 of 56 (8199 views)

In Reply To:

In Reply To:

Treat the agent like you would your wife or girlfriend and good things will happen :-)[/quote] Until your wife or girlfriend finds out you shagged the ticket chick/dude to get special treatment.

But what if the ticket agent is a dude?

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [moberballs] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 20:31

Post #15 of 56 (8160 views)

I'm still nervous...

If not bike cases, then other cases. Don't they pile up the bags in the luggage bins in the cargo hold?

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 20:45

Post #16 of 56 (8121 views)

What about when it comes down the luggage conveyor belt and then behind it comes an 80 pound footlocker that slams into your fragile bike??

___________________________________

http://irondad06.blogspot.com/

http://irondad.blogspot.com/

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [IronDad] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 20:53

Post #17 of 56 (8099 views)

In Reply To:

What about when it comes down the luggage conveyor belt and then behind it comes an 80 pound footlocker that slams into your fragile bike??

Another possible opponent will be out ;-)

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [IronDad] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 20:57

Post #18 of 56 (8086 views)

I think my favorite part is the "Extra protection is provided for rear derailleur and top tube." The "extra protection" looks like the same material the outer is made of. that is the scariest thing I've ever seen. I think I'd take my chances with the ticketing agent and having to explain to my fiance then leave my bike in that thing. At least I would still have a bike when the ordeal was over.

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 21:04

Post #19 of 56 (8058 views)

In Reply To:

Well, if you check in at Lufthansa in Munich, your girlfriend would have a lot of competition with the ticket agent...at this point, being with the same woman for 17 years, I know what is good for me and being super nice to the agent does have its limits, and as a wise man once said, "never put yourself into any situation whether there are witnesses or not, that you might one day have to explain your way out of....". :-)

Now DD, if you can come up with the ST guide to shagging the ticket girl, then you truly are the master. While I have heard of the mile high club, doing it behind the closed doors of the aircraft washroom, doing it with the ticket agent in front of a lineup of angry tri geeks trying to get their $200 oversized charge waived, would be take Zen like mastery.

Even this is beyond an DD capability. We need Paulo back to give a "non explanation" :-) on how to achieve this :-)

Dev

Can I write the guide? I am married to a flight attendant and I a might have some insight on how to get it done. BTW, European/Asian ticket counter/agents are wayyyyy hotter than those here in the US.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 21:12

Post #20 of 56 (8025 views)

At this time you'll be paying at least something no matter what with most of the US legacy carriers charging for checked bags, even the first. Having worked for the airlines in a previous life my experience has been it all depends on who is at the counter. As employee I used to get charged by my fellow co-workers at other stations. Be polite, be kind & don't kill the messenger. Far too many times stations are audited regarding their excess baggage charges. Keeping one's job or charging you the $150 means get out your credit card.

#swimmingmatters
Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
The Doctor (#12)

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 21:42

Post #21 of 56 (7951 views)

Race locally, support the RDs from your community. Both simple and cost effective. If you want to travel across the world to do an IM or 70.3 or whatever, you have no right bitching about the charges you incur for trucking your steed. For the past 4 years I've had a locals only rule. If I can't bring my dogs, I don't even bother signing up. People need to get over the herd mentality and support Tri in their local community.

Last edited by: centermiddy: Jun 15, 08 22:00

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [centermiddy] [ In reply to ]

Jun 15, 08 21:54

Post #22 of 56 (7929 views)

I don't do races that require flying. My bike frames are totally irreplaceable. They haven't been made in 12 years. No way anyone is touching my bike!!

I didn't sign up for a local race because T2 and the finish were not in the same place. They said they'd "transport" your bike to the finish. Excuse me....but no one touches my bike. It ain't being transported in a truck with 100 other bikes, getting slammed all over creation.

IF, I needed to fly my bike, I'd ship it to a bike shop and pick it up there. I did this when I moved from FL to AZ and all my bikes got here without a scratch and it costs less then $80 bucks per bike.

.
.
Paul

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 16, 08 1:37

Post #23 of 56 (7801 views)

I always go for the old bike shop cardboard box every time.My eleventh trip to Canada from Oz for the geek season started this week and my cardboard box with 29 kilos of assorted crap inside made it to Halifax without any problem and that was with five separate flights involved.One of my jobs is working ground services with a small aircraft engineering company at Cairns airport and I'll tell you from watching the baggage guys loading your stuff that if you have a bag like Devs or a box like mine they will be treated better than if it's a hard shell.I would venture a guess that the vast majority of damage is accidental and would be lessened if everyone actually took the time to wrap the bike in bubble wrap or pvc tubing.

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [pito00] [ In reply to ]

Jun 16, 08 1:50

Post #24 of 56 (7781 views)

Look closely, he can get the bike so compact not because it is a titanflex, but because he took the fork out. You could do this with a normal frame. Just a pain depending on your headset and how tight your cabling is.

Re: Stop Paying Airline Bike Case Fees NOW!!!! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Jun 16, 08 5:59

Post #25 of 56 (7470 views)

My wife is a consultant and travels every week on the airlines. Her bags get completely trashed. Handles broken, bags beat to hell. We've all seen the handlers throw luggage around with no regard. My hard shell Serfas case has scrapes and gouges all over it from only a dozen flights/races. If you want to cheap out and risk damage on your $4,000 bike plus $1,500 carbon fiber race wheels to save a couple of hunderd bucks, I say go for it.

Not my bag baby..

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