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flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options)
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Did a quick search and found nothing recent.

Do most airlines still hammer with a fee? $50? $100? any way around it? any companies not charge?
I've got a hardshell bike box, been years since I flew anywhere and took a bike.

Have friends (non-exercisers) in Orlando/Clermont, want to head down there in the next couple months.
Probably need to do a sep post on where to run/ride/swim there, esp what's the deal with the training center in Clermont, does a USAT membership get me anything there?

Back to the bike on a plane thing...
thanks


The Ride of Truth - OWN your ride.
Last edited by: Spinmeister: Jan 3, 11 16:20
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? [Spinmeister] [ In reply to ]
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Do most airlines still hammer with a fee? $50? $100?

You'll be doing well to get under $100. It's carrier dependent. Delta and United were charging $175 - $200 each way at one point - leading to the ridiculous situation, depending on where you are flying to, of your bike costing more, then for you, and you get to seat in a seat on the plane!!!

Check the small print with whoever you are going to book your travel with, on the "Bikes" section of their luggage information and get ALL the information ahead of time, before you book/pay for any tickets.

Do not support in any way your travel business, airlines that have insane bike fees. It continues to perpetuate the foolishness of it all. Do support those airline that have reasonable bike travels fees. I would say that a fee in the $50 range is reasonable. I get it that it might be a bit more work to handle a bike, so $50 seems reasonable to me, but $175 - no, that's crazy and a rip-off.





Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
Last edited by: Fleck: Jan 3, 11 16:15
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? [Fleck] [ In reply to ]
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$175 - ouch.

I could hold my nose and do $75 each way if the fare was cheap otherwise.

Might be time to check out shipping the bike separately or even bike rental, something I've never done.


The Ride of Truth - OWN your ride.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Spinmeister] [ In reply to ]
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Southwest, if they have your route. It should be free. I just flew to SLC with skis, boots, a friend'd suitcase and a carry on: no charge. That made me happy!
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Spinmeister] [ In reply to ]
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yes, very carrier dependant. worth also checking to see if there are extra charges if your bike is overweight (i think this is usually set at 50lbs). then weight your bike at home and make sure it's 50 or under. sometimes even a pound or two and they'll charge you the extra fee.

i was with a girlfriend who was charged something around $300 on united for the bike plus the overweight charge.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [bluepoint] [ In reply to ]
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bluepoint raises an excellent point - weight. if the entire box is over 50 lbs, not only will you get slapped with the bike fee, but an overweight fee as well. I have seen people frantically pulling shoes, helmets, whatever out of their bike boxes at the airport to get under 50 lbs.

I am Global Services w/ United and even at that level, I would still get slapped with $175 each way. Freakin' insane.

I haven't done this in quite awhile (I tend to ship my bike ahead now), but I had a pretty foolproof way to get out of the fees - "Oh, is that a bike?" "No, it is a wheelchair." Agents get too flustered to ask another question, let alone ask why an obviously upright and mobile person would be transporting a wheelchair. But it almost always worked. Only got busted once.

Now, post 9-11, I dunno how wise it is to be lying about the contents of your luggage, but......

Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Frenchman] [ In reply to ]
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Frenchman wrote:
Southwest, if they have your route. It should be free. I just flew to SLC with skis, boots, a friend'd suitcase and a carry on: no charge. That made me happy!

Southwest is $50 each way.

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Spinmeister] [ In reply to ]
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2 summers ago I found Fed Ex to be the cheapest way to go from Los Angeles to WI. About $65 each way.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Spinmeister] [ In reply to ]
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Here's an option...




Brian Grasky
Grasky Endurance: World Championship Triathlon Coaching; Professional Training Camps
RETUL fitter, Biomechanist, USAT Level 3 Coach, USAC Level 2 Coach
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [seebritri] [ In reply to ]
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I like your style!
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [waupaca11] [ In reply to ]
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Looks like United is down to $100.

http://www.united.com/...cle/1,,53403,00.html
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Spinmeister] [ In reply to ]
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I was in that area 2 years ago, and rented a decent quality road bike (Orbea I think) from a shop in Clermont

It cost less than flying with mine and more importantly I didn't have to hassle with making sure the rental car would hold the bike case, packing & unpacking the bike, etc. I just brought my own pedals, computer, and an extra stem (rentals tend to have ridiculously short stems).

Not sure if you need a tri-bike specifically. They might rent those too. I don't recall the shop name off-hand but could look.

Not as nice as "your own" bike, but just being in nice weather, I didn't care. There are some nice routes in that area ... even with some hills (not highway overpasses!) I did a number of different 60-90 mile rides on roads without too much traffic. The shop was very helpful in pointing out some routes.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Spinmeister] [ In reply to ]
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Jetblue and Southwest are pretty good options at $50/bike/flight. Always check the airline's policies on bike box size and weight before you fly, and print it out in case the agent tells you something different.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [GMAN 19030] [ In reply to ]
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GMAN 19030 wrote:
Southwest is $50 each way.

Is it? I checked before posting, did you check for something I haven't seen? This is what the sports equipment section of their travel policy says:

Southwest airlines wrote:
Non-motorized Bicycles, including Bike Friday and Co-Pilot, will be accepted in substitution of a free piece of checked baggage at no additional charge provided the bicycle is properly packaged and the box containing the bicycle fits within the 62-inch sizing limit and weighs 50 lbs or less . (Maximum weight is 50 pounds and maximum size is 62 inches (length + width + height) per checked piece of luggage). The handlebars, kickstand, and pedals must be removed and placed inside the box. A $50.00 each-way charge applies to bicycles that don’t meet the above criteria. Bicycles packaged in a cardboard box or soft-sided case will be transported as a conditionally accepted item.

I read "accepted in substitution of a free piece of checked baggage at no additional charge" as no charge. Someone (can't remember the name right now, look for travel case threads here) makes 2 bags which each are under the linear 62 inches limit for bike and wheels. So, check those two and have a carry-on: free.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [aaq] [ In reply to ]
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aaq wrote:
Looks like United is down to $100.

http://www.united.com/...cle/1,,53403,00.html

I paid $100 on United in September.

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? [Fleck] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
You'll be doing well to get under $100. It's carrier dependent. Delta and United were charging $175 - $200 each way at one point - leading to the ridiculous situation, depending on where you are flying to, of your bike costing more, then for you, and you get to seat in a seat on the plane!!!
Check the small print with whoever you are going to book your travel with, on the "Bikes" section of their luggage information and get ALL the information ahead of time, before you book/pay for any tickets.

Do not support in any way your travel business, airlines that have insane bike fees. It continues to perpetuate the foolishness of it all. Do support those airline that have reasonable bike travels fees. I would say that a fee in the $50 range is reasonable. I get it that it might be a bit more work to handle a bike, so $50 seems reasonable to me, but $175 - no, that's crazy and a rip-off.


I agree 100% with your post Steve. Charging $175 to travel with a bike is highway robbery. We need to speak with our wallets on this one.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? [MAnton] [ In reply to ]
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I have flown London Heathrow to LAX via either MSP or DTW and have NEVER been charged by Delta for the 4 or 5 times I have done it (3 times in 2010). Until flying back and checking in at LAX last week, some miserable check in lady charged me $200. It's not like a) my bike weighs a lot in fact it's well under the weight limit and b) I only had a duffel as my other checked bag, which was also well under the weight limit. I feel a strongly worded letter to Delta coming on. Delta recently put it up as it was meant to be $100 one way reduced if you were Silver/Gold/Plat etc. (I checked when I first flew my bike out). As a silver elite traveler I got no discount. It annoys me as the handlers at Heathrow if you have a 2 checked bag allowance and only check ONE and it's overweight let it slide on the fact it's only one bag.
They also now put 'bike' on the printed luggage label so everyone who sees it knows it's a bike and now even more prone to being pinched.
I now have to pay to have the privalidge of enjoying all my sports (surfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding, tri) in another country - this has also stopped me doing other competitions in other countries this season - I've now limited to within driving/boat distance. The airlines need to be lobbied to change this charge. I don't understand what paying $200 gets me - they still chuck my bike around.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Spinmeister] [ In reply to ]
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Good news on Southwest, as I'll fly them twice this year while transporting my bike.

Alaska, JetBlue, Frontier, and AirTran all charge $50 each way. Frontier has its hub at Denver, my home airport, so that and Southwest dominate my choices. Any carrier charging more than $50 each way can go piss up a rope.

Also, it's all in the question you're asked. The people at Denver invariably ask, "Is that a bike?" I'm a terrible liar so I'm going to be honest every time. Even if I'm lucky enough to get asked "What's in the box?" I'll still probably tell the truth.

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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? [Lady Venom] [ In reply to ]
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I realize that every airline has it's horror stories told by passengers but day in day out Southwest is my first choice of airlines.

It's like they are one of the last sane big companies in America.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? [Rufus T.] [ In reply to ]
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If you had to pay those ridiculous fees as GS at UA you should just become exec plat on AA instead...
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? [Rufus T.] [ In reply to ]
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Rufus T. wrote:
I realize that every airline has it's horror stories told by passengers but day in day out Southwest is my first choice of airlines.

It's like they are one of the last sane big companies in America.

As an employee of Southwest I appreciate that. Thanks for your business. Yes $50 bucks each way but your first and second checked in bags fly freeee!

Hans Bielat
TorHans LLC Co-Founder, Owner, Chief Innovation Officer
http://www.torhans.com
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Frenchman] [ In reply to ]
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Southwest airlines wrote:
Non-motorized Bicycles, including Bike Friday and Co-Pilot, will be accepted in substitution of a free piece of checked baggage at no additional charge provided the bicycle is properly packaged and the box containing the bicycle fits within the 62-inch sizing limit and weighs 50 lbs or less .


You might not have read that too closely. Unless you are using a folding bike, you won't get below 62 inches total for your bike box.
A "regular" bike box is around 54 x 28 x 8. Well past the 62 inch limit.

That said, southwest fees for bikes are reasonable.
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Kevin in MD] [ In reply to ]
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Kevin in MD wrote:


Southwest airlines wrote:
Non-motorized Bicycles, including Bike Friday and Co-Pilot, will be accepted in substitution of a free piece of checked baggage at no additional charge provided the bicycle is properly packaged and the box containing the bicycle fits within the 62-inch sizing limit and weighs 50 lbs or less .


You might not have read that too closely. Unless you are using a folding bike, you won't get below 62 inches total for your bike box.
A "regular" bike box is around 54 x 28 x 8. Well past the 62 inch limit.

That said, southwest fees for bikes are reasonable.

Yeah, no way anyone is fitting a "normal" road or tri bike in anything 62".

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? (or other options) [Kevin in MD] [ In reply to ]
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Kevin you may not have read my post too closely either. A bike will not fit in one 62 linear inches bag but should fit in two of them and someone is selling bag just for that purpose.

We all agree that worst case $50 is better than $100!
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Re: flying with a bike - what's the latest? [letterofmarque] [ In reply to ]
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Nope....even out of Chicago, United has the better routes for me....especially going to Asia.

Overall, I get excellent service as a GS at United. But there are some policies which just make me shale my head.

When I travel and need my bike, however, I just ship ahead. Cost aside, those trips inevitably include my family and trying to get 5 people, luggage and a bike into a rental car ain't worth it.

Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams
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