Ah, that makes sense, thanks! Fingers crossed though.

I flew Atlanta to Ireland on Delta with my titanium road bike with S&S couplers. 26x26x10 inch case. Flew as my checked baggage. One way was free and I think I paid $25 coming back. Unsure why, but I was in a hurry and didn't bother to ask.

It is usually well underweight. I avoid cramming a bunch of stuff in it, because TSA usually opens it and never packs it back correctly. I don't want them popping a spoke because they are sitting on it trying to shut it.

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

Alaska airline hasn't charged for bikes for a couple of years now. They are expanding their routes considerably, so worth looking into. The also have many flights to HI.

here is american:

Standard checked bag fees of your destination apply up to 50 lbs / 23 kgs and 126 in / 320 cm (length + width + height) or $150 fee applies from 51 lbs / 23 kgs to 70 lbs / 32 kgs.

i don't see how delta has really changed anything of substance as regards bikes, unless i misunderstand. on american, you're gold with your bike, as long as you keep it under 50lb.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

So you will impersonate a person who needs a wheelchair or needs to transport one to save a few hundred buck?. That is reprehensible.

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

It’s really confusing it took me a good 20 minutes. But I believe how it works is the bike is it’s own item under the two bag rule so you have your suitcase and your bike. Since it is oversize sporting equipment you go to the sporting equipment section. This changes the size piece to a normal bike box. So you just pay the regular check bag fee.

It’s the only thing that makes sense because if you look at the sizes on the regular bag page you could never actually ship a bike with delta if you go off those limits.

I hope Delta is matching American as I think that is their intention but does not seem to say that. Interesting United site is now showing the $150 flat bike fee is back so will need to call them back as they overcharged me. So confusing.

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I miss you "Sports Night"

Now that I have another screen in front of me I have real numbers.

So when you go to the standard check bag allowance page it gives you the cost up to two bags. Now those two bags cannot exceed 62 inches. Which means like one bike box fits maybe.

So then I clicked on the baggage fee and details rules. Then onto the overweight and oversized bags. When you go to oversized it says bags larger than 80 inches aren’t allowed. Well that obviously can’t be the right section either because only one or two bike boxes fit. No one could ever fly on delta if that was the case so oversize isn’t the right section to use.

Then you click on specialty items, then sports equipment. For all sports equipment at the top of that section it says you now get up to 115 inches. So this is the correct section at least. And it says normal bag fees apply.

For the bike section it says “standard baggage allowance and fees”. You still have to be under 50lbs to not get an overweight fee. But it really does look like the bike fee is gone. There is other section you could actually cover a bike under besides the bike section.

that's what i thought it said at first read. but if you look at it closely, what's more likely is that you can't take the bag on at all of it exceeds 115". not that it goes as regular baggage under 115".

i think it's likely that they've matched american. however, at the ticket counter the agent is simply going to look up the rules and read them. what is that agent likely to interpret? in any case, we're researching it now.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I don’t think so because there isn’t a fee for oversized bags over 80 inches. So you would have to go off the sporting goods section as it’s the only way to get something on the plane up to 115.

But yes I agree on the second point, if I can’t figure it out easily the person at the counter is going to have a rough time unless they see a bunch of bikes

We just checked in with two bikes for an international Delta flight. The ticket agent said she was just told today to stop charging an oversized fee for bikes as a second piece of checked luggage. The overweight fees still apply if the weight is greater then 50 pounds for an international flight if you have two checked bags, or so she said. We purchased our airline tickets in February. One bike box was over fifty pounds but we didn’t get charged the overweight fee since we each only had one bag to check. We only checked the bikes and carried on everything else.

In sum, we (two passengers) just checked two bikes and no other luggage on an international Delta flight and paid nothing even though one of the bike boxes weighed over 50 pounds. It was my understanding that we would’ve had to have paid an overweight fee if we had two other checked bags, but no oversized fees.

I don't advocate this, but sometimes you need to do what is expedient. Last month, a United Airlines contractor asked me what was inside my S&S suitcase, and despite my inner voice, I said it was a bike. The guy tells me to take it to oversize luggage drop. I say it's not oversize, he says if it is a bike it must be. I argue, finally asking for his supervisor, who asks him "well, is it oversize?". Five minutes lost in a stressful situation, where "trade samples" or something would have been expedient.

Hello trimule and All,

Thanks for the heads up .....

https://www.delta.com/...p/special-items.html

Excerpt:

Bicycles
Bicycles, non-motorized touring or single seat racing, are allowed as checked baggage on most flights, with the exception of certain Delta Connection® carriers.

• Standard baggage allowance and fees based on cabin and travel region apply
• Bicycles weighing over 50 lbs. will be charged the applicable excess weight fee
• If the outside linear dimensions (length + width + height) exceed 115 linear inches (292 cm) or exceeds 100 lbs, the item will not be accepted
• Items in excess of baggage allowance will be subject to additional or overweight baggage fees
• A limited liability release form must be signed by the passenger in the case that the bike is not properly packed
• If the bicycle is packaged in a hard shell case specifically designed for transporting bicycles, then a limited release form is not required
• If the bicycle is packaged in a soft sided travel bag or anything other than a hard shell case, a limited release form will need to be signed

Delta is not responsible for damage noted at the time of check in or damage due to over packing the bag.

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Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

Yep, looks like I was wrong on this. Delta and American seem to not worry about oversize for bikes in cases just the weight. So no $150 charge just whatever normal bag fees would be if applicable. United seems to be back to the $150 fee.

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I miss you "Sports Night"

Whether any companies follow Delta and AA depends on sales. If all the sudden 95% of sport related commercial travel goes to two airlines other companies will follow suit and try to one up each other. If everyone ships their equipment and flies whatever other companies won’t follow suit.

Bottom line you direct companies and vote with your dollar. I haven’t flown in a while, but likely flying next year. I’ll still go with the absolute cheapest price after what will be a frustrating amount of research and a bunch of excel spreadsheets looking to save as much as possible.

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

Exactly what I copy/pasted in post #6

Hello jaretj and All,


jaretj writes: "Exactly what I copy/pasted in post #6"

Yes ..... quite so ........ My imitation is the sincerest form of flattery .... (except my copy has hot link URL's)



and ........





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNel8RwSLyE

"Who made me the genius I am today, The mathematician that others all quote, Who's the professor that made me that way? The greatest that ever got chalk on his coat. One man deserves the credit, One man deserves the blame, And nicolai ivanovich lobachevsky is his name. Hi! Nicolai ivanovich lobach- I am never forget the day I first meet the great lobachevsky. In one word he told me secret of success in mathematics: Plagiarize! Plagiarize, Let no one else's work evade your eyes, ................ "

(Notice of bias regarding Delta Airlines continued success .... I have a vested interest)

Fly Delta "Keep Climbing"

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Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

:)

Just as an FYI to those interested... I just traveled to Europe on business and did 3 races in 3 countries in 3 weeks: France, Finland and Germany. I had to travel on several airlines and take the train in several places and didn't want to drag my standard bike case and pay the bike fees on each one of the 5 flights I took.

I found a backpack bike case online called Orucase Sub 62 (size small) that was perfect for my Cervelo P2 (size small). Not only I had a free hand to pull my carry-on bag, I was never charged a bike fee on any flight. The bag was within the weight and size dimensions of a "regular" suitcase. The bag did required me to remove the fork but it wasn't a big deal... worth the extra effort. For larger frames, I think that the medium or large backpack would be needed.

I had a problem with one of the zipper pulls and one latch. I contacted the manufacturer and 2 days later, I had a new bag delivered to my front porch with a free return label to send the one I had back. Incredible.

just to add our experience this past weekend, flew to USAT Nationals in Cleveland on Delta. We get free checked bags due to having a Delta AmEx Platinum card.
For this trip I was using a soft case, a Bike Pro case I bought 25 years ago (and still going strong).
Agent tried to charge me $150 for the bike and I already had the page up on my phone that said the bike goes as a checked bag if under 50lbs and 115". He told me that was only for tickets purchased after July 17th which my ticket was purchased before that date. I showed him the page and there was no date restriction on the page and nicely requested to speak to a supervisor. Supervisor came out and immediately told him as long as it was under the weight/size it goes as a checked bag. So he pulled out a tape measure and it measured 95" and was 49lbs so it went free.

On the return, same thing happened, requested a supervisor. This time I showed the supervisor in Cleveland the page and he looked it over completely and said I was right, if there was no date on the page online, they couldn't charge me so again it flew free.

Love this new policy since I fly Delta 90% of the time.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

I recently travelled with a lacrosse stick (Defense so a long pole). It was in a PVC pipe and weighed about 7lbs but it was roughly 6 feet long. They wanted to charge me $50 each way on Delta. The damn pole itself costs $100. I managed to talk them out of the charge each way.

I'm with you... I fly Delta almost 100% of the time (points baby!!).

Anyway, I was unaware of this AWESOME change and flew to Michigan late July. I was charged the $150 at LAX which I simply expected but when leaving Michigan, I wasn't charged. They simply weighed the box (Scicon Aerocomfort X?) and zero charge since I get free luggage with status. I thought she f*cked up but I'm guessing she actually knew the new rules... so kickass!

Whatever the reasoning, I'm mentioning this because as stated above, STAND YOUR GROUND and ask for a manager if they want to charge you. They simply might not know the rules yet.

Hello BrentwoodTriGuy and All,

Delta Air Lines began as a crop dusting operation called Huff Daland Dusters, Incorporated. The company was founded on May 30, 1924, in Macon, Georgia, and moved to Monroe, Louisiana, in 1925. They flew a Huff-Daland Duster, the first true crop duster, designed to combat the boll weevil infestation of cotton crops.

On April 15, 2008, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines announced a merger agreement. The merger of the two carriers formed what was then the largest commercial airline in the world, with 786 aircraft.


Go Delta!

'Keep Climbing'

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Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

I'm on American for IMWI and already have TBT booked but am considering getting a refund now that AA doesn't charge a bike fee. I'd go with a Scicon Aerocomfort Tri bag. AA's limits for bikes are 50lbs and 126 linear inches. Anyone know if the Scicon Tri bag fits under that 126" limit? I assume it's about the largest bike bag available since you don't have to remove your aerobars or seat.

Here are the dimensions from their web site. Looks like it’ll be under the limit.

129 x 98 x 45 cm