So it’s time to start finding flights to Europe for IM France and I was hoping to get some advice on how to get my bike there on the cheap. I’ve checked fedex and for $250 each way, I’ve ruled it out. Is the best way just finding a small case, checking it, and hoping for the best?
What are some good/cheap airlines?
What have others out there done?
For Europe, I’ve found it’s generally much cheaper to carry. Every airline has a different fee structure, but a lot of the European ones still have reasonable carry rates. British Air and Virgin, I know, still will count a reasonably weighted bike case as one of your checked bags. Forget about the American ones, so far as I can tell.
Good luck.
US ones are expensive as someone said. Other airlines might work depending on your route, Air Canada isn’t too expensive. Air India’s free.
Yeah, its gonna be expensive anyway you do it. I went with Northwest/Lufthansa last summer. It was $150 on the way to Europe, and 150 Euros on the way back. Its not cheap, but its cheaper than FedEx, and you get the added security of actually traveling with your bike.
If you are going to fly inter-Europe flights, you have to get a soft shell case. They charge solely by weight, and they charge A LOT for a hard case. I have paid some ridiculous fees (upt to 175 euros) for one hour flights from Portugal to Switzerland or Switzerland to France. Up to last year, I was still getting bikes free on international flights. Most times, if you just argue that it is “Free on international flights” they will agree and let it on. I would just fly with it, and take your chances, odds are you will probably get it cheaper one way than the other.
Soft shell is the way to go in Europe, they will handle it better than the US.
I did Ironman Germany last summer and flew direct to Frankfurt from Houston using Lufthansa Airlines. I checked the website and it stated that bike fly free as a checked piece of luggage. I sent and e-mail to Lufthansa and specifically asked about the Houston to Frankfurt flight and the return trip. They replied that it would be accepted as checked luggage at no additional charge. I printed that reponse and on the way there had no problems, other than them losing my bike ( http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1866784;search_string=hugh%20blake;#1866784 )which was a very big problem. On the way back, they tried to charge for the bike, but when I handed that response to them, they waived the fee.
Maybe someday I will get around to writing a race report w/pictures about that…
Hugh Blake
I am going to Nice as well and chose Air France. It will cost me $150.00 from Toronto to Nice and 150.00 Euros from Nice to Toronto.
Air Canada was cheaper, just $50.00 each way, but they only cover from Toronto to Paris. The Paris-Nice flight would be done via another carrier, and they would charge me another 150.00 Euros.
So just be careful with connections where you end up flying with another carrier.
Btw, did you find a bike shop in Nice yet?
Cheers!
If you go to Nice, just go to Cordier Cycles Sport. It’s not in Nice exactly, it’s in Cagnes sur Mer (not far from the airport, where the turnaround of the run was on the long distance, original tri). 3, Boulevard Plage,
Tel: 04 93 20 61 69
Cordier won’t have time to fix bikes, he’ll be too busy organizing the race and making sure everything’s ready 
.
It’s not like he’s the only one working in the store…as far as I know, his brother does the fixing.
I’ve fly to France every July. I use a hard shell case and have been charged only once. It was over weight in Paris once and cost me 50 Euro. The ticket agent just smiles and takes my bike. If your nice they usually are too. Bike and suitcase have made it every time, last year where my suitcase missed a connection in Chicago. They brought it to the hotel in Toulouse that night. United/Lufthansa was what we have been flying the last few years but always choose the cheapest flight.
Hope this helps
If you find a cheap flight ticket to Paris, go for it … and from Paris to Nice, you can go with the TGV, it’s a high velocity train. It’s quite cheap if you book it on internet. Even sometimes, they have promotions with ridiculous rates.
http://www.raileurope.com/index.html
With the train, you can transport your hard shell box without any extra fees.
If you go to Nice, just go to Cordier Cycles Sport. It’s not in Nice exactly, it’s in Cagnes sur Mer (not far from the airport, where the turnaround of the run was on the long distance, original tri). 3, Boulevard Plage,
Tel: 04 93 20 61 69
Thank you!!!
I’ve found some good prices with Aer lingus (LA to NY to Dublin to Toulouse) for $420 total. The best part is that on transatlantic flights, sporting equipment (i.e. bikes) is considered under the normal free baggage allowance…