It will be my first time racing Kona this October and will be arriving at Honolulu then taking the Honolulu-Kona flight. Hawaiian Airlines baggage policy states, though, that they will not accept baggage over 80 inches in total dimensions (my bike case). For all of you who have actually gone to Kona and brought their bike cases, how strict are they with this rule? Do they relax this rule around that time? If not, what are my options to get my bike as quickly and safely to Kona from Honolulu as possible? Tri Bike Transport is not an option as I will not be coming from the USA.
If you are in Honolulu for a day or so and want to ride. Put your bike together and take it to Aloha Air Cargo. http://www.alohaaircargo.com/ They will ship for less than 50 bucks and you don’t have to take it apart. I use them 3-4 times a year when I fly to the big island. They will ship in the case also, but not sure of the price. Bikes out of box are a flat rate.
I’ve used Hawaiian and Aloha Air Cargo, both with great results. If you use Aloha AIr Cargo, make sure you look at their hours at Kona, they are not as accessible in Kona as Oahu. For Aloha Air Cargo, you do not have to dismantle anything, you can ride your bike to their offices and drop it off directly.