So I will be flying with my bike to Cozumel in couple of weeks. American Airlines made a last minute change to their flight from Dallas to COZ which will force me to fly a day early, spend the night in Dallas and catch the early flight from Dallas to COZ. Usually bags are checked in all the way to the final destination. I am a little uncomfortable doing that with my bike with the over night stay in Dallas though. For those who fly with their bikes a lot, is it better to request to receive the bike between connections and check it back in the next flight? Or am I worrying too much over this?
I’ll be in the same situation in February. I’m hoping to check it through all the way. If you get it between connections, when you check in again you will likely get hit with the bike fee again.
This actually happened to me earlier this year. Had an overnight layover in Seattle on Alaska Airlines.
On the way out from my origination airport, the check-in agent told me it wouldn’t be checked through because the layover was too long. I was worried about getting hit with the bike fee twice, so I expressed this concern and she just charged me the normal baggage fee. Then at SEA the next day, explained the situation and just paid the normal fee again. Since I had 2 checked bags it actually came out to what it should have been, had they both been checked through (25+25+25+25 = 25+75).
On the way back, even with another overnight layover, the bags were checked through and staged overnight at SEA. I paid the oversize charge initially and was sure to get a receipt in case I had to check them again, but didn’t need it.
I would much prefer it to stay at the airport if possible since it is one less piece of bulky luggage to haul around to wherever you are staying overnight and expedites check-in the next day.
So I will be flying with my bike to Cozumel in couple of weeks. American Airlines made a last minute change to their flight from Dallas to COZ which will force me to fly a day early, spend the night in Dallas and catch the early flight from Dallas to COZ. Usually bags are checked in all the way to the final destination. I am a little uncomfortable doing that with my bike with the over night stay in Dallas though. For those who fly with their bikes a lot, is it better to request to receive the bike between connections and check it back in the next flight? Or am I worrying too much over this?
I am pretty sure that they WILL NOT CHECK IT THROUGH. You will have to get your bike at baggage claim, but the worst part is you’ll have to pay bike fees again. If you can check it through then check it through. I had a leg last year from Taipei to Ottawa with an overnite break in Vancouver…had to retrieve my bike, but as I have priority on Star Alliance/Air Canada, I don’t pay bike fees on there, but it was a new check in.
If it’s booked as a single reservation with a long layover, it will get checked through. I
Hey, I’m looking to book my first Air Canada flight from Calagary to Philly via Toronto. Looking at the Air Canada baggage policy, the packing instructions indicate it must be placed in a rigid and/or hard shell container specifically designed for shipping or in a bicycle suitcase (in the case of collapsible bicycles). Question - do you happen to know if they actually won’t take soft-sided bicycle cases?
I’ve taken my soft sided bike case (Aerus Biospeed) several times on Air Canada with no issues at all.
Cool, thanks.
I work for the airlines, if you ship your bike with any airline stay with the bike as TSA checks it. You are allowed to watch as they inspect your bike and case, you just can’t touch it. They can open the bike case and move stuff around and just stuff it back in the case.Make sure they repack it correctly so it is not damaged in transit. Good luck!
Hey, I’m looking to book my first Air Canada flight from Calagary to Philly via Toronto. Looking at the Air Canada baggage policy, the packing instructions indicate it must be placed in a rigid and/or hard shell container specifically designed for shipping or in a bicycle suitcase (in the case of collapsible bicycles). Question - do you happen to know if they actually won’t take soft-sided bicycle cases?
If the airline says ‘no’ when you ask them, rent a bike box from Bow Cycle. The cost is very reasonable… the only thing you need to watch is the 50 pound weight limit, and you need to supply your own dropout spacers. I made some from 3/8" all-thread rod, four nuts, and four washers per axle. IIRC pretty much all the ‘extra’ stuff I could put in was a pedal wrench, to ensure I stayed under the 50 pounds.