Just checked the Akona bike case at Ottawa airport. No questions, no fees no nothing. I did come dressed with a suit jacket over jeans (as I am going to a business trip directly from my race), and made sure I asked the ticket agent about her life and the traffic at the airport and so on, and generally tried to not look like an athlete with a bike.
I am sure I will get dinged leaving Tampa airport with 2000 other cases, but when I fly solo with no triathletes with their Sherman tank cases around me, my bike always has travelled for free. Now I need to figure out a way to put wheels on the bag and it will be perfect.
Now I need to figure out a way to put wheels on the bag and it will be perfect.
Dev,
My Aerus Biospeed bike bag, packed weighed about 27 pounds. I just used the shoulder strap and carried the thing over my shoulder - no problems. My other checked back is usually a modest sized roller bag.
Using it to/from IMH recently I paid a grand total of $35 to travel with it!
Success with Akona again. Pulled up to the United curb side check in at Tampa airport after racing Clearwater yesterday…dressed in business suit (jeans on the bottom though), but trying my best not to look like a trigeek.
Sir, is this oversized?
I replied, “No sir”
“OK, let me see your ID…here’s your boarding pass. Have a great day”
…and once again the Akona bike case saves me $175 on United. There is no better way to travel with a bike. Next challenge is my San Francisco to Ottawa leg of this trip on Thu nite, but that leg is Air Canada, so $50 at most!!!
Dev,
This is awesome! My wife and I bought a couple of Akona cases and will be using them for IM Cozumel. So, are these cases really not over sized? Should we use curb side check in? Also, how do you respond when asked “what’s in the case?” Sorry for all the questions but since everything for us is X2 I need all the help I can get in efforts to save a few dollars. Thanks–
So did you check it in or carry on? I just don’t see it as a safe case for checking it in considering that it is soft. Bike will be in pieces by the time I reach my destination.
I am thinkingthe same thing, im really interested in getting one as I am going to travel to 5 or 6 races this year, if there were no airline fees then I could maybe afford to fly which would be cool.
Dev, can you comment on how sturdy it is? how safe a carbon bike is inside of it?
I would be a bit nervous to throw 8k into a soft case and let the gorillas have their way with it.
Guy, do a search for “Akona” and posts made by Dev. He’s posted SEVERAL times with specifics on this case and his travel experiences with it. The company should be sponsoring him!
I can also personally vouch for the durability of the Akona Biospeed soft case. Several trips so far. Carbon fiber bike/wheels. No damage or fees each time. If you search for “Akona” you’ll see some posts by me detailing my positive experiences with the bag.
Another vote for Akona Biospeed bag. Put some extra protection on the bike if you feel it needs it, but its more durable than you think. To and from Hawaii and not a mark on the bike or wheels. Rarely got asked about it, great bike bag.
Guys, over 80 flight legs between my own travel and to guys I have leant my bag, never a single item damaged. The baggage handlers take care of soft shell cause they are not bomb proof. I have travelled every year since 1989 with soft shell and no damage.
For all the talking I do about this bag, which is totally awesome, the one thing this company could do for me is retrofit mine with some wheels. That would make the bag perfect. Lugging it around between arrival to rental car check in off the bus to the actual car and from car to hotel room in San Jose was a pain in the ass.
The company should have paid my $50 that I go charged for my Akona case from San Francisco to Ottawa last night…I can’t believe it…I got CHARGED. Actually it was almost 10 pm and the “supervisor” was getting off her shift and there was no way on earth I could sweet talk her and she was convinced I had a bike in there…in fact she said, “I don’t really care if you have a bike in there or not, that thing is oversized so you’re paying your $50 or leaving it here…”
