wow this is cool. I go to phoenix all the time, and always get banged over the head for bringing my bike. I will try it next time.
From the Southwest airlines website under Baggage rules:
Weight and Size Allowance: Maximum weight is 50 pounds and maximum size is 62 inches (length + width + height) per checked piece of luggage. Effective March 1, 2005, overweight items from 51 to 70 pounds will be accepted for a charge of $25.00 per item. Items weighing from 71 to 100 pounds and oversized items in excess of 62 inches but not more than 80 inches (i.e., surfboards, bicycles, vaulting poles) will be accepted for a charge of $50.00 per item.
Southwest is (so far) very generous with their baggage policies compared to other airlines. I LUV SWA! 
anyone know if this US Airways thing is good for round trip?
Anyone also know what the cost is if i dont have the voucher? Last time i think it was like $100 each way.
It is good for a round trip. You should print 2 copies so you have one each way.
The charge for a bike in April 08 was $80.
anyone know if this US Airways thing is good for round trip?
Anyone also know what the cost is if i dont have the voucher? Last time i think it was like $100 each way.
$100 plus if you are overweight then it could be an additional $50 to $100.
The fee for bicycles can be from $100 to $200 each way.
Anyone have any recent experiences with this offer? I’m flying on Tuesday and would appreciate hearing how things went.
I’ll post my own review in this thread when I get back from Canada.
mm
US Airways is $100 each way. Doesn’t matter size or weight for a bike case, it’s $100.
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/baggage/specialitems.aspx
If using the search function on ST, you would find this regarding the vouchers and airline fees.
I ended up flying southwest due to much cheaper flights even with the 50 dollar bike fee each way. So I couldn’t tell how good it worked, sorry.
I’ll post my own review in this thread when I get back from Canada.
That would be good. But keep in mind that their is extraordinary inconsistency in the way the airlines levy these extra fees for bikes and luggage. Many airlines don’t even follow their own guidelines and rules.
Here’s my approach going forward:
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Always as best as I can, book flights with the airline that upfront has the best written bike transport prices and rules.
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If traveling with a carrier that has more expensive fees, use the smallest and lightest normal bike box carrier going. If the bike box is both overweight(50 lbs) and over size, then you may get really hammered. I’ll always try and keep it underweight and then try and bargain at check in that, “OK it’s a bit over-size but it is way under-weight - even less than my other checked bag”. We did use this with success least year on the way to IMH and MissP’s bike box was only charged the “Extra-Bag” fee on Delta.
Haven’t done it recently, but it wasn’t a problem at all when we did use it…
Dude, et al:
I was referring to the original topic of this thread, which was flying on US Airways WITH the free bike voucher. I have the vouchers in-hand.
Sorry I wasn’t more clear previously. I’ll restate:
Has anyone flown US Airways recently using the free bike vouchers you can get by booking through US Airways and Ironman?
If you traveled recently using them, did it go smoothly? Were there problems at check-in?
I have vouchers and I hope they work. I booked US Air specifically to get these vouchers and avoid the bike fee.
This is what I’d like to know.
Thanks.
mr. explicit
Thanks for the advice!
I am flying with US Air’s free bike vouchers, so I’m hoping that everything will go smoothly. I was hoping to hear from people who have flown recently on this airline using the vouchers. Given the airlines’ inconsistancies, I can’t even trust a voucher issued from the company that says “free bike voucher” on it. I’ll sleep easier knowing that it has worked for people recently.
I am going to the airport armed for bear: I have US Air’s “Contract of Carriage” printed out. I printed out the page where I booked the vouchers through. I printed out all of their luggage fee pages. I’ll be at the airport two hours before my flight. I made copies of everything and I think I can counter any claim that they might make. This bike flies FREE, dammit!
To ensure I’d avoid any over-weight baggage issues, I already UPS’d a box to my friend with most of my tri gear in it. At check in, it’ll just be me, a small carry-on bag, and a bike case weighing about 44 lbs. I should be all set. But, I’m planning for the worst, just in case.
Best,
mm
To ensure I’d avoid any over-weight baggage issues, I already UPS’d a box to my friend with most of my tri gear in it. At check in, it’ll just be me, a small carry-on bag, and a bike case weighing about 44 lbs. I should be all set. But, I’m planning for the worst, just in case.
This is the right approach. Not making excuses for the airlines, but I think part of the issue has been that in years past some people( cyclists and triathletes) showed up for check in with bike boxes the size and weight of a Hummer, and this did cause some issues for the handling of luggage that size and weight.
I know this to be the case, because I was traveling to IMC one year and the woman in front of me was checking in one of those big wheeled bike boxes that needed two big guys to pick up. It easily weighed over 100 lbs!!
I have flown recently with the vouchers. Worked fine. But, it’s for your bike box for free not as extra luggage. So you get 1 suitcase and 1 bike box. Someone else was flying with 2 suitcases and 1 bike box and was charged for excess luggage. They weighed my bike box to make sure it was under 50 lbs each way.
I flew once with US Airways AND the vouchers. I had them with me. The airport employee refused them and said I had to pay for the bike and it was $100. Period. The problem is that, it’s vastly inconsistent with most airlines. With southwest, you go there, it’s $50. Always. So, I fly SW.
Thanks for the info! The only piece of luggage I will be checking is the bike box, so I should be ok.
mm
Oy yoy yoy. This is exactly what I am worried about. One person says “Worked great!” and the next one says “Totally rejected.”
Could you provide some more details please? On what grounds did the employee refuse them? Would they not look up the confirmation number and reference codes? Did you try to speak with anyone else? Call the airline?
I’m trying to gather up as much information as I can, so I’d like to hear what worked…or in your case, what didn’t.
This is why I’m planning to arrive super-early at the airport – if I need to fight, at least I’ll have time on my side. I guess I’d better get a phone number for US Air customer programmed onto my cell.
The ONLY reason I booked this flight on this airline was because of these vouchers. I’m praying that they work, and I’m not above crying in public to ensure that they do.
mm
She looked at it and said I don’t know what this is (El Paso airport, back in 2005 or 06). I asked her (very politely, despite being French-Aussie) to check US Airways website (America West then). She said it wasn’t necessary. Asked to talk to a supervisor, she said she was one.
The problem is that once you get to the airport, you’re a pretty much a hostage if you have to get on board. They can do whatever they want.
I’m pretty sure I could have gotten my money back later, but I postponed it too much.
“They’re the hometown airline and I still refer to them as US Err.
When they were America West, they were called America Worst.”
I just came back from Mexico on US Air Monday and unfortunatly Tuesday as well. I wouldn’t fly them again unless it was free and I had nothing important within 48 hours of my scheduled return flight. They overbook everything and make the US Post office look like a well run organization. Delayed flights, maintenance problems, the captain bitching about the company over the intercom for all to hear, overbooked flights. We were stranded in Phx Monday night because of overbooking but they let our luggage finish the trip to SFO without us. As we were waiting in PHX all you heard was US Air making announcements asking for folks to trade their seat for a hotel voucher and flight credit. Our shuttle to the hotel was full of folks bumped off various flights.
My buddy runs a fright forwarding co and he has a no US Air policy for all cargo. He said they THE worst in the business and warned me not to use them but I took the best deal and paid for it.
Dave
My experience with us airways as well. I’ve had every single flight with them late by at least 2hrs. sometimes more. I also had twice a very early flight leaving from El Paso, just canned. The thing is, I know airlines do this, often because not enough folks on board, but most airlines call you to tell you…‘hey, you can sleep a couple more hours, you’re on the 8am’…
US Airways did that twice, and never called…end up waiting 4hrs at the airport.
If I could I’d only fly Singapore Airlines and Qantas 