after recently going through this my self heres what i did for free travel wih your bike on the plane.
1 wheel, seat post, cranks, fork and handle bars come off
2 coffin shaped box that fits the main frame exactly
3 rap as many parts from 1 in the middle of the box and tape that **** down.
4 in another box or bag put wheels and remaining parts and tools(to put bike back together)
no questions were asked in either direction of travel and i go off the plane to the train to center city and assembled the bike in the train station. rode off like there was nothing to it.
XVX