Originally Posted by
cliffy
British airways doesn't charge for bikes, as they are classified as "sporting equipment" and are also separate from your usual baggage allowance.
I just booked a ticket last week from philly to lisbon, and asked the representative specifically about shipping bikes, they said it was free.
It's true that British Airways doesn't charge for bikes or a lot of other sporting equipment, but flying to Italy from the US on BA frequently means changing planes AND airports in London. I took BA from Denver to Sicily last year and ended up cycling from Heathrow to Gatwick and spending a night in the UK. The good news was that I got to spend a night in one of my favorite youth hostels (Tanner's Hatch), and cycling out of Heathrow was a fun way to deal with jet lag, but changing airports like that would eat up a big chunk of the OP's vacation time.
Cny-bikeman, is driving to NYC or Boston and leaving your car there not an option? You might get a wider range of flight options that way.