Touring - Airline charges?

Happy New Year!
Can anyone tell me what airline is my best bet to avoid paying an $80 bike charge? I would be flying in the US. Thanks.

Air Canada, British Airways and their partners don't charge for a bike if it is under 32 kilos, is properly packaged and sent as checked luggage.
http://www.aircanada.com/services/luggage/#sportfree

Unfortunately, it's only on international flights. Maybe you can check out a charter.

Dang....

I wish I'd known that when I was flying out of the country last year- that friggin' airline I flew charged me $125, and I wasn't happy about that.

Nonetheless, this year, I'm only going to fly Air Canada or British Airways. It may cost me a little more, but the money I save from not having to pay additional charges for my bike will even it out in the long run.

Thanks for the tip, and if you know of any other options, let me know.


Koffee

Star Alliance includes United Airlines
http://www.star-alliance.com/cgi-bin/sa.storefront/

If you are a member of certain organizations like the League of American Bicyclists or Adventure Cycling, you can get the fee waived on their partner airlines. I think the LAB has a whole bunch of partner airlines, whereas Adventure Cycling only has Northwest.

I called United when I wanted to go abroad last year- they told me it would cost $100 each way to take my bike....

I don't know what's going on with these airlines, but somehow, there has to be a way to hold them to their policies when you show up with your bike in tow.

Dang it.

Koffee

I've read that if you pack your bike in plain looking box (or bike carton that's spray painted over the manufacturers logos) and then label it "display materials - fragile".

When asked at check-in, just mention your bike box is advertising "display materials" for a trade/expo show. I've heard no is no extra charge for this, even though the display materials box are the same size as your bike box. Hope this helps...
;)

I've read that if you pack your bike in plain looking box (or bike carton that's spray painted over the manufacturers logos) and then label it "display materials - fragile".

a friend of mine has done this successfully. the thing is it needs to not look like a bike b/c most airlines have a policy for bikes, but other oversize stuff like snowboards or guitars fly for free.

each airline has a published fee for bikes - usually free for international and $25-40 one way domestic. i think it's USA Cycling that had a deal with (i think) United where you send off and get a voucher for 1 round trip which i used a few years ago.

just check the airline policy BEFORE buying your ticket as a ticket that's $40 more might be cheaper if the bike goes free and the other charges $35 each way.

i have flown 3 times with my bike - once free, once with voucher and once for $25x2 (Southwest i think)

I general haven't been charged too much....if at all. I fly at odd hours, have very LITTLE equipment (I once got everything in the box and was still under the weight limit). I do not want to defend the airlines, but unlike guitars, x-country skis, and other large parcels, bikes are lathered with all kinds of lubricant and other hydrocarbons which drive sniffing machines crazy. In general though, I have been treated well. To be more sinister, the amount of plastic explosive you could put in a bike frame--and WHO, EVER, looks inside the frame when they examine your luggage--could blow and airliner out of the sky easily; or could level a city block. I talked with some authorities on this, but i don't know if anything has ever been done about it.

roughstuff

I haven't done it myself, but I think I read on a similar thread onetime that if you label your bike box "wheelchair", they won't charge you!

I'm going to check on that policy-

When I decided to take my trip to Italy, I checked with A LOT of airlines, and they all claimed to charge me. I picked Alitalia because I thought they had the cheapest bike charges- turns out they lied and when I got to the airport, they claimed the charge was $75 each way. I tried to argue with them, but I ended up having to pay anyway.

I thought that Europeans were supposed to be so big into being healthy and biking, so I tried to go through European airlines, thinking they would have more respect for the bike, but no avail-

This year, if I get lucky enough to go back, I'll try to fly Air Canada and go through Toronto instead.

Now that all luggage is going to be hand checked anyway, and x-rayed, I'm sure we'll be less likely of being accused of having plastic explosives in our bike frames, altough I doubt they ever thought about that to begin with. I'm thinking more along the lines of getting a bike in Europe and leaving it there. Maybe it would be easier for me to ship it from one country to the next when I fly there from year to year. Carrying a bike from the USA gets expensive and frustrating.

The saga continues...

K B

Thanks for the replies. It is very frustrating. It looks like British Airways is no charge for one bike, in lieu of a checked bag. Northwest is free on international flights, but 80 each way domestically. I flew Northwest last summer out to Colorado, of course I bought the ticket before learning about the charge, I must have talked to every customer service rep they have, because they finally sent me an 80 dollar voucher...still hurt though.

I've traveled with my bike many times, and have not had to pay yet. I try to check my bags at the busiest time (when there is a long line). I bring my bike box up to the counter, and when the person checking bags asks for money or informs me of a charge I just give them a stupid look and say, "I didn’t know that, you've got to be kidding". Then just keep looking at them and add an occasional "wow" and a headshake. They are pressed to fill the plane, so I get usual "I'll let you go this time, but you'll have to pay next time".

I know this sounds kind of silly and lame but I have used it at least five times, and it has never failed me. Plus, I think it is silly and lame that there is a charge for a bicycle.

well, i've been checking on bike charges and it seems that since 2002 almost all of the airlines have changed from no fee for bikes on international flights to $50-100 each way:
Swiss air: $50
Delta: $90
United: ? $100
Northwest: still free i think

i guess the airlines have been tight-pressed as fewer people are flying so they're trying to make it back anywhere they can.

anyone know of any other airlines that still don't have fees (looking for Boston to Munich flight for a friend)

alternately anyone had success disgusing a bike to look like regular luggage or musical instrument to avoid the bike charge?

Here is a link to a discussion about this topic on Frommer's Budget Travel website.

http://www.frommers.com/cgi-bin/WebX?128@@.eeafdfe

This is a recent thread, so I am sure that additional comments will be added. It seems as if there is an economic advantage to take your bicycle on an international flight as opposed to a domestic (U.S.) flight.

I hope that this adds some additional insight.

Be well,
Rob

Hello,
If you are flying within the continental United State, I would suggest avoiding the airlines completely. My local mailing service will send a bike to any US location for around $45. You could probably leave the shipping container with the mailing service and just repackage and mail form the same spot after your trip.
Cheers!
Lee