Touring - flying with bikes links, anyone?

I'd just a search, but the search finction isn;t working for me. It's a shame, because I had a lot of good answers to various flying/touring questions.
Anyone got links/opinions on these questions -

How best to pack my bike for airtravel (in bike bag).
How to pack panniers/fenders (remove or not, if so, where best to pack them).
Whether to remove pedals or just whole cranks and how best to secure them in bag.
Remove saddle? if so, where to pack it?
Just pipe lagging or cardboard/bubble wrap as well?


Any other opinions welcome.

I'm staring at two bikes and a load of clothing all ready to be packed.

Check with your airline for specs. For international flights to Europe I've always reversed the peddles, turned the bars and deflated the tires and stuck it in a plastic bag.

A search of the Forum will deliver a variety of opinions on what you should do.

As for panniers, if you have ones that are only accessible from the top, those plastic bags that you can roll up to evacuate the air are great. You can have a bag for shoes, one for socks, pants etc. It also makes the pannier waterproof and compacts the clothing. I find that works very well for my down sleeping bag too!

Check the luggage requirements.

If a single box is over the weight limit (usually 50 lbs), you will be charged for excess baggage. This is pretty strictly enforced.

Officially, many airlines are now charging just to bring a bike on a plane. Unofficially, enforcement is lax, so you've got a very good chance of not getting charged (as long as it's within weight limits). However, don't throw a temper tantrum if you show up and they try to hit you with a $100 fee per bike and per leg. You've been warned. ;)

FWIW, I bring two small panniers, loaded with Stuff, onto the plane as check-ins.

An overview of prices and wieght:
http://www.ibike.org/encouragement/travel/bagregs.htm
As others have said, check with the airline too.

Thanks for that. I'm rather after info from some old posts mainly about pannier racks and mudguards. I can;t remember what the advice was regarding removing them or leaving them on. Unfortunately the search is not working for me (is it working for anyone?), so I can;t just search all my old posts.

Just for your information, last fall/winter I travel to asia with my bike this information might be useful for you :

My first flight was Burlington-Chicago-Tokyo-Bangkok. I put my by bike in a bike box bought at the local train station for 25$. I put all my loggage also in the box. Delta didn't charge me anything to carry my bike box. In tokyo, they made me deflate my tires after a security check. I has not deflated them before flying :)

Then I took a plane from Bangkok to hanoi. I decided to leave my box at my hotel in Bangkok. At the airport, I simply Twisted the handle on the side and wrapped it with that wrapping paper that you find in all major airport to wrap luggages. The bike wrapping was so tight that it was protected well the bike. Again I was not charged for the bike ( thai airways ).

I flew again from Danang to HoChiMinh with vietnam airlines... There was no wrapping service in Danang... the put the bike directly in the airplane :) No charge !

Took Another plane from Siem Reap to Bangkok with Bangkok airways. There was no wrapping services and again I wasn't charged for my bike.

I flew back to Canada with Thai aiways ( and Air Canada ) I wrapped my bike at Bangkok ( the hotel had throw away my box :) And again, I wasn't charged.

Hope it help, if you have more question, please feel free to ask.

Jean-Francois

http://www.bikeaccess.net/bikeaccess/

Once again ... http://www.ibike.org/encouragement/travel/bagregs.htm

And incidentally, I think you will want to read at least the first few paragraphs on that site ... very important info!!


BTW - with regard to racks and fenders ... I leave my front fender on because removing it would involve removing my front brake. I remove my rear brake. I partially remove my rear pannier - if you undo a couple bolts, you can bend and flip it into place.

I guess it really is buyer beware. My airline gives me free bikes and free camping equipment and a 20 kilo baggage limit.

I often find that both airline employees and baggage handlers are unaware of this, so I carry the print out of the info with me.

My guess is that these new charges won't last for long (for international flights). Or at least the prices for international flights will drop enough to negate any extra charges (when comparing it to today's high cost of international airfare).

Both Europe and the US have recently signed the open sky policy allowing foreign carries to fly to more destinations in the U.S. and U.S. budget airlines to fly to Europe.

Competition should bring down prices and charges.

My airline gives me free bikes and free camping equipment and a 20 kilo baggage limit.

I often find that both airline employees and baggage handlers are unaware of this, so I carry the print out of the info with me.


You have your own airline and they give you free bikes!! And camping equipment!

Seriously, what airline are you flying?

On Air Transat (http://www.airtransat.com/)your bike (including tandem) and camping equipment fly for free.

The downside is that they only fly between Canada, Europe and the Caribbean.