Brompton + Southwest airlines + Vegas = Fun
 

A friend and fellow Brompton owner flew to Las Vegas last week on Southwest airlines with his Brompton as carry on. He said his M-6R would only fit handle bar up and rack out. http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=311752

That's just pretty dam# sweet!

Nice! What city/airport let him bring it on the plane? Did they give him any grief at the gate?

He told me it was Sacramento Ca to Las Vegas and back. No issue with the TSA. Did not have to remove anything. Was prepared to secure it with long zip ties just incase he had to gate check it with the child seats and strollers.

So let me get this straight, this guy got through security with a complex articulated metal folding bike which cant really be effectively x-rayed, they didn't pull him aside and tear it appart or make him check it and they let him on the plane with several LARGE ZIP TIES ie plastic handcuffs? Do I have this correct because to me that is actually worrying me, that sounds like an incompetent TSA agent to me.

Not only incompetent TSA agent, but also flight attendants. I've seen the overhead luggage compartments pop open on occasion and I sure wouldn't want to have a Brompton fall on top of my head if the plane hits some turbulence.

Expect this was not his first Rodeo .. a frequent flier ..

they come back from Vegas with it , or will it be on on that LV Pawn Shop Show on TV.

20 lbs max storage in overhead bins ... :-(
long zip ties .... yeah...


incompetent, dangerous behavior from flight crew, homeland security, TSA ... etc etc etc

lets see if they can pull the same stunt on their way back ...

Mwuwha ha ha (evil laugh)... sounds like a doomsday device by Dr. Evil to me! Now all we need are some fricken' lazer beams on the Brommie! ;)

just to add to this.... I am not upset cause its a Brommy and not a Dahon Curve Jifo EEzz or whatever.
I have been in a flight where the pilot made some miscalculations and flew more or less straight into a Tornado which was on the ground... The plane ( 737 from San Francisco to Indianapolis ) almost crashed, pretty violent maneuvers to stay in the air ... the tornado was just going over the Indy Airport when we were suppossed to land ... I guess...

Anyhow, all but one of the overhead bins opened and the content was flying around inside the plane, including a stewardess who wasnt buckled into her seat ( she broke an arm .... and ?) The carry on stuff, hit people in the head while flying forward. Some were injured but everybody walked away ( more or less)

I hate to think that my bike would land on a child sitting 5 rows in front of the overhead bin.

again its NOT about Brommies its about disregarding other peoples health ( besides its plain out illegal )

thor

I was thinking about taking my Brompton to Vegas later this month, but have been put off by reports that Las Vegas is very cycling unfriendly. Did your friend ride from the airport or on/near the strip? If so, what was his experience?

I like that the bike fit int the overhead, though I do understand the concerns expressed by others. Of course, Southwest is one of the few airlines that allows two free checked bags, so he could have just brought it in the luggage compartment. My Bike Friday and I just came back from Florida and the Caribbean on Southwest

Sit down. Have someone pick up a Brompton and drop it on your head(no cheating and wearing a helmet).

Pretty much the same experience as having something from an overhead bin drop on you.

I don't think I'd like that. But I don't think I'd like any of those suitcases in the overhead bin falling on my head either. Perhaps what we need are overhead bins that don't open up accidently. That's the solution. Then folks can bring their bikes on the plane, and nobody gets hit by any flying objects.

I've taken my Bike Friday to LV on several trips and haven't encountered any problems. Didn't do much riding along the strip - I had the bike along mainly to be able to explore the surroundings - e.g. riding out to Lake Mead/Hoover Dam and to the Red Rock area. I did ride it through town to/from the airport towing the suitcase/trailer and other traffic seemed friendly enough. As they say - YMMV.

As I and others have said, don't put it in the overhead - having a falling suitcase is bad enough, but a bicycle has some rather sharp and hard edges that would be most unpleasant if the plane hits some bad turbulence.