Well actually ... arriving at the airport very early and being extremely nice, kind, friendly, helpful, all with a smile, can still help the situation ... it did for us as we checked in for some of our many, many flights on our recent trip. The thing is, the check-in people have the option of charging more than the designated amount for the bicycle if they want. They can hit you with oversize and overweight charges too. But if you're really nice, and if you arrive early enough so that they aren't overworked and hassled yet, chances are they won't ... they might even reduce the charge for the bicycle ... and they might turn a blind eye to a slightly overweight box ... and they might give you some extra assistance.But being prepared helps too ... know what your airline is currently charging, know the allowable sizes and weights etc., pack and weigh everything ... and then arrive early and turn on the charm.