Originally Posted by
John N
Ironically, the best time and easiest was when I didn't have to do anything to the bike, no wrapping or anything. This was back in the late 80s. I spoke with the baggage handlers who happened to be at the counter and they said they actually preferred it as just a regular bike (but with handlebars turned and pedals removed) as it was much easier to handle. Bike arrived fine but it was only a non-stop flight so that was probably a factor. Still, I sort of wish the airlines would actually look at doing it like that.
While it would also be my choice to use a box, I have also been fortunate on multiple occasions my bike has flown in a bag or more bare. This includes:
- One hop on Hawaiian Airlines with the bike from Kona to Honolulu (where I was able to get a box)
- Four hops from Portland OR to Bangalore. The Portland airport surprisingly didn't have a box and Lufthansa didn't require one so removed the pedals, turned the handlebars and taped things up
- Two hops from Srinagar, India to Bangalore since there weren't boxes
- Three hops from Bangalore to Austin TX. Returned from India with two bikes, tried using the plastic wrap people at the airport around each bike individually taped together
- Two hops from Amsterdam to Denver because the airline used bags instead of boxes.
- One hop from Whitehorse, YT to Dawson City this was on a DC-3 and us passengers were on fold down seats in the same compartment as baggage.
So among the six times listed, I've been fortunate so far. When I've sometimes watched my bike box get loaded underneath other luggage on a cart - I do think the baggage handlers have been more careful in cases above when the bike was bare. So if it were me I'd at least get and bring with me a mattress bag and do the best I could unless I knew a local bike shop on St Pierre where I could find a box. I have flown back from St Johns NL and in that case I did find a box.