Recommendations: Flying with a Brompton or other folder
08-16-18 | 10:06 AM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,838
Likes: 398
From: Michigan
Bikes: Trek 730 (quad), 720 & 830, Bike Friday NWT, Brompton M36R & M6R, Dahon HAT060 & HT060, ...
I'd say out of all the airlines, Southwest was the easiest.
Also, at Heathrow security, I recommend letting them know that it is a British Made Brompton.
Security at San Francisco and most US Airports know about these bikes. I recommend getting onto TSA Pre-Check to make things easier.
Removing the seat/post (the telescoping one) makes it easy for the bike to get thru the scanners.
The packed bike:
Also, at Heathrow security, I recommend letting them know that it is a British Made Brompton.
Security at San Francisco and most US Airports know about these bikes. I recommend getting onto TSA Pre-Check to make things easier.
Removing the seat/post (the telescoping one) makes it easy for the bike to get thru the scanners.
The packed bike:
From those airlines, I think Southwest explicitly allows for folders. I flew Delta and it was tense and tricky. On many occasions air personnel whether from SkyTeam or other airlines was nasty for one reason or another and if I had a folder in the they would zero in on it in no time. In travel I have to juggle multiple problems and I do not want to add one more if I do not have to.
Besides haggling there is an issue of the bike in the air being put into the overhead while in a thin bag. I just hate thinking what would happen if it were to slip out of the hands or bin. On occasions I was forced to place a folder into overhead compartment storage on trains in Europe, by rail personnel. I hated it and felt it was irresponsible.
08-16-18 | 12:38 PM
#27
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 792
Likes: 20
From: New England
Bikes: Brompton M6R, Specialized Tricross Comp, Ellsworth Isis, Dahon Speed P8
Virgin, BA, and SW also have unusually generous carry-on restrictions, great if they're available for flights you need and are competitively priced. Most other airlines sticking to the 22x14x9 45" standard are a big risk though. I worry about taking the chance since, if the bike does get nabbed to check, there's little opportunity to properly protect it.
08-16-18 | 03:40 PM
#28
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 176
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad CA and Studio City CA
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro 26, Brompton
Mine looked exactly the same and TSA was zero problems. They spent far more time on the contents of my pockets than on the bike. No seat removal.
From those airlines, I think Southwest explicitly allows for folders. I flew Delta and it was tense and tricky. On many occasions air personnel whether from SkyTeam or other airlines was nasty for one reason or another and if I had a folder in the they would zero in on it in no time. In travel I have to juggle multiple problems and I do not want to add one more if I do not have to.
Besides haggling there is an issue of the bike in the air being put into the overhead while in a thin bag. I just hate thinking what would happen if it were to slip out of the hands or bin. On occasions I was forced to place a folder into overhead compartment storage on trains in Europe, by rail personnel. I hated it and felt it was irresponsible.
From those airlines, I think Southwest explicitly allows for folders. I flew Delta and it was tense and tricky. On many occasions air personnel whether from SkyTeam or other airlines was nasty for one reason or another and if I had a folder in the they would zero in on it in no time. In travel I have to juggle multiple problems and I do not want to add one more if I do not have to.
Besides haggling there is an issue of the bike in the air being put into the overhead while in a thin bag. I just hate thinking what would happen if it were to slip out of the hands or bin. On occasions I was forced to place a folder into overhead compartment storage on trains in Europe, by rail personnel. I hated it and felt it was irresponsible.
08-16-18 | 03:41 PM
#29
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 176
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad CA and Studio City CA
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro 26, Brompton
Virgin, BA, and SW also have unusually generous carry-on restrictions, great if they're available for flights you need and are competitively priced. Most other airlines sticking to the 22x14x9 45" standard are a big risk though. I worry about taking the chance since, if the bike does get nabbed to check, there's little opportunity to properly protect it.
08-16-18 | 04:43 PM
#30
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 792
Likes: 20
From: New England
Bikes: Brompton M6R, Specialized Tricross Comp, Ellsworth Isis, Dahon Speed P8
Yes I understand that's the strategy. What bugged me one time, was looking out my window seat, and seeing my "gate checked" carry-on, along with others, walked down to the tarmac, and then thrown onto a mobile conveyor belt that fed into the cargo hold. That might have been a smaller shuttle-type plane, however.
08-16-18 | 05:16 PM
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 176
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad CA and Studio City CA
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro 26, Brompton
Mine looked exactly the same and TSA was zero problems. They spent far more time on the contents of my pockets than on the bike. No seat removal.
From those airlines, I think Southwest explicitly allows for folders. I flew Delta and it was tense and tricky. On many occasions air personnel whether from SkyTeam or other airlines was nasty for one reason or another and if I had a folder in the they would zero in on it in no time. In travel I have to juggle multiple problems and I do not want to add one more if I do not have to.
Besides haggling there is an issue of the bike in the air being put into the overhead while in a thin bag. I just hate thinking what would happen if it were to slip out of the hands or bin. On occasions I was forced to place a folder into overhead compartment storage on trains in Europe, by rail personnel. I hated it and felt it was irresponsible.
From those airlines, I think Southwest explicitly allows for folders. I flew Delta and it was tense and tricky. On many occasions air personnel whether from SkyTeam or other airlines was nasty for one reason or another and if I had a folder in the they would zero in on it in no time. In travel I have to juggle multiple problems and I do not want to add one more if I do not have to.
Besides haggling there is an issue of the bike in the air being put into the overhead while in a thin bag. I just hate thinking what would happen if it were to slip out of the hands or bin. On occasions I was forced to place a folder into overhead compartment storage on trains in Europe, by rail personnel. I hated it and felt it was irresponsible.
As to weight, the Brompton doesn't come close to what I see others packing.
08-16-18 | 06:54 PM
#32
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,838
Likes: 398
From: Michigan
Bikes: Trek 730 (quad), 720 & 830, Bike Friday NWT, Brompton M36R & M6R, Dahon HAT060 & HT060, ...
Material strength is measured in units of force per area. Nails are pointed to make them overcome material strength and penetrate in. Mass/weight in combination with rigid points sticking out is deadly. A person might be able to deflect a flat heavy object with rounded edges, potentially still suffering some injury, but there is no chance doing that with a sharp point or edge that can penetrate the skull.
08-16-18 | 07:02 PM
#33
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 176
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad CA and Studio City CA
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro 26, Brompton
Material strength is measured in units of force per area. Nails are pointed to make them overcome material strength and penetrate in. Mass/weight in combination with rigid points sticking out is deadly. A person might be able to deflect a flat heavy object with rounded edges, potentially still suffering some injury, but there is no chance doing that with a sharp point or edge that can penetrate the skull.
One can pack clothing around the bike. If I go for a 100% clean/waxed chain, I would consider this for additional capacity.
If you don't feel you can easily heft a Brompton into the overheads, you shouldn't try.
The good news is that British Air, Southwest and Virgin America (haven't flown on them since the takeover) have great overheads.
I don't know why people object to this? I have literally done the "Brompton in the overhead" with flight attendants asking me about it and being OK with it, for years now. And I'm not the only one.
I do own the hard shell case, but that kills the "fly to the place, use the train, ride bike to hotel/conference thing."
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