Airline Regulations starting to shift for Tandem Travellers
01-19-23, 04:50 PM
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Airline Regulations starting to shift for Tandem Travellers
Hello all in the Tandem Community. I have been recently hired by Santana to work within the structure of the Factory and the Adventure side of the business. If you need anything related to your Santana tandem or possibly information on the Adventure Tours, feel free to reach out and I will work diligently to get the info to you in a timely matter. PM me and will give you direct email at Santana..
I have been asked to look at all the different airline regulations and have noticed that within the last year some airlines are now defining a bicycle, as having 1 seat only.
For those of us who travel with their tandems, whether it is in a cardboard box or a coupled tandem in a Safecase, this change is becoming disconcerting for those that like to take their tandem on vacation with them. A recent passenger on one of tours called the airlines before travel and was quoted an $850 extra fee charge for excess weight and size. I am in the process of helping to rewrite the wording of regulations that we hope can sway the airlines to change their verbiage so as to include tandems, moving forward.
Please chime in if you have had issues with traveling with your tandem or have faced excessive charges. Example of Southwest airlines new language below
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES POLICY Sports equipment
Any of the items listed below may be checked in substitution of one piece of the free checked baggage allowance for you at no charge on a one-item-for-one-bag basis. If the item of sporting equipment exceeds 50 pounds in weight or 62 inches in size (outside length plus height plus width), excess weight and size charges may apply.
Southwest’s airline policy on bicycles.
Bicycles(defined as nonmotorized and having a single seat), including Bike Friday and Co-Pilot, properly packed in a hard bicycle box that fall within the dimensions and weight limits established for normal checked baggage, (i.e., 62 inches or less in overall dimensions and less than 50 pounds in weight). Pedals and handlebars must be removed and packaged in protective materials so as not to be damaged by or cause damage to other baggage.
I have been asked to look at all the different airline regulations and have noticed that within the last year some airlines are now defining a bicycle, as having 1 seat only.
For those of us who travel with their tandems, whether it is in a cardboard box or a coupled tandem in a Safecase, this change is becoming disconcerting for those that like to take their tandem on vacation with them. A recent passenger on one of tours called the airlines before travel and was quoted an $850 extra fee charge for excess weight and size. I am in the process of helping to rewrite the wording of regulations that we hope can sway the airlines to change their verbiage so as to include tandems, moving forward.
Please chime in if you have had issues with traveling with your tandem or have faced excessive charges. Example of Southwest airlines new language below
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES POLICY Sports equipment
Any of the items listed below may be checked in substitution of one piece of the free checked baggage allowance for you at no charge on a one-item-for-one-bag basis. If the item of sporting equipment exceeds 50 pounds in weight or 62 inches in size (outside length plus height plus width), excess weight and size charges may apply.
Southwest’s airline policy on bicycles.
Bicycles(defined as nonmotorized and having a single seat), including Bike Friday and Co-Pilot, properly packed in a hard bicycle box that fall within the dimensions and weight limits established for normal checked baggage, (i.e., 62 inches or less in overall dimensions and less than 50 pounds in weight). Pedals and handlebars must be removed and packaged in protective materials so as not to be damaged by or cause damage to other baggage.
Last edited by socalrider; 01-19-23 at 04:55 PM.
