Airline ripoff

"Andre" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees?

I'm

Quoted message said:

thinking of checking my wheels in a wheelbag (well padded), this is 27

inch

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diameter * 6 inch thick. This should meet the 62 inch limit for a piece

of

Quoted message said:

luggage (L+W+H). However, I can't pull it off with the frame and other items. If I cut a bike box
down to the minimum to cover my 60 cm trek

5500

Quoted message said:

frame, the smallest I get is still larger than 62". I'd prefer not lying

at

Quoted message said:

the counter, and saying it's "conference display materials", and then getting caught. Also, I
would think you would get charged anyway as the luggage is "oversized".

UPS/FedEx your ride out to wherever you are going before you fly. If you're going to a hotel, send
it there. If you're seeing family, send it to them. If you are going to the middle of nowhere, find
the closest LBS and offer to pay them to hold it for you. Then, when you get there, you'll already
know the LBS guys in case there's a problem.

Conference display materials? Awesome. I do trade shows...you could probably get your frame into a
TigerPak case if you have one of those around.

Chris

Andre:

Quoted message said:

Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees? I'm thinking of checking my
wheels in a wheelbag (well padded), this is 27 inch diameter * 6 inch thick. This should meet the
62 inch limit for a piece of luggage (L+W+H). However, I can't pull it off with the frame and
other items. If I cut a bike box down to the minimum to cover my 60 cm trek 5500 frame, the
smallest I get is still larger than 62". I'd prefer not lying at the counter, and saying it's
"conference display materials", and then getting caught. Also, I would think you would get charged
anyway as the luggage is "oversized".

What are the fees for using bike cases like Trico?

$65 CDN each way. I'm thinking about trying to get the frame onto the plane as carry on (overhead
bin). The components and wheels could check in under the limits.

--
--------------------------
Andre Charlebois BPE, MCSE4.0, CNA, A+ webmaster for Triathlon New Brunswick www.TriNB.com "Jose
Rizal" <_@_._> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andre:

Quoted message said:

Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees?

I'm

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

thinking of checking my wheels in a wheelbag (well padded), this is 27

inch

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

diameter * 6 inch thick. This should meet the 62 inch limit for a piece

of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

luggage (L+W+H). However, I can't pull it off with the frame and other items. If I cut a bike
box down to the minimum to cover my 60 cm trek

5500

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

frame, the smallest I get is still larger than 62". I'd prefer not

lying at

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the counter, and saying it's "conference display materials", and then getting caught. Also, I
would think you would get charged anyway as

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

luggage is "oversized".

What are the fees for using bike cases like Trico?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Andre
Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees? I'm thinking of checking my
wheels in a wheelbag (well padded), this is 27 inch diameter * 6 inch thick. This should meet the 62
inch limit for a piece of luggage (L+W+H). However, I can't pull it off with the frame and other
items. If I cut a bike box down to the minimum to cover my 60 cm trek 5500 frame, the smallest I get
is still larger than 62". I'd prefer not lying at the counter, and saying it's "conference display
materials", and then getting caught. Also, I would think you would get charged anyway as the luggage
is "oversized".

--
--------------------------
Andre Charlebois BPE, MCSE4.0, CNA, A+ webmaster for Triathlon New Brunswick www.TriNB.com

DELTA!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Andre
Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees? I'm thinking of checking my
wheels in a wheelbag (well padded), this is 27 inch diameter * 6 inch thick. This should meet the 62
inch limit for a piece of luggage (L+W+H). However, I can't pull it off with the frame and other
items. If I cut a bike box down to the minimum to cover my 60 cm trek 5500 frame, the smallest I get
is still larger than 62". I'd prefer not lying at the counter, and saying it's "conference display
materials", and then getting caught. Also, I would think you would get charged anyway as the luggage
is "oversized".

--
--------------------------
Andre Charlebois BPE, MCSE4.0, CNA, A+ webmaster for Triathlon New Brunswick www.TriNB.com

Following disassembly, shipping in two seperate pieces of luggage
and if compelled, identify it as bicycle parts rather than as a complete bike.

Andre:

Quoted message said:

I'm thinking about trying to get the frame onto the plane as carry on (overhead bin). The
components and wheels could check in under the limits.

Well, good luck with the frame. I think even if you satisfy the L+W+H = 62in limit, you might have
trouble fitting it into the overhead lockers since these are pretty shallow. You might try to fit it
in the space where coats are hung.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Andre said:

Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees? I'm thinking of checking my
wheels in a wheelbag (well padded), this is 27 inch diameter * 6 inch thick. This should meet the
62 inch limit for a piece of luggage (L+W+H). However, I can't pull it off with the frame and other
items. If I cut a bike box down to the minimum to cover my 60 cm trek 5500 frame, the smallest I
get is still larger than 62". I'd prefer not lying at the counter, and saying it's "conference
display materials", and then getting caught. Also, I would think you would get charged anyway as
the luggage is "oversized".

A bike with S&S couplings. They work, the suitcase is exactly 62". No fees, no lies. The only worry
is that a bagagge checker might decide to take everything out and muff the repacking, which is
likely if everything is taken out, and ruin something.

Being caught lying to an airline about the nature of a piece of luggage doesn't sound smart
post 9-11.

Tom Gibb <[email hidden]

Andre said:

Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees? I'm thinking of checking my
wheels in a wheelbag (well padded), this is 27 inch diameter * 6 inch thick. This should meet the
62 inch limit for a piece of luggage (L+W+H). However, I can't pull it off with the frame and
other items. If I cut a bike box down to the minimum to cover my 60 cm trek 5500 frame, the
smallest I get is still larger than 62". I'd prefer not lying at the counter, and saying it's
"conference display materials", and then getting caught. Also, I would think you would get charged
anyway as the luggage is "oversized".

Not sure where you're headed, or if it would work for you, but as another poster suggested, UPS or
FEDEX is pretty handy. I shipped my bike from the east coast to Moab last fall and it was absolutely
painless. It cost about $45.00 each way and I didn't have to drag my bike through the airport. The
downside was that it took a few days worth of shipping time on either end. I went down to the LBS
and asked for a cardboard shipping box. They were more than happy to give me one, as they typically
wind up in the dumpster out back. Some careful protective wrapping and creative packing and I was
off to the FEDEX Ground office. Same thing coming home (used the same carton) only this time via
UPS. Same drill, same result.

Bon Voyage,

Tom

Andre said:

Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees?

both league of american bicyclists and adventure cycling have made arrangements with a travel agency
for discounted (or no) bike fees.

only problem is that it screws up the extra miles you get for booking etickets online...

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Dennis P. Harri
On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 18:41:09 GMT in rec.bicycles.tech, "Andre"

Quoted message said:

Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees?

both league of american bicyclists and adventure cycling have made arrangements with a travel agency
for discounted (or no) bike fees.

only problem is that it screws up the extra miles you get for booking etickets online...

There are a few airlines that haven't started charging a bicycle surcharge, so you can shop around as well.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

There are a few airlines that haven't started charging a bicycle surcharge, so you can shop
around as well.

Which ones?
-------------
Alex

On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 02:12:07 -0500, Alex Rodriguez <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

There are a few airlines that haven't started charging a bicycle surcharge, so you can shop around
as well.

Which ones?
-------------
Alex

Air India doesn't seem to charge people extra for oversized bags. Virtually all the passengers are
showing up (in the US) with massive suitcases as big as a bike box that weigh 80-100 pounds and I'm
pretty sure they're not charging anything extra. OK, don't go to Bombay, because the passengers tell
me their luggage is opened and taken when they arrive at the airport, but Air India stops in London
or Frankfort on the way. Don't quote me on this, because their web site says otherwise.

Also the flight attendants wear saris and sandals.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Alex Rodriguez
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

There are a few airlines that haven't started charging a bicycle surcharge, so you can shop
around as well.

Which ones?
-------------
Alex

I have used Qantas and Malaysia without charge. They were both very helpful.

John Retchford

Quoted message said:

Which ones?
-------------
Alex

Singapore Airlines

Alex Rodriguez said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

There are a few airlines that haven't started charging a bicycle surcharge, so you can shop
around as well.

Which ones?

There's a whole database of bicycle/airline experiences at:

gfonline.orgairlines db.cfmOpen ↗

One may research a particlar airline and see if other users have reported fees.

--scott

--
Notebook on music and airports: two-wugs.netscottOpen ↗

Chris said:

"Andre" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Hello. Anyone have any suggestions for beating the airline bike fees?

UPS/FedEx your ride out to wherever you are going before you fly.

As an added bonus, UPS will offer to insure the package. Airlines won't.

To expand, "as an added insult, airlines will refuse to insure, even after charging an exhorbitant
oversize fee, even if the bike is in a hardcase." At least that was my experience a few years back.
For that trip, the airlines only got one bite out of me; the bike made the return trip via UPS.

One honest way to beat the airlines (agreed lying is unwise in post-9/11 world): identify the
package as "exercise equipment," particularly if inside size limits with a S&S coupling.

Mark Janeba

Mark Janeba <[email hidden]> wrote:
: One honest way to beat the airlines (agreed lying is unwise in post-9/11 world): identify the
: package as "exercise equipment," particularly if inside size limits with a S&S coupling.

i've never had them try (or even ponder) and charge me for my S&S coupled bike. has anyone? i
figured if it was within limits the fact that it was a bike didn't matter.
--
david reuteler [email hidden]

"tcmedara" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<Ln4Ob.2927> I went down to the LBS and asked for a cardboard shipping box. They were

Quoted message said:

more than happy to give me one, as they typically wind up in the dumpster out back. Some careful
protective wrapping and creative packing and I was off to the FEDEX Ground office. Same thing
coming home (used the same carton) only this time via UPS. Same drill, same result.

I've done the UPS drill several times. Ask for boxes from large frame bikes if available. It's
critical if you have a big bike, and makes packing and padding easier if you have a smaller bike. I
got 2 boxes per bike and double boxed them. I was glad, as the outer boxes did take some damage on
the trip out. The inners became outers for the return, and both bikes got home safely. And don't
forget to slip a roll of packing tape and a bunch of zip ties into the outbound shipment for
repacking.

Dave D.

David Reuteler <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

i've never had them try (or even ponder) and charge me for my S&S coupled bike. has anyone? i
figured if it was within limits the fact that it was a bike didn't matter.

Ponder? Yes.

On one trip, I was asked what was inside. I replied "a bicycle". The clerk started the speech about
the extra charge, but when I pointed out that it was a 62" case, his supervisor(at the next station)
waved him off.

Peter Storey