B.A. and planes

[Simon_m]

No, not Mr T. but British Airways. I've done some searching online and found some old threads dating back to 2009, but nothing more recent which talk about bikes and planes. I've been reading a lot on blogs about how to get a bike on a plane, in my case BA. I've been to the BA site and read through their requirements, (vague), and even tried ringing them but gave up after 20min listening to music. There are several ways of doing it, shipping the bike and loose out on usage in this country, or take it on the plane, favoured option.

What to put it in? I've read that the clear bags are good from ctc, I was thinking about the cardboard box option from the LBS. Of course with both options, I would take the wheels and pedals off, turn the handlebars etc and wrap as much bubble wrap around it as possible.

So the main question is, have any of you had good or bad experience with taking your bike on a plane, primarily BA. How did you pack it. Big hard-cases are not an option btw, and cost way too much and then you have to store them!
thanks

 

[Simon_m]

Thanks for getting back. Pretty cool! I would have thought the cheaper airlines would have been a bit more funny about it. BA site says it needs to be in a "box", so not sure I could just rock up with the bike as it is. Good to hear, thanks.

 

[mark]

Actually, the website says "a protective case or bag". https://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagsport/public/en_us

I've done four transatlantic round trips with BA with the last one being in 2009, and will be flying to Italy with them this April. They've always been pretty vague about the packaging requirement, and I've nearly always been able to bring the bike on the plane completely unwrapped, just turned the handlebars sideways and took off the pedals. One time they gave me a clear plastic bag at the check in counter, and one time I brought my own heavy vinyl bag. The heavy vinyl bag was not satisfactory, the bike had obviously had stuff stacked on it and had not been handled as carefully as when I did not wrap it at all, although it was undamaged. I think there's something to be said for the theory that if the baggage handler can see that he/she is dealing with a bicycle, the bike will get better treatment than if they just see a cardboard box or a bag of some kind. This April I'm going to bring the bike unwrapped and have a CTC bag with me.

In the past, BA's UK staff have been adamant (to the point of rudeness) about deflating bicycle tires, but BA staff elsewhere (Denver, Catania) didn't seem to care.

If you're going to bring camping gear BA apparently wants you to notify them in advance if you are bringing a campstove or fuel bottle, at which point they will apparently tell you how they want the stove and fuel bottle prepared. Airline staff in the US are VERY touchy about this, but airline staff elsewhere in the world haven't been nearly as vigilant, IME.

 

[dellzeqq]

BA took our two bikes wrapped in swimming pool covering (ripstop nylon) taped with gaffer tape with the handlebars as nature intended and some air in the tyres BUT (tablet of stone time) it all depends on the airport. Going to or from Gatwick? Concrete case, lined with lead advisable, armed guard preferable. London City - bag it and watch them load it with the kind of care you'd expect your granny to get

 

[Simon_m]

ah ok, it sounds like its hit and miss at times then

 

[Ticktockmy]

Having worked At Gatwick Airport for many years, I used to cringe sometimes watching how bikes and luggage was handled, Generally most of the luggage handlers were respectful towards luggage, but some just don’t care, or don’t have brains to understand that its other people property they handle, generally I found that airlines which accept Bikes unboxed/bagged, were treated a lot better than Boxed or bagged Bikes.

If you are flying in a Plane that has the Baggage in a POD, the bikes are loaded into the pod in the Luggage hall, and it tends to be all sports gear put in one pod, as it will require Special handling. The problem is with the planes which have to be hand loaded, 737’s 757, 320/321 etc., a good handling team will strap the bikes against the forward or rearward hold bulk head, the Bad teams just sling the bike in and often throw the other baggage on top more so as its Duh! a box.

But it when the same plane has to be unloaded the fun starts, I have seen bikes just dropped out of the hold onto the ground, fall of the conveyer belt, driven over by tugs, because the handlers had put the bike to one side and a tear arse Tug driver did not see it.

But, during the busy season the Luggage handlers earn their crust, as it gets manic at Gatwick, so you can understand why some luggage is damaged, as handlers are under pressure to meet targets.
Best thing I would suggest, is find out which handling agent handles your flight, as often some BA flights get loaded by another Agent other than BA, then try to contact that Companies baggage handling manager and see what he says.

 

[Bodhbh]

I've found BA okay after 5-6 flights and tend to default to them. Bike is free as long as can pack it under 23kg and it's the only hold baggage. You can get away with sticking some tools and panniers on the bike in the bag. iirc, CTC bag, turn handlebars, (pretend) to deflate tyres, remove pedals, push the seat into the frame/remove it and tape it there, and remove the rear deraileur and strap it to the frame (optional, but probably a good idea).

That said, I got off the last flight with the frame broke at the rear dropout, but I think it was going anyhow and they did me a favour - it had had some abuse and the rear wheel was not sitting exactly true for a while. Otherwise it didn't look like the bike had a bash. In anycase, as soon as I made a claim they didn't even want to look at it to verify it and no problems.

 

[Simon_m]

Scary stuff hearing about Gatwick. I'm sure it will be fine then in a CTC bag with lots of padding. I guess if I take the front and back wheels off, it will make the overall size smaller and I wont need to mess with the handlebars. thanks

 

[mark]

BA treated my bike well going to and from Gatwick a couple of times, so I'll keep my fingers crossed this time. I'm going to get to the airport as early as I can, have the bike as clean as possible, and have the CTC bag if they won't accept it unbagged. I think having front and rear racks and fenders/mudguards on the bike makes it clear to baggage handlers that it boxing the bike isn't a very good option, and the racks offer a bit of protection to the bike.

 

[jjb]

I guess if I take the front and back wheels off, it will make the overall size smaller and I wont need to mess with the handlebars. thanks

I've only flown easyjet with the bike (in airport poly bags, fine for departing from Nice airport I found) but the BA instructions (linked above) don't mention removing wheels but do say to turn the bars.

If you take the wheels off the forks and frame will ideally need something inserted (like wheel hubs) to protect those bits from compression. And lots of padding in case the bike lands on the ground at those points. Better to keep the wheels on, imho. I suppose removing them limits chance of buckled wheels - but it makes the package too throwable imo.

The instructions say to deflate the tyres. If you normally run them at 110psi, "deflate" may mean down to 60psi for you. You must weigh a perhaps misplaced (according to Sheldon Brown iirc) fear of exploding bike tyres against the risk of rim/tyre damage. I strap the wheels with parcel tape to prevent the bike being rolled on deflated tyres but do deflate to avoid giving any excuse for a last minute bike rejection.

If you turn the pedals inward (so you don't need to try to get your pedals through security as carry on), strap the chainset to prevent movement whacking the pedals against the frame.

Turning the handlebars is easy enough (plenty of youtube videos for novices) but I preferred to remove the handlebar entirely (4 allen bolts) and strap to the crossbar (all cables still attached) to tuck the sti levers away from trouble.

Someone advised removing the rear mech (one big allen bolt, easy to do) and strapping it to the chain stay, great to avoid leverage damage to the frame's gear hanger. I did this and then strapped some flattened plastic volvic bottle over it. A bit of cardboard strapped over the chainset teeth is not a bad idea either if you have the materials to hand. I suppose you might leave the chain on the big ring at the front (to protect the teeth) rather than derailing it, if you make sure to strap the chainset (don't want the chain pulling the disattached rear mech back and forward against the chainstay!)

I marked my preferred seat height on the post, and so could also lower the saddle without much inconvenience.

 

[mark]

I marked my preferred seat height on the post, and so could also lower the saddle without much inconvenience.

I always lower the seat post, it makes it that much easier for baggage handlers to fit the bike through the X-ray machine and into the cargo hold.

 

[jjb]

Worth checking it isn't a BA Iberia codeshare - the Iberia conditions are pretty grim looking:

The equipment of this kind will always be handled as excess baggage with a fixed rate of 75 EUR,per flight, regardless of the destination... In accordance with ANAC (Brazilian Civil Aviation) regulations – for journeys originating in Brazil (outbound and return) the following will apply: BICYCLES : Are within the passenger's free baggage allowance. When this allowance is exceeded a fee of 120USD per piece will be charged

Interesting that the Brazilians have some govt regulation in this area. If they could legislate to say poly bag is fine also, we'd be laughing!

 

[dragon72]

I flew H'row to Mexico City with BA in August with the bike in a CTC clear plastic bag. It was fine and cost £40 as a "2nd bag".

 

[BluesDave]

[QUOTE 1667168, member: 45"]Took a tandem on BMI baby. Just rocked up at Schipol and hoped for the best. All they made me do was let the tyres down (stupid idea) and take the pedals off (and pay £30). No bag or nuffink. The handler even looked at me through the plane window while loading it into the plane. Then when we got to Birmingham the fire exit into the baggage hall opened and another one appeared with the bike.

There's an argument that clear bags mean the handlers are a bit more careful with the bike.[/quote]

The tryes I can understand as they could explode in a pressurised environment.
But the pedals I mean c,mon do they expect people to go riding up and down the plane or cargo hold mid flight.
Also some pedals are a damn site harder to get off than others and some are next to impossible.
I think it's just another case of trying to cause massive inconvenience to people simply for the sake of it and because they can. Take the pedals off, I don't think so.
If they wanted to get a bike mechanic to properly remove the pedals then properly refit them at the other end free of charge that would be a different story.
But it would also be called good customer service and you don't seem to get that anywhere any more.

 

[Ticktockmy]

One reason they like pedals turned round as well as handle bars is to reduce the likehood of damage to your bike, to other peoples luggage and to the inside of the hold,
As I pointed out in another post, whilst some luggage handleing teams will treat your bike respectfully some dont and just throw the bike in the hold with other luggage on top of it.
If you have never been inside the hold of a 737 or 757 or similar small plane, because it so cramped, not enough room to stand up so stuff get trown about, and when being unloaded dragged from the back to the Cargo door. Thus when some hairy arsed Luggage handler grabs the front wheel of you bike and drags it across the floor of the hold with a few suitcase on top, you will understand that anything that sticks out will like pedals and handlebars can catch up on the floor of the hold, and cause damage to your bike or the floor of the hold.