Flying with gear in panniers

[steveindenmark]

I will shortly be flying to the UK with Ryanair and then onwards with Easyjet.

I will be leaving the panniers on the bike but would like to know what everyone else does in these circumstances. Do you take everything out of the panniers or do you leave some gear in.

The bike empty weighs 17kg and the allowance is 35kg.

I will be well within my weight limits but space could be a problem. I will take my bar bag and helmet on as hand luggage and the rest of my gear including tent etc, will be in a large drybbag in the hold.

 

[Bodhbh]

I've done it on Ryanair and others, but it's been a while and I can't recall exactly how cheeky I was. For certain I can say I've left at least a couple of front panniers on the bike, with tools and other stuff I'd never get in the hand luggage. I also left the tent bungeed to the rack. The big rear panniers, I took as hand luggage.

I don't think I went mad stuffing the panniers with as much gear as I thought I could get away with, but like it say it's been a while.

 

[steveindenmark]

Thats what I was thinking Bod.

The panniers may provide a little protection as it is going in a soft cover. I think I can get all my gear in a large drybbag. I may not have to leave any gear on the bike. But its good to know your options.

 

[xilios]

We put the locks, tools and tent ground sheets into the bike boxes. One rear pannier and the handle bar bag come in the plane with us. They just happen to be the perfect allowed sizes.
The rest are in lightweight duffle bags.
Even though the rules state the box has a 35kg limit it also states there shouldn't be anything else in the box. But on the other hand they've never checked.
Second picture on this page.

 

[si_c]

I'm curious @xilios what you did with the boxes, and how you packed the bikes for the return journey.

 

[xilios]

We through the boxes away at the airport and on our return we used bubble wrap.
Check out last two pictures here.

 

[hopless500]

We used a front pannier each as hand luggage. The rear pannier went in the bike box with most of our stuff in it.