Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
slogfester
Posts: 93
Joined: 6 May 2009, 11:47pm

Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by slogfester »

We are going flying UK- New Zealand with bikes and beginning to get a little worried! Is it just me or did the airlines radically decrease the size of a single piece of baggage in the past few years? Transcontinental airlines now have a single piece maximum dimension of c. 158 cm (L+W+D) :shock:
Is it possible to pack a bike down so small? I seem to remember it used to be about 200 cm.
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by TonyR »

BA will accept bikes up to 195cm in length within your allowance provided they"re in a "recognised bike bag" The CTC one should do.

Air NZ will accept them up to 2.5m long (tandems) but there is an excess charge.

Generally you need to look in the Sports equipment part of the luggage allowances. I think the 158cm limit is usually for standard luggage.
ubert767
Posts: 139
Joined: 4 Aug 2013, 8:16pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by ubert767 »

Whilst planning a trip to Italy recently, I managed to obtain this clarification from British Airways regarding the use of CTC type transit bike bags.

"Thank you for your email regarding travelling with your bike in a clear polythene bag when you fly with British Airways.
Our airport teams are hesitant about accepting bikes within these bags as they obviously offer very little in the way of protection for your bike frame and mechanics, plus they are much more difficult to be securely tagged and handled by the baggage teams.

Because of this you will be asked to sign a document to state that if any damage does occur to your bike whilst it is being handled/transported in one of these plastic bike bags, the damage will not be the responsibility of British Airways or its agents.

Therefore, if this would not be acceptable to you or your insurance provider, we would advise you to transport your bike in a more padded/sturdy covering.

I hope this information is useful."

Regards
Ramdas
British Airways
slogfester
Posts: 93
Joined: 6 May 2009, 11:47pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by slogfester »

I can find excess weight rates, but not excess dimension rates.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by simonhill »

Who are Tranacontinel Airlines???

If you mean Delta Airways longhaul, then you may have a problem as US airlines tend to be very bike unfriendly.

If going to NZ, I would recommend Emirates, Air NZ or BA. I always fly Emirates as you get 30kgs and a bike in a box is no problem.

Hopefully you haven't bought your ticket purely on price, cos Delta may well sting you mega bucks for each leg.
MarkF
Posts: 436
Joined: 4 Apr 2011, 10:20am

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by MarkF »

Contact them via email, so that you have a record.

I flew with a courier with max dimensions, on my final day of my tour I'd arranged to collect a cardboard bike box and then go direct to the nearby airport. It was gigantic! I had zero time and materials to reduce it's size, it was so big I had to go the airport basement and use an industrial scanner as it wouldn't fit through the standard baggage one, no extra charge was levied,
slogfester
Posts: 93
Joined: 6 May 2009, 11:47pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by slogfester »

Thanks for replies.
I am flying Emirates which has max of 300 cm (no problem) / 30 kg limit.
Have yet to purchase partners ticket. Looking at Luftansa+AirNZ. Seems to be 158 cm (big problem) / 23 kg (could be a problem). So, you then add a bicycle box at EUR100. Not sure if this is one-way or round trip and if the weight is included in 23 kg limit? If its not and its round trip, then EUR100 for bike is a comparative bargain because you are effectively getting 23 kg + c. 15 kg for the bike box.
PaulSB
Posts: 32
Joined: 23 Mar 2010, 8:50pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by PaulSB »

I've only ever taken my bike by plane in Europe. Friends who have done long haul all say their bikes were treated as part of the general baggage allowance and excess charges applied

I would be very careful.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by simonhill »

I think Lufthansa are one of the unfriendly ones along with Air France/KLM. I just tried to look at Lufthansa's rules and it kept referring me back to the front page. Blxxdy useless, not to mention ongoing strikes.

Pretty sure they will charge for each flight, so not cheap.

Why can't your partner use Emirates? Otherwise I would suggest an Asian airline like Malaysian or Singapore, or maybe Quatar.

Incidentally I fly long haul twice a year and have no problems with Emirates.
slogfester
Posts: 93
Joined: 6 May 2009, 11:47pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by slogfester »

Finally managed to get through to Lufthansa on the phone and they told me that there bicycle box charge is EUR100 each way but is not taken out of included 23 kg baggage allowance. So for EUR200 you get 1 x 23 kg/158 cm + a bike box with 'just a bike inside' but unspecified max weight/dimensions (telephone operator unable to specify). I have emailed them to ask for details in writing.
Prefer to fly out of Birmingham so airline choice is restricted. Lufthansa+AirNZ is currently about £300 cheaper than Emirates, even with additional charge for bike box.
Cheaper still is Southern China Airlines, but I can't make sense of their baggage allowances :shock:
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by tatanab »

Might it not be cheaper to take a train to London and fly ANZ direct? It might even be sensible, taking into account time, to take a taxi. I did that when I went to NZ from Worcester in 2006 and the fare was £100 each way which is pretty close to your 100 euros to fly the bike. I know prices will be higher now but it might be worth thinking about bearing in mind the door to door service.
Penfolds11
Posts: 127
Joined: 9 Jan 2013, 12:08pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by Penfolds11 »

I know that NZ transit in Los Angeles and for a while the US authorities insisted that all passengers disembarked with luggage, cleared customs and got back on the plane again! A crazy procedure but that's what they wanted to do. They might have ditched that policy now but an important point to remember is the number of transits that may need to be encountered, and waiting times involved. While a cheap fare sound great now, when you're stuck in an airport transit area for 6 hours you'll be wishing you spent another £100 on another carrier with better connection times. Although if you travel via Singapore then you'll want as long a wait as possible so that you can spend time in the open-air swimming pool at Changi Airport.

I can't comment on Southern China Airlines as I've never heard of them before (and I've worked in the travel industry before) but I will advise that cheaper is not always best. Might I suggest the OP tries talking to a more specialised (ie not a package holiday) travel agent? Online investigations aren't always best and even supposed flight-aggregators (eg skycanner.net) can't replicate the specialist knowledge and fare construction of long-haul travel agents. Despite a reputation as a backpackers travel company, Trailfinders have a wealth of knowledge of moving people and luggage around the world and will be able to advise on individual carriers' bicycle requirements as well as the most efficient way of travelling. They will also be able to offer fares that the airlines themselves can't offer which sounds bizarre but is to do with the complicated commercial policies of most airlines. I would presume that the likes of STA Travel and Travel Bag among many others will offer the same service but I can't personally recommend them, which I can with Trailfinders. Although I've not flown a bike across the world before.
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by tatanab »

Penfolds11 wrote:I know that NZ transit in Los Angeles and for a while the US authorities insisted that all passengers disembarked with luggage, cleared customs and got back on the plane again!
Hand baggage only, checked baggage stays on board, no clearing customs. The aircraft is cleaned, so it is everybody off and into a holding area. True that immigration have to check you in. 12 hours ish to LA and another 13 to Auckland.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by simonhill »

Maybe you do, but....

It is worth regularly checking the prices as they often change almost daily. Last time I flew to NZ with Emirates, I saw fares go from 900ish to 1100ish and thought I had missed the cheapies. A few days later they were back to 9 and I booked. Same thing happened to Taiwan last year.

Probably true of other carriers as well.

If going via US make sure everybody is eligible to enter visa free. Even though in transit, people have been refused boarding in UK because of this. As said above US transit rules change frequently. Personally I avoid flying that way.

I haven't used Trailfinders for quite a while (since direct booking online), but I used to use regularly and thought them very good. Make sure they put any bike info from the airline in writing on your invoice.
slogfester
Posts: 93
Joined: 6 May 2009, 11:47pm

Re: Baggage allowance- max dimensions

Post by slogfester »

Just a bit of follow-up feedback on this for others.
Ended up booking with Emirates. Going with Lufthansa+AirNZ had too many known unknowns (thank you Donald). In particular small plane on Birmingham - Paris or Frankfurt leg ('may be they take oversized bike box, maybe not'), changing planes twice (greater risk of handling damage) and issues with different baggage policies across airlines.
Like someone said, its a flipin long way without extra hassle!
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