Flying with a touring bike

jemo27
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Flying with a touring bike

Postby jemo27 » Sun Mar 31, 2013 11:02 am

I'm using the Indian Pacific to get me to WA but am looking at flying back to Victoria. neer flown with a bicycle before always usually use trains

What has been people's experiences with the different airline companies?

which airlines hae you had good expereince and which have been difficult?

any tips on packing your bicycle for flight?

any usefull information would be helpful

thanks Joel

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RonK
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby RonK » Sun Mar 31, 2013 11:22 am

Yep, done it regularly.

You can usually cadge a box from a bike shop, or you can buy one from the airlines at the terminal for around $15. The airlines boxes are bigger, so less disassembly is required.

Get on the web and read the airline baggage pages. They give specific information about travelling with bikes, so this is the best place to find current information.

It used to be quite difficult to avoid exhorbitant excess baggage charges, but the domestic airlines now permit you to purchase extra baggage allowance if required, so there is nothing particularly inconvenience about flying with a bike these days.

I've flown with most of the domestic carriers in recent years. My pick is Virgin.

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Aushiker
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby Aushiker » Sun Mar 31, 2013 6:34 pm

I have flown with bikes with Qantas, Virgin Pacific, Virgin Blue and Gurada. Not problems with any of them.

The last time I fly with my Surly Long Haul Trucker also included flying with my Extrawheel trailer from Perth to Darwin and as it turned out back to Perth. I wrote up my experience of flying with the bikes here.

I picked up a bike box in Darwin from a LBS without dramas.

All up the flying went well.

Andrew

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recumbenteer
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby recumbenteer » Tue Apr 02, 2013 7:35 pm

Ok brains trust..... 8)

I'll see yer touring bikes, 'n raise ya a Velomobile.... :mrgreen:

I'm having a hell of a time trying to work out how to get mine to West Aus, so I can ride it back home to Sydney....

Ideas??

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RonK
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby RonK » Tue Apr 02, 2013 7:58 pm

recumbenteer wrote:Ok brains trust..... 8)

I'll see yer touring bikes, 'n raise ya a Velomobile.... :mrgreen:

I'm having a hell of a time trying to work out how to get mine to West Aus, so I can ride it back home to Sydney....

Ideas??
Yep. Get a touring bike. :)

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rangersac
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby rangersac » Tue Apr 02, 2013 9:21 pm

See if they'll take it via the motor-rail service on the Indian Pacific?

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il padrone
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby il padrone » Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:39 pm

Crate it and freight it.

That's what they do with motorcycles - a guy I knew did this to ship his to the UK and ride a tour around Europe. I think it even went on the same plane as he re-ssembled it outside Heathrow (he had to partially dismantle it). Not going to be cheap though :| .


Image

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rangersac
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby rangersac » Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:35 pm

il padrone wrote:Crate it and freight it.
That's a good call actually, if you can get it into a crate that is moveable by a forklift, a courier company will deliver it for you. As IP says though, not going to be cheap, but probably the most economical way to do it.

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RonK
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby RonK » Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:45 pm

rangersac wrote:
il padrone wrote:Crate it and freight it.
That's a good call actually, if you can get it into a crate that is moveable by a forklift, a courier company will deliver it for you. As IP says though, not going to be cheap, but probably the most economical way to do it.
It'll cost a heap. But try PackSend. Estimate the weight and volume and get a quote online. I used them to send a bike interstate - cost $260 with insurance but the service was excellent and very quick.

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il padrone
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby il padrone » Wed Apr 03, 2013 2:01 pm

No idea what it cost them, but Brian and Shirley Hardy-Rix just recently spent 18 months riding their motorbike around the world (well most of it) and they shipped it across oceans several times. Here is how it left Australia en-route to Chile:

Image


It is a big motorbike too:

Image

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recumbenteer
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby recumbenteer » Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:23 pm

rangersac wrote:See if they'll take it via the motor-rail service on the Indian Pacific?

It's too big to go as luggage on the Indian-Pacific, and too small for the motor rail sevice. :(

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recumbenteer
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby recumbenteer » Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:31 pm

RonK wrote:
rangersac wrote:
il padrone wrote:Crate it and freight it.
That's a good call actually, if you can get it into a crate that is moveable by a forklift, a courier company will deliver it for you. As IP says though, not going to be cheap, but probably the most economical way to do it.
It'll cost a heap. But try PackSend. Estimate the weight and volume and get a quote online. I used them to send a bike interstate - cost $260 with insurance but the service was excellent and very quick.

Packsend.... $3000.00 Say What :shock: PLUS insurance :shock: :shock:

jemo27
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby jemo27 » Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:44 pm

How did you fly with your pannier bags?

Do you get a stripped bag to put them in. I know I did that on countrylink and Great southern rail have me canvas bags when I went on the Indian Pacific

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RonK
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby RonK » Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:57 pm

Yeah, just put them into a cheap carry bag.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

rowdyflat
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby rowdyflat » Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:15 am

Just flew to NZ whatever you do dont go Jetstar they are the worst with bikes.
Charging for excess weight is part of their business model.

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RonK
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby RonK » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:07 pm

rowdyflat wrote:Just flew to NZ whatever you do dont go Jetstar they are the worst with bikes.
Charging for excess weight is part of their business model.
Sometimes the cheapest ticket costs more in the long run. I've been caught out by Jetstar before and it cost me $200 in excess baggage charges each way.

Not sure about Jetstar, but both Qantas and Virgin now allow you to purchase an extra baggage allowance at a reasonable price, even at the airport, so no more exhorbitant charges. When I went to EnZed last year I bought one prepayed extra baggage piece for $30 and did not have to worry about minimising weight or trying to stuff heavy items into my cabin bag.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

jemo27
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby jemo27 » Fri May 03, 2013 10:37 pm

In terms of excess baggage, how have you found different airlines?

I was talking to flight centre and they said Qantas charges $20 for 23kg extra, while Virgin is $15 for each kilo you are over 23kg. Has that been your experience?

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Aushiker
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby Aushiker » Fri May 03, 2013 11:44 pm

jemo27 wrote:In terms of excess baggage, how have you found different airlines?

I was talking to flight centre and they said Qantas charges $20 for 23kg extra, while Virgin is $15 for each kilo you are over 23kg. Has that been your experience?
You might want to check Virgin Australia website for more accurate information ...



Andrew

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RonK
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby RonK » Sat May 04, 2013 5:53 am

jemo27 wrote:In terms of excess baggage, how have you found different airlines?

I was talking to flight centre and they said Qantas charges $20 for 23kg extra, while Virgin is $15 for each kilo you are over 23kg. Has that been your experience?
Did you bother to read my preceding post?
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

jemo27
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Re: Flying with a touring bike

Postby jemo27 » Sat May 04, 2013 8:16 pm

RonK wrote:
jemo27 wrote:In terms of excess baggage, how have you found different airlines?

I was talking to flight centre and they said Qantas charges $20 for 23kg extra, while Virgin is $15 for each kilo you are over 23kg. Has that been your experience?
Did you bother to read my preceding post?
Totally missed your post, reading forum on my mobile.

I'm not a fan of flying, so want to get everything correct. Good to hear Virgin is okay.to fly with.

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