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The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread
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lidsterl
Oct 19, 09 22:04
Post #151 of 169 (797 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [dnowak2]
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My Aerus made it to Kona and back with no problems.
Air Canada to Seattle $50
Seattle to Hon. - no charge, just $15 for 1st checked bag which is a standard bag charge
Hon to Kona $25 - although she felt bad but said they had a meeting about that since so many bikes were not getting charged
Kona to Maui - don't recall since I was still on a high, but I think I paid the $25
Maui to Seattle via Hon - no charge and he checked my bags all the way through even though we changed from Hawaiin to Alaska Air.
Avoided the $25 Hawaiin charge and ALL Alaska charges saving me about $75.
Air Canada from Seattle to Winnipeg (through partner airline United) no charge. He wanted to but already had our boarding passes and bag tags printed so he let it slide!
I was crapping when I realized it wasn't an Air Canada flight from Seattle to Vancouver since United can get expensive!!! I'm confident Aerus and its discreet bag saved me lots of $$$. Add extra protection if needed but all my "stuff" arrived safely on both ends and it was handled a lot with all our flight changes!!!
draketriathlon
Oct 19, 09 22:49
Post #152 of 169 (783 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [pmcdc]
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Nice, i know some people flew other airlines down there and i would hate to see the bike charge for that.
The lady at the quantas counter on the way back was super nice also i was over weight and i told her it is what it is i just don't want to deal with them anymore. She ended up not charging me and checking them all the way through so i didn't have to pay midwest either to get back to K.C.
My ticket was only 1300 i think and thats just because i had a narrow range of dates i could leave and come back on. If you take into account bike fees i think it was only 300-400 more than flying to L.A. for sprint nationals lol.
triathlonshots
Oct 20, 09 5:00
Post #153 of 169 (747 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [draketriathlon]
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Boy am I jealous of all your nice happy stories.
Flew 'Go' from Honolulu to Kona and the extra charge was $50usd.
On the return flight with 'Go', it was just $35usd but my luggage didn't arrive. That was the 12th October and I am still waiting for my bike and backpack.
Am told they will arrive in my local airport of Queenstown tomorow but not holding my breath as was told that the day before also.
AirNZ picked up the cots of getting it back to NZ since there were 8 of us affected including 2 bikes of Terenzo Bozzone. AirNZ have said they are just doing us a favour getting them back to us at no extra cost so 'hats off to them'.
Can't say I recommend flying 'Go' though.
G.
www.TriathlonShots.com
Full event coverage of triathlon/ironman in photos.
sls3
Oct 20, 09 14:34
Post #154 of 169 (693 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [pmcdc]
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I just got this:
2nd Bag Fee
Air France will introduce a fee for passengers checking in a second bag. The fee will be $50 for all flights departing from the USA
and 50 euros for all flights departing from Europe.
Some exemptions apply.
That is not good.
SL
http://www.slstri.com.
http://slstri.blogspot.com/
"SLS3 Intelligent Race Apparel will change the way you think about what to wear during training and competition."
NormM
Nov 1, 09 16:49
Post #155 of 169 (569 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Rappstar]
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Do you know where/how you can get a Mexican Athletic Federation membership?
ShawnF
Nov 1, 09 17:11
Post #156 of 169 (563 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Rappstar]
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No charges to or from Maui with the Aerus case on American Airlines. Flying out of LAX, I was going to check it in at the curb and tip the guy $20-40 because AA charges a $100 for bikes. As I'm waiting in line, a supervisor walks up and asks if that's a bike. I laugh and say, "It probably isn't". To which he responds, "You need to take it inside and check it in at the counter." Defeated, I walked to the counter resigned to the fact I'm going to be paying $120 for my luggage. The counter agent looks at the bike case and asks for $20. I showed him my other piece of luggage and tells me it'll be $50. Sweet! I hand him my credit card as quickly as possible and head to the gate.
Leaving Maui, where there is no curbside check-in and hundreds of athletes all flying home with bikes, I was again resigned to paying the $100. I figured $100 r/t wasn't bad. I'm not sure who the ticket agent was, but he wasn't the least bit interested in charging me, thus making more work for him, the extra $100 for the bike. However, when I arrived that night in LA, no bike. It showed up the next morning and was delivered to my house in perfect condition before noon.
shawn
AVIA Running
AVIA on Facebook
(This post was
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by ShawnF on Nov 1, 09 17:13)
Francois
Nov 1, 09 17:31
Post #157 of 169 (555 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [sls3]
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Hardly a surprise to see one of the worst European airlines to be the first doing this, even on international flights...I avoid Air France as much as possible .
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.francoismodave.com
dschoonmaker
Nov 2, 09 5:47
Post #158 of 169 (503 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Rappstar]
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This falls into the category "I should have read this thread before making a reservation."
A few weeks ago I flew Delta to Milan to watch the Giro di Lombardia. Delta hit me for $300 at check-in for one bike in a Trico Ironcase. Weather delays getting into Atlanta to make the connection to Milan meant I made the flight but the bike didn't. The bike reached Milan one day after I left Milan and arrived home one day after I did. At least Delta didn't get to nick me for 300 Euros to bring it back. On the other hand, the derailer hanger is bent.
Fleck
Nov 2, 09 5:59
Post #159 of 169 (495 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [dschoonmaker]
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A few weeks ago I flew Delta to Milan to watch the Giro di Lombardia. Delta hit me for $300 at check-in for one bike in a Trico Ironcase. Weather delays getting into Atlanta to make the connection to Milan meant I made the flight but the bike didn't. The bike reached Milan one day after I left Milan and arrived home one day after I did. At least Delta didn't get to nick me for 300 Euros to bring it back. On the other hand, the derailleur hanger is bent.
Sorry to hear that.
If you had read this thread, you would
not
have flown Delta. When it comes to bikes they are one of the
worst
airlines out there. Triathletes and cyclists need to start to shop for plane tickets by rewarding the airlines that are reasonable and good about this - Delta is NOT that way. No triathlete/cyclist in their right mind, should choose Delta or any of the other big carriers who gouge and discriminate in this way.
As for the derailleur - always take the rear derailleur off the bike when shipping it. It's an easy one bolt thing to do. This greatly reduces the chances of derailleur and derailleur hanger damage when the bike is being shipped.
Steve Fleck
http://www.nineteenwetsuits.com
http://stevefleck.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/stevefleck
sentania
Nov 2, 09 6:49
Post #160 of 169 (480 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Fleck]
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don't remind me - this thread came 5 months to late for my ticket purchase for IMFL.
i've learned my lesson :)
Team Gear Grinder
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scottbowe.com
"Suffering is mandatory,choosing to enjoy your suffering is optional." - Al Boelk
Fleck
Nov 2, 09 7:00
Post #161 of 169 (475 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [sentania]
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don't remind me - this thread came 5 months to late for my ticket purchase for IMFL.
The problem as I see it is that may use Expedia, Hotwire and similar sites to get tickets. They think they have a great deal on the ticket - and perhaps they do. But what they have failed to do is before booking the ticket, check the small-print on that airlines bike policy.
What I do now is scroll down the Expedia and Hotwire ticket price lists and find an airline that is more bike friendly. Yes I realize that their are route and connection restrictions. And yes you may end up paying a bit more, but say you had paid more $100 more for an airline that had a fixed, for sure, $50 bike fee - you would have broken even or better Vs Delta or other airlines that are insane about this.
Steve Fleck
http://www.nineteenwetsuits.com
http://stevefleck.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/stevefleck
sentania
Nov 2, 09 7:11
Post #162 of 169 (468 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Fleck]
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you're making me want to shoot myself! STOP!
:)
Team Gear Grinder
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scottbowe.com
"Suffering is mandatory,choosing to enjoy your suffering is optional." - Al Boelk
SwimNowRunLater
Nov 10, 09 10:56
Post #163 of 169 (342 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Flaco]
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A heads up to all those going to COZUMEL...
I took Flaco's advice and am now a card carrying member of the Mexican Athletic Federation ($40). My bike will fly free on Mexicana. I would suggest calling Mexicana directly as many flights are labeled Mexicana but are actually on American Airlines and therefore subject to AA's baggage policy. I paid a bit more for the ticket on Mexicana but will fly direct to Cancun and shouldn't have any surprises when I get to the airport.
Also, there is a travel director in Cozumel that is offering transportation from the Cancun airport to Playa del Carmen, the ferry ride to Cozumel, and then transportation to your hotel in Cozumel. Round trip for this service is $79. His email is roberto@grupointermar.com.
SallyShortyPnts
Nov 19, 09 9:10
Post #164 of 169 (171 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [trackie clm]
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Just back from a round trip on United and got the $175 in both directions. At least the guy in Denver coming back was nice and let me move some stuff around as the bike case had the gear and tool bag in it and was 10 pounds over and he didn't want to charge me the additional $125. Between the bike charge and off-airport parking and a share of the rental car, I could have driven for the same price or less.
clm
Don't know how I missed REMEMBERING your post, but I nearly paid dearly for it coming out to IMAZ.
I got lucky with the ticket agent in Kansas City who took pity on me and charged me last year's fee of $85.
The bike is going home via FEDEX ground. Dragging luggage that weighs more than you is just that-a drag.
Wag More, Bark Less
Fleck
Nov 19, 09 9:28
Post #165 of 169 (159 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [SallyShortyPnts]
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. Dragging luggage that weighs more than you is just that-a drag.
Hopefully that is not that case. I am guessing the reason that many of the airlines had clamped down on this in the first place and started charging so much more, is that in typical triathlete fashion, it had got
totally
out of hand, and people were checking in bike cases the size and weight of a Hummer! I once was flying home from IMC a few years ago, and it took three strong men to pick up this one womans bike case and put in on the belt. Had to have weighed well over 100 lbs. Crazy.
Steve Fleck
http://www.nineteenwetsuits.com
http://stevefleck.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/stevefleck
Elite_Tri
Nov 19, 09 10:05
Post #166 of 169 (143 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Rappstar]
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I am getting out of the sport because of how crazy it has gotten with fees, it takes the fun out of it.
Elite_Tri
Nov 19, 09 10:06
Post #167 of 169 (142 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Rappstar]
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Frontier was good to me, they only ever charged me 50 percent of the time. And even checked my bike 10 min before the flight takeoff various times.
georgereid
Nov 19, 09 11:41
Post #168 of 169 (124 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Fleck]
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wouldn't the proper response to over-weight bike cases be to simply raise the fees for excess weight?
run well, run happy
george
SallyShortyPnts
Nov 19, 09 12:54
Post #169 of 169 (96 views)
Re: The Official Airline Bike Fee Thread [Fleck]
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My Trico hard-shell case had 1 extra small-size Kuota K-Factor and wheels. Nothing more; not even a bike pump. 14 lb bike and a 30 lb case, plus a duffel bag carrying my helmet, clothes, etc. makes for a heavy load when you're barely 5 feet tall, 50 years old, and slightly over 100 lbs.
Wag More, Bark Less
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