Easy Jet

DamonRead

Flying down to Nice next week with Easy Jet.

Bike will be in a plastic bag as I need to pack the bag and use it for return flight from Florence. Are Easy Jet ok with the plastic bag. They talk alot about bike bags and boxes on the web site. I know the pedals need removing, but can the wheels and everything stay in?

My panniers I think need to be booked in luggage or can they go on the bike? Presumably I will need to put a couple of panniers inside another bag or can I check in 2?

What are other peoples experiences ?

DamonRead

Oh and does anyone know of a small pedal spanner? Dont fancy taking my big one !

Wittgenstein

use an allen key

genki

Wittgenstein wrote:

use an allen key

But don't leave your allen key in your hand luggage. I had someone try to take mine off me at security.

Simon Hunter

spend 50 quid and buy a bike bag
protects the bike, frames, wheels, derailleur etc, no point in arriving in nice for the start of your hol with a bike you can't use is there?

also, check for damage BEFORE you leave baggage pickup, and report/photograph it if there is anyway.

remove pedals, twist or remove bars, spindles, wheels, consider using pipe lagging as extra protection

I was in Nice in the summer, great for cycling.

enjoy

aracer

Simon Hunter wrote:

spend 50 quid and buy a bike bag
protects the bike, frames, wheels, derailleur etc, no point in arriving in nice for the start of your hol with a bike you can't use is there?

The thing is, it doesn't actually - it just gives the illusion of protection. If the baggage monkeys stack cases on top of the bag, the bike will still get damaged. Certainly the one time I've had my bike damaged was using a bag - never had any problems flying a bare bike (though only done that with the tandem).

I do still use one, but it's not my preference (I have a hard case for when weight isn't an issue), and make sure to dismantle and protect as much as possible. If you're taking wheels out then make sure to put axle spacers in, as otherwise it's very easy to get dropouts compressed together.

franklin pierce

DamonRead wrote:

Oh and does anyone know of a small pedal spanner? Dont fancy taking my big one !

I have an old shimano TL-PD30. Not sure if they're still available, or what the newer equivalent would be.

DomT

Took a bike in a plastic bag last year with Easy Jet and the baggage handlers damaged the rear hanger - and so fcuked up the start of my holiday. I wasn't a happy bunny

I had everything protected with pipe insulation too, so next time I'll use a bike bag and take everything to bits... no amount of padding is going to protect delicate parts when they are thrown out of a plane!

stu99

Easyjet wouldn't accept my bike in a clear polythene bag and insisted it either had to be in a 'proper' canvas bike bag or cardboard box. This experience almost ruined a holiday.

Fortunately I had given myself two hour check in and a mad dash in a taxi to the nearest Halfords saved the day.

Will you get away with it? Others have but I think a lot depends on the training success of the ground staff and their own particular interpretion of the easyJet rules. I won't risk it again.

CarlosFerreiro

General good idea is to take a print out of the airline's own policy with you - staff do not always follow their own rules.

oldwelshman

If you want to ride the bike when you get there I would invest £50 in a bike bag as suggested. I piad £35 from planet x for pink bag. You gives a monkey about colour
I removed chain, and took off rear changer and put between chain stays.
I protected tubes with pipe insulators and foam rubber cable tied around.
When you check in it goes via outsize which is normally handled as fragile by most airlines but I always ask for fragile sticker to be put on.
I took all tools, allen keys, large pedal spanner, adjustable, cable cutters and grease (for pedals).
In last coupls of months taken bike to Italy, USA and France.
Bag has couple of scuff marks but bike is still ok

aracer

oldwelshman wrote:

When you check in it goes via outsize which is normally handled as fragile by most airlines but I always ask for fragile sticker to be put on.

The fragile sticker might help, but I've always seen bike bags being handled together with other luggage (and have seen a bike bag underneath a pile of cases).

The secret is in packing and protecting your bike properly, not in the use of a bag - I'd always remove pedals and rear mech hanger (used to just take mech off, but had the hanger bent with nothing on it), use pipe wrap put spacers between dropouts, and also put something solid between the sides of whatever you're using so it's not possible to crush it (and your bike). You can just as well do all that in a cardboard box though. Or a plastic bag if they did allow that - would be my preference, as at least they can see it's a bike (is the reason I think we've always been OK with the bare tandem).

ut_och_cykla

stu99 wrote:

Easyjet wouldn't accept my bike in a clear polythene bag and insisted it either had to be in a 'proper' canvas bike bag or cardboard box. This experience almost ruined a holiday.
SNIP
.

My bruvver flew to Sweden for Vaettern Rundan last year. Was forced to leave his bike behind! (rode an old borrowed bike instaed) cos it was only in plastic. (It couldn't go on teh car park shuttle either!!) He was a very ANGRY bunny - they almost called airport security!! adn he almost missed his flight as running through security with a rucksack sent bad vibes through people!!
Check and double check with the handlers and ticket issuers what applies - get it in writing too if you can!
HAve a plan B to hire/buy new parts/wheel etc if required.
Sorry to be so dismal on a friday

martincroxall

I've flown with EasyJet with my bike in an old cardboard bike box that had a couple of fragile stickers on it. Imagine my surprise when I got to the other end and found the cardboard box didn't have so much as a scuff on it let alone the bike. Obviously it's not the ideal way if you need to carry the packaging with you but it certainly worked well for me (and they are free).

DamonRead

I have a very good bike bag. But am flying back from Florence.

How do I get it from Nice to Florence?

stu99

martincroxall wrote:

I've flown with EasyJet with my bike in an old cardboard bike box that had a couple of fragile stickers on it. Imagine my surprise when I got to the other end and found the cardboard box didn't have so much as a scuff on it let alone the bike. Obviously it's not the ideal way if you need to carry the packaging with you but it certainly worked well for me (and they are free).

I too have used this option (with fragile stickers) successfully on a number of internal and international flights with a high degree of success. However, earlier this year I also watched baggage handlers at Newcastle airport unload the cardboard bike box from the aircraft, place it flat on the trailer and then pile an estimated 200kgs worth of suitcases on top of it. Fortunately, I got away with a marginally buckled front wheel.......

vectra

Flew back from Budapest in June this year with touring bike in clear bag.

Took off pedals, turned handlebars and let down tyres. I had a print out of EasyJets bike policy in case of arguments. "Scrum half" came and lifted bike away - and "tight head lock" brought it out at Gatwick at baggage reclaim.

Also, tied my panniers together to make two "bags". No questions asked. They didn't even weight them at Budapest, but I only brought back minimum stuff so wasn't much over the limit anyway.

No problems as all, but maybe I was just lucky!