Flybe bike policy - ever been refused?

bahzob

Seeing the Easyjet question reminded me to ask re Flybe.

Their official policy is that bikes will be taken if there is space on the plane, you cant book in advance.

This presents a potentially worrying scenario of turning up at the airport with bike and being told either you cant go to nicer clim(b)s or (not quite so bad I guess) being told you cant come back to the UK.

However I have spoken with couple of friends who say not to worry, they have had no problem in practice.

Still worrying though. So has anyone ever been told they cant take a bike on a Flybe flight?

synchronicity

Never flown with them. Get there early and you should be alright.

Thanks for thinking up yet another scenario that is just another one to add to my list of reasons to hire a bike instead.

mrserus

Hi
Just started posting here, Newly returning to cycling, however hubby is constantly taking his bike, He never goes on holiday with his bike and he has flown with multiple airlines inc flybe and even when turning up with minutes to spare for booking in, has never had to leave his bike behind.
So rest assured you should be ok.

spen666

mrserus wrote:

Hi
Just started posting here, Newly returning to cycling, however hubby is constantly taking his bike, He never goes on holiday with his bike and he has flown with multiple airlines inc flybe and even when turning up with minutes to spare for booking in, has never had to leave his bike behind.So rest assured you should be ok.

He doesn't have a bike?

That explains why he never goes on holiday with it and never has to leave it behind? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Gavin Gilbert

spen666 wrote:

mrserus wrote:

Hi
Just started posting here, Newly returning to cycling, however hubby is constantly taking his bike, He never goes on holiday with his bike and he has flown with multiple airlines inc flybe and even when turning up with minutes to spare for booking in, has never had to leave his bike behind.So rest assured you should be ok.

He doesn't have a bike?

That explains why he never goes on holiday with it and never has to leave it behind? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Nice one Spen. A newbie probably put off of contributing more to the forum by pointless nit-picking

swelsbyuk

I am hoping to travel to France with Flybe in mid-August with 2 bikes and I too have come across this problem. I have tried to get through to the Flybe contact centre (10p a minute - nice earner) but eventually end up giving up.

What I want to know is this: If they do refuse you, what then happens to the bike(s). Will they store them until you return or stick them on the next available flight or are you stuck at the airport with 2 bikes that you have to dismantle and put in your car and hope no one nicks them whilst you are away?

Anyone else had this prob?

bahzob

Sorry cant help you direct with this question as not yet happened (and hopefully wont).

Can say that I have travelled with Flybe several times since original post and not yet had situation of being refused.

That said one of those trips was on a plane where someone else had their bike left behind. Not sure exactly why but chap was promised would be on next plane. Not much use as he was on a tour so he had to sort out renting a local bike at short notice.

Slow1972

It'll only be a problem if you're on one of the popular BA flights out of Gatwick the Friday before the Etape if last year was anything to go by.... was a few people in the place I stayed who had to wait around at Toulouse for the second flight to arrive with their bikes.

Otherwise you should be okay. I flew Manchester to Bordeaux, full flight with about a dozen bikes on and all went on. By contrast I think the BA flights from Gatwick to Toulouse had over 50 bikes being checked in on each flight, hence the problem.

If it doesnt go on your flight I think they just stick it on the next available flight.

flybebrokemybike

Have not been refused, but just arrived in Alicante from a Flybe flight to find my carbon road bike totally smashed up inside the bike box - looks like a truck has run over it. Still waiting for an official reply from Flybe.. hopefully they do the right thing.

sungod

hope you were insured...

because unless you declared the value at the time you checked the bike in and this was accepted by the carrier, the limit on the carrier's liability for damage is about 1000 quid (it's actually quantified in special drawing rights, so the value varies according to conversion rate)

typically you need to get a property irregularity report at the airport and make a written claim within seven days of the time you got your baggage

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/Lex ... 29:EN:HTML

cougie

I race abroad each year and never had a problem with the bike going with me.
A mate has had it where the bike didn't transfer across once - but it followed on the next flight.

I'd really not bother worrying about it.

And the airlines don't load/offload the planes anyway - its the airport so all of the planes get the same service level ? So technically Flybe haven't broken that bike.

pilot_pete

cougie wrote:

And the airlines don't load/offload the planes anyway - its the airport so all of the planes get the same service level ? So technically Flybe haven't broken that bike.

If you bought your ticket with Flybe, your contract is with Flybe. The fact they use other 'agencies' to do some of the functions at an airport doesn't change the fact your claim is with Flybe. It's a bit like the sale of goods act where your claim for a dodgy bike is with the retailer, not the manufacturer!

The 'airport', by which I take it you mean the company that owns/ operates the airport, such as BAA or MAplc for example, do not 'load/offload the planes'. Airport handling companies operate at airports and provide this function. Companies in the UK include Serviceair, Swissport etc etc. There is usually more than one, in fact several at larger airports and this provides competition. Airlines drive the price down and down and play one off against the other to keep their costs low and the handling agents do everything to attract custom, especially big contracts. My airline has recently changed agents for the whole airline at all UK airports to reduce costs. They put in service level agreements and the agent is 'fined' for targets being missed.

So, all the airlines don't get the same 'service level', they get what they have negotiated in the contract with the handling agent. The handling agent usually provides full ground service to their customers (the airline) from operating the check in desks (usually the check in staff are employees of the agent, not the airline whose uniform they wear on the desk!), through to baggage handling, gate staff to operating the pushback tug, providing flight despatch for the crew and freight handling (may be outsourced) to collating the load sheet for the crew.

I hope this helps clarify who does what at the airport! ;-) oh and good luck with the claim for damages as I suspect as others have said, the liability will be limited in the small print. Go on the airline's website and look for their conditions of carriage. It will all be laid out in there and these do differ from airline to airline.

PP

pilot_pete

Oh and p.s.

Flybe operate smalerl aircraft, including turbo-props with small holds, hence why they may not have room for bicycles.

PP