[Yak] Re: Airline Charges for Bicycles

[Stephen Blum]

This kind of c**p is why I bought a Bike Friday in the first place.  
I've been traveling with bikes for years. It used to be, you could  
show up with a UPS shippable bike box, and they'd just check it  
through. That party is long over.

But the skills learned from horsing around a full sized bike box are  
now coming handy for the BF...

- Read and print out the airline's luggage rules, and carry it with you.
- As other posters have said, never volunteer information.
- First line of attack, rock up to the curbside check in and tip the  
guy $5. That should work every time with a BF, no questions asked.  
Used to work with a bike box, but not any more.
- If that doesn't work, try a kiosk check in with a quick bag drop.
- Never speak the word bicycle. "My stuff" should suffice. Otherwise,  
its machine parts, metal tubing, physical therapy equipment (one pro  
triathlete used to check in with her arm in a sling, just to make her  
case). My favorite is inline wheel chair.
- When the counter agent says "well, that's our policy, so will you be  
flyiing with us today?", don't panic. They're being very manipulative  
and counting on you to just roll over. Very politely say, "yes, I'll  
be flying today, but no I'm not paying X, please get your supervisor."  
At that point you start the "where's Waldo" dance, just be very firm,  
very polite, and very willing to walk right up the chain of command.

Another alternative: if you take the trouble to organize a trip, make  
it a trip. Go international. The rules are still somewhat sane  
(although they'll catch up I'm sure).

Cheers,

Steve Blum
Tellus Venture Associates
U.S. +1-831-582-0700
N.Z. +64-21-116-0002
steveblum at tellusventure.com