Travellers preparing for bicycle tours of Europe are discovering that the airlines are jacking up the prices to carry bikes.
The International Bicycle Fund reports that, beginning in 2007, most airlines began charging for bicycles carried on trans-Atlantic flights to the tune of $80 to $160 each way. Before this year, ibike reported that airlines generally allowed bicycles to fly free, in lieu of a piece of baggage.
Why is this happening? Ibike suggests collusion among the airlines to pump up earnings.
“It is not a weight issues because many of their lean bicycling customers plus their bikes are going to weigh less than many of their other customers without any bags. It is not a size issue because today’s modern airplanes can, and have, easily accommodated bicycles. And, if is a bottom line issue, the airlines are delusional, because there aren’t enough bikes flying to make a visible difference in there revenue.”
Ibike posts airline fees and regulations regarding bicycles online, although it says it may not be current.
Another good place to check for airline fees and restrictions for bicycles is BikeAccess.com. In addition to updates on the airlines restrictions from travellers, the website also tells about boxing up bicycles for shipment, getting in and out of airports, using trains, and other useful information about travelling with your bike.
If you're taking your bicycle overseas this summer, I would definitely check for airline bicycle-as-baggage policies before you buy a ticket. Actually, I would do this flying domestically as well, because the different carriers have different restrictions and fees.
Another idea is too look into possibility of using a folding bike for your trip, see Bike Friday website. Folding bikes that fit into suitcases will be judged just that, luggage. There's more guidelines about folding bikes at BikeAccess.
Writing at Bicycle and Hiking Tour Blog, the general manager at LRB Flagship also suggests considering renting bikes at your destination.
Photo from thecolorblue at flickr.com
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