Before we begin I need to make a couple of things clear. This box must be one of two bags to be checked, the box must not exceed 158 linear cm combining height and length (width within reason is irrelevant) and the box must not weigh more than 20 kg.
If you are employed by Air Canada or any other airline you must understand that this is an honest attempt to save fellow cyclists money. I fly on average 4 times during the course of the racing and training season. If I was to be charged $60 each way for a bicycle that would amount to $480 in additional expenses I cannot afford. That extra cost represents 2 domestic flights and encourages me to make the effort to travel for training by air instead of driving. In the end the airlines get their money and my business because I am in a better position financially to be able to give them my business. What makes an airline think that because I purchase a roundtrip flight for $240 that I can dump $120 into shipping my bike? Do they think the bike is a toy I just feel like bringing with me!? The fact is cyclists either travel with their bicycles or they don't travel at all. We are traveling to train and race, not on some flipping vacation. What's it going to be? I say it is in the airlines best interest to sell more tickets rather than cash in on lame bicycle charges that upon further reading you will discover are completely unfounded. This report is in the best interest of sport, in the best interest of poor competitive cyclists everywhere and is an encouragement for cyclists to stand up for their rights to travel without undue discimination.
Here are the steps that must be taken to ensure that your $120 hard earned dollars stay in your bank account:
1) Get yourself a Cannondale cardboard bicycle box from your local Cannondale Dealer. The reason for the Cannondale box is that most importantly it is wider than standard bicycle boxes as it is designed to carry the bicycle with both wheels off beside the frame. I have found through long term experience that the quality of the cardboard in these boxes is superior as well as the glue used to seal the box at the base.
2) Remove the stem, handlebars, seatpost, pedals, cranks rear derailluer and fork from your bicycle. It is essential that the frame be unobstructed from being the determining factor for the maximum dimesions for your box. Make sure there are no potruding bits (ei. remove the seatpost collar as well).
3) The most crucial step in the operation is that you must now measure the smallest possible box length and height that will accommodate your frame. It is important to note that this is all relative to your frame size. A larger frame will dictate the box size. If you are riding a compact or 54cm or smaller frame size the height of the wheels will likely dictate the height of the box.
4) Now that you have determined the height and length of your box start cutting! The width of a Cannondale box is more than enough room, but interestingly enough the width is not factored into Air Canada's baggage size policy (according to their website and the clerk I talked to). You need to make sure that the linear dimensions of the length and height does not exceed 158cm. When cutting your box make sure to do it so that the flaps remain in order to better seal the box. Try to use as many of the original features of the box as possible to maintain its structural integrity.
5) Place pipe insulating foam around all of the bicycles tubes to prevent frame damage due to parts rubbing together as it is quite tightly packed together in this size of a box. Place the frame inside with the handbar and fork. Cut an extra piece of cardboard to separate the frame from the wheels. Make sure you remove the hub skewers and place plastic end caps on the ends of the hubs. From personal experience this is very important as uncovered hub ends can eat through even wheel bags and cardboard during a flight and scratch your frame through the foam.
Now that the bike is in the box you are ready to head to the airport and make your final bid for freedom from the senseless bicycle charge the airlines love. I have always questioned this charge and always assumed it was due to the extra work involved with packing and transporting the bicycle on and off the plane. From this past trip I learned that this is not true. If you come to the airport it doesn't matter how small the box is. As soon as you say there is a bicycle inside the $60 is coming out of your pocket.
This fact leads us to the hardest part of the operation for many, but this step essential to the operation's success. You must lie! As long as the contents of the box is not a bicycle you are fine. I have my own line that works every time, but that is my little secret, my patent on the whole idea if you will. Be creative and you will thank me.
To my surprise the clerk upon tagging the box directed me to the oversized baggage station just like if I had been transporting a larger bicycle box. This means that the airlines are simply concerned with charging for bicycles because they are bicycles, without actually being concerned about the size or shape of the luggage involved. As long as the box is within 20kg, 158cm and is your second piece of baggage your fine. If I am transporting 20 kg of catfood in a box, or 20 kg of aluminum, carbon fiber and rubber what it the difference? This is a case of discrimination that must be fought. Don't give them your money just because they ask for it.
When you go to pick your bike up at the other end it may come out though the oversized doors or onto the carousel. Depending on the size of the airport and the carousel system this is variable.
To all of you with hardcases this may be a bit of an adjustment to be packing your bike in cardboard. The fact is I have traveled to Asia, Europe (3 times) and domestically (8times) and only gone through 2 of these Cannondale boxes without ever damaging my bicycle in the process. I have carried the box for 25 minute stretches with 2 backpacks on to catch busses at 4 am, taken the whole works up and down stairs in the Brussels train station, piled into bus/train seats and packed it into countless backseats of cabs and cars. This system is superior to any hard case. The box is lighter, smaller, free and allows for some extra gear plus up to three wheels.
I hope that this information can be used constructively by all and not abused so as to alert the airlines. If you are on the same flight as me you better have a good story!
Before, with a regular sized (unmodified) Cannondale box in the background. 
Before, with a regular sized (unmodified) Cannondale box in the background. 
The frame is the maximum dimensions of my box.
Nice and cozy, ready for a long journey
"The mod" relative to a regular Cannondale box and a standard box.
5 comments:
One of the oldest tricks in the book.
Thanks Per. Charging for bicycles is blatant discrimination. When I head down to Tucson next month, I'll be sending my bike this way too!
One trick I have heard is when using a hard case, say that it is a fancy display for some tradeshow instead of a bike. I am not too sure if this would work but I am willing to try it.
Travelling with a bike isn't too bad though. Try travelling with 15 pairs of xc skis and three pairs of poles. Not fun.
Another good trick is to use a big screen tv box and mark it fragile. They assume it's a tv and don't charge you. Sweet!
Indeed that is a good call Jon. Or just turn the box inside out and it could be carrying anything. Whatever it takes to get around those charges.
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