Booking a bike bag as normal baggage?

[Fergal]

I'm sure the answer is on here somewhere but I am distinctly uncommon and will not lower myself to search for it

Now then - has anyone ever flown with Aer Lingus, and successfully booked their bike bag as standard luggage, and got away with it at check-in?

thanks

[paddyobrien]

how much does it cost for a normal check in bag? Is there max dimensions for a normal check in bag (which i assume would be smaller than a bike box).

Is it worth some pissed off check in desk person who's having a shit day possibly fecking up your holiday over 20 quid or whatever the price difference is?

[rob1891]

Are you trying to get around the 6 bikes per plane? Dunno if this helps, not really clear:

http://mtbireland.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=465&highlight=aerlingus&pid=2999#post_2999

[erykkartman]

Fergal,

You need to ring them and book it as bicycle, they have limited spaces, i think 6 or something,
they will charge you 40 euro extra or something like that, im not sure but as far as i remember there is no weight limit,

If you book as standard they probably wont take it or charge you extra and im pretty sure it will be more than 40 all together

From my experience it is way better to take your bike by Aer Lingus that Ryan Air,

[paddyobrien]

oh and if you are booking it on as a bike properly .. make sure and ring the number for help with web reservations as they charge 10 euro less for a bike then if you call the number for normal phone reservations.

[Fergal]

good stuff - thanks lads

poxy limit of 15kg for bikes - the damn bike box weighs 10kg alone

[erykkartman]

No way 15 kg only ???
I did fly in October and there was no limits with Aer Lingus

but on the way back Ryan air charged my additional 100 pound - bastards

[paddyobrien]

fergal,

the way the check in desks are setup in dublin airport, they can't actually weigh the bike box so you've no problems there.

[Phil]

Yep they can't weigh em in Dublin,there is always the chance they will weigh on the other end, but they didn't last time.
You could always send the bike on without a box....it's probably less likely to damaged that way I reckon, if its in a box they will fling it around and pile stuff on top of it.
Ours came through just fine when we sent them back whole and unpackaged from Siagon.

[paddyb]

ive got charged before on the way home with my bike. dublin airport was fine but they weighed it on the return flight

[Fergal]

grand - thanks lads

[ryan]

Yeah, Ryanair/Aer Lingus are 20kg per bike bag (seeing as they upped the price, for Mel and I to carry our bikes and gear to races it went from €120 to €200 per race - with less baggage allowance - less racing for us :( ).

Even though the desks in Dublin are setup such that bikes can't be weighed - if you are moving them around, pretend that they are light - don't show the strain - they have scales beside the oversized area that I have seen them using.

[Phil]

- if you are moving them around, pretend that they are light - don't show the strain -

I wouldn't imagine that is a problem with your bikes Ryan ;)

[ollietrex]

Afraid they can weigh them in Dublin, last time I flew out they took me over to near the oversize luggage belt where there is a flat bed weighing machine. They said if it had been over weight they would not have let me flight with it.

[Fergal]

- if you are moving them around, pretend that they are light - don't show the strain -

I wouldn't imagine that is a problem with your bikes Ryan ;)

or my awesome guns........

[diamondG]

Afraid they can weigh them in Dublin, last time I flew out they took me over to near the oversize luggage belt where there is a flat bed weighing machine. They said if it had been over weight they would not have let me flight with it.

that ryanair or aer lingus ollie?