Never tell the airlines that is a bicycle when you pack it small. Tell them it is steel tubes, or a personal mobility device or sports equipment. The airlines are not suppose to charge you if it is under the 60" limit size. What some people do is get a letter from the customer service department of the airline that they carry with them, saying there is no charge if under the limit, which they show at the ticket counter. Some airlines have this on their websites, if they do print and take it with you, Air Canada does not have this on their website. I once had an Air Canada agent in Washington DC try to charge me $50 because the box I was using had a picture of a bicycle on it. I explained to her first it was a Burley Travoy trailler, the box size couldn't fit a bike if I tried and I tried to explain to her the policies of the airline, but she didn't want to hear it. To her a bike is a bike is a bike. Because it wasn't a bike she didn't charge me but remember of who you have to deal with.
Here is the current ad for the bike case rental place.http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/bik/4255532848.html Hope that helps. On Thursday, January 2, 2014 12:22:03 PM UTC-5, Kieran J wrote: > > Hey Blakcloud, > > Yeah, I can see how the costs will add up quickly with a few trips abroad. > How does an S&S frame packed up differ from a regular bike, in terms of > what you are charged? It's my understanding that Air Canada will charge you > the $50 as long as it's a bike, no matter what. I guess with an S&S bike, > it's small enough that you could lie and say it's something else? > > The only place I know of to install S&S couplers in the Toronto area is > True North, and he charges $750+350 for paint, so that's a lot. I guess a > smaller package would be convenient, but if it doesn't reduce the per-trip > fees, it would never pay for itself. > > I've seen that bike box rental ad, might look more closely at it. The > Serfas boxes that AC recommends are not exactly cheap. > > KJ > > > On Thursday, January 2, 2014 11:57:18 AM UTC-5, blakcloud wrote: > >> There is a guy on the Toronto CL that advertises renting out bike cases >> for traveling but have no idea if your bike would fit. At least your bike >> will be protected. I have traveled with a fabric bag to carry my bike and >> though it survived the bag didn't. I would never do it again the stress is >> too much. I have also used a cardboard box for a tour once and had to >> discard the box as I rode right from the airport. Then there was the hassle >> of getting another box for traveling home. >> >> Cost wise, for example Air Canada charges $35 for your second bag and >> $100 if it your third. Plus there is a charge of $50 for each portion of >> the journey because it is a bike. Then you have to be careful that Air >> Canada is actually the plane you are using and not another Star Alliance >> carrier because their charges can be different even thought you paid Air >> Canada for the ticket. So it is at least $85 each way if you have one other >> piece of luggage if you fly economy. First class different story. If you >> rent a case then add that on. Do that twice a year and you may rethink S >> and S couplers. >> >> My wife works for an airline, I essentially travel the world for next to >> nothing and I had visions of bringing a bike with me so I bought us both >> Bromptons. The Brompton rides like crap, might as well just rent a bike at >> my destination. If I was doing another cycling vacation and was only doing >> it once in a while I would go the bike case route and pay the charges. If I >> was taking my bike somewhere twice a year, I would seriously think S & S >> couplers. >> >> Only my opinion. Others will chime in because there are plenty of people >> who travel with their bikes and have no problems. The benefits greatly >> outweigh the hassles. >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
