Cyclists flying overseas with bikes on Emirates

[Zatopek]

Jis man. I’m sorry to hear/see the way your bike was treated and the result. It really sucks. My wife and I have to claim new bags from the airlines almost every time we travel, and we buy good bags but these guys don’t seem to care and each time the airline replaces it with a decent bag. This must cost them a pretty penny each year.

Can you share what go wrong with the bags / then what expensive brands not to buy?

 

It is worrying - currently looking to invest in two 'proper' bike bags/boxes (so that the missus can wheel her one when alone), but if they are not working I would rather stick to my carton boxes that I re-use for multiple flights (And no damage in to our bikes over the last 14+ years) 

[Pikey]

Damn Pikey that really sucks.

So Im guessing you were taking your bike over as part of emigration right?

Did you have insurance on the bike on either side at the time? I know I probably wouldnt have which is a scary thought.

Sorry mate that really is a crappy situation

Hey RB, yea exactly was emigrating. I have a bike bag but was taking 2 bikes on the flight with me. My evil is all good.

No insurance I didn’t opt for it,in hindsight probably a really bad decision. Thought I had it wrapped enough ,in fact thought it was over protected . Eerrr wrong .

 

I didn’t even reply to there email as I can’t fight them anymore and have other priorities. Will find someone in the uk to fix the damage and make it like new .

 

What makes me fu$k’ing angry is how they must of miss handled the bike to do that damage . Anyway it is what it is and I am over Emirates.

[Pikey]

Jis man. I’m sorry to hear/see the way your bike was treated and the result. It really sucks. My wife and I have to claim new bags from the airlines almost every time we travel, and we buy good bags but these guys don’t seem to care and each time the airline replaces it with a decent bag. This must cost them a pretty penny each year.

That’s quite disgusting that they can destroy a bag,but I completely believe they can.

[Pieter1]

Can you share what go wrong with the bags / then what expensive brands not to buy?

 

It is worrying - currently looking to invest in two 'proper' bike bags/boxes (so that the missus can wheel her one when alone), but if they are not working I would rather stick to my carton boxes that I re-use for multiple flights (And no damage in to our bikes over the last 14+ years)

Hey Zap. I’m talking about regular luggage. Those hard shell cases. With them we have had them cracked, busted handles and broken wheels. We have them wrapped but that does not really seem to help. But if I fly with my bike I’m going to put it in something like a Evoc bag for sure and stuff it with bubble wrap.

[Rocket-Boy]

Hey RB, yea exactly was emigrating. I have a bike bag but was taking 2 bikes on the flight with me. My evil is all good.

No insurance I didn’t opt for it,in hindsight probably a really bad decision. Thought I had it wrapped enough ,in fact thought it was over protected . Eerrr wrong .

 

I didn’t even reply to there email as I can’t fight them anymore and have other priorities. Will find someone in the uk to fix the damage and make it like new .

 

What makes me fu$k’ing angry is how they must of miss handled the bike to do that damage . Anyway it is what it is and I am over Emirates.

Shame bro that is terrible.

Yeah I have seen them literally throwing baggage into the cargo holds before. If it doesnt get thrown in then it gets put on the bottom and everything lumped on top of it.

Fragile stickers are just a challenge for the handlers to test just how fragile it actually is!!

[shade]

****, thats just terrible..

 

Here is another alternative, which i did . I took  2 cardboard bike boxes and put the one in the other. Sometimes different make or different size M vs L  box will work. This reinforces the cardboard shell.

 

(One can also actually use the cavity between the 2 boxes to insert pieces of more cardboard or hardboard to reinforce further)

[Andreas_187]

BikeBox Alan is generally regarded as one of the toughest

[nicolaasdekker]

Howsit, I'm flying Mango from DBN to CPT tomorrow then SAA from CPT to JHB, followed by Emirates from JHB to Dubai, then Fly Dubai to Tajikistan in a few weeks.

 

Will be taking my 2 Tandems. Will report back on any horror stories.

 

Already had to ditch my 2 folding kayaks because the JHB-Dubai leg would have cost me 2000usd.

 

Also had to ditch everything but the essentials to get my two tandems under 23kg, no tools, locks, had to ditch my brand new "extrawheel trailer"   and many more nice to haves. 

[Dusty]

Howsit, I'm flying Mango from DBN to CPT tomorrow then SAA from CPT to JHB, followed by Emirates from JHB to Dubai, then Fly Dubai to Tajikistan in a few weeks.

 

Will be taking my 2 Tandems. Will report back on any horror stories.

 

Already had to ditch my 2 folding kayaks because the JHB-Dubai leg would have cost me 2000usd.

 

Also had to ditch everything but the essentials to get my two tandems under 23kg, no tools, locks, had to ditch my brand new "extrawheel trailer"   and many more nice to haves. 

Please do let us know. We are flying same airlines then to Kyrgyzstan after Dubai.

[Duane_Bosch]

We've just gotten back from France. No problems for my mates on Emirates. 2 bags of 23kg. One of them being a bike. Just make sure you go on to the Emirates website and tell them you are taking a bike. The horror stories seem to be just that.

 

My mate and I stupidly believed the story and booked Turkish. 90 Euro each way for a bike. Which in itself wasn't too bad but the hassle of checking in, Then paying, then going back to the check in oke to make sure you had paid was a bit of a faff if I'm honest. The guy in Geneva did try to get our bikes on for free for us but no dice. I'm not sure how that works but anyway.

 

We did get to ride on the first and last days which the okes on emirates did not tho. 

 

As usual the following rules apply

 

Arrive early

Be friendly

Know the terms and conditions

Edited July 30, 2019 by Duane_Bosch

[LisaK]

I traveled home from Denmark with Emirates two weeks ago. They managed to melt two wheels off my Scicon hard case and make a golf ball sized hole in the base. They refused to cover damages as they made me sign a "limited release form" which I did not realise was waiving my rights to compensation. I insured my bicycle but not the case. They have mad skills. I will not travel with them if I'm taking my bicycle along.

[Dusty]

I traveled home from Denmark with Emirates two weeks ago. They managed to melt two wheels off my Scicon hard case and make a golf ball sized hole in the base. They refused to cover damages as they made me sign a "limited release form" which I did not realise was waiving my rights to compensation. I insured my bicycle but not the case. They have mad skills. I will not travel with them if I'm taking my bicycle along.

 

[Andreas_187]

I'm travelling to Italy with my bike next week and was concerned obviously about the bike but also the hard case. According to Emirates you only sign that indemnity if you travel with a soft case?

 

00:09:58 Andreas : Unfortunately I have heard of many many bad stories about bikes being transported with Emirates. Do you cover the cost of repair to the cycles travel case if it is damaged?

 

00:11:45 Stefano : I'm afraid as per below

 

00:11:46 Stefano : Passengers carrying bicycles should have the bicycles wrapped in a strong hard shell package and not in soft bag in order to withstand ramp handling and aircraft loading. Additionally handlebars should be fixed sideways, pedals removed or folded inwards, wheels removed and placed on either side of the frame and the tyres deflated.

 

In case passenger wishes to check-in bicycle with soft packing, a Form of Indemnity should be signed by passenger prior to acceptance of bicycle at check-in. This is to release Emirates from any liability and passenger must be informed accordingly,

 

00:12:40 Stefano : it should be if you follow the packing correctly

 

00:12:51 Stefano : as we do for damaged baggage

 

00:13:02 Andreas : I understand that the liability lies with me if you damage the bike but what if Emirates destroys my bike box?

 

00:13:56 Stefano : in the eventuality this happen you would need to fill a claim online through the complaint form

 

00:14:08 Stefano : this is the procedure for normal baggage

 

00:14:41 Andreas : Is my bike box classified as normal baggage?

 

00:16:20 Stefano : if you follow the info for wrapping the bicycle as per above yes.. otherwise you will sign the Form of Indemnity to release Emirates from any liability

 

00:16:42 Andreas : OK thanks

[Eldron]

I traveled home from Denmark with Emirates two weeks ago. They managed to melt two wheels off my Scicon hard case and make a golf ball sized hole in the base. They refused to cover damages as they made me sign a "limited release form" which I did not realise was waiving my rights to compensation. I insured my bicycle but not the case. They have mad skills. I will not travel with them if I'm taking my bicycle along.

 

Travelling with bikes is always a bit "potluck".

 

I emigrated to Denmark over a period of 13 months and flew around 15 times in those 13 months - with a bike every time. 

 

I didn't pay anything and the only issue I has was when the cardboard box I had my bike in got wet (no damage to anything fortunately).

 

Melting wheels and making holes is truly impressive! Sorry to hear it....

[mazambaan]

Seems to be potluck but I can sort of understand why. I recently ended up on two domestic flights where I could see the luggages (sic) being loaded.  It is a completely manual job to lift it off the little trailer and throw it on the conveyor (not "place" on conveyor) into the aircraft, all having to be done quite quickly.  Oversize bags were kept to one side but if they, or any bag, jammed or fell off this was dealt with in the haste (er, not) we have become accustomed to in SA. So quite a few bags jammed or fell off. How they were stacked in the trailer seemed pretty random although obvious items like a surfboard was dealt with slightly more carefully.

 

Overall impression was that it was very easy to have any soft luggage, even hard luggage, damaged.

[Andreas_187]

I bought a Sherpr bike box and travelled from London to Cape Town with BA. I paid £65 for an additional piece of luggage (doesn't matter if it is a bicycle, golf clubs or a normal suitcase).

I also travelled Cape Town to Italy via Dubai with Emirates and back. The bike and the case travelled with zero damage and I paid nothing to transport it.