# What is a British Airways "recognised bike bag/box"?



## Shut Up Legs (3 Feb 2015)

I tried ringing BA, but none of the voice menu options were applicable, and their online contact form is only for non-urgent queries, and I really need an answer soon. So, can any of you point me to where I might find out what BA considers a "recognised" bike bag/box?

Thanks,

--- Victor.


----------



## jack smith (3 Feb 2015)

Probably just a specific bike bag/ bog made specifically for that purpose, basically not something like a binbag or a botched cardboard box


----------



## ianrauk (3 Feb 2015)

You can use a standard cardboard bicycle box on British airways. It count's as your hold luggage.


----------



## classic33 (3 Feb 2015)

Have a gander at https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/taking-the-bike-on-a-ba-flight.132039/


----------



## Brandane (3 Feb 2015)

I have used BA to transport my bike twice in the last year. First time Glasgow to Bordeaux via Gatwick it was in a huge heavy duty polythene tunnel type thing as sold by the CTC.. It survived with scuffed bar tape. I wasn't flying back, so the polly bag got binned at Bordeaux airport.

More recently Glasgow to Orlando via Gatwick. This time my hybrid Trek so no bar tape to scuff; and I now have an Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op proper bike bag. It made the outward trip unscathed, but the return has yet to be done....

BA will take the bike as your checked baggage allowance, as long as it is not over the 23kg limit. They didn't even weigh mine at Glasgow; just sent me to the outsize baggage counter who took it airside.


----------



## Shut Up Legs (4 Feb 2015)

Thanks for the replies, all. I would have replied sooner, but had a very busy day at work. 
Soft bags are out, I think, and definitely not just a cardboard box, @ianrauk. Given that I'll be travelling across the world in September, and the bike is worth about $4500 (or at least that's what it cost me), I'll be using a hard cased bike box, most likely one of these ***, but I haven't decided yet. If I had any way of contacting BA, I'd ask them to make sure. Perhaps I'll just try their general booking number, then ask to be forwarded to someone who knows what the bicycle baggage policies are - does that sound like a good approach?

*** Yes, I know it's not strictly "hard" case, but it appears to be padded well enough that it makes no real difference.


----------



## Arrowfoot (4 Feb 2015)

victor said:


> Thanks for the replies, all. I would have replied sooner, but had a very busy day at work.
> Soft bags are out, I think, and definitely not just a cardboard box, @ianrauk. Given that I'll be travelling across the world in September, and the bike is worth about $4500 (or at least that's what it cost me), I'll be using a hard cased bike box, most likely one of these ***, but I haven't decided yet. If I had any way of contacting BA, I'd ask them to make sure. Perhaps I'll just try their general booking number, then ask to be forwarded to someone who knows what the bicycle baggage policies are - does that sound like a good approach?
> 
> *** Yes, I know it's not strictly "hard" case, but it appears to be padded well enough that it makes no real difference.



I am beginning to think you are a drama queen, keen to post for attention. A simple goggle would have got you so many links to the answers including BA bike policy page.

Everything you have cited including soft bags that are designed for bikes and cardboard boxes that bikes are delivered in are perfectly accepted by BA. I have used all 3 in the past. You already indicating the use of the hard case which I can see are designed for bikes. .

Here is the BA Bike policy
http://www.britishairways.com/en-us...ntials/sporting-goods-and-musical-instruments

"We will accept non-motorised bicycles up to 190cm (75in) in length, provided they are packed in a recognised bicycle bag.

Please ensure that you:

pack the bike in a protective case or bag
remove the pedals or fix them inwards
fix the handlebars sideways
deflate the tyres to reduce the risk of damage"
I suspect that you still would want to talk to BA just to tell them that you are travelling from point A to point B with a bike. Just pop into a busy airport including Tullamarine and you are bound to see bike case of all types coming thru every now and then from BA and other flights. Its not a rare event.

Then again you might want to get your lawyers to ask BA to define the term "recognised" in their policy. Now your lawyers will also know about your bike trip.


----------



## Shut Up Legs (4 Feb 2015)

Arrowfoot said:


> I am beginning to think you are a drama queen, keen to post for attention. A simple goggle would have got you so many links to the answers including BA bike policy page.
> 
> Everything you have cited including soft bags that are designed for bikes and cardboard boxes that bikes are delivered in are perfectly accepted by BA. I have used all 3 in the past. You already indicating the use of the hard case which I can see are designed for bikes. .
> 
> ...


Thanks for the feedback. I've read all that you quoted above, and it's not very specific about what types of bag or box they accept. Given that I'll be travelling internationally, and will have paid a large sum in advance for this, I prefer to be certain they won't just reject my baggage at the airport. This I think is perfectly reasonable and not over-dramatic, as you so rudely pointed out. Please don't bother replying, as I've just added you to my ignore list. I have no time for people with your rude attitude.


----------



## Arrowfoot (4 Feb 2015)

victor said:


> Thanks for the feedback. I've read all that you quoted above, and it's not very specific about what types of bag or box they accept. Given that I'll be travelling internationally, and will have paid a large sum in advance for this, I prefer to be certain they won't just reject my baggage at the airport. This I think is perfectly reasonable and not over-dramatic, as you so rudely pointed out. Please don't bother replying, as I've just added you to my ignore list. I have no time for people with your rude attitude.



Most flights are international and people pay a large sum of money for the fares. So nothing here. The issue is not the fear of rejection of the bike. The issue is the inability to google and find the BA bike policy after people comments and still talking about reaching BA to find out more. I found the link the first time around and it is very clear.


----------



## Dan B (4 Feb 2015)

Arrowfoot said:


> Most flights are international and people pay a large sum of money for the fares. So nothing here. The issue is not the fear of rejection of the bike. The issue is the inability to google and find the BA bike policy after people comments and still talking about reaching BA to find out more. I found the link the first time around and it very clear.


Yes, you're absolutely right. You should complain to the mods


----------



## ianrauk (4 Feb 2015)

victor said:


> Thanks for the replies, all. I would have replied sooner, but had a very busy day at work.
> Soft bags are out, I think, and definitely not just a cardboard box, @ianrauk. Given that I'll be travelling across the world in September, and the bike is worth about $4500 (or at least that's what it cost me), I'll be using a hard cased bike box, most likely one of these ***, but I haven't decided yet. If I had any way of contacting BA, I'd ask them to make sure. Perhaps I'll just try their general booking number, then ask to be forwarded to someone who knows what the bicycle baggage policies are - does that sound like a good approach?
> 
> *** Yes, I know it's not strictly "hard" case, but it appears to be padded well enough that it makes no real difference.




A cardboard bike box with your bike packed and padded inside carefuly will be fine for your $4500 bike.


----------



## Brandane (4 Feb 2015)

victor said:


> Given that I'll be travelling internationally


IME, it's not the distance that matters, but the number of flights (and therefore the number of times baggage handlers get to throw it about). 
Once the bike is on the plane, no harm is going to come of it if it is properly stowed. So it matters not if the flight is one hour from Glasgow to London, or 20 hours from Melbourne to London. If you get a baggage handler who doesn't give a sh!t, you could have a problem - unless your bike is in a very strong (and therefore heavy) case. 
Mine is right now in one of these, ready to head to the airport later today:


----------



## classic33 (4 Feb 2015)

Arrowfoot said:


> Most flights are international and people pay a large sum of money for the fares. So nothing here. The issue is not the fear of rejection of the bike. The issue is the inability to google and find the BA bike policy after people comments and still talking about reaching BA to find out more. I found the link the first time around and it is very clear.


Its about as clear as mud!
Took a look last night and it left me wanting to call them as their site doesn't actually state what they will accept.
Speaking as an ex-baggage handler. I'd want the bike packed in something that meant I didn't get hurt handling it, nor could me handling it damage it. Luggage transfer isn't the easy, smooth process you're shown on TV. Time constraints mean they'll want it all loaded as quick as you're able.


----------



## jefmcg (4 Feb 2015)

Qantas /Emirates allow 30kg in as many bags as you care to carry (please check this though) remember if you have internal flights with in Europe on a separate ticket, then that airlines rules apply. 

You probably should engage a travel agent. Flight Centre are good and not expensive and have offices all over UK


----------



## Arrowfoot (4 Feb 2015)

ianrauk said:


> A cardboard bike box with your bike packed and padded inside carefuly will be fine for your $4500 bike.



Agree. I went to Evans and asked for one amongst their discards. They told me to come the next day and then handed over a box plus the padding that was used for a bike that they took delivery off including the fork guards. Great of them.


----------



## Arrowfoot (4 Feb 2015)

classic33 said:


> Its about as clear as mud!
> Took a look last night and it left me wanting to call them as their site doesn't actually state what they will accept.
> Speaking as an ex-baggage handler. I'd want the bike packed in something that meant I didn't get hurt handling it, nor could me handling it damage it. Luggage transfer isn't the easy, smooth process you're shown on TV. Time constraints mean they'll want it all loaded as quick as you're able.



Done it a few times after reading that policy of their. No issue at acceptance and no issue at arrival. Agree on the rough handling thus the padding and bubble wrap where needed. Also used the Fragile and this side up stickers when I used the cardboard box.


----------



## Brandane (4 Feb 2015)

jefmcg said:


> Qantas /Emirates allow 30kg in as many bags as you care to carry (please check this though) remember if you have internal flights with in Europe on a separate ticket, then that airlines rules apply.
> 
> You probably should engage a travel agent. Flight Centre are good and not expensive and have offices all over UK


My understanding of the BA policy is that you are allowed one piece of check in baggage, with a weight limit of 23kg.. The one piece can be a bike. If the weight of that one piece is over 23kg, even by 1kg, it's going to cost you £65 on an international flight. They will not accept any one piece of luggage weighing over 30kg. The cost of a second piece of check in baggage is £65 on international flights.

Additionally, you are allowed one piece of cabin baggage with a weight limit of 23kg, as long as it measures no more than 22 x 18 x 10 inches. Plus one "personal bag" (whatever the f@rk one of those might be!) max 18 x 14 x 8 inches.


----------



## classic33 (4 Feb 2015)

The weight limit imposed on single items, comes down to health and safety for those actually handling the baggage. 
Its not actually placed there by the airlines for their benefit. You could have two bags at 20kg each or the one at 40kg. The latter would be refused.
Heaviest bag I can recall moving, weighed over ten stone.


----------



## Globalti (4 Feb 2015)

FWIW I've flown my bike to South Africa three times, each time packed inside the rigid dhb bike case that Wiggle used to sell. On the second trip the box emerged at Manchester after transiting at Paris very badly dented, as if it had been dropped from a height onto its end. The alloy frame was bent, one lock burst and the fibreglass shell cracked at its strongest point, on the narrow end. The internal padding prevented damage to the bike, which had enough room inside the case to move a little, absorbing any compression of the case. I was very grateful that I had not used a padded bike bag. AF bought me a new case, which I gave straight to my neighbour who had lent it to me then I managed to repair the older broken one, which I've used since for another return trip to Cape Town.

I never had a problem with the bike case, only paying excess baggage for one flight. The worst part of the trip was always getting the bike case into my agent's car, which is a Polo. It just fits across the rear seats!


----------



## MisterStan (4 Feb 2015)

victor said:


> what BA considers a "recognised" bike bag/box?





Arrowfoot said:


> provided they are packed in a recognised bicycle bag.



I'm not sure how your sniping post is meant to help @victor ?


----------



## steveindenmark (4 Feb 2015)

Pack the bke in a protective case or bag.

I think it is pretty self explanatory. I made a very light bag out of spinnaker cloth for my Koga World Traveller and it has served me well for several flights without any complaints. Mind you the Koga is built like a tank. There is no protectiion in the bag but they do not specify what I am protecting it from. Prying eyes??? Dust???


----------



## MisterStan (4 Feb 2015)

steveindenmark said:


> but they do not specify what I am protecting it from. Prying eyes??? Dust???



The people who load the aircraft - AKA 'Throwers'


----------



## classic33 (4 Feb 2015)

steveindenmark said:


> Pack the bke in a protective case or bag.
> 
> I think it is pretty self explanatory. I made a very light bag out of spinnaker cloth for my Koga World Traveller and it has served me well for several flights without any complaints. Mind you the Koga is built like a tank. There is no protectiion in the bag but they do not specify what I am protecting it from. Prying eyes??? Dust???


By placing it in a bag/case you are protecting other passengers luggage, not your bike. You are however ensuring that everything stays together. So no loss can occour that can be passed back to the airline.


----------



## vickster (4 Feb 2015)

Contact the BA exec club or just standard customer services, just pick any option from the automated menu that will get you through to a person, they can then redirect you as needed


----------



## classic33 (4 Feb 2015)

MisterStan said:


> The people who load the aircraft - AKA 'Throwers'


We didn't all throw!


----------



## fimm (4 Feb 2015)

My boyfriend and I flew BA to Nice along with his mate and the mate's girlfriend.
The two men had expensive carbon time trial bikes with them. Both bikes were packed into bike boxes (b/f's was totally rigid, can't remember what his friend's looked like, but you would assume similar). No issues at all with getting them on the flight. I'm pretty sure that they had paid extra up front to have the bikes as extra luggage.

I have sympathy with the OP, if you are not used to flying with a bike and you hear stories of people being refused luggage onto a plane then you want to be sure that you are doing everything correctly.


----------



## Brandane (4 Feb 2015)

Globalti said:


> FWIW I've flown my bike to South Africa three times,



Strava, or it didn't happen!


----------



## MisterStan (4 Feb 2015)

Brandane said:


> Strava, or it didn't happen!


Chain's slack...


----------

