# Has anyone taken a bike on a RYANAIR flight?



## Bigtallfatbloke (28 Jan 2008)

..if so how was it? How did you pack the bike etc...any issues?


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## Rhythm Thief (28 Jan 2008)

Never done it myself, on any airline, but I've heard Bad Things about Ryanair and bikes, especially concerning their response if it's damaged or lost. I think you're entitled to only standard compensation, which is not much above about thirty quid. And they'll try their hardest to wriggle out of giving you even that, by all accounts.
Sorry, I don't mean to be discouraging!


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## Abitrary (28 Jan 2008)

Me too... they say on the website that bikes aren't welcome... i think.

Easy jet are good.

Pack the bike in *clear polythene*, you can get bags from the CTC for a couple of quid, and some fragile tape. If people can see what it is, they treat it like a baby.


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## bonj2 (28 Jan 2008)

my advice btfb is get a hard case for your bike, such as you can get off wiggle, they're quite expensive like about £150 but it's a one-time cost and you can't put a price on peace of mind. They are hard, and padded, so presumably even if the case is dropped or knocked about your bike should remain ok inside. Liberal amounts of bubble wrap would be good aswell.


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## snorri (28 Jan 2008)

Use a ferry, it's the civlised way to travel. You now it makes sense.


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## Keith Oates (28 Jan 2008)

I use a hard case for my bike when flying but make sure there is someone or somewhere to store it when you get to your destination. You will also need to go back the way that you came to collect it for the return journey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## spindrift (28 Jan 2008)

I went Stansted-Biarritz and Pau-Stansted last year.

I did not pack the bike, no cardboard, no bubble-wrap, nothing at all, I just turned the bars and removed the pedals.

The bike was fine, not a scratch. My reasoning was i didn't want to carry loads of packaging and I thought the bike would be treated better unwrapped.

The only slight niggle was that the check in staff looked askance at my pedal spanner and wondered whether I could use it in a terrorist takeover of the plane, they let me on with it.


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## gavintc (28 Jan 2008)

My wife and I are booked Ryanair to Girona in Mar. We flew last Easter to Italy with Easyjet and then later to Majorca on a charter - no problems. It will be our first experience on a Ryanair flight with the bikes. My only comment on this subject is that the airline sub-contract the handling to an agent, usually the airport handling agent. The only time that the bikes will see a Ryanair employee will be at check in. I therefore think that poor handling is more of an 'airport' thing than an 'airline' thing.


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## xilios (28 Jan 2008)

I was looking for a flight back from Santiago de Compostela for this spring with Ryanair, but according to their web page I would not trust them with getting any money back in case of damage.
I had a problem flying back from Greece last spring, at one of the airports they ruined my front wheel but Brussels air paid it back in full and then sum 
We have always turned the handle bars, deflated the tires, reversed the peddles and wraped them up with about 10m of bubble wrap that you can pick up at any hardware store for a few euros.


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## andy_wrx (28 Jan 2008)

On a holiday last year, there were three separate people will horror stories re Ryanair/Stanstead and bike damage.

It may not be Ryanair, it may be the Stanstead baggage handling company, but one guy, an retired cabinetmaker, had made a wooden bike case and concluded that it had been purposely destroyed, the damage could not be accidental. Another guy had a completely taco'd front wheel like someone had been dancing on it.

Ryanair charge extra to carry the bike, then make you sign a damage-waiver discaimer for them before they'll take it on the plane : you pay extra, they reject all responsibility !?!?!


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## Bigtallfatbloke (28 Jan 2008)

Here is a reply I got from easyjet...I havent heard from Ryan air yet:

Thank you for contacting us. I apologise for the delayed response and can assure you this is not of our usual standard.

I was pleased to learn that you are hoping to fly with us soon.

I am pleased to confirm bookings can be made at the airport sales desk on the day which you intend to fly. However, I must advise that airport booking must be made 1 hour prior to the flights scheduled time of departure however, because you wish to take a bicycle with you we recommend that you check in 2 hours prior to your flights departure, as bicycles are carried subject to availability of space on board the aircraft. I must also advise that airport check-in will close promptly 40 minutes prior to your flights departure therefor if you have not completed all check-in procedures by this time, you risk forfeiting your seat. .

The hold baggage fee will be £8.00 per bag, per flight if paid at the airport. Irrespective of the number of checked-in bags, each passenger has a weight allowance of 20kg, after which excess baggage charges of £6.00 per extra kilo will apply. 

For a manual handling fee of £20.00 per flight Bikes, Skis, Golf Clubs, Windsurfers, Surfboards, Hang-gliders and Firearms may be taken, which allows a further 12 kilos for your sports equipment. Only if your hold baggage and sports equipment combined weigh more than 32 kilos will you be charged excess baggage fees will be charged, accordingly.

You may also take one standard piece of hand baggage within the dimensions of 55x40x20cm. There is no weight restriction, within reasonable limits - i.e. you must be able to place the piece of baggage safely in the overhead compartments without assistance.

I have included a link below to more information on our baggage policy:

http://www.easyjet.com/EN/Book/regulations.html#baggage

The following conditions apply when travelling with a bike:

The bicycle must be packaged in a bicycle box or bag 
Only one bicycle per bicycle box or bag will be permitted 
No other items can be carried in the bicycle box (i.e. clothing) 
The handlebars must be flush with the frame 
The pedals must be flush against the frame or removed

Unfortunately, I regret that cycle bags will not be available to buy or use at the airport and therefor we recommend that your bicycle is packaged accordingly before arriving at the airport to check in for your flight. I apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause you.

For future queries, you may wish to use the ‘frequently asked questions’ (FAQ) section under the ‘contact us’ heading on our website, which will provide the answers to our most commonly asked questions without the need to wait for an email reply. You can find the ‘contact us’ section by using this link;

http://easyjet.custhelp.com/

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again via the contact us section of the easyJet web site or alternatively call easyJet Customer Services on 0871 244 23 66 (calls charged at 10p per minute from landlines, mobiles and other network charges may vary accordingly)

Yours sincerely


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## Cathryn (28 Jan 2008)

We took our bikes to Friedrichshafen about 3 years ago with Ryanair and had no trouble at all. That was a while ago in the days when you didn't have to pay to use the loo etc but they were fine.


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## Abitrary (28 Jan 2008)

spindrift said:


> The only slight niggle was that the check in staff looked askance at my pedal spanner and wondered whether I could use it in a terrorist takeover of the plane, they let me on with it.



I declared my pedal spanner, and they made me put the bag through a special scanner.

Oh pedal spanners... why can't they build them into the bike frame... somehow


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## bikepacker (29 Jan 2008)

Flew from Nimes to East Midlands with Ryanair. Arrived at airport with bike and four panniers. I asked how they wanted the bike and was told to turn handlebars to the side and let some air out of tyres. I didn't argue just did that and the bike was accepted. At East Midlands it was wheeled out to me by a handler who ask if I needed to borrow a pump.

Everything was fine.


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## Danny (29 Jan 2008)

Over the last year, Ryanair have introduced charges for every item of luggage checked in, and then charge a huge excess if you exceed the maximum weight limit, which I think may be just 15kg. They say they are consciously trying to stop passengers bringing any luggage with them.

So I'd check charges for bring a bike really carefully.


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## Jaded (30 Jan 2008)

Has anyone taken a bike on a RYANAIR flight?

Yes, but people kept on asking her for sandwiches. Very off putting.


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## Abitrary (30 Jan 2008)

bikepacker said:


> At East Midlands it was wheeled out to me by a handler who ask if I needed to borrow a pump.



Hmmm, probably an East Midland airport policy rather than a Ryanair one.


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## bikepacker (30 Jan 2008)

Airport or airline policy I would not know, but it was nice to have the offer.

I don't think Ryanair employ the handlers at any airport. And this is where a bike is more likely to get damaged.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (30 Jan 2008)

well I will find out soon...I will fly to Bremen with them and likely home from Freidrichshafen


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## Bigtallfatbloke (3 Feb 2008)

Ryanair do not require a bike bag or box..just a handlebar turn, pedal removal and tyre deflation....an additional bike fee and excess luggage charges apply...acording to the girl on th echeck in desk at stanstead this morning


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## Stick on a Giant (6 Feb 2008)

BFTB, it's good to see the right hand not knowing...
We were looking at going to Italy with Ryanair and their website said that bikes had to be in a box or bag! And the charge you £25 per bike per flight for the privilege of being able to trash your bike! They seem to be making it more and more difficult to travel by air with a bike. 

If banks can be sued for charges which don't reflect the costs incurred, can airlines?

We're catching the ferry - we can cycle there and won't have to worry about storing boxes somewhere - put stuff in Left Luggage at Pisa airport would have cost about £60!


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## spindrift (8 Feb 2008)

the ryanaie staff at Stansted were fine. the bike was well looked after- I was impressed. No bag, nowt.


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## Abitrary (9 Feb 2008)

Stick on a Giant said:


> BFTB, it's good to see the right hand not knowing...
> We were looking at going to Italy with Ryanair and their website said that bikes had to be in a box or bag! And the charge you £25 per bike per flight for the privilege of being able to trash your bike! They seem to be making it more and more difficult to travel by air with a bike.



The problem is not necessarily with the carrier, but the airport.

I had my bike in a PVC bag, and it had to go through the big xray machine at luton. But they couldnt make it stand upright, so they had 2 people one at each end trying to prop it up on boxes.

The guy organising it was getting red in the face, because there was a queue building up behind, and cussing easy jet saying 'WE TELL THEM TO MAKE SURE BIKES ARE IN BOXES'.

The xray operator, as it finally went through said 'It's a bike!!!!'. Which eased the tension


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## Tony (10 Feb 2008)

In reply to Bonj's advice, drawn from his vast experience.....where do you leave your expensive hard case?

Airports. I work at one. Each airline, with the exception here of BA, who have their own, employ the services of a handling aent, a company like Aviance, Servisair, Groundstar etc. These companies employ the baggage handlers that take your kit to the plane, load it, and the reverse on arrival. 
The etiquette is that backs are not bent, so bags are dropped from a great height onto the belt. Big flat things like bike boxes are handy for piling things on.
If a bike is in a CTC style clear plastic bag, it is recognisable as a bike and should be OK, which is why I have seen piles of such bikes--literally, piles four, five six high---at handling agents' desks.
In short, though I have met O'Leary many times, and he is a daffodil, the main causes for damage to your bike are outwith the airline. The excessive charges and odious conditions. however, are simply because O'Leary is a money-grubbing daffodil.


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## bonj2 (10 Feb 2008)

spindrift said:


> the ryanaie staff at Stansted were fine. the bike was well looked after- I was impressed. No bag, nowt.


that's all very well spindrift, but iirc one of the airline rules the OP linked to stated that bikes must be packed.



Tony said:


> In reply to Bonj's advice, drawn from his vast experience.....where do you leave your expensive hard case?


well, if you haven't got a 'base', such as a hotel or something, then the short answer is i don't know - where do you. Where do you leave your cardboard?

Don't airports have long-term lockers you can leave stuff in for a nominal fee? it must be a popular request.

I think if i wanted to go on a cycling holiday abroad, i would probably explore such options as going on a BA flight, going on a train (probably more than suitable certainly for france and even most of europe), driving (if northern/mid france) or alternatively not taking my own bike and hiring one while there, the latter of which while obviously costs money may have the silver lining that it may be a more appropriate bike for the riding.

I just personally would wince at trusting my bike with an airline, box or not. 
However there does seem logic in spindrift's argument that if it's obviously a bike then it's less likely to be knocked about.



Tony said:


> If a bike is in a CTC style clear plastic bag, it is recognisable as a bike and should be OK, which is why I have seen piles of such bikes--literally, piles four, five six high---at handling agents' desks.


i don't follow - so are you saying that piles of bikes literally 6 feet high is ok on those bikes? or not?


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## Tony (10 Feb 2008)

It was sarcasm. It is a way of making a point nastily: that even when clearly identifiable as bikes, many baggage handlers still don't give a toss.

Left lugage lockers aren't that big, and are becoming rarer as bomb scares mount. They are also far from cheap.
I note in your ideas for going to France you ignore the European Bike Express.


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## bonj2 (10 Feb 2008)

Tony said:


> It was sarcasm. It is a way of making a point nastily: that even when clearly identifiable as bikes, many baggage handlers still don't give a toss.
> 
> Left lugage lockers aren't that big, and are becoming rarer as bomb scares mount. They are also far from cheap.
> I note in your ideas for going to France you ignore *the European Bike Express.*



what's that, a train?

edit: oh it's a coach. i might avoid it on principle, unless it's far cheaper than the train and you get plenty of legroom.


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## bikepacker (11 Feb 2008)

I have many times used the Bike Express and it is a good convenient way of travelling abroad with a bike. It's drawback it the length of time it takes and it is often more expensive than flying. You can be on the coach for up to 24 hours. The seats are comfortable and plenty of leg room.


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## andy_wrx (11 Feb 2008)

I read somewhere once that if travelling in the Third World, you should leave a bike as obviously a bike, either simply stick a label on it or put it in one of CTC's big polythene bags
- a baggage handler in Delhi or Kathmandu quite possibly went to work on a bike himself, one he saved-up for, he knows the value of a bike and will treat it more carefully than if it's packaged-up anonymously in a bikebag or box.

But in the West, a baggage handler will view it as 'a f*cking bike' belonging to 'some t*ss*r' and just a pain to deal with, so will throw it about just through sheer malice
- so packing it in a big indestructible box is the way to go.

Whenever I've flown, I've used a padded bikebag, lots of bubblewrap and pipelag...and crossed fingers...


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## spindrift (12 Feb 2008)

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=bag&quest=sportsequipment

Bars must be turned. No need for a bag or box, they seem to advise it only.


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## Zoom (12 Feb 2008)

gavintc said:


> My wife and I are booked Ryanair to Girona in Mar. We flew last Easter to Italy with Easyjet and then later to Majorca on a charter - no problems. It will be our first experience on a Ryanair flight with the bikes. My only comment on this subject is that the airline sub-contract the handling to an agent, usually the airport handling agent. The only time that the bikes will see a Ryanair employee will be at check in. I therefore think that poor handling is more of an 'airport' thing than an 'airline' thing.



agree; Have had no problems flying with a bike (on Ryanair or Easyjet) 7 times from Stansted or Luton; the one time I brought my bike into Gatwick (where Tony works) they got one of their trainee baby (or maybe adult) elephants to sit on it. When I took it to the LBS to get a quote for claiming for a new frame they said "Gatwick was it?" And of course it was Easyjet who had to pay not the Cretans who bent it.

I'm using Stansted and Luton again this year; annoying as I live a stone's throw from Gatwick but I'd rather a long journey than a bent bike.


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## Abitrary (12 Feb 2008)

Zoom said:


> agree; Have had no problems flying with a bike (on Ryanair or Easyjet) 7 times from Stansted or Luton; the one time I brought my bike into Gatwick (where Tony works) they got one of their trainee baby (or maybe adult) elephants to sit on it. When I took it to the LBS to get a quote for claiming for a new frame they said "Gatwick was it?" And of course it was Easyjet who had to pay not the Cretans who bent it.
> 
> I'm using Stansted and Luton again this year; annoying as I live a stone's throw from Gatwick but I'd rather a long journey than a bent bike.



Just out of interest, was the bike that bent made of steel or aluminium?


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## Zoom (12 Feb 2008)

Abitrary said:


> Just out of interest, was the bike that bent made of steel or aluminium?



aluminium; I neglected to put a spacer* between the rear stays when I 
took the wheel out and that was where it took the brunt; It was kinked on both rear and seat stays so no way it would have pulled back out with a jig; in the end it only cost £130 to fix as I was able to fit all the old components and forks.

* a bit of 15mm copper pipe instead of the axle squeezed by the skewer might have saved it


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## Tony (12 Feb 2008)

I smiled nicely at my LBS and have a set of spacers as supplied with new bike from factory. Slip into drop outs and fork ends. Worth asking as they only get thrown away.


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## Zoom (13 Feb 2008)

Tony said:


> I smiled nicely at my LBS and have a set of spacers as supplied with new bike from factory. Slip into drop outs and fork ends. Worth asking as they only get thrown away.



I had some of them 

I threw them away


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## bonj2 (14 Feb 2008)

andy_wrx said:


> I read somewhere once that if travelling in the Third World, you should leave a bike as obviously a bike, either simply stick a label on it or put it in one of CTC's big polythene bags
> - a baggage handler in Delhi or Kathmandu quite possibly went to work on a bike himself, one he saved-up for, *he knows the value of a bike and will treat it more carefully than if it's packaged-up anonymously *in a bikebag or box.


that's one way of looking at it... another way of looking at it, is 'he knows the value of a bike, and he can't afford one - so may well go to some length to try and nick one'


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## lesley.c (21 Dec 2009)

*Bikes on Ryanair*

I was planning to take a bike on Ryanair until I read these threads. I think the best way now would be to take a foldup lightweight bike on board as hand luggage (provided it fitted their allowable dimensions) and put my other bag in the hold. That way I'd only pay £35 for the bag and the bike would be safe.

Simple? All I need is to find a bike that weighs less than ten kilos. Possible? Perhaps someone can tell me?


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## bonj2 (21 Dec 2009)

i'm taking my best bike on ryanair in may, i'm planning on just putting it in a CTC bike bag.
I've got the option of £60 to insure it for the trip but i'm not sure whether i'm going to bother, i'll just effectively 'insure myself' and sue them if it gets broken. THat's what the court's there for.
At the end of the day it's only a bike, it's replaceable. i've decided that it's the riding that counts - a bike isn't your baby for gawd's sake.


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## andym (21 Dec 2009)

lesley.c said:


> I was planning to take a bike on Ryanair until I read these threads. I think the best way now would be to take a foldup lightweight bike on board as hand luggage (provided it fitted their allowable dimensions) and put my other bag in the hold. That way I'd only pay £35 for the bag and the bike would be safe.
> 
> Simple? All I need is to find a bike that weighs less than ten kilos. Possible? Perhaps someone can tell me?



Erm not so simple, I'm afraid. You also need to take account the size. According to Brompton their bikes fold down to 585mm high x 545mm long x 270mm wide (22.2" x 21.5" x 10.6"). This site gives details of maximum sizes for carry-on luggage. It doesn't include Ryanair, but BA's size limits are: 22" x 16" x 8". 

OK, there might be a bike that folds smaller than a Brompton.


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## ASC1951 (21 Dec 2009)

I've taken a bike a couple of times with Ryanair. I use a fairly tough fabric bag, a bit of pipe-lagging and *always* plastic spacers in the dropouts. Never had any issues at all, but then nor have I with any other airline.


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## bonj2 (21 Dec 2009)

ASC1951 said:


> I've taken a bike a couple of times with Ryanair. I use a fairly tough fabric bag, a bit of pipe-lagging and *always* plastic spacers in the dropouts. Never had any issues at all, but then nor have I with any other airline.



you take the wheels off then? i was planning on leaving them on


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## MajorMantra (22 Dec 2009)

*Necro thread warning* (just to alert the others )

I took a steel Bianchi from Edinburgh to Frankfurt-Hahn last week on Ryanair without mishap using a CTC bag. I took the bike whole (wheels attached etc.) and didn't take any special precautions except: 

1. removing the rear mech, wrapping it in bubble wrap and taping it to the bike.

2. rotating the bars 90° as instructed.

3. putting more bubble wrap around the TT to protect from the bars and around the chainset to keep things from rotating or poking me as I carried it.

I could see the bike on the luggage train when I was boarding and disembarking and it looked like it was being looked after reasonably well though I imagine this is more dependent on the ground staff at a particular airport than anything else. I'm not sure I'd want to transport a carbon or ultra thin-walled metal frame this way but for a steel bike it's absolutely fine.

Matthew

EDIT: Forgot to add, the bike didn't have pedals.


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## ASC1951 (22 Dec 2009)

bonj2 said:


> you take the wheels off then? i was planning on leaving them on


Yes, it's that sort of bike bag - wheels go in a separate pocket. The skewers come out, too. Then it's pedals off and handlebars twisted and tucked under the top tube. I also take the rear derailleur off because otherwise it sticks out. I did worry that this would affect adjustments, but in fact it just screws back on without any problem. Then I check the dropout spacers. Then I check them again.

To be fair, I have never had a bike damaged in 30 years, right from the days when you could ride up and not even have to put it in a plastic bag.


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## bonj2 (22 Dec 2009)

right thanks, good tip about taking the rear mech off.


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