Bill's Tips For Flying With Your Tandem

Bill’s Tips For Flying With Your Tandem

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Jan and I have checked tandems onto over 250 flights. In 25 years we’ve never missed a

flight or left a bike behind. Additionally, we’ve coached thousands of customers who have

flown to Santana’s events. Here’s what we’ve learned:

1. Don’t phone the airline.
Airline phone operators will only scare you by reciting luggage limitations dictated by the smallest planes in the fleet.

2. Ignore a website’s size restriction.
These days, when Jan and I finally convince insecure tandem owners to NOT phone the airline, their immediate response is to run to the web. Although we’ll explain later why this is much safer than using the phone, please don’t expect reassurance. Because the big airlines don’t want you to avoid their “feeder flights” using teensy sub-contracted planes flown by non-union crews, they’ll never tell you that full-size tandems are easily accommodated on all of their normal planes (and by competitors who use normal planes on the same route). Instead, they’ll publish the too-small limitations of the tiniest plane they subcontract. The only airline that publishes different maximum dimensions for different airliners (United Airlines) welcomes large sporting equipment on flights with a Boeing 757, and then mistakenly advises that the same items won’t fit on a Boeing 737—which has an identically roomy baggage compartment! If your reason for web research is to feel “safe,” please don’t waste your time. The airline employees who write bicycle size regulations don’t work at an airport. The airline employees who work at the airport ignore stupid regulations. The real issue is explained below.

3. Book the right flights.
Because the largest tandem cases won’t fit in the smallest “regional” airliners, the size of your tandem case dictates your choice of flights (and may limit your choice of airports). Even the largest tandem case or box easily fits within the luggage bays found on all airliners large enough for 5‑across economy seating. A smaller tandem case from BikePro USA or Crate Works allows you to choose flights utilizing planes with 4‑across seating. Unless you have a tandem that stows in a suitcase-sized container, you must avoid flights on planes with 3‑across seating. Jan and I research our flights on Orbitz.com, a website where seating charts reveal everything you’ll need to know in order to book appropriate flights.

4. Don’t phone the airline.
Even if you obtain some sort of reassurance (and you won’t), the check-in agent at the airport is free to ignore it.

5. Pack smart.
Although airline agents won’t bother to measure a suitcase (which is explained later), checked luggage is always counted, and usually weighed. Unless it causes you to need to check more than two items per passenger, try to keep each suitcase below the 50‑pound limit that can trigger a $50‑$80 nuisance fee. If you need to check more than two 50‑pound suitcases per passenger, however, it’s usually cheaper to check one or more 70‑pound suitcases than a larger number of cases weighing 50 pounds. When a normal suitcase exceeds 70 pounds, the fee becomes astronomical. While bike cases and sporting equipment can usually exceed the 70‑pound limit applied to suitcases, items over 100 pounds will not be accepted.

6. Do you need to worry about a 70-pound (32kg) limit?
Although suitcases could formerly weigh up to 100 pounds, unions and workers’ comp insurers have forced this limitation down to 70 pounds (32 kilograms). While most airlines still allow checked “sporting equipment” (including bicycles) to weigh as much as 99 pounds, a growing number of carriers have implemented policies that will force everything over 70 pounds to be shipped as cargo. On a multi-carrier flight some airlines, including British Air, will “match” the less restrictive policy of the other airline and waive this rule. London’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports are trying to stem injury claims of their luggage handlers by not allowing “sporting equipment” over 70 pounds to be checked at either airport UNLESS 24 hours notice is provided AND the item cannot be “broken down.” (Checked baggage arriving and transiting through these airports is unaffected). The above should make it clear that the “published rules” are unrelated to the size of standard jets (where the economy section has at least 5-across seating). Instead the typically-ignored “regulations” are making it easier for airlines to fly smaller planes with non-union crews while employing fewer baggage handlers. Are airlines trying to prevent couples from flying with their tandems? It only seems that way. Most tandem owners will easily avoid the recent 70-pound rules by packing items such as pedals, seats and posts in another case. If your tandem case needs to exceed 70 pounds, check the “sporting equipment” rules on the airline’s website. While I would not worry about a weight limitation specific to bicycles, a published ban on all sporting equipment over 70 pounds would cause me to choose a different airline. BikePro Update: In the summer of 2008 I received a panicked call from a couple at an airport where an agent refused to check an 85-pound BikePro tandem case. My advice to unzip the case and remove the wheel bags worked! The agent allowed them to be carried aboard, where they were stowed in a first class coat closet. Here’s the important lesson for others: When you’re considerate and flexible, airline employees will usually be helpful.

7. Don’t phone the airline.
If enough people bother airlines with questions about tandems, they’ll write new rules that make tandem travel tougher.

8. Check-in super early.
Our single most important tip is to show up a FULL HOUR earlier than requested. This means arriving at the check-in counter 2-3 hours before your flight. Because airlines and their employees are graded for getting planes dispatched “ON SCHEDULE,” showing up late (especially with luggage that can’t go through the terminal’s conveyor system) may cause check-in agents to find any excuse to delay you or your bike until the following flight—which may not leave until the next day. Additionally, more than one tardy passenger has been instructed to drag their bike to a distant airfreight counter. Showing up within 120 minutes of your flight is asking for trouble. Jan and I have made early check-in a ritual for all our outgoing flights (return flights are always easier). After checking in and getting through security, we find a quiet spot to catch up on the e-mail and phone calls we missed the previous day. Since airlines no longer provide free meals, a leisurely meal after check-in is today’s smartest way to travel.

9. Be charming.
Since the check-in agent can ignore existing rules (or make up new ones), why not SMILE and be the nicest customer they’ve encountered all week? I always go through the entire ID, frequent flier, and seat assignment pleasantries BEFORE baggage is ever mentioned.

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Page updated on Friday, May 28, 2010, ©2010 Santana Cycles, Inc.	Bill’s Tips For Flying With Your Tandem Page 1 \| Page 2 \| Page 3 Jan and I have checked tandems onto over 250 flights. In 25 years we’ve never missed a flight or left a bike behind. Additionally, we’ve coached thousands of customers who have flown to Santana’s events. Here’s what we’ve learned: 1. Don’t phone the airline. Airline phone operators will only scare you by reciting luggage limitations dictated by the smallest planes in the fleet. 2. Ignore a website’s size restriction. These days, when Jan and I finally convince insecure tandem owners to NOT phone the airline, their immediate response is to run to the web. Although we’ll explain later why this is much safer than using the phone, please don’t expect reassurance. Because the big airlines don’t want you to avoid their “feeder flights” using teensy sub-contracted planes flown by non-union crews, they’ll never tell you that full-size tandems are easily accommodated on all of their normal planes (and by competitors who use normal planes on the same route). Instead, they’ll publish the too-small limitations of the tiniest plane they subcontract. The only airline that publishes different maximum dimensions for different airliners (United Airlines) welcomes large sporting equipment on flights with a Boeing 757, and then mistakenly advises that the same items won’t fit on a Boeing 737—which has an identically roomy baggage compartment! If your reason for web research is to feel “safe,” please don’t waste your time. The airline employees who write bicycle size regulations don’t work at an airport. The airline employees who work at the airport ignore stupid regulations. The real issue is explained below. 3. Book the right flights. Because the largest tandem cases won’t fit in the smallest “regional” airliners, the size of your tandem case dictates your choice of flights (and may limit your choice of airports). Even the largest tandem case or box easily fits within the luggage bays found on all airliners large enough for 5‑across economy seating. A smaller tandem case from BikePro USA or Crate Works allows you to choose flights utilizing planes with 4‑across seating. Unless you have a tandem that stows in a suitcase-sized container, you must avoid flights on planes with 3‑across seating. Jan and I research our flights on Orbitz.com, a website where seating charts reveal everything you’ll need to know in order to book appropriate flights. 4. Don’t phone the airline. Even if you obtain some sort of reassurance (and you won’t), the check-in agent at the airport is free to ignore it. 5. Pack smart. Although airline agents won’t bother to measure a suitcase (which is explained later), checked luggage is always counted, and usually weighed. Unless it causes you to need to check more than two items per passenger, try to keep each suitcase below the 50‑pound limit that can trigger a $50‑$80 nuisance fee. If you need to check more than two 50‑pound suitcases per passenger, however, it’s usually cheaper to check one or more 70‑pound suitcases than a larger number of cases weighing 50 pounds. When a normal suitcase exceeds 70 pounds, the fee becomes astronomical. While bike cases and sporting equipment can usually exceed the 70‑pound limit applied to suitcases, items over 100 pounds will not be accepted. 6. Do you need to worry about a 70-pound (32kg) limit? Although suitcases could formerly weigh up to 100 pounds, unions and workers’ comp insurers have forced this limitation down to 70 pounds (32 kilograms). While most airlines still allow checked “sporting equipment” (including bicycles) to weigh as much as 99 pounds, a growing number of carriers have implemented policies that will force everything over 70 pounds to be shipped as cargo. On a multi-carrier flight some airlines, including British Air, will “match” the less restrictive policy of the other airline and waive this rule. London’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports are trying to stem injury claims of their luggage handlers by not allowing “sporting equipment” over 70 pounds to be checked at either airport UNLESS 24 hours notice is provided AND the item cannot be “broken down.” (Checked baggage arriving and transiting through these airports is unaffected). The above should make it clear that the “published rules” are unrelated to the size of standard jets (where the economy section has at least 5-across seating). Instead the typically-ignored “regulations” are making it easier for airlines to fly smaller planes with non-union crews while employing fewer baggage handlers. Are airlines trying to prevent couples from flying with their tandems? It only seems that way. Most tandem owners will easily avoid the recent 70-pound rules by packing items such as pedals, seats and posts in another case. If your tandem case needs to exceed 70 pounds, check the “sporting equipment” rules on the airline’s website. While I would not worry about a weight limitation specific to bicycles, a published ban on all sporting equipment over 70 pounds would cause me to choose a different airline. BikePro Update: In the summer of 2008 I received a panicked call from a couple at an airport where an agent refused to check an 85-pound BikePro tandem case. My advice to unzip the case and remove the wheel bags worked! The agent allowed them to be carried aboard, where they were stowed in a first class coat closet. Here’s the important lesson for others: When you’re considerate and flexible, airline employees will usually be helpful. 7. Don’t phone the airline. If enough people bother airlines with questions about tandems, they’ll write new rules that make tandem travel tougher. 8. Check-in super early. Our single most important tip is to show up a FULL HOUR earlier than requested. This means arriving at the check-in counter 2-3 hours before your flight. Because airlines and their employees are graded for getting planes dispatched “ON SCHEDULE,” showing up late (especially with luggage that can’t go through the terminal’s conveyor system) may cause check-in agents to find any excuse to delay you or your bike until the following flight—which may not leave until the next day. Additionally, more than one tardy passenger has been instructed to drag their bike to a distant airfreight counter. Showing up within 120 minutes of your flight is asking for trouble. Jan and I have made early check-in a ritual for all our outgoing flights (return flights are always easier). After checking in and getting through security, we find a quiet spot to catch up on the e-mail and phone calls we missed the previous day. Since airlines no longer provide free meals, a leisurely meal after check-in is today’s smartest way to travel. 9. Be charming. Since the check-in agent can ignore existing rules (or make up new ones), why not SMILE and be the nicest customer they’ve encountered all week? I always go through the entire ID, frequent flier, and seat assignment pleasantries BEFORE baggage is ever mentioned. next page >