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davesm
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 476
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 Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 11:35 am Post subject: Flying Bike with Lufthansa - Challenge Roth |
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Hi All,
Myself and my fiance are doing Challenge Roth this year so I need to book flights and this will be the first time that I've flown with a bike.
It looks like we will fly with Lufthansa and from what I have read your bike counts as your one item of hold luggage. I've also read that the airline do not like you using a bike box.
Can anyone who has flown with Lufthansa give me a definitive explanation on what to do when flying a bike with them? Can I use a bike box and bung extra kit in it as long as it is within the weight limit or not and can you just book an extra case to take the additional clothes etc?
Thanks a lot.
Dave
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Jorgan
Joined: 12 Nov 2007
Posts: 18226
Location: alles was ich bin, alles was ich war
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:25 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know what your allowance is, but isn't it normally 20/23kg unless you fly business? You'd struggle to get your bike & all your other stuff under that in a bag, let alone a case. Most airlines will also consider a bike 'outsize' luggage, and charge a fee. So definitely worth checking.
I'm flying BMI to Hamburg, and a bike is £50 each way, in addition to my 23kg hold baggage. I could take a cr*p-ton of kit if I wanted to!
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jibberjim
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
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Location: Kingston
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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BA club Europe is often really cheap on the way back to London, and upgrading just on the way back is enough to upgrade you to 2x32kg luggage, often comes in cheaper than paying for an extra bag.
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ed_m
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 8186
Location: coventry
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 8:49 am Post subject: |
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I flew my bike with Lufthansa a few years back... was pretty clear (from the website) at the time that a bike was extra.... I had to phone to get it booked on... I think one way they made me pay and the other direction not.
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davesm
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 476
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks all. All sorted. Bikes goes as my one hold luggage item so i will then pay for an extra additional item.
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Jorgan
Joined: 12 Nov 2007
Posts: 18226
Location: alles was ich bin, alles was ich war
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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| ed_m wrote: | | I had to phone to get it booked on.... |
We're talking about over 15 years ago right? 
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Jorgan
Joined: 12 Nov 2007
Posts: 18226
Location: alles was ich bin, alles was ich war
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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I booked my hotel/flights via Expedia for Hamburg. At first I was wondering how on earth I was going to add my bike; then I noticed a fairly innocuous section that stated my BMI Flight ref number, and was able to go on to their website, log-in with that ref number & add the bike for the appropriate surcharge.
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stenard
Joined: 04 Sep 2013
Posts: 2063
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| jibberjim wrote: | | BA club Europe is often really cheap on the way back to London, and upgrading just on the way back is enough to upgrade you to 2x32kg luggage, often comes in cheaper than paying for an extra bag. |
Just in case anyone relies on this, the above is now wrong!
They changed the policy in October 2017 and the Most Generous Allowance offer disappeared.
I spent the whole of last year having to argue that point on all my grandfathered flights that I had already booked prior to the change, for races and training camps in 2018. BA's systems wouldn't recognise the allowance even though their own publicity confirmed I was entitled to it.
You now have to book business both ways.
http://www.ba-groups.com/about-groups-travel-hub/news/19-10-2017/british-airways-baggage-allowance-policy-changes.aspx
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ed_m
Joined: 15 May 2003
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Location: coventry
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leahnp
Joined: 25 Jan 2005
Posts: 1947
Location: Scottish Borders
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:11 am Post subject: |
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For the flag carriers I use my 23kg allowance for the bike and then use my hand luggage allowance. Lufthansa has the same policy 'Sports baggage can be counted as your free baggage as long as the number of items and the weight do not exceed the free baggage allowance stipulated for your travel class.'
For Roth it was worth paying the extra as it guaranteed my bike on board the flight. Post Roth a few years ago there were some pretty irate folk when they couldn't get their bike boxes checked in.
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Jorgan
Joined: 12 Nov 2007
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Location: alles was ich bin, alles was ich war
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:27 am Post subject: |
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I'm happy to pay £100 if it avoids any dramas at check-in; certainly on the way out!
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stenard
Joined: 04 Sep 2013
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| Jorgan wrote: | | I'm happy to pay £100 if it avoids any dramas at check-in; certainly on the way out! |
Paying is no guarantee. Approx half a dozen of our club had their bikes delayed on the way out to Mallorca last year ... I believe that was Easyjet. They did get them the following morning, which was racking day. It's why I always go out sufficiently before ... I wouldn't want that stress of registering, building, testing and racking, all within a few hours.
You can't pay with BA. All inclusive and extra luggage is treated as one and the same. I think the only thing you can hope is that if you're in club, then they put a "priority" label on all club bagged (bike and non-bike), so I've always felt there's a chance that the baggage handlers will take notice of that when loading up the plane.
One tip I've found (on the smaller Euro planes), is that if you turn your Garmin on as you begin to taxi, the vibrations will normally wake up my power meter and connect to the watch. I was able to confirm on the way out to Copenhagen that my bike was on board via that method which was reassuring.
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jibberjim
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
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Location: Kingston
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:00 am Post subject: |
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| stenard wrote: |
You now have to book business both ways. |
Rats! Had no problem doing it in early 2018, Presumably just no-one noticed or complained!
Sad as it was always a good deal.
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stenard
Joined: 04 Sep 2013
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:09 am Post subject: |
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| jibberjim wrote: | | Sad as it was always a good deal. |
Yep, definitely. I guess the fact it was such a good deal is why they sadly scrapped it.
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Jorgan
Joined: 12 Nov 2007
Posts: 18226
Location: alles was ich bin, alles was ich war
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:12 am Post subject: |
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| stenard wrote: | | One tip I've found (on the smaller Euro planes), is that if you turn your Garmin on as you begin to taxi, the vibrations will normally wake up my power meter and connect to the watch. I was able to confirm on the way out to Copenhagen that my bike was on board via that method which was reassuring. |
I generally just look for the fook-off big blue case going up the conveyor. I'll have my PM pedals in my hand baggage. I'm flying out on Wed night, so plenty of breathing space, fingers crossed.
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