Transporting a mechanical or electric bike by plane isn’t always straightforward. Whether the questions revolve around packaging the bike for transport, shipping the battery, or the additional charges applied by airlines, here’s everything you need to know about traveling with your bike.
Transporting Your Mechanical Bike by Plane
Before boarding, it’s essential to properly protect your bike for the cargo hold; unlike trains, a bike cannot be taken in the cabin.
Bike Protection Covers and Accessories
There are protective covers and bike-specific travel cases designed for this purpose.
Aside from the all-in-one suitcase or cover that protects the entire bike, there are accessories available to protect certain parts of the bike. While not essential, they provide peace of mind during transport. For example:
- A chain cover: As the name suggests, it covers the chain, as well as the small cog, cassette, chainring, etc.
- A chain holder: This accessory is very useful if you remove your rear wheel. By keeping the chain taut, it prevents twisting and tangling. Similarly, it ensures that the chain does not hit the bike’s frame, which could cause scratches.
Preparing Your Bike for Travel
Bringing your bike in the airplane’s cargo hold requires disassembly. At a minimum, you’ll need to fold the pedals, align the handlebars with the frame, and protect the packaging from impacts. Ideally, you would remove the pedals and detach the handlebars to place them on the side. Depending on the airline, you may also need to remove the wheels or even deflate the tires.
Check Your Airline’s Requirements
Flying with a mechanical bike is possible, depending on the bike’s characteristics. Transportation requirements may vary depending on the airline. Besides the total weight and size of the checked baggage, some airlines may require you to take certain steps in advance. Additionally, some airlines charge extra fees for oversized baggage, which is often the case with bikes. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of requirements from a few popular airlines in Europe:
- Air France: Accepts bikes up to 23 kg, prior approval from customer service required at least 48 hours before departure, variable extra fees.
- British Airways: Maximum 23 kg, customer service must be informed, no extra fees.
- EasyJet: Maximum 32 kg, bike registration online during the booking process or up to 2 hours before departure (via the web), extra fees.
- Lufthansa: Maximum 32 kg, airline must be informed at least 24 hours before departure, extra fees may apply depending on your ticket category.
- Ryanair: Maximum 30 kg, bike must be registered during booking or up to 2 hours before departure online, extra fees.
Generally, it is recommended to check with each airline individually, as the rules may evolve and vary significantly from one carrier to another.
What About Electric Bikes on Airplanes?
While bringing a mechanical bike on a plane is common, the same cannot be said for electric bikes. In general, bike batteries are prohibited both in the cargo hold and the cabin.
If Air France accepts batteries up to 160 Wh (in the cabin), most of its competitors prohibit those exceeding 100 Wh. For reference, the vast majority of electric bikes are equipped with batteries exceeding 250 Wh.
What’s the Solution for Flying with an Electric Bike?
Admittedly, traveling from Paris to Toronto by boat takes time. However, all is not lost if you want to take your electric bike with you by air.
- Renting a battery at your destination: If you can’t transport your own battery, you could rent one at your holiday location. However, make sure there’s a bike shop at your destination that offers a compatible battery for rent.
- Shipping your electric bike battery: Some parcel carriers allow the shipment of batteries. Although this solution may seem simple at first, it can be difficult for an individual to send their own electric bike battery. While UPS, DHL, or FedEx handle such shipments daily, it’s important to note that these shipments are strictly regulated and usually reserved for industry professionals.
