MONTREAL, Canada (International Bicycle Fund) -- While some of the airlines are talking green, they are simultaneous working to undermine green choices by their customers!
In the dark of winter, the airlines have effectively increased cost of a trans-Atlantic ticket for a bicyclist by as much as $300 US. If the base ticket price is $900 US that is over a 30% increase in the cost of travel.
Prior to January of 2007 most airlines let bicycles on trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights fly free, in lieu of one piece of baggage (as long as they were within the two-bag limit and underweight limit of 30kg). Early in 2007, most of the world’s airlines seem to have entered into collusion and simultaneously changed their baggage regulations for bicycles. By February of 2007 the regulations, for most airlines, call for all bicycles being charged on these flights. The charges range from $80 US to $160 US each way -- $160 US to $320 US roundtrip!
It is not a weight issue because many lean cycling customers plus their bikes will weigh less than many of their other customers without any bags. It is not a size issue because today’s modern airplanes can, and have, easily accommodated bicycles. And, if is a bottom line issue, the airlines are delusional, because there aren’t enough bikes flying to make a visible difference in their revenue.
The work-around for cyclists is not as easy as renting a bike at their destination as there are very few rental bikes available in the world that are suitable for serious environmentally-friendly, multi-day, long distance, bike touring.
For more information on flying with a bicycle see www.ibike.org/encouragement/travel/bagregs.htm.
