Current Delta Airlines Bike Rules

[Lyndon]

I just received this from Delta Airlines:

Delta accepts single seta non-motorized tour/racing bicycles. The handlebars must be fixed sideways,
with the pedals removed or in cardboard container. For international travel to Europe, a bike is not
included in the free baggage allowance. The charge to check the bike $90.00 each way.

That takes Delta off my list of airlines that I will fly. I am currently waiting on feedback from
American, KLM, USAir, Continental, United and Northwest. I have a bad feeling that Delta's "new
rules" may be adopted by more airlines. Lyndon

 

[Seth Jayson]

That's been standard policy at many airlines for a long time. If you are gorgeous and charming
and the ticket agent is in a good mood and you play it right, you can sometimes get them to
skip the fee.

Sj (who always has to pay the fee )

 

[Lyndon]

[email protected] (Seth Jayson) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> That's been standard policy at many airlines for a long time. If you are gorgeous and charming
> and the ticket agent is in a good mood and you play it right, you can sometimes get them to skip
> the fee.
>
> Sj (who always has to pay the fee )

Just the summer before last, I flew to Alaska with my DF bike, and made sure that I flew with an
airline that would not charge me the extra biking fee. I am finding out this spring, that almost all
the major airlines flying out of Salt Lake City, are now dismissing the "bikes fly free" as luggage
for international travel. Delta being the worst at sticking the price at $90 to $100 each way. I
used to be a member of the League of American Bicyclists for years, but found their own "Bikes Fly
Free" program to not be worth much. You had to book with their travel agency, and I could always
find on my own better flight times, and airlines that were quite a bit cheaper, with the bike as
luggage policy. Never flew with their approved travel agency. I also don't think they were ever
effective as a lobby group for better bike acceptance on airlines. With an Evolution Rocket, just
announced by Calhoun Cycles, with S&S couplers, going for $2200, I just can't see that price cost as
well, though I do understand that if you fly five international trips, it has "paid for itself".
Airlines need to be more flexible with this. I am also worried about a posting that trains in the
Netherlands will only accept two bikes per trip, and most reservations for summer travel are already
full. This was a bad thing three summers ago, while I was touring Germany, and there was so many
bikers. Several times I had to wait for the second, or third train coming through, run like hell,
with my loaded bike, and beat other bikers fighting for the last few berths to put your bicycle. As
a teacher, I may request a full year school soon, so I don't always have to face this madness during
the summer months. Lyndon Salt Lake City, where the snow is gone, and it is a balmy 65 degrees!