flying Melbourne to London



mingus

New Member
Nov 10, 2005
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In august I will be heading to London to work for 6 months and would love to take my bike with me. Peopl keep telling me that airlines have a special allowance for spoting goods but it seems that that isn't the case anymore, for example, Qantas will carry your bike free of charge as long as it fits within your 20kg luggage allowance, if not the normal excess baggage charges apply.

Has onyone had recent experience with this? Are there any cheaper airlines out there?

Also, as I will be arriving at work, sending it via a shipping company is an option since i can organise someone there to recieve it. Could this provide a cheaper option?
 
mingus said:
In august I will be heading to London to work for 6 months and would love to take my bike with me. Peopl keep telling me that airlines have a special allowance for spoting goods but it seems that that isn't the case anymore, for example, Qantas will carry your bike free of charge as long as it fits within your 20kg luggage allowance, if not the normal excess baggage charges apply.

Has onyone had recent experience with this? Are there any cheaper airlines out there?
Suggest that you ring around the various airlines.

I have just enquired last week for a trip I am planning also in August on Air NZ. They give a 10kg credit for bikes and would not charge excess if your total luggage falls within the allowance. So for coach, that would be 20+10=30kg. Other airlines would charge a fixed fee for carriage of a bike. Some charge based on sectors and would get expensive if you have multiple connections. Then again, you may get lucky.

Previously I understand that QF carried bikes for free. Guess the recent oil price hike is causing some changes in this department.
 
sogood said:
Previously I understand that QF carried bikes for free.
I'm just going by what is on their website, which i had been assuming was accurate. I might give them a call, along with a few other airlines to see what the go is.