Re: How to fly free with bikes.

David Rosen

2004-02-20



Isn't there a problem when they put the bike carrier through the x-ray

machine and see that it is clearly not a trade show exhibit? Or, since all

of this happens after you pay for your ticket you are home free at that

point?



Any more details would be great. I will try to implement this plan the next

time I go anywhere.

Dave

----- Original Message -----

From: "Jon Nigbor" <jo-@consumer-care.com>

To: <ob-@topica.com>

Sent: Friday, February 20, 2004 9:30 AM

Subject: [OBRA Chat] How to fly free with bikes.





 I've flown my bike free 90% of the time by spray painting my bike box with

a

 stencil for a trade show company and exhibit number (make one up).   I

tell

 the airlines I'm going to a trade show and have material for the trade

show

 in the case. Bike boxes are very similar to some trade show exhibit

cases.

 The airlines allow two check-in pieces of luggage, if your bike is the

third

 piece, worst case you might have to pay $50 each way for that third piece

of

 luggage. I just did this two weekends ago on a flight down to LV through

Alaska Airlines and had no trouble.

----- Original Message -----

From: <mike.m-@obra.org>

To: <ob-@topica.com>

Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2004 11:32 PM

Subject: RE: [OBRA Chat] flying free with bikes?





 It always bugs me to have to pay for my bike too. Unfortunately OBRA

does

  not have much clout to allow us to negotiate a waiver program with

airlines.

 On the other hand, the waiver programs that other organizations have is

often not that great a deal either because they often force you to use a

specific travel agency or specific airlines. The saving in avoiding the

bike fee are often eaten up by the increased cost of the ticket. If

there

  are any OBRA members in the travel industry who would like to look into

creating a deal on bike fees that would be excellent.



Mike Murray



-----Original Message-----

From: kevin maier [mailto:kma-@darkwing.uoregon.edu]

Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2004 15:05 PM

To: ob-@topica.com

Subject: [OBRA Chat] flying free with bikes?





Howdy,

I'm in the process of booking a flight to Phoenix, AZ to visit my mother

in mid-March. And, of course, I'm trying to avoid the nasty ~$80

surcharge

  to bring my bike. Does anybody know if my OBRA license entitles me to

some sort of loophole through which I might avoid these fees? I

understand that the League of American Bicyclists has a travel agent and

some deal with which to avoid this. And I also know that the USCF has a

voucher program. Does OBRA have anything comparable too?



Any advice otherwise?



Isn't it absolutely ridiculous that one can fly with skis, golf clubs,

and

  even guns without incurring a surcharge, but it will cost me between

$100

  and $200 to bring my bike?



thanks for any suggestions,



kevin maier

541-683-2759



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