On this page we attempt to make available the experience of individual bicycle tourists who have travelled with EasyJet (you can share your experiences here).
Table of Contents
Flying Easyjet with bikes
We have flown all over Europe by Easyjet with our tandem boxed. Easyjet cold not be more helpful as long as you can demonstrate that you're following their clear requirements (boxed, 32kg max).
We make a long box from two normal bike delivery boxes and parcel tape, with length able to accommodate the length of tandem without wheels. Dismantled bits are stored with padding around the frame. The total package weighs in at about 27kg. and fits in the standard x-ray machine.
When flying back from another airport we arrange (by internet) to collect empty boxes from a bike shop near our return airport, and allow time for preparation.
Always carry a copy of the Easyjet bike requirements so that you can diplomatically talk inexperienced staff through your demonstrably compliant package. Never use the word "tandem"; after all, it's a bi-cycle.
Bike damaged by easyjet
I have just flown from London to Basel with easyjet and they crushed my bike. Their attitude is 'not our responsibility'. They are refusing to pay the £1000 expenses I have incured due to their actions and tell me to claim of my insurence. As I was just about to start a cycling tour of the Danube it has made life a little difficult to say the least. Moral of the story, don't fly easyjet and insure to the limit.
Steve Hawkswell, September 07, 2011Easyjet to fly bikes
I've used Easyjet to fly my Claud Butler Hybrid to a variety of European destinations - Prague, Berlin, Nice, Barcelona and Rome and they have been ok - no danmage and easy enough to book in a nd recover the cycle. All I do is remove the pedals, turn in the handlebars, half pressure the tyres and wrap the machine in gash cardboard. They seem ok with that.
jim boam, January 31, 2010Easyjet + bikes: what a joke! or should I say a nightmare?!
Easyjet charges something like 22.50€ per bike on board. On the website, everything seems very easy and organised... you book this "service", you pay for it online, you print the confirmation and you take it to the check-in the day you're flying. Exact same procedure as buying flight tickets. Well... We did this, we allowed enough time (2 hours at least), we even bought special bike bags to carry the bikes in... we took the confirmations to the counter and the staff didn't even know bikes were allowed on board! They made a million calls, they made us wait, we started running out of time (there was a huge queue). A manager came over and inspected the bikes. They didn't even ask to see the confirmation! They said "ok" after all, but we had to take them to a special belt, to get them checked. One of the bikes didn't quite fit in such a ridiculously sized belt. They said they would have to inspect it manually. We had to wait for 20-25 minutes for someone else to come over and do this. We had to take both bikes out of their bags for this and all the hassle. The woman in question used some cotton on the bike and took it away for some kind of freaky inspection. She came back after a million years, when our flight was already on last-call!!! She finally said it was ok for the bikes to go on the plane and we had to run like fuckers to get on the plane ourselves! And we still had to go through the police control! I prayed, I begged, I cried and god knows what else to skip the queue, but they are bloody Germans, they don't react to those things. Luckily a guy from the airport that was there all the time during the bike inspection put on a word for us and they let us skip the queue and didn't give us too much trouble. Then we had to run like never before up the stairs and the plane doors closed just after us. Never again!
Eva, April 03, 2007EasyJet makes it easy
EasyJet charged me £18 each way to take my MTB in my brand new dbh bike bag from London Stansted to Faro in Portugal. The whole thing could not have gone more smoothly in both directions with bike and bag coming through unscathed.
One tip from airport staff in Faro was to deflate the tyres prior to packing so as to avoid atmospheric pressure causing them to explode. Also suggested similar problem might arise for air-filled front shocks.
Flying Stansted to Malaga with Easyjet
In May 2006 I arrived at Stansted with the bike, handlebars turned, pedals off, chain and gears protected with cardboard as I'd flown with RyanAir in Nov 2005. No they said. It had to be boxed and no I couldn't let go of my bike or the trolley with panniers to search for a box. I missed my flight and had to pay for another 6 hours later. Eventually I left the bike and bags in left luggage (2 items) caught a bus to a nearby village, got a box. The bus returning to Stansted wanted me to fold the box, but I didn't. I stuffed the bike in but had no tape, they said they'd secure it, but didn't. I arrived at night in Malaga, the airport bus had left and ordinary taxis wouldn't take the box so I had to get a grande taxi. It was a nightmare.
Jill Lundmark, November 03, 2006Box on EasyJet
In 2004 I flew from Luton to Mallorca on EasyJet with my road bike in a trico hard case with no problems and no added charges going and returning. In addition to removing the handlebars,wheels ,seatpost,I had to remove the pedals but assembling and disassembling wasn't difficult.I marked the places where I wanted for fit. I believe that I could have just packed the bike in a bike shop shipping box and padded it with foam and other material. It's not rocket science !
Gerald Adams, July 24, 2006Flying with bikes from Luton with Easyjet
I saw Richard Thorpe's posting about Eayjet from Liverpool below:-
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Apparently Easyjet have had problems with unboxed/bagged bikes damaging their aircraft and now insist that all bikes are BAGged or BOXed.
At Liverpool airport it is possible to buy a bike BAG from the information desk for 10 UKP. This is basically a huge polythene BAG into which the bike will fit without taking bits off (apart from the pedals which is a requirement)although you'll have to undo the handlebars and turn them so they're flush with the bike. Make sure you tighten them up in this position. You'll need some means of sealing the BAG: I take a roll of electricians insulating tape which does the job perfectly and is easy to remove afterwards.
The BAG will fold up to a package about 20cm by 6cm weighing 750 grams so is small enough and light enough to carry in a pannier. However you'll need to fold it carefully so that you exclude all the air so it's probably best to lay it on the floor and fold it from the bottom (i.e. the sealed end) squeezing the air out as you go. If you do this in the arrivals lounge of any international airport you will probably attract the attention of other passengers who may think you're some kind of street artist. Just ignore them!
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AND was going to buy a similar bag (same price, £10) from BIKE ADVENTURES SHOP:
http://www.bikeadventures.co.uk/shop.html
But on phoning them was told that Easyjet at Luton (our airport) refused to allow three guys on their plane using these bags forcing them to abandon both flight and holiday.
They are suing Easyjet through the small claims court but even if successful that wont compensate for the loss of their holiday.
We have got free bike boxes from our local bike shop but that requires removal of both wheels and handle bars so is far from a perfect solution. We shall also have to rely on getting new boxes from a local shop in Berlin for our return flight to Luton.
Bill Forster
St Albans, England
Europe with Folders
In July - August of 05 we purchased Dahon Speed TR folding bicycles with the express purpose of making it easier to take them on planes & trains in Europe. Here are some of our experiences:
- Bikes & Bags: The Dahon Speed TR is an excellent touring bike, good range of gears, takes a good load, very comfortable. We deliberately sought out and bought the '04 model, as we did not trust the hydraulic brakes on the '05 in a touring scenario (especially after seeing a shop floor model with the fluid leaking). These bikes fold well, and we found they could be folded and quite carefully packed for travel in between 15 - 30 mins. We used large fabric bags specifically designed for folding bikes. Once packed, these bags are heavy and awkward to manoeuvre.
- Our first trip (London – Edinborough – London) netted some damage to the bikes (broken hub gear ‘click box’, so we changed our packing technique. Our final packing technique involved: some cut down Styrofoam used for a protective case around the hub gear click-box/derailleur section. This was supplemented by a cut down piece of car washing sponge (which doubled as an excellent hip cushion whilst camping). Both these items and some masking tape, we carried with us, along with the folded up bike bags (which doubled as picnic rugs in messy spots). Before each flight/long train trip we scrounged newspaper and cardboard to line the base of the bags and protect various parts of the bike.
- On our final flights (Trieste-London, London-Thailand-Sydney) we used camping foam mattresses (all 1.3cm of comfort of it) to line the whole inside of the bag. This worked really well, and we will re-use this method as the mattress is light and easy to carry, and easy to obtain. Despite this level of protection, luggage handlers must be distrusted – one bike arrived back in Sydney with a bent rear hanger, which must have required a substantial blow.
- Airlines. Ryan Air: London-Edinborough-London. No extra charges for bikes, loaded via oversize luggage but arrived back on general luggage conveyer in London. Easyjet: London – Linz. Charged extra for bikes despite the fact we had no other checked luggage and were within our allowance. No special handling despite paying extra. Generally unpleasant and punitive for bringing a bike, even a folder that is no bigger than a large suitcase anyway. Easyjet: Trieste – London. Again charged extra and no special handling. Would not recommend Easyjet. Lufthansa: London – Thailand. Lufthansa were great. They have a flat charge for bicycles, which beats paying excess baggage for them (this time we had other checked baggage also). But we were lucky and were not charged at all, due to some special frequent flyer status we have with United. Thai: Thailand – Sydney. In theory bikes were to be charged as excess baggage, however we were not charged at all, again the frequent flyer thing helped.
- Trains: took numerous short and long train journeys in Scotland, Austria, Hungary-Slovenia, Slovenia. Found the folders fantastic in this respect, as could fold & pack them for trains where no bicycles were allowed, or where it was not clear whether bicycles were allowed, or where charges for bicycles were made.
- Overall: folders were not as easy as we thought, and the careful packing required for flying is a bit of a pain. However unlike a box packed full size bicycle, they can be loaded into normal taxis, buses or trains. And components do not need to be removed to the same extent. And they are easier (although awkward) to carry in their ‘packed’ state than boxed normal bikes. We had thought we would sell these bikes, but like riding them so much we are keeping them and will no doubt use them for further adventures.
Easyjet require bikes to be bagged or boxed
Apparently Easyjet have had problems with unboxed/bagged bikes damaging their aircraft and now insist that all bikes are bagged or boxed.
At Liverpool airport it is possible to buy a bike bag from the information desk for 10 UKP. This is basically a huge polythene bag into which the bike will fit without taking bits off (apart from the pedals which is a requirement)although you'll have to undo the handlebars and turn them so they're flush with the bike. Make sure you tighten them up in this position. You'll need some means of sealing the bag: I take a roll of electricians insulating tape which does the job perfectly and is easy to remove afterwards.
The bag will fold up to a package about 20cm by 6cm weighing 750 grams so is small enough and light enough to carry in a pannier. However you'll need to fold it carefully so that you exclude all the air so it's probably best to lay it on the floor and fold it from the bottom (i.e. the sealed end) squeezing the air out as you go. If you do this in the arrivals lounge of any international airport you will probably attract the attention of other passengers who may think you're some kind of street artist. Just ignore them!
Gatwick to Madrid with Easyjet
Easyjet insisted on boxes for two bikes flying to Madrid in July, but otherwise all was well -- no extra charge for weight etc.
You can order bike boxes in advance at Gatwick through Excess baggage, on email [email protected] or telephone numbers 01293 569900 or 01293 502014 South Terminal Supervisor) or 01293 502013 (North Terminal Supervisor). And tape to secure them is available at WH Smith.
EasyJet now insist that bikes must be either boxed or bagged
We flew from Liverpool to Nice in May 2004, our bagged bikes were accepted but a cyclist who'd flown with EasyJet previously was shocked that they refused to take his bike. He took a taxi to the nearest Halfords for a discarded box and only then was allowed to travel.
Apart from this, EasyJet were excellent. We were not surcharged for our heavy tourers, panniers and tent and our bikes were unscathed.
Belfast and Beyond - Northern Ireland Site
An invaluable site for anyone travelling to Belfast and Northern Ireland.
It provides you with all the information you need before leaving the front door.
www.belfastandbeyond.com
A Good Experience with EasyJet
Took two bikes on EasyJet from Nice to Luton. Their rules state that an unpackaged bike gets a £15 surcharge plus excess baggage fees for weight over 10kg. They didn't weigh the bikes, didn't ask us to prepare them at all apart from letting the tyres down (it didn't take long to pump them up again), and didn't charge us a penny.
One bike sustained a small scratch and a small nick in the saddle, the other one was completely unscathed.
Easyjet Liverpool
Flew to Amsterdam. Just turned up at the airport, took off pedals, turned handlebars and deflated tyres. No box or bag needed although as the bike was new I protected the paintwork with the sort of lightweight underlay used for laminate floor tiles done up with insulating tape. This, unlike say bubblewrap, is easy to store in the bottom of a pannier for the return journey. Absolutely no problems and no excess baggage charge. I really like Easyjet!
Richard Thorpe, July 20, 2003BIKE AND TENT HIRE ITALY
Bike and tent hire Italy, explore Dolomites, Alps, Como, Garda, Tuscany also B&B....
FRASER WILSON, May 05, 2003EasyJet v. Ryanair
Excellent service from easyJet at London Luton when I arrived with a folded Brompton for their Belfast flight. They agreed that I could have it treated in the same way as child's pushchair (aka 'babybuggy') - just wheel it up to the aircarft steps and hand it over at the last minute - which I did. The bike was handed back to me - with a smile - as I went down the steps at the other end of the flight, in Belfast. No charge, of course.
Contrast this with the return jounrey I made from City of Derry airport to London Stansted with the surly Ryanair. They did reluctantly agree to the child's pushchair option - but when I got off at the other end refused to let me have the bike back. I watched helpless as the groundstaff hurled it into a luggage truck.
Easyjet, Zurich
EasyJet. A friend and I have taken several trips (1999/2000) with EasyJet using Luton, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Zurich airports. They allow 25kg hold plus 5kg cabin - the latter is enforced more rigorously than the former. But excess charges are modest. In most cases the only necessary preparation was pedals off and tyres down. We have drop bars, so with flat bars you might have to do something extra. At Luton the bike goes through an X-ray machine - mine just fits. At Zurich I had to pay 10 SF for a large plastic bag. However a colleague flew Luton-Edinburgh and got their front wheel folded over. Easyjet paid £40 as a partial contribution towards taxi and replacement cost. Luton Airport is easy of access by bike - the new station is only about a mile away. At Glasgow Airport (Paisley) there is a local railway station a short cycle ride away - better than trying to find your own way into town. Edinburgh Airport is 10 miles from the city centre along big roads, quite a slog if the traditional westerly is a-blowing. Zurich Airport is easily accessible by train.Ivan Viehoff, August 01, 2000
Liverpool, Easyjet Airlines
Easyjet out of Liverpool.
I have flown with Easyjet a few times now out of Liverpool. The staff are fairly knowledgeable about bikes.
Pedals off. Turn Handlebars. Tyres down.
You don't need a box/bag, and twice I have flown without turning my bars. The airport is small, so the bikes appear along with the luggage. I have never had a problem with the bikes being scratched or damaged.
All in all a good airline.
Ian Yates, Blackburn CTC
Santiago de Compostella (Spain)
I flew from Santiago de Compostella (Spain) to Amsterdam with SPanair to Barcelona. Bike no costs, no box required (handlebars turned pedals off tires deflated) and with Easyjet also no charge from Barcelona via London to Amsterdam. This was the cheapest deal I could find (appr $250) compared to the companies like Iberia that charge more than double for the same trip.
Magnus Johansson, January 04, 1999
Had absolutely no problems flying easyJet on two flights – one from London Stansted to Munich, with 6 touring bikes in separate cardboard boxes, with pedals removed and handlebars set against the frame, and the other from Barcelona back to London Stansted, this time with only 4 bikes. easyJet was the best option due to their generous weight limits. If flying from Barcelona though, ensure you know where you’re going to get a box from a little while before your flight as the bike rental stores don’t have them, and bike repair shops are few and far between.