On this page we attempt to make available the experience of individual bicycle tourists who have travelled with Icelandic Air (you can share your experiences here).
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Taking Bike to Europe
Found on: rec.bicycles.misc
I did it 2 weeks ago. I flew West Palm -> Baltimore (South West), 1 day stopover Baltimore -> Iceland (Icelandair) 3 day stopover Iceland-> Denmark (IcelandAir) 1 day stopover Denmark -> Paris (Air France).
I had my bike in a soft case and I used hot water pipe insulation (Home Depot $1.29) around the frame to add protection without adding weight. I stuffed the case with clothes as well. Therefore it was my only piece of checked luggage.
Southwest charged me $40 dollars.
Because it was my only checked luggage, IcelandAir didn't charge extra for it. Ditto for AirFrance (although because I didn't warn them in advance that I was travelling with a bike, they had to check first to see if there was enough space in the plane for it on the flight with me).
Because I made stopovers, I left the bike at BWI for 24 hours in the care of Southwest. They held it for me free of charge, but because of security reasons, I couldn't even touch the case once it came into the baggage claim area.
I had to take the bike with me into Rekyavik on the airport shuttle since there was no place to store it at the Keflavik airport. The guy there suggested I just leave it out at the luggage area for 3 days. He said not to worry about it, I was in Iceland. I almost went for it, but maybe with one of my other bikes...
I checked the bike at the Copenhagen airport for 40DKK ($5) without problems.
All in all no problems. I've always found it easier, cheaper and more hassle free taking a bike on planes in Europe than in the States.
HTH
Icelandic Air
In August 2000 I took my bike from the UK to Iceland. London Heathrow to Reykjavik Keflavik.
I was not charged anything for the bike or the fact that I was a good few KG over the weight limit at both sides of the journey.
Much of my excess weight at Heathrow came from the heavy cardboard bike box. Icelandair told me to put the bike in a box. (Just ask your local bike shop for an old box)
On my return flight from Keflavik I was given a large plastic bubble-wrap bag to put the bike in. I did not even take the bike apart, just lowered the seat and turned the handlebars around. easy! They give all cyclists at Keflavik these large bags.
I booked my flight just a few weeks before I flew. Icelandair were the only carrier with available tickets. I would have flown with GO if I’d the chance as their tickets are cheaper. But I talked to other cyclists in Iceland who had flown with GO and they had to pay extra for their bike, so maybe I had the cheapest ticket after all!
I did talk to a couple who flew with GO and they had got in writing when they booked their ticket that their bikes would be free. At check-in they were asked to pay but managed not to because they had it in writing. I seem to remember that they still had to argue with the girl on the check-in desk and I think they may have ‘asked for the manager’.
Have a nice ride!
Icelandic Air
On June 2001 we went from Paris CDG to Reykjavik with Icelandair. We did not pay anything, neither for 2 bikes (MTB dismounted, in special bags), nor for our BOB trailer (1). Each luggage was over 23kg (50 lbs).
We made a "reservation" but I don't really know if it counts.
However on our return we had to pay for bikes (about 2000IKR).
We had no problem with the trailer on either way (no damage, no fees).
We could go from Keflavik airport to Reykjavik with flybus and we didn't pay anythig extra for bikes (still in bags).
Icelandic Air
I flew Icelandair from Frankfurt to Baltimore this summer. They didn't charge any extra fees, and they took the bike (a 68 cm frame full touring bike) as is, without boxing or removal of pedals, bars, etc. This made riding away from the airport relatively painless ... just attach panniers and pedal away (relative bike-friendliness of U.S. airport access is a different story!).
Julian C. Westerhout
Graduate Student Department of Political Science Indiana University Bloomington
web: http://php.indiana.edu/~juwester