On this page we attempt to make available the experience of individual bicycle tourists who have travelled with Singapore Airlines (you can share your experiences here).
Table of Contents
Singapore Air, Sydney-Delhi via Singapore
Just had quite a good experience flying with Singapore Airlines. I had gotten different stories each time I rang their customer service line before flying. One lady said that flying out of Sydney the normal allowance is 25kg (true) and an extra 6kg allowance is given free for sports equipment such as bicycles (probably correct).
On check my gear came to 45kg total, including the bike in box with racks and one light packed pannier which came to 26kg, I am touring with all camping gear etc.
Anyway, she said that for sports equipment a special excess rate applies, you pay for 6kg and get 15kg extra. I still don't know how the maths of it all worked out, but I ended up paying just for the 6kg (at AUD $30 per kg), I am guessing she let me through with 5kg more free. So, thumbs up for Singapore Airlines!
Singapore Airlines Policy on Bikes 10 09 2004
I recieved this response to my query today....
Thank you for your online enquiry of 10 September 2004.
Please may we inform you that for certain sporting equipment such as
bicycles, a standard charge of 6 kgs will be applied on the item if,
together with the customer's other checked baggage, the total weight
exceeds the free allowance entitled to him. This will apply up to a
maximum of 15 kgs, after which normal excess baggage charges will apply.
Example: If a passenger travel on Economy Class, the total checked baggage,
including the bicycle comes to 30 kgs (ie. 10 kgs excess ) a charge of 6
kgs will be levied. However, if the total baggage weight is 40 kgs (ie 20
kgs excess), the excess baggage charge to be levied will be 6 kgs (for
total applied weight up to 35 kgs) plus 5 kgs ( the balance beyond 35
kgs), which sums up to 11 kgs.
This special charge is only applicable to one sporting equipment per
customer. Any additional equipment shall be charged according to the
standard excess baggage charges.
Please ensure that the bicycle is properly packed for transportation, with
the handle bars fixed sideways and pedals removed.
Thank you for writing to us, Miss Burgess. We look forward to the pleasure
of welcoming you onboard our flights.
Yours sincerely
Shamady Matnin
Manager Customer Services
Singapore Airlines (Sydney, Australia / Singapore / Taipei, Taiwan), Taiwanese taxi.
I flew Sydney, Australia / Singapore / Taipei, Taiwan in June 2002 on Singapore Airlines.
No bike box required. No handlebar straightening required. No pedal removal required.
Just had to ride-on-up and let down the tires.
The woman at the counter wasn't very happy or helpful, and neither was the oversized baggage loading guy (where I dropped off my bike). The former tried to convince me I should have boxed it, but I told her I had rung up and been informed that I would be able to ship it regardless however any damage would be my problem... she grudgingly labelled it and sent me onward to latter's post at the corner of the terminal.
When I arrived in Taipei, it was just sitting there 'upside down' in the middle of the baggage-retrieval area, next to the assigned carousel.
Got a taxi in to the city from the airport, seemingly this hasn't been done before. After taking the front wheel off, the taxi-assignment official calmed from an initial 'no way' attitude, and an enterprising cabbie dashed up from halfway down the rank and helped me out.
Its a pricey trip .. maybe NT1800 (USD45) or so in to the city!
Silk Air / Singapore Airlines (Chiang Mai, Thailand / Singapore / Sydney)
I flew Chiang Mai, Thailand / Singapore / Sydney, Australia in 2 hops in May 2002.
No bike box required. No handlebar straightening required. No pedal removal required.
Just had to ride-on-up and let down the tires.
Fleeced for bike boxes at Frankfurt Airport
Found on: [email protected]
We got an unpleasant surpurise at Frankfurt airport a couple of days ago...
According to Singapore Airlines, bicycles do not have to be in a box, bars turned, no pedals, seat lowered, but not in boxes. We flew Sydney->Singapore and Singapore->Amsterdam with them wrapped in plastic. Everyone was happy.
However when we go to leave from Frankfurt, the SIA checkin ladies say the bikes MUST be in boxes, no exceptions. If we had known we could have had free boxes from any of the plethora of bike shops around, but when you turn up to fly home with 2 bikes, 2 infants and camping gear, you can't really rush out of the airport and find a bikeshop.
So we had to buy two cardboard boxes from a luggage office that somehow lived inside the customs area. They charged us 30 Euro per box! These are just big boxes, not particularly strong or anything (after 2 flights they're just about stuffed), and they want AU$60 each... But what could we do except fork over the cash. So AU$120 later and a little packing we were allowed to check-in our bikes.
I've been constructing a letter of complaint to Singapore Airlines in my head for a few days now, but I know I'll probably not get around to it.
--
Kingsley Turner, http://MadDogsBreakfast.com
- Travel Tales: The good, bad, and down-right ugly
Singapore Airlines - new bike policy
Update to my earlier article:
Singapore Airlines has changed their policy for taking bicycles. You no longer get 10kg extra luggage allowance so now the bike will have to fit in your ordinary 20kg. The 10kg extra are now only available for divers who can present a valid diver's certificate.
So if you're a diver they might transport your bike as their reservations office told me but of course that deal is risky. I wouldn't be too sure about the guys at the counter believing you that this larger box behind you contains your "diving equipment" ...
Unfortunately they told us about that change after issuing our tickets so we're now looking for an option. Normal rates for excess baggage would be 34 Euro/kg for a flight from Germany to New Zealand but using SIA Cargo seems to be an option as you get a 50% discount on the cargo rates if you fly yourself as well.
I'll post an update when I know the details.
Singapore Airlines
Flew from Manchester UK to Penang Malaysia
Used VK bike box which contained bike with pedals turned inwards, bars turned in and wheels removed.
Used pipe lagging on bike tubes. Packed case with other luggage/clothes. No problem checking in - was sent through on transfer.
Absolutely perfect -
Singapore airlines are A1!
IronCase
I spent months trying to hunt down and decide on the most appropriate packaging for my bike. I was leaving Canada to travel to Asia and then to Australia, returning to Canada. I wanted to make sure I bought something sturdy, long-lasting (I live between Australia and Canada), and secure. Finally, I decided to buy an IronCase, and I'm glad I did. It has offered me piece of mind, over and over again.
On arrival in Bangkok, I checked my bike (I'd dismantled the bike to fit...it's a big downhill bike, and had packed towels and armour around the deraillers, etc.) and it was in perfect condition. Granted, the clips on the case were a bit scratched, but otherwise, it was OK. I used two small pad locks to secure each end and slapped THIS WAY UP all over it. Oh, and I flew with Singapore...great airline and will consider the bike case your second piece of luggage (you're allowed 2 x 30kg items). The bike does not cost extra (make sure you remind them of that...it's free for bikes).
Although it cost me CDN$500 (including shipping, taxes and international duties), I am relieved that I bought it and that it has already served it's purpose.
I highly recommend the IronCase! Oh, and buy it directly from the manufacturer. It's the cheapest option I could find, both in the US and Canada.
On another note, I stored my bike case at Bangkok Airport's Left Luggage for 30 days. It cost about CDN$120 and was in perfect condition.
Singapore Airlines
We flew with Singapore Airlines with our bikes from Melbourne to Zurich via Singapore & then from Vienna via Zurich back to Melbourne in 2000. After reading your website & some thought we decided not to box our bikes especially as we were returning from Vienna. We removed the pedals, turned the handlebars & deflated the tyres (not completely). On arrival at the airport they were quite helpful though not very knowledgeable - we were asked if we had removed the chain to which we just answered yes. The bikes were loaded on a separate cart. They arrived in good condition.
In Vienna they asked about a box & we told them that's how they came and after a slight pause they accepted that. One bike had a wrecked tube as someone fiddled with the valve. Singapore airlines were quite helpful generally & would have allowed an extra amount of luggage weight had we needed it but we did not.
A Cronin
Singapore Airlines
We flew Berlin-Auckland, Christchurch-Berlin via Singapore. Christchurch-Singapore was operated by Air New Zealand. Singapore Airlines raises the limit to 30kg when transporting sports equipment like bicycles and they said nobody would really mind another 3-4kg. Bikes should have pedals removed, handlebars folded but they don't provide anything else than plastic bags so we got large boxes from a bike shop. Nobody ever cared about weight and our bikes got in easily both ways.
I strongly recommend Singapore Airlines as all other airlines flying to NZ via Asia told me that normal excess baggage rates would apply for everything over the usual 20kg limit.
Matthias
Matthias Steffen, February 03, 1999Singapore Airlines
I used a "Pedal Pack" case to transport my bike .
The Singapore check-in area at Heathrow had an X-ray machine that was large enough for the Pedalpack to fit through and so saved me from opening the Pedalpack container up for a security check .
Singpore Airlines put the bike on for free as it is classified as "sports equipment" . At the baggage collection area at Singapore Changi airport there is a special luggage belt for bulky items and ground staff had already collected my container and brought it to me when I was waiting for my suitcases to arrive, which was of great help .