Bicycle Network Victoria: Ride On magazine

Unexpected charge

1 December 2008

As a regular traveller to Europe for cycling, my wife and I encountered an unexpected airline charge flying from Munich to Melbourne via Swissair to Hong Kong and Qantas to Melbourne because our primary luggage was hard case bike boxes, each case measured 1200x750x300mm ie large suitcase size, and weighed 16kg and 19kg respectively.

Our only additional baggage was small carry-on for the overhead locker both meeting international standards for size and weight.

Having travelled to Europe many times this way with bike gear helmets, shoes, knicks and tops in the bike box, we have used many of the main airline carriers with never a problem.

Departing Munich via Swissair we were confronted with a charge of 80 Euro per bike to fly (about $300). When we asked for an explanation as to why the charge, as we had flown from Australia with no problem on the same airlines, we were advised that the surcharge was based on the fact that the hard cases were bicycles, even though fully disassembled and packed, within the economy weight allowance of 20kg each.

Efforts to recover the money charged for bikes by Swissair has not been successful, we have been advised these are new regulations introduced from when we departed Australia. Lesson learned: seek clarification on air travel with your bike before committing to your itinerary with your travel agent.

Laurie Lyster

Melbourne VIC