Recent experience flying EasyJet

[alexb]

Just thought it might be worth putting a brief note here on my recent experience flying EasyJet from Bordeaux to Gatwick.

I used the £12 plastic CTC bike bag, turned the bars sideways and rotated them down as far as possible, removed the pedals and refitted them on the inside of the cranks, put the chain on the smallest ring up front, largest cog at the back. Strap the crank to the seat-tube so that the extended chainside crank helps protect the chainring.

I wrote twice to EasyJet, once asking for written confirmation that the bike bag would be OK. Second time to confirm my baggage allowance.

With a bike booking you get an automatic holdbag allocation as well.

Despite all of their (EasyJet's) assurances, the baggage handlers at the airport asked for the tyres to be deflated. I had already done this and they checked. I've heard of tyres being "deflated" with a Stanley knife", so decided to play it safe!

The check-in process via EasyJety is a PITA. You need to arrive with your packed bike. Queue for check-in and get your boarding pass, go to the baggage handling area, get the bike weighed and the tag fitted. Then (at Bordeaux) you had to go to the oversize luggage handling facility - which is in a separate terminal. Then return to EasyJet's terminal for security clearance, before finally boarding the plane.
Even allowing 2 hours, we had no spare time at all!

At the plane, the bikes went on last, at Gatwick, they came off last, but were delivered via the carousel!!!

No damage. Worth it for the low cost, but worth getting the paperwork printed and carrying it with you.

[tiermat]

To be honest that sounds more like an airport/baggage handling company issue than an EasyJet issue. The routine sounds the same as I go through at LBA, with Jet2, barring the seperate terminal issue (try flying Jet2 to BCN and needing to use left luggage, its at terminal 1, 8km away!)

[TimC]

Baggage handling is nothing to do with the airline directly; it's a contracted service. At smaller airports, the may be only one handling company - even at big airports, there'll only be a couple. The bigger airlines at their major hubs put their own staff in between you and the handling company so that they can dictate the rules; at many outstations that won't happen.

[Martin]

If you get offered seats at the back of the plane for free check they have a window before you check in, otherwise pay £4.99 to choose another one.

DAMHIKT

(eventually sorted via online chat)

[yoav]

I’ve flown with Jet2 from Newcastle, Leeds-Bradford and Manchester, all with a bike and no problems at all.

[mattc]

Just thought it might be worth putting a brief note here on my recent experience flying EasyJet from Bordeaux to Gatwick.

I used the £12 plastic CTC bike bag, turned the bars sideways and rotated them down as far as possible, removed the pedals and refitted them on the inside of the cranks, put the chain on the smallest ring up front, largest cog at the back. Strap the crank to the seat-tube so that the extended chainside crank helps protect the chainring.

I wrote twice to EasyJet, once asking for written confirmation that the bike bag would be OK. Second time to confirm my baggage allowance.

Would you be able to copy their text here?

(my experience at Nice suggests that EasyJet are generally much worse with bikes (and clear bags) than British Airways - who have a clear statement on their website that bags are acceptable. Nice, Hamburg, and heathrow BA people have all accepted bags happily. More-or-less ... I posted in the BA-specific thread about this)

[Martin]

IIRC BA state "recognised box bike or bag" I've always been OK with a cardboard Halfords box for one ways or a padded bag for a return.

I've been turned away by easyJet at Edinburgh with a bike covered in bin liners, probably my fault for arriving just before check in closed and not doing a decent job.

[Pickled Onion]

Despite all of their (EasyJet's) assurances, the baggage handlers at the airport asked for the tyres to be deflated. I had already done this and they checked. I've heard of tyres being "deflated" with a Stanley knife", so decided to play it safe!

I've flown many times with the bike, only once have I been asked if the tyres were deflated. This was in Iasi¹ and by the airline staff not baggage handlers. I answered "yes, they're fine", but he checked and I had to let a little air out.

The check-in process via EasyJety is a PITA. You need to arrive with your packed bike. Queue for check-in and get your boarding pass, go to the baggage handling area, get the bike weighed and the tag fitted. Then (at Bordeaux) you had to go to the oversize luggage handling facility - which is in a separate terminal. Then return to EasyJet's terminal for security clearance, before finally boarding the plane.
Even allowing 2 hours, we had no spare time at all!

You should be able to print a boarding pass in advance (or put it on your phone with most airlines), saving one of those queues. Most airports have an outsize baggage desk but there's rarely a queue at those, but yes, you need to check it in with the airline first. Smaller airports take the bike directly from the check in desk. So it's either the same as anyone with hold luggage, or one extra step.

I normally arrive 2 hours before the departure, which gives enough time to dismantle and pack the bike, check it in, have a pint and a sandwich and get on the plane. If there's a long queue at the check in, I moan to someone that I need extra time for getting to outsize baggage and get sent to the front of the queue.


^1. That's "Yash", Luton announcement recording, not "Yaaah-see"

[Redlight]

Baggage handling is nothing to do with the airline directly; it's a contracted service. At smaller airports, the may be only one handling company - even at big airports, there'll only be a couple. The bigger airlines at their major hubs put their own staff in between you and the handling company so that they can dictate the rules; at many outstations that won't happen.

I'm entrusting my beloved steed to whoever handles Virgin's logistics at LAX this evening.  Can you put in a word for me and ask them to treat it nicely  ?