United charging $350 r/t for bicycles

HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW FEES FOR BIKES ON AIRPLANES???

United Airlines, my airline of choice for the last few years, just
raised the price of carrying a bike, one way, to $175. That's $350 round
trip. For US travel. I have yet to see references to international
travel, but assume it's the same, or worse. This is outrageous,
especially considering that Southwest charges
nothing...zero...zilch...nada... for carrying a standard bicycle. Other
airlines are somewhere in-between.
If this is an issue that could affect you (and it likely is!), please
consider letting United Airlines know how you feel about it. It's not an
easy process; you have to navigate through a lot of garbage on their
website, but you start here.

Below is the email I sent. I'll let people know if/when I get a reply.
The more people who let United know about their displeasure on this
matter, the more likely it is we might see the price increases rolled
back. Thanks- --Mike--

==============================
Regarding: New fees for bicycles

Recently United raised the one-way fee for bicycles to $175 ($350 round
trip). Besides being difficult to justify when a bicycle is under the 50
pound weight limit, United does *not* charge extra for golf, archery or
bowling equipment, all of which represent a challenge to deal with.

I have been 2P/Premier for the past several years, and had intended to
remain so for some time to come. But there are alternative carriers not
charging such high fees for cyclists, some charging nothing extra
whatsoever, others in the $50 range.

My customers (I own a large retail bicycle shop) are talking about
United's new bicycle charges frequently, and many have spoken of looking
at alternatives.

Why does United want to drive us away? Those flying with bikes are
typically your better customers in the upper elite ranks. They represent
a lot of $$$. It seems that United might want to go to some trouble
attracting, rather than annoying, such customers.

We're not asking for you to carry bikes for free, but rather a
reasonable charge, and parity with what other non-standard baggage (such
as the previously-mentioned golf, archery & bowling)is charged.

Thanks for your consideration of this important issue-

Mike Jacoubowsky
Partner
Chain Reaction Bicycles

============================

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

On 2008-10-16, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW FEES FOR BIKES ON AIRPLANES???

United Airlines, my airline of choice for the last few years, just
raised the price of carrying a bike, one way, to $175. That's $350 round
trip. For US travel. I have yet to see references to international
travel, but assume it's the same, or worse. This is outrageous,

For what it is worth what they seem to be charging for is the
oversized baggage, not just because it is a bicycle. $175 is
the new fee for luggage which is more than 62 linear inches.
They have still been taking my S&S-coupled bicycle at no charge,
though, even when I've told them it is a bicycle.

Recently United raised the one-way fee for bicycles to $175 ($350 round
trip). Besides being difficult to justify when a bicycle is under the 50
pound weight limit, United does *not* charge extra for golf, archery or
bowling equipment, all of which represent a challenge to deal with.

Note that archery and bowling equipment is only uncharged if it is
under the 62 inch size limit. I don't quite understand why golf
bags are exempt, however, since the golf travel cases are always
oversized.

Dennis Ferguson

On Oct 15, 11:00*pm, Dennis Ferguson wrote:
On 2008-10-16, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:

HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW FEES FOR BIKES ON AIRPLANES???

United Airlines, my airline of choice for the last few years, just
raised the price of carrying a bike, one way, to $175. That's $350 round
trip. For US travel. I have yet to see references to international
travel, but assume it's the same, or worse. This is outrageous,

For what it is worth what they seem to be charging for is the
oversized baggage, not just because it is a bicycle. *$175 is
the new fee for luggage which is more than 62 linear inches.
They have still been taking my S&S-coupled bicycle at no charge,
though, even when I've told them it is a bicycle.

Recently United raised the one-way fee for bicycles to $175 ($350 round
trip). Besides being difficult to justify when a bicycle is under the 50
pound weight limit, United does *not* charge extra for golf, archery or
bowling equipment, all of which represent a challenge to deal with.

Note that archery and bowling equipment is only uncharged if it is
under the 62 inch size limit. *I don't quite understand why golf
bags are exempt, however, since the golf travel cases are always
oversized.

In addition to golf bags, water and snow skis, and snowboards also
appear to be exempt from the 62 linear inch (L + W + H) limit without
an extra charge (the 50 lb. limit does still apply). However, scuba
divers, lugers, surfers, and pole vaulters are in the same situation
as cyclists.

In article ,
"Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote:

HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW FEES FOR BIKES ON AIRPLANES???

United Airlines, my airline of choice for the last few years, just
raised the price of carrying a bike, one way, to $175. That's $350 round
trip. For US travel.

For that price, on many routes, it could be cheaper to buy a seat for
your bicycle and put it in the cabin.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

"Ryan Cousineau" wrote: For that price, on many routes, it could be
cheaper to buy a seat for
your bicycle and put it in the cabin.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Especially since the bicycle, ticketed as a passenger, is allowed to have
some luggage at no extra charge. If the bicycle is in a wheelchair, isn't
it allowed to board first, along with the caregiver?

On Oct 16, 3:43*pm, "Leo Lichtman"
wrote:
"Ryan Cousineau" wrote: * For that price, on many routes, it could be

cheaper to buy a seat for your bicycle and put it in the cabin.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Especially since the bicycle, ticketed as a passenger, is allowed to have
some luggage at no extra charge. *If the bicycle is in a wheelchair, isn't
it allowed to board first, along with the caregiver?

So, we need bikes that convert into wheelchairs.

In article
,
Brian Huntley wrote:

On Oct 16, 3:43*pm, "Leo Lichtman"
wrote:
"Ryan Cousineau" wrote: * For that price, on many routes, it could be

cheaper to buy a seat for your bicycle and put it in the cabin.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Especially since the bicycle, ticketed as a passenger, is allowed to have
some luggage at no extra charge. *If the bicycle is in a wheelchair, isn't
it allowed to board first, along with the caregiver?

So, we need bikes that convert into wheelchairs.

http://www.frankmobility.com/duetfeat.php

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

On Oct 16, 2:13*pm, Phil W Lee phil(at)lee-family(dot)me(dot)uk
wrote:
"Leo Lichtman" considered Thu, 16 Oct
2008 19:43:27 GMT the perfect time to write:



"Ryan Cousineau" wrote: * For that price, on many routes, it could be
cheaper to buy a seat for
your bicycle and put it in the cabin.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Especially since the bicycle, ticketed as a passenger, is allowed to have
some luggage at no extra charge. *If the bicycle is in a wheelchair, isn't
it allowed to board first, along with the caregiver?

I wonder how they'd handle me?

My bicycle IS my wheelchair!

Not that I have any intention of finding out, but it would be an
interesting dilemma.

Maybe there'd be a market for something that looks like a regular
wheelchair but can be quickly converted into a serviceable bicycle
(wheelchairs travel free).

But I think I'll stick with my Bike Friday for airline trips.

peter wrote:

In addition to golf bags, water and snow skis, and snowboards also
appear to be exempt from the 62 linear inch (L + W + H) limit without
an extra charge (the 50 lb. limit does still apply). However, scuba
divers, lugers, surfers, and pole vaulters are in the same situation
as cyclists.

A woman I know had some custom "golf bags" made up that look like golf
bags but that store her wind surfer somehow. I'm not into windsurfing so
I don't know the details, but apparently they are essentially over-size
golf bags. They've gotten away with not paying the extra baggage fees
for years.

At $350 r/t it's definitely time to look at alternatives that can fit
into a 62 inch case like a Bike Friday or a Gaerlan gt20. The "problem"
with S&S couplers is that they only work on round steel tubing as an
after-market product (they did manage one aluminum tandem customer but
the lugs are put on at the factory, not after-the-fact).

A company like Trek could turn the airline restrictions into a marketing
advantage by coming up with a program where dealers could provide
reasonably priced rental bicycles (say $100/week) to Trek owners that
are traveling.

On Oct 16, 9:30*pm, SMS wrote:
peter wrote:
In addition to golf bags, water and snow skis, and snowboards also
appear to be exempt from the 62 linear inch (L + W + H) limit without
an extra charge (the 50 lb. limit does still apply). *However, scuba
divers, lugers, surfers, and pole vaulters are in the same situation
as cyclists.

A woman I know had some custom "golf bags" made up that look like golf
bags but that store her wind surfer somehow. I'm not into windsurfing so
I don't know the details, but apparently they are essentially over-size
golf bags. They've gotten away with not paying the extra baggage fees
for years.

I've thought of doing something similar for my folding kayak. It
looks to me like it'll fit in one of the larger regular golf bags, so
I was thinking of getting one to replace the large duffel bag that it
came in originally. But I haven't flown with it recently and in the
past I was never charged extra despite the dimensions being over the
nominal limits (the airlines were always careful about weighing it,
but never brought out a tape measure).

At $350 r/t it's definitely time to look at alternatives that can fit
into a 62 inch case like a Bike Friday or a Gaerlan gt20. The "problem"
with S&S couplers is that they only work on round steel tubing as an
after-market product (they did manage one aluminum tandem customer but
the lugs are put on at the factory, not after-the-fact).

It's also pretty tough to actually meet the 62" limit with 700c wheels
since the wheels alone are almost 27" long and wide for 54" leaving
only 8" for depth. 26" wheels are more feasible.

A company like Trek could turn the airline restrictions into a marketing
advantage by coming up with a program where dealers could provide
reasonably priced rental bicycles (say $100/week) to Trek owners that
are traveling.

Why limit it to Trek owners? Seems like it'd be a good way to
convince some of the renters that they like the bike enough to buy one
later.