Ryanair

Trekker09

Heading to Malaga for 2 weeks in late June and want to bring my own bike rather than hire one. Anyone have experience of bringing their bike with Ryanair? Thanks in advance

cyclocross!

Yes brought one to Rome last year. No problems at all. Very easy. Buy/borrow a good bike box.

neris

not taken a bike personally but know someone who takes their bike down with them and theyve never had a problem. They get a box for the LBS in Dublin and just pack the bike well in that. It,ll be very warm in late June there aswell. Where abouts are you going to down there?

Trekker09

Thanks for that.

Heading to Casares, near Estapona. More worried about leaving my bike at home as I'd be pining after it lol! Picking up a car at the airport so should be straightforward.

Eamonnator

I've used Ryanair with my bike, at least once a year for last 10 years, I've never had any problems.
One thing, on your return, the bike won't be on the carousel with your checked luggage, it will be left outside a door, close to the carousel..

neris

enjoy the hills

Trekker09

neris wrote: »

enjoy the hills

Aye from what I can remember they're quite savage. Not too worried about the heat as I spent a few years in PNG.

Trekker09

Eamonnator wrote: »

I've used Ryanair with my bike, at least once a year for last 10 years, I've never had any problems.
One thing, on your return, the bike won't be on the carousel with your checked luggage, it will be left outside a door, close to the carousel..

Ah yea I remember that from previous experience

Wishbone Ash

I have used Ryanair on many occasions without a problem. It also easier than with AL where you have to book the bike separately by telephone.

Trekker09 wrote: »

.. Picking up a car at the airport so should be straightforward.

Make sure that the car is big enough if you're using a hard case. (i.e. folding rear seats).

Seaswimmer

Just be careful about bringing CO2. I used to always put a couple of cartridges in the box with the bike but recently I have heard of people having to remove them at the oversize luggage section when they xray the box. This is in Dublin.

Also I wouldn't bother cycling anywhere on the coast road. We cycled from Alicante to Faro last year and the worst part of the trip was Malaga to beyond Estepona. Mostly fast dual carriageway with small/non existent hard shoulders.

Head north young man!!

smalltalk

You should have no problems with Ryan air in Malaga brought my bike through there in 2014.On arrival in Malaga I was surprised to see my bike box on the carousel I thought it would have come out in oversized baggage.
Also on your return to the airport after you check your bike box in you will be directed to the oversized baggage x ray in departures(the queue with the golfers and the dog boxes,)dont bother with this q as most hard bike-boxes will not fit in this x ray so you will have to take the adjacent lift down to the x ray on the floor below.

Eamonnator

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I have used Ryanair on many occasions without a problem. It also easier than with AL where you have to book the bike separately by telephone.


Make sure that the car is big enough if you're using a hard case. (i.e. folding rear seats).

My hard case box fits in a Ford Fiesta with 3 adults and luggage for two people.
Ditto for Renault Clio. So I reckon any hatchback car will pose no problem

Eamonnator

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Just be careful about bringing CO2. I used to always put a couple of cartridges in the box with the bike but recently I have heard of people having to remove them at the oversize luggage section when they xray the box. This is in Dublin.

Also I wouldn't bother cycling anywhere on the coast road. We cycled from Alicante to Faro last year and the worst part of the trip was Malaga to beyond Estepona. Mostly fast dual carriageway with small/non existent hard shoulders.

Head north young man!!

This is correct about putting CO2 in your bike box. However I have heard of people, who put CO2 cartridges in their check-in luggage and had no problem.
Obviously, It's nothing, that I would ever attempt, because it's prohibited.

Ardennes1944

Brought my bike to Switzerland this year with them no problem. I didnt go for the bikebox option, I got a cheap thick clear plastic bag from crc and put it in that with the usual precautions.

07Lapierre

Eamonnator wrote: »

This is correct about putting CO2 in your bike box. However I have heard of people, who put CO2 cartridges in their check-in luggage and had no problem.
Obviously, It's nothing, that I would ever attempt, because it's prohibited.

last time I took my bike on the plane, An Aer Lingus Check in Staff member asked me if I had CO2 cannister in my Bike Box. I told her I had one. She said, "that's grand, the allowance is two per Person". I guess it really depends on the staff on duty on the day.

Seaswimmer

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

Brought my bike to Switzerland this year with them no problem. I didnt go for the bikebox option, I got a cheap thick clear plastic bag from crc and put it in that with the usual precautions.

Don't chance this if travelling through Malaga. We tried it a couple of years ago and had untold problems as while the airlines (Ryanair and Aer Lingus) were happy to take it, the Malaga airport staff were insisting on a box. There are no boxing facilities in the airport so go prepared.
They eventually took them just plastic wrapped but I wouldn't chance it again without a box..

neris

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Also I wouldn't bother cycling anywhere on the coast road. We cycled from Alicante to Faro last year and the worst part of the trip was Malaga to beyond Estepona. Mostly fast dual carriageway with small/non existent hard shoulders.

Yeah and lots of trucks. The A7 its lethal

Trekker09

Eamonnator wrote: »

My hard case box fits in a Ford Fiesta with 3 adults and luggage for two people.
Ditto for Renault Clio. So I reckon any hatchback car will pose no problem

I think I've hired a Clio, but I have the Mrs and 15 year old daughter with me but so space will be tight enough. An upgrade methinks.

07Lapierre

Trekker09 wrote: »

I think I've hired a Clio, but I have the Mrs and 15 year old daughter with me but so space will be tight enough. An upgrade methinks.

3people? Have you considered hiring a van?

Trekker09

07Lapierre wrote: »

3people? Have you considered hiring a van?

I might need one with all the frigging stuff they bring

07Lapierre

Something like a Citroen dispatch will take 3 people and all the luggage in the world!

neris

Try goldcar they usually have the best prices for car rental

hardCopy

We went with Ryanair to La Rochelle in 2014, just cycled to the airport and wrapped the bike in a plastic bag at the check-in desk. Same with Aer Lingus.

mr spuckler

Trekker09 wrote: »

I think I've hired a Clio, but I have the Mrs and 15 year old daughter with me but so space will be tight enough. An upgrade methinks.

might have missed it but how big is your bike box / bag?

i brought a bag (admittedly a bulky one) to italy before, hired a ford focus estate and the f&(^ing thing wouldn't fit in the boot! thankfully it was only the 2 of us but it wasn't the most discrete thing sitting in the back seat wherever we went!

Redjeep!

Sorry to reinstate this old thread, but I'm in shock.

I'm planning to fly to Gatwick in September with Ryanair. I booked my flights about a week ago and have just tried to book my bike as well.

I've just come of their webpage and they're looking for €120 each way. In the meantime I've booked everything else for my trip and all of it is non refundable.

I flew with them a couple of years ago and it was €30 each way. Does anybody know if this is right ? Has it really gone up by 400 % in the interim ?

I've tried to contact them, but can't get through on the Live Chat or phone, so have sent them an email.

Eamonnator

I was in Lanzarote in April, bike was €60 each way.
I have just brought another booking to "pay now". Bike is still €60 each way
I've just tried Dublin/Gatwick in September. €60 each way for a bike

Trekker09

Redjeep! wrote: »

Sorry to reinstate this old thread, but I'm in shock.

I'm planning to fly to Gatwick in September with Ryanair. I booked my flights about a week ago and have just tried to book my bike as well.

I've just come of their webpage and they're looking for €120 each way. In the meantime I've booked everything else for my trip and all of it is non refundable.

I flew with them a couple of years ago and it was €30 each way. Does anybody know if this is right ? Has it really gone up by 400 % in the interim ?

I've tried to contact them, but can't get through on the Live Chat or phone, so have sent them an email.

I'd check that again as it was 120 for me there and back.

Redjeep!

Oops. Yes it's €120 return not each way.:o

Still seems a bit steep considering it was €30 each way last time, but I guess I'd better just suck it up.

Thanks.

Crocked

Could be their summer premium rate that they charge for checked luggage in the peak season

electronic

From working in the airport can I just say that if you like your bike don't just send it in a plastic bag. If I was travelling with my bike it would be packed within an inch of its life with as much buble wrap as possible. I've seen bikes fall off conveyor belts, baggage trucks and also baggage handlers with little concern for laying things down with care or paying any heed to fragile stickers.There isn't a certain place for bikes to be loaded on the plane they are put in the hold with all other bags/heavy duty objects.From being in the baggage hall in Dublin airport I cant emphasise enough that if like me you cherish your bike make sure its packed well.Sure in the past your bike may have made it grand in a bag but I certainly wouldn't be taking the risk

Eamonnator

electronic wrote: »

From working in the airport can I just say that if you like your bike don't just send it in a plastic bag. If I was travelling with my bike it would be packed within an inch of its life with as much buble wrap as possible. I've seen bikes fall off conveyor belts, baggage trucks and also baggage handlers with little concern for laying things down with care or paying any heed to fragile stickers.There isn't a certain place for bikes to be loaded on the plane they are put in the hold with all other bags/heavy duty objects.From being in the baggage hall in Dublin airport I cant emphasise enough that if like me you cherish your bike make sure its packed well.Sure in the past your bike may have made it grand in a bag but I certainly wouldn't be taking the risk

Another F**kin' bike.

brownian

Side note - just travelled AL from Marseille with four bikes (not all for me). Bubble wrap and gaffer tape on the chain/chainrings/derailleur/cassette. Pedals off. Bars turned sideways. Girl at checkin wanted us to take them to 'safebag' to have that cling-film put on them, that paranoid people put on their suitcases...we refused, as we've never had to before. Supervisor called. 'All grand'. Four bikes arrived no hassle, all good, in Dublin.
Not the most bike-protective way to carry them on the plane, but unless you're cycling in a big circle, scrounging cardboard bike boxes at the end of a tour is a massive pain.

Leaving Dublin, we always get boxes from the LBS. Coming home, it varies between cardboard boxes from a local shop, or some bubble wrap+tape. So far, so good.