Flying with Ryanair - T&C's

[kevler]

Just to update, I phoned milan malpensa airport(my departure location) and they have stated that i can use a standard bike box (no restriction to size), but it has to be with pedals off, inner tube deflated and handle bars off..i hope that's true

[Graham O]

Hi there people!
Helpful thread thanks.

Did anyone have direct experience this year flying with ryanair with 1x checked in bike? If so what were your dimensions?

@ Graham O did you have a bike box in the end? and if so what were its dimensions and how was your experience all ok?

The box i recycled from Decathlon is 179cm (Length) x 20cm (width) x 112cm height. I intend to pack in my touring bike along with all equipment to be under 30kg. i am guessing this is ok (paid 60€ to add 1x bike).

It doesn't make sense to me to pay extra and then to be restricted to 119cm x 119cm x 81cm.

Not being predigest, but please info/advice from people who have recently flown with bike with ryanair.

Hi Kevler,

I didn't have a bike box, but made myself a soft bag which could be rolled up and carried if needed, but I actually left it in the left luggage at Porto airport. Declaring something as a bike means that it can be any size, just no more than 32kg. You are not restricted to the 119cm etc size.

There was another thread on which I wrote:

Actual experience of flying with Ryanair (May 17).

The only conditions in Ryanair's published T&C's, associated with shipping a bike as a bike, is that it's weight must not be over 32kg. There is no stipulation about turning handlebars, removing pedals or not having anything in the bag with the bike. To be absolutely certain, I emailed them asking if there are specific requirements about handlebars, pedals and explicitly asked about other gear in the bag. Their reply was that there were no requirements other than the 32kg limit. I took a copy of the email with me in case anyone asked. This was the reason I chose Ryanair over Easyjet.

The bike was packed with the handlebars removed and lashed to the top tube. One pannier was left on the rack and the other was located at the front wheel. At Liverpool airport, it was just accepted, even though it was obviously more than a bike. At Porto on the return, the check in person asked if there was anything in the bag with the bike to which I replied yes, but I could show her an email from Ryanair saying that this was not excluded. She accepted this and off it went. (One advantage of traveling with a bike, rather than normal luggage, was that I was waved into the quick check in counter, so didn't have to wait.)

I was able to see the bike being loaded at both ends and it was carefully lifted into the plane by 2 guys, and came back from it's holiday unscratched, dented or damaged. I cannot fault Ryanair at all, although this is only 1 experience.

Would I do the same again? Probably not. With the panniers in the bag, it is very large and very unwieldy and hence more likely to be damaged, not by a deliberate act, as much as by falling or being dropped because it isn't balanced left and right.

I hope that answers your questions.

[Vorpal]

Just to update, I phoned milan malpensa airport(my departure location) and they have stated that i can use a standard bike box (no restriction to size), but it has to be with pedals off, inner tube deflated and handle bars off..i hope that's true

I would leave enough air in the tyres to protect the rims against damage. I usually let some air out, so that I can say I have deflated the tyres.

Also, it may be possible to just loosen and turn the handlebars. They don't take up much space that way. That's how I ususally fly, and most bikes will fit in a bike box that way.

[whoof]

Just to update, I phoned milan malpensa airport(my departure location) and they have stated that i can use a standard bike box (no restriction to size), but it has to be with pedals off, inner tube deflated and handle bars off..i hope that's true

I've flown into Malpensa (not with Ryanair) with my bike in a cardboard 'shop' box with the pedals off, bar off and draped over the top-tube and tubes partially deflated. No problems.

[Kernowboy]

I have flown with Ryanair, Newquay to Frankfurt Hahn in the last two weeks. I checked with Ryanair via online chat before flying and they confirmed that the combined dimensions of the box must not exceed 119cm x 119cm x 81cm ie 318cm combined. Our boxes were 150cm x 80cm x 20cm - 250cm combined. I had no problems checking in on both flights the overall experience was good with no damage to our bikes.