ive ducked paying united a few times, but its apparently gotten harder (i use a ground effect tardis and deny its a full bike if asked, along with a few other things).
pre 9-11 i skated (board) between terminals a few times (and also had some fun goofing around while in transit). post 9-11 this doesnt go so well (if indeed you manage to have your board with you).
i have never found transferring between the physical terminals to be that bad (you can walk pretty easily). its the lines everywhere that are the time killer. you should have your boarding pass and a little politeness can (sometimes) go a long way if time-crunched.
You’ll be ok, even if time is tight, your luggage will follow a day later (SouthWest lost my bike entirely from ATX-ELP-LAX, it arrived a day later when they found it somewhere between ATX & ELP.) Once you land you collect your luggage, clear immigration, then recheck it and collect another boarding pass and endure the horror that is LAX.
If you want to make packing easy, go to the airport early and buy a box from Qantas or Virgin, they’re ~$15 and HUGE. Then fill it with your bike, pad it with luggage, reinforce it and rope in a friend with a ute to get you to the airport (or a maxi taxi is ok too.)
You could even get that other frame in the box… I personally packed a bike with lowrider rack & guards, a front pannier, another wheel & another rim all in one Qantas box.
oh yeah, breaks are good thanks blakey.
and i got a box from hpc…they are freaking huge…but within the limits (about an inch short in each direction)
putting the gazelle and my somec frame in there and what ever else i can get under the weight limit.
only have one other suitcase so there’ll be some clothes for softness which is handy…
good point on the ute…will figure something out.
What’s transport from the airport in melbs like? Will probably be flying into Avalon airport, which I’m lead to believe is hell far away from the city and where I’ll be staying (Brunswick east, who wansta party right?). Is there a train that goes from the airport? Is it cheap?! Where should I head that’s close to where it stops to build up my bike (read: pump up my tyres)? Cheerz!
Avalon is more that just far away, it’s in the middle of nowhere. Would be a decent ride to get to the city, or just jump on the bus to southern cross…
why you no charge the fat tub of shit, 2 people ahead of me in the check in line, an extra $35 per kilo, for the extra 50 or so they’re carrying on their enormous ass.
i have pondered this same question… needless to say airliners realise this problem themselves but society today prevents them from discriminating against a person’s weight…FACT
Fly into Melbourne airport. Avalon isn’t Melbourne airport, they just like to label it as such so people fly into it. You may as well fly into Traralgon airport.
about to book with airasia to kl, fark they charge for every little thing lol. $3 to check in at the counter?! anyways theres a $35 extra for sports equiptment plus the $25 for 20kg checked in baggage… just wondering, has anyone selected x-large baggage (up to 30kg - $33) and just checked in both bags? ie. a disguised bike bag (ground effect tardis) and a normal suitcase.
