Heading to the Alps this summer? You may want to think again about which company you fly with, or drive.
Whilst it’s okay to fly with a wind surfer, kayak or hang glider; bikes are now limited to a lower maximum weight of 23kg. That’s going to be a struggle if you want to take an all mountain/enduro bike and adequately protect it from the vagaries of airport handlers.
From the Easyjet website:
“One item of Sports equipment can be carried in addition to Your Hold Baggage allowance. Sports equipment is defined as:
Small Sports Equipment (items up to 20kg) for example:
- Golf equipment (excluding golf shoes);
- Skis (including boots and poles);
- Snowboards;
- Surfboards;
- Sporting Firearms;
- Diving Equipment (Gas or air cylinders are not permitted); and
- Sporting Wheelchairs (unless this is one of the two items of mobility equipment per passenger), or
Large Sports Equipment (items up to 32kg, except bicycles for which the maximum weight is 23kg (our emphasis – Ed)) for example:
- Bicycles;
- Canoes;
- Wind surfers; and
- Hang-gliders/paragliders.”
So why are bikes singled out for the lower, and quite restrictive limit?
We’d expect mountain bikers to make up a decent proportion of Easyjet’s summer clientele especially to classic Alpine destinations such as Geneva, so the decision seems a strange one unless the intention is to reduce use.
We’ve contacted Easyjet’s press team and will update this story once we get a reply.
UPDATE 13.30: In a tweet we’ve had this message:
“after many complaints from our customers we’re reviewing the bike weight limits and will have an update soon”
and an email stating:
“easyJet’s aim is to make flying with us as easy as possible for all. We are currently reviewing our bike weight limit policy and will be in touch again soon with an update.”
Further UPDATE 10/01/14: We’ve just received this email.
“IÂ have some good news for you!
We’re just about to announce that our bike weight limit is being raised to 32kg form Saturday 11 January. Whilst this will take a number of weeks to be applied to all our systems no customer will be charged an excess for bikes between 23kg & 32kg going forward.
Thanks again for getting in touch and bringing it to our attention.”
What date did this shift in weight allowance come in? Just wondering if easyJet will apply this retrospectively or whether bookings made under the old weight rules will be honoured.
And then he woke up…
Also complained, note that baggage information has not been updated still quotes the old allowance
To CTC
I wondered if CTC was aware that Easyjet have cut the cycle sports bag allowance from 32kg to 23kg. This seems to be unfair for cyclist and discriminatory as the other sports bag allowances have not been reduced.
I have sent a complaint to Easyjet but it would be useful if CTC also engaged them on their discriminatory business practice.
Still no update from easyjet i take it?
Here is the response I received from Easyjet CS. Unfortunately, it’s not very informative.
—
From: customer.service@easyjet.com
To: deleted@hotmail.com
Subject: easyJet Customer Services <>
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2014 03:24:24 +0000
Dear Douglas
Thank you for contacting us.
I understand your concern with regards to sports equipment.
We have revised our policy as the weight allowance for bicycles for earlier weight limit were subject to space availability.
To Know more on bicycle weight allowance click link (http://support.easyjet.com/faq/en/request.do?view%28%29=c%7b0e143af0-cedc-11e2-ef6e-000000000000%7d).
Hope you will understand this .
Regards
Nisha
easyJet Customer Services
>> Original Message …
>> From: customer.service@easyjet.com
>> To: deleted@hotmail.com
>> Subject: Re: <>
>> Sent:
>>
>> I just noticed your new weight allowance for bicycles, 23kg. I will be flying to the French Alps this summer and from past experience, 23kg is not enough to accomodate my bike in an appropriate bike bag. I flew last summer with Easyjet and the weight limit was 32kg, which was a reasonable limit for bike and bag (mine was 30kg). I hope you revert to the older limits otherwise I may not be able to fly with you again. Thanks.
for anyone viewing this late, social media seems to of won the day
https://twitter.com/easyJet/statuses/421673549338644481
In response to your query I would like to inform you that I have some fantastic news for you. From Saturday 11th January 2014, the weight allowance for bikes will now be 32kg instead of 23kg in line with other large sporting goods.
Does anyone fancy taking on Jet2 next then? If you thought Easyjet were bad – Jet2’s bike carriage T&Cs only allow you to carry 20kg max (2kgs less than your weight limit for a suitcase) and they charge you £30 each way for the privilege of only carrying 2/3s of your bike….