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Has anyone had any experience flying with their bike to Malaga or Granada? Any suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated.
Bike bag size on Iberia looks too small?
Thanks
I bookex BA because of the generous bag allowance, but the flight was actually Iberia (they're partners) and got stung for about €300
BA with BA, folks ended up flying Ibera on a South American trip and were amazed at the blunt and direct service - basically rude.
Again check the actual operator, but most baggage T&C's are for the airline who took the booking so a BA booking codeshared with Ibera should be under BA rules for baggage - print and highlight the page from the baggage guidance and ticket to make sure.
likewise got screwed by an Iberia operated flight to Gran Canaria having booked BA and only checked the BA baggage policy. Iberia's bike policy is bizarre and confusing and nobody on their customer service line could clarify it. We just ended up hiring because it was all too much hassle trying to work out what the rules were. If it had been BA operated there wouldn't have been an issue.
Flew with vueling once iberias low cost option, clowns!
Airport staff tried putting bike through with out tags on it, tried to charge me again
The flight had 3 numbers a ba number, iberia number and the vueling number. All got the same carp service on the plane
I always go easyjet with bike now know where you stand
BA club. 2 x 32kg bags plus all the food & booze you want in the lounge at each end. Plus quick queues and mot having to mix with the peasants. It was utterly brilliant.
There is no debate for me. BA is the best airline to use flying in and out of the UK, for most (if not all) destinations. Using terminal 5/city airport is a particular pleasure.
Most of our bikers use Ryanair or Easyjet into Malaga. Never any problems although cost of bike transportation seems to be rising somewhat quickly!
If you book on ba.com, it will list all the BA/Iberia/Vuelinng flights, but it does say who operates each one.
For airlines like EasyJet/Ryanair, a lit of their revenue is generated from ancillary sales - excess baggage, bikes, speedy boarding etc.
If you are taking hold luggage, there will be very little price difference. Basically, which ever flight is fuller will be more expensive.
Went with BA to Malaga couple weeks back as got airmiles to use up. Easy and relaxed experience going out from T5 and no hassles at all with the bike.
Coming back Malaga was more of a nightmare. Too busy. The check-in desk didn't open until the 2hr before which is a pain when you're dropped off 3hrs before. The desk is run by Iberia and they were a bit clueless about bikes, then had to drop it off to the big xray place and wait for the guy who was seriously taking his time. Then massive queues and chaos at security. By the time I got through I had to go straight to the gate. Still though, it worked out in the end.
BA published weight for a bike bag/box is 23kg in economy though, which really is not a lot (if using a box you'll go over). It also counts as your one check-in bag.
However, at Heathrow the guy at the desk said it was 32kg. Malaga they couldn't even get it on anything to weigh it so didn't bother.
You do however get two carry on bags. One for overhead and one that can fit under the seat, and the sizes are fairly generous, and weight is anything up to 23kg per bag. So I got rest of my luggage in carry on bags.
I went with an Evoc bag for bike as requires minimal bike disassembly, and I've heard bags are treated with a bit more care than a box sometimes.
No free food on BA European flights in economy any more by the way. The stuff they sell is M&S stuff though.