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Carrying a bike in aeroplane inside Japan

eimaiosatanas

Speeding Up
Dec 17, 2011
267
8
In this week's episode, the Noob tries to get his bike on a plane..

So basically, I'll be moving back to Ishikawa in about 20 days. Of course, I have to take the bike with me.

Option 1 (which was kuroneko yamato) want 15.000 yen for the job. My plane ticket is 17.700yen so, yeah, not happening.

Option 2 is to use the airliners. ANA said that "if the total of three dimensions does not exceed 203cm you can take it with you, or else we will have to confirm...".

Judging from the geometry data, I have around 25 (or thereabouts) of spare cm, so it should fit the above category.

I want to ask two things:
1) What's your experience of transferring your bike with an airliner in Japan? Did it go smoothly or they balked at the request?
2) How should I pack the bike? Any not-so-expensive carry cases to suggest?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!
Cheers!
 
You're not using a removals company to move your stuff? (Perhaps your bike is your only possession worth taking?)

I've done this several times - both domestic and international flights. Used a two-wheel-off Ostrich bike bag and a few bits of extra padding. Never had any problems.

20091106101250nzpackbik.jpg


That said, it's an old, steel-frame bike and I would probably not notice any new scratches.

Although not obvious from this photo, I unbolt the rear derailleur from the frame, bubble wrap it, and tie it inside the rear triangles.

The one and only time I tried to pack it in a box for a flight (Kyushu to Haneda) I got kinks in two of the cables.

My theory is that because it's such an awkward shape the baggage handlers have to pause for thought, thus taking a little more care with it. Probably just wishful thinking.
 
I`ve done a lot of domestic flights with my colnago in a basic one-wheel-off bag on both JAL and ANA and they have been positively reverential in their care. This includes trips on some very small planes out to islands like Yakushima. The only problem has been that the glue in the puncture repair kit is a banned substance for some reason so I always get caught!
 
You're not using a removals company to move your stuff? (Perhaps your bike is your only possession worth taking?)

20091106101250nzpackbik.jpg

Everything else will fit in two suitcases :) The bike is the only thing that worries me. But seeing the above picture, I'm quite relieved actually! :D

I`ve done a lot of domestic flights with my colnago in a basic one-wheel-off bag on both JAL and ANA and they have been positively reverential in their care. This includes trips on some very small planes out to islands like Yakushima.

Nice to hear that! Instead of paying the extortion money that kuroneko yamato asked, I'll be able to get a bike bag at least! Time to start looking for one...

Oh and Owen, thanks for fixing that spelling mistake!
 
A couple of years ago I needed to ship a bike so called Kuroneko. They quoted something like ¥12,000! I thought this was BS:mad:
Anyway, I boxed it up and took it to their depot just up the road. They took it for less than ¥3,000!
Box that baby!
 
That 15,000 number is for a bare-naked bike that they roll onto their truck and take care of accordingly. Box it and it'll cost something less than 5,000.


ps--where in Ishikawa?
 
A couple of years ago I needed to ship a bike so called Kuroneko. They quoted something like ¥12,000! I thought this was BS:mad:
Anyway, I boxed it up and took it to their depot just up the road. They took it for less than ¥3,000!
Box that baby!

I'll duly consider this! Thanks for the heads up!

ps--where in Ishikawa?

Used to live around 金沢大学, but now I'm in Nomi...
 
Nomi is great. I hope to see you on the levee along 手取川, or up towards 鳥越. I don't know if you're here, or almost here, but there's still plenty of snow around. For me, real riding will begin again in mid-March or so. PM me when you get here and hopefully we can connect.

John D.
 
Sure thing mate, I'd be glad to! :D

This year I was really lucky to escape the dreaded hokuriku winter.. I'm looking forward to spring though, and rides along tedorigawa! Cheers!
 
I've checked in my carbon bike in a normal rinko bag with almost no extra padding several times inside Japan. No extra charges (as long as you don't have much extra luggage) and they have always handled it with extreme care.

My philosophy is always to make things look as fragile as possible so they get handled with care. It's worked all my life so far...

That includes checking in my cyclocross for a trip to England, again with almost no extra padding.

And yes, it pays to screw off the derailleur to avoid any risk of it getting bent.
 
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