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My experience flying with ANA

Dilbert

Speeding Up
Jul 5, 2022
44
64
I posted earlier about flying domestically with ANA and received good information from this forum, so I just wanted to follow up with my experience if anyone was curious about flying with ANA domestically.

1. I flew out of Haneda to Hachijojima, total cost for it was ¥2500, I paid ¥1200 going and ¥1300 coming back. This was because my total weight for all luggage including bike was around 25kg going and 26kg returning. On economy class the weight limit is 20kg free, after that it's a sliding scale based on how much weight you bring. I had two checked in bags (one bike, one camping gear and clothes)
2. I packed bike in ostrich bag and no issues. They didn't even measure the dimensions, I think they see this type of bag all the time so I highly doubt they are strict on the under 203cm total dimensions like listed on their website. They did check things that were in the bag like they wanted to know what I had in each bag inside, like I packed some toiletries into my water bottles and they asked me about that. So budget some extra time for this.
3. I learned how they will store the bike as the checkin staff were super kind in explaining. Basically your bag will get a fragile tag so it gets placed on its side on the very top of the luggage pile. They will ask you which side you want it to lay face down, so pack accordingly. They were fairly gently with it in my opinion.
4. Time, you can't use the self bag drop for your bike. The counter at Haneda is all the way down at the end furthest from where you come in on the train. Also I was in a rush and didn't see the elevator when I got off the train and struggled up the escalator with all my stuff. I recommend taking the elevator instead, for some reason japanese politeness doesn't extend to carrying large pieces of luggage by hand, I had multiple people cut infront of me and push past me. Then once you pass through the train ticket gates you can go up one more level to get a cart. All in all took me a good 45 minutes from exiting train to finishing checked in, the hauling of stuff, waiting in a short line and the staff weighing and inspecting my luggage. My experience was when I landed my bike was unloaded even before my other checked in luggage. So that's a pro.

Happy travels
 
I had a similar experience travelling with my bike domestically several years ago. Just bagged it in the rinko bag. We actually saw them load our bikes onto the plane from the window at the gate and they were really careful with them. No stress at all.
 
I posted earlier about flying domestically with ANA and received good information from this forum, so I just wanted to follow up with my experience if anyone was curious about flying with ANA domestically.

1. I flew out of Haneda to Hachijojima, total cost for it was ¥2500, I paid ¥1200 going and ¥1300 coming back. This was because my total weight for all luggage including bike was around 25kg going and 26kg returning. On economy class the weight limit is 20kg free, after that it's a sliding scale based on how much weight you bring. I had two checked in bags (one bike, one camping gear and clothes)
2. I packed bike in ostrich bag and no issues. They didn't even measure the dimensions, I think they see this type of bag all the time so I highly doubt they are strict on the under 203cm total dimensions like listed on their website. They did check things that were in the bag like they wanted to know what I had in each bag inside, like I packed some toiletries into my water bottles and they asked me about that. So budget some extra time for this.
3. I learned how they will store the bike as the checkin staff were super kind in explaining. Basically your bag will get a fragile tag so it gets placed on its side on the very top of the luggage pile. They will ask you which side you want it to lay face down, so pack accordingly. They were fairly gently with it in my opinion.
4. Time, you can't use the self bag drop for your bike. The counter at Haneda is all the way down at the end furthest from where you come in on the train. Also I was in a rush and didn't see the elevator when I got off the train and struggled up the escalator with all my stuff. I recommend taking the elevator instead, for some reason japanese politeness doesn't extend to carrying large pieces of luggage by hand, I had multiple people cut infront of me and push past me. Then once you pass through the train ticket gates you can go up one more level to get a cart. All in all took me a good 45 minutes from exiting train to finishing checked in, the hauling of stuff, waiting in a short line and the staff weighing and inspecting my luggage. My experience was when I landed my bike was unloaded even before my other checked in luggage. So that's a pro.

Happy travels
Excellent report and very informative.
I think the baggage handlers in Japan do a sterling job and respect the belongings they load on to the planes.
Wish every airline was like ANA.
How come your flights were so damn cheap?
 
Excellent report and very informative.
I think the baggage handlers in Japan do a sterling job and respect the belongings they load on to the planes.
Wish every airline was like ANA.
How come your flights were so damn cheap?
Thanks, flights I paid with points (12,000 points roundtrip economy vs 34,000 yen if I would have paid cash) for flight really only paid 740 yen in taxes and fees. I was talking about excess baggage fee for the flights in my post.
 
I flew to Kumamoto over Golden Week with my bike (atually one day before/after to avoid the worst of the crowds). Also used ANA and had my bike in the same Tioga Coccoon rinko I use on the train. I did add a brace between the fork legs and removed the pedals (for easier handling) and disc rotors (which are easily bent and stick out).
No problems either way, and did not even have to pay a surcharge - seems like the bike in its bag doesn't fit on the scale so only showed 5 or 6 kg!
Second allowing a bit more time for check in and I also phoned ANA well in advance to let them know I would have a bike with me; they added a note to my ticket so the airport staff were expecting it.
 
I flew to Kumamoto over Golden Week with my bike (atually one day before/after to avoid the worst of the crowds). Also used ANA and had my bike in the same Tioga Coccoon rinko I use on the train. I did add a brace between the fork legs and removed the pedals (for easier handling) and disc rotors (which are easily bent and stick out).
No problems either way, and did not even have to pay a surcharge - seems like the bike in its bag doesn't fit on the scale so only showed 5 or 6 kg!
Second allowing a bit more time for check in and I also phoned ANA well in advance to let them know I would have a bike with me; they added a note to my ticket so the airport staff were expecting it.
Great info as well.
Much appreciated.
 
Always found ANA and JAL to take good care of bikes on internal flights in Japan even if you just put them in a rinko bag.

Andy
 
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