Bicycle transport on Thai Airways long distance - your experience?

[henrik2000]

Hello, have you ever transported your bicycle on Thai Airways long distance? What was your experience?

• Do you remember a weight limit or restriction on non-bicycle-related stuff, and was that enforced?
• Do you remember a size limit?
• In Bangkok, does your bicycle case arrive on the regular luggage belt or at a bulk luggage counter? Is it stressful to hand in the bicycle case upon flying out of TH?

 

From Europe, bringing a bicycle case on THAI costs 150 Euro one-way. I would certainly need to bring another regular suitcase for pants and toothbrush.

Thanks!

 

PS. Am aware that there are other airlines and other modes like renting or buying a bicycle locally. I did all that, and I'd like to bring my own bicycle next time. I do have a tried and tested bicycle transport bag for air trips. Thai is the by far most convenient connection for me, and the only non-stop one, so I'd like to use it in-bound and out-bound. Aware I need a bigger taxi from airport, but that can be arranged (not going to cycle from airport; bicycle is for daytrips from fixed bases, not for long-distance bikepacking). I put the questions above through MS Copilot (=Chat GPT?), but didn't get back much.

 

PPS. I recently had a bicycle air transport within Europe – 80 Euro ow. The weight was limited to 32 kg (bike + bag). In fact, I got through with 37 kgs no problem. There was also a size limit which my bicycle bag just-so adheres to. Some people said online the bicycle case may NOT contain non-bicycle-related stuff. The bicycle case was x-rayed by airport security (not the airline), and I wonder if they ever looked for non-bicycle-related stuff (there was a little bit, like a bulky thermos). At one x-ray station the bicycle case would almost not pass through the bulk-luggage x-ray machine, and under the direction of the operator, I had to shift the bicycle case 10 times a few centimeters this and that way, until finally it slipped in and out without getting stuck. At one airport, the bicycle arrived on the regular luggage belt, at the other airport at a special bulk luggage counter.

Edited May 16 by henrik2000

[VocalNeal]

It will be classified as oversize like golf clubs. You drop it off and pick it up at the Oversize" counter/desk. Will probably get there before your suitcase appears on the carousel. 

[NoDisplayName]

If I remember correctly, there are TWO bulk luggage windows in the carousel area at BKK.  Don't know if they have any signage at these indicating which flights cargo go to which windows.

 

When you head out to the taxi zone, you get a ticket with call number from the auto kiosk on the sidewalk.  You can request a larger taxi at that time.  Plenty of space -- I fit put two full-size bike cartons in the back of one along with a couple of suitcases. 

 

How much extra are you carrying?  Bike bag is more compact thatn a box, so you might be able to take the Airport Link from the station on the lower level.

 

Check with the airline regarding items in the bike box/bag.  I've always thrown in a couple panniers with helmet and shoes and tools in the box along with the bike, up to the 32kg limit.

[soi3eddie]

I travelled with a bicycle to Thailand and back in 2016. I reviewed the options and, in the end, went with Etihad. I did ask Thai Airways and they said the bike would make up part of your baggage allowance weight. My bike bag had tent and spares etc. and was well over 32kgs so I chose Etihad as they charged a separate price for a "bike". It went in the oversize bag drop off area but came out on the baggage belt. 

I flew from London to Phuket via Abu Dhabi before cycling to Ranong and into Myanmar.

Check-in and flight, arrival video below.

 

 

 

 

 

[henrik2000]

Hi all, thanks for some good info about carrying a bicycle on international flights in and out of Thailand!

In my European country Thai Airways have clear information that a bicycle counts as sports luggage and is charged with 150 US dollar extra (not Euro, as I stated falsely above) ow, and then you have the normal luggage allowance of your flight class - and I need both, a regular suitecase AND a bicycle transport bag which may well reach 32 kilos (was 37 on another trip).

So now from my territory a bicycle is not counted as overweight luggage and is not  charged per kilogram or otherwise totally unreasonably. And Thai Airways is the only non-stop and by far the most convenient flight.

It's good to know that there are separate bulk luggage counters in Bangkok (in Madrid the bicycle bag staggered in on the regular luggage belt). Elsewhere I experienced that bicycle bag and other bulky stuff stand around at a bulk luggage counter without any safeguarding, and the luggage tag was not checked when I carried the bicycle bag out of the airport.

I wonder how to register the extra sports luggage with THAI in Europe. From their website I gather I should call them within 24 hours after booking the flight. It seems not possible to register this sports luggage online. Funny enough, from previous experience I know that they actually answer their phone. But what if I have to call them again  for flying out of BKK, I will book the outbound flight only several days before actually flying out.

Last time with a European airline I could register the sports luggage online, but had to wait about three days until they agreed by mail they would have space for it.

Sorry, in my initial post I did not mention that I go from Suvannahbhumi straight to Jomtien. I will book one of the reputable taxi services going there and tell them of my extra luggage, maybe even mail them a photo of the bicycle bag next to a car. They offer all sizes of cars. Last time in Europe when I needed a taxi for the bicycle bag I got a spacious taxi that had a ramp for wheelchairs and wasn't more expensive. (I do little or no bicycling in Chonburi. After a few days I will move by car to several Isaarn places, and there I hope to bounce around rice fields + noodle shops a lot.)