Originally Posted by
jazzdude
I just travelled to and from France with a bike in July. They will not allow you to check in unless you pay for the bike. The agents are under strict instructions to collect the fee.
I would advise you also to make a reservation for yor bike ahead of time because they don't promise to have room for your bike on the same flight. This would avoid having to ship your bike via cargo rates which would be more.
The fee is now 150 dollars for flights departing the USA to France and 150 Euros for flights departing France and returning to the USA. Inter France flights costs 20 Euro when you are not making a direct connection.
I hope that this helps!
It no longer appears they differentiate for flights within France-
http://www.airfrance.ca/CA/en/common...ents_sport.htm
The following sports equipment will not be accepted as part of your baggage allowance:
Bicycles, surfboards, windsurfs:
you will be charged a fee of €150 to check any of these items.
I was thinking about using miles to fly from Schiphol to Lyon, but yikes, for the two of us, you're talking over $400 just for the bikes! The train connections are terrible though (have to transfer between stations in Paris), so we may not have a choice.