Okay, I'm late to this thread but I work in the bicycle industry and fly with a bike almost on a monthly basis.

First, do NOT get a hard case. They're bulky, heavy generally just a pain in the .... At this point, I have a Thule hardcase (which I haven't used in years), an EVOC bike travel bag, and my favorite, a Pika Patchworks bag.

https://www.pikapackworks.com/

In general, I'm almost never charged but always open up with "it's tradeshow equipment" and if pressed, say it's bike parts. With the Pika, you do have to disassemble about as much as the others but you pull the case tight around the bike. I have yet to have damage in multiple TATL and TPAC flights. I use it again on Friday when I head to TPE and then in a few weeks on my way to Monterey. Because of it's size and low weight along with the fact that it looks nothing like a traditional bike case, I'm almost never even questioned. My current bike has Shimano Di2 so there is a battery in the seatpost which I do generally remove and carry on.




Just my $0.02 as a DM who flies with a bike on a regular basis.