Budget airlines like Easyjet and Ryanair are essential to all cyclists who enjoy riding in Europe - almost a lifeline when you look at the alternatives.
The trick is to use budget airlines for their strengths - shifting you and your hand luggage to where you want to go for very little money - nobody does it better.
If you are a cyclist with a 30kg bike case and a load of other luggage 'budget deals' become amazing for all the wrong reasons. That £49.99 return fare to Carcasonne with Ryanair can become £350 by the time you have added the administrative and excess baggage charges - £112 for your bike alone provided the box weighs less than 30kgs. and another wopping £62 for that kit bag and don't dare think about turning up at the airport with unbooked excess baggage - those fees soar to £92 each way for the kit bag alone.
Easyjet is more bike friendly so where possible you need to use them, but then you need to read the small print. Neither airline has a duty to carry your bike on your flight so it may not arrive with you. If the plane is overweight your bike will be following on - fair enough, we don't want the plane to fly like a brick, but it won't do much for your holiday.



So you arrive at your destination and find that 'pride and joy' has been trashed or worse 'disappeared'. Don't expect too much sympathy from budget airlines, they will want to see receipts for everything you claim to have lost and then they will adjust compensation according to their valuation which in Ryanair's case can be as low as £15. In any event compensation is limited to about £1100 maximum for any one item. READ MORE
Cycle-High can provide return UK transport for assembled bikes and kit at competitive prices with none of the hassles of bike boxes, bike assembly and airport transfers.