Ebikes on planes

StuE

E*POWAH Master
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Jun 4, 2018
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I have read in a couple of places that easyjet will accept ebikes on their flights,bike goes in the hold and you take the battery on in your hand luggage
 

ccrdave

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they will take your bike but I doubt they will take the battery, there is a size limit for all air travel, dont remenber the figure but its less than the smallest ebike battery
 

ccrdave

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if thats true im going to take my bike to finale. if easyjet can do that I wonder how they got aviation rules changed or maybe its up to each individual airline
 

JoshDwnHll

Member
Sep 22, 2018
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South Australia
They may have changed there rules ikm not sure how old the attached photo is, it was 300wh not 130wh

Screenshot_20180925-235410_Samsung Internet.jpg
 

ccrdave

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david nthompson: can i take my ebike on the plane including the 500wh battery?
Gaurav: Hi David
Gaurav: You can take a ebike, but you'll have to book it as hold luggage.
david nthompson: yes understood but what about the battery
Gaurav: You can carry Lithium-ion batteries for portable electronic devices, a Wh rating exceeding 100 Wh but not exceeding 160 Wh.
 

Doomanic

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The 300Wh figure is for mobility scooters.

There is a way to ship the battery by road to Mainland Europe. @JetSetDemo is the man with the knowledge.
 

ccrdave

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last comment from easyjet chat
Gaurav: Unfortunately, you'll be unable to carry a 500wh battery.
 

Interpaul

Active member
Jun 18, 2018
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Edinburgh
I have experience carrying Avalanche Airbags when I go skiing. EasyJet allow me to carry a small canister of compressed air (allowed in IATA regulation) that inflates my Avi Bag. However, not all ground crew are aware of this and I have so much hassle and problems with different interpretations of the rule in various airports I have given up and left the canisters in the resort I do most of my skiing in.

So even if EasyJet did allow it (which they don't), almost certainly there is no way you would get the battery through security.
 

R120

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Apr 13, 2018
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I have experience carrying Avalanche Airbags when I go skiing. EasyJet allow me to carry a small canister of compressed air (allowed in IATA regulation) that inflates my Avi Bag. However, not all ground crew are aware of this and I have so much hassle and problems with different interpretations of the rule in various airports I have given up and left the canisters in the resort I do most of my skiing in.

So even if EasyJet did allow it (which they don't), almost certainly there is no way you would get the battery through security.

I had this at Lyon airport - they clocked my helmet and avi bag and thought i was planning to jump out the plane!
 

Swissrob

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2018
326
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Switzerland
I enquired through Qantas this is their response.


Under IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations a lithium battery cannot exceed 160Wh to be accepted as passenger baggage.

As the E-bike uses a 500Wh lithium battery which exceeds this restriction considerably, it would not be permitted as passenger baggage.

In order for it to be transported by air you would need to send it as freight through a dangerous goods accepted freight forwarder.

I would recommend contacting the freight forwarder to decide the best option for the e-bike and battery to travel.

Kind regards,


Jessica Antonucci
Dangerous Goods Operations Compliance Coordinator
 

Swissrob

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2018
326
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Switzerland
So I contacted a what I thought was a freight forwarding company, to pack and document (Switzerland to Australia) Chf159 plus the actual cost of freight which they don't do!

So I can't see us flying our bikes any time soon.
 

strugla

New Member
Founding Member
Feb 8, 2018
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Spain
Flying with Easyjet from Bristol this morning (without a bike) and was asked if I had any rechargeable batteries in my hand luggage.
In other news this year I've flown from Gatwick (Easyjet)and Heathrow (British Airways) with 'normal' bikes and have been asked if I had deflated my tyres before packing. I can't think why as I believe that the holds are pressurised.
 

tretopflir

Member
Jun 20, 2018
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Shedonopollis
Flying with Easyjet from Bristol this morning (without a bike) and was asked if I had any rechargeable batteries in my hand luggage.
In other news this year I've flown from Gatwick (Easyjet)and Heathrow (British Airways) with 'normal' bikes and have been asked if I had deflated my tyres before packing. I can't think why as I believe that the holds are pressurised.

The baggage compartments are pressurized but not to sea level. The cabin altitude is around 8000’ and balloons and tires could expand to a pop point. I’ve seen many Mylar balloons pop on kids leaving Disney and going ride in a plane
 

steve_sordy

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Nov 5, 2018
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The baggage compartments are pressurized but not to sea level. The cabin altitude is around 8000’ and balloons and tires could expand to a pop point. I’ve seen many Mylar balloons pop on kids leaving Disney and going ride in a plane

The air pressure at sea level is about 15psi, so even if you exposed the inflated tyres to vaccuum, the internal pressure would only rise by 15psi. That may explode a hyper-inflated road bike tyre, but not an mtb tyre.

The reason the Mylar balloons burst is that the psi inside them is minimal, 1-2 psi at most. Even only a few more psi is above their design limit.
 

tretopflir

Member
Jun 20, 2018
47
60
Shedonopollis
The baggage compartments are pressurized but not to sea level. The cabin altitude is around 8000’ and balloons and tires could expand to a pop point. I’ve seen many Mylar balloons pop on kids leaving Disney and going ride in a plane

The air pressure at sea level is about 15psi, so even if you exposed the inflated tyres to vaccuum, the internal pressure would only rise by 15psi. That may explode a hyper-inflated road bike tyre, but not an mtb tyre.

The reason the Mylar balloons burst is that the psi inside them is minimal, 1-2 psi at most. Even only a few more psi is above their design limit.

Your correct, if your tires are 20 psi should not be an issue
 

khorn

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
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Jul 19, 2018
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Denmark
There are ways to transport big batteries via mail, A year ago I bought a mid drive kit in China including battery(52V 2000 Wh) and I had it shipped via DHL. The company that sell the kit is well known and they ship their stuff iaw all regulations. The battery came as a separate shipment with a special packing and from China to Denmark the shipping took less than a week so it must have been via air. Shipping cost for the entire kit including battery was around 100 US$.

Karsten
 

ottoshape

Well-known member
Dec 19, 2018
177
111
Right Here
Has anyone considered sending your spare battery ahead of time, via dangerous goods shipper and bring the bike as cargo sans battery?
 

Ebiker

Member
Jul 25, 2018
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0
TLV
if thats true im going to take my bike to finale. if easyjet can do that I wonder how they got aviation rules changed or maybe its up to each individual airline
Hi Dave - Just bumped into this conversation. I'm planning to fly to Finale with EasyJest on June. I plan to take my e-bike without battery (will Rent on site). Do you see any concern here?
 

galaga187

E*POWAH Master
Apr 15, 2018
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Wroughton
I’ve been pulled up for having Di2 on the road bike before because of the mini battery it uses. After that I always removed it from the frame but left connected to the bike. I’ve not heard of anyone actually flying with an eMTB with the battery removed but would be keen to know.
 

johnc

Active member
Oct 13, 2018
186
127
Scotland/East Midlands
I’m in the fortunate position to have a good friend based in Chatel French Alps. He drives over to the UK in spring and takes my spare battery back with him. This means I can fly over with my bike whenever. After the season has finished he brings it back when he next drives over.
 

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