Quote Originally Posted by ginny View Post
I flew with my bike last summer, and TSA didn't touch it. I had it in a bike carrier (you know, the big plastic ones) - they could open it and have a look without messing it up, but I'm pretty sure they didn't. Maybe it's worth getting a bike carrier like that - I got it for right around $100 on Craig's list. If you fly x the atlantic on a foreign carrier, they often don't charge you extra for a bike if you only have one suitcase. I shipped a bike via UPS (mtn bike) and it cost $125! Good grief!!!
I have a heavy-duty plastic bike-specific carrier or box thing. It's pretty amazing. As you say, super expensive via any normal shipper. But last summer when I flew they told me they ALWAYS checked oversized/weird baggage like that. Hmmm.