Shipping Bike Fed Ex or take it on the plan

[Sylvia]

I am taking a trip to do a ride in Seattle, my friend is worried that the TSA will open his bike suitcase and then jumble up all the peices and loose things. The way his bike fits in the suitcase, if you distrub it things would be complicated.

So have any of you had experiences either with Fed Ex or the airlines ore both? Thanks

I have a Bike Friday that fits in a suitcase that I can check in as regular luggage. A few years ago I took it with me on Southwest from California to Maryland. When packing it, I took pictures of each step and a final picture of how it was all packed in at the end. I printed the pictures out and put my name and cell phone number with a note to TSA to contact me in case they had problems getting it all back together. This all went in the suitcase with the bike. The bike made it to Maryland fine and it didn't look like anyone had opened it. When I got back to California, it looked like someone may have looked through it but everything was still fine. No problems..