taking a bicycle through LHR Airside Security
 

I am considering buying a folding bicycle on my next London layover. The folded size is about 35 in. width X 28 in. height X 18 in. depth. Weight about 15 kgs. It might be in a nylon tote bag.

As operating crew, will I have any problems clearing security ?

Who could I call to find out ?

Of course ! you are undoubtedly a terrorist, after all, you might decide to ride it up the aisle, bowl over the cabin crew and crash through the flight deck door.

Try at least 4 people, and get at least 7 answer as a result.

World's Gone Mad.

( or check it as Hold Baggage, and have it wrecked. )


Best of luck.

As operating crew, I cannot send the bicycle as checked baggage. Believe you me, if I would if I could.

I have flown overseas since 1979. The regulations and staff at LHR Airside Security are like no other anywhere else in the world.

Anyway, who could I call to inquire ?

I would start with a call to your handling agent.

......Here's something, for what it's worth.



I've travelled with a Brompton folding bike several times, but not through airports using regular security scanning equipment since about 1998. However, the latest Bromptons fold down to the same overall dimensions, and the current scanners look much the same capacity as they did then. You could maybe whip out a tape measure next time you pass through....just to make sure about your version of fold-up.



On all these occasions, I was operating as P1, 747-400 on schedules that involved virtually no risk of springing an un-planned positioning sector, and we had an unwritten rule that we would ring round fellow crew members in order to make sure there were no 'clashes' for the available stowage space. ( once, a cockpit crew member.....may have been cabin crew.....can't quite remember, had a couple of huge model aircraft wings for a pal in LAX. Luckily not on the same trip )



Anyway, I pitched up with it at LHR, and never had any hassle.....but it was a few years back. NRT, OSA, and NGO were my favourite, because Japan is so bike friendly.

LAX was good because of the long flat coastal pathway ( Ventura to Redondo beach via the Marina, and shared with pedestrians, roller bladeists, joggers and randomly conveyed mobile lunatics, if memory serves )

Just once to GIG. The Brompton and me don't like return hills, but of course folded bikes go so neatly in the back of a taxi.

Also on these occasions, I used the front clip-on bag as a brief case, and wheeled it off through the jetty after the passengers had gone.



My Brompton weighs about 12kg in its bag, and it's easily stowed. I carried straps that I estimated would satisfy the 9G freight tie-down requirement.......



Good luck. I don't see why anything should have changed much. You might always risk coming across the duty 'jobsworth' who might want to saw through the tube frames to ensure that they are not stuffed with nail-clippers or 105ml bottles of shampoo.......that's life though.