"So What's in Your Bag?"..."Carbon Tubing."

Q&A with the USAirways agent. The art of travelling with a bicycle is drenched in mystery, luck, and obscurity. One must be coy, assertive, and risk-taking. Why? B/c one shouldn't have to pay $80 fees to ship a bicycle when its underweight by 11lbs.

The key to success is packing the bag lighter than the limit, answering as few as questions as possible and only using basic terms in those answers, and using the kiosk to check in. All of these steps help to minimize face time with the agent. Which is the critical component to getting your bag checked without fee. Of course situations can arise where one must pursue alternative pathways.

B/c my bag is filled with "carbon tubing" I'm not technically lying. Its not really a bike when its not put together. So always be prepared for advanced questions.

Things almost went awry when another passenger asked, "carbon tubing? I thought it was a car part." Idiot! This guy is trying to be involved at 530am and possibly wrecking my entire check-in. Be careful of these people, for they could spoil your plans.

Lastly, be ambitious and risk-taking. You will never know what can happen with a little mysteriousness...

Chow,
Matthew