On this page we attempt to make available the experience of individual bicycle tourists who travel to Sri Lanka (you can share your experiences here).
Gulf Air experience 2011
In April of 2011 I flew Gulf Air round trip to Sri Lanka, ( BOS to LHR to BAH to CMB ) with American Airlines operating the Boston - London leg. I went to Logan the week before and visited several terminals until I found one (United) that would sell me an airline bike box. These are great because you don't have to take the wheels off. I reinforced the box a little, and removed h-bars and pedals, and lowered the seat, and basically rolled the bike in and taped the box closed. 3 flights later, the bike came off the plane with a minor scrape on the top-tube but no real damage. My bicycling plans got a bit confused, and I arrived at the Colombo, Sri Lanka airport for the trip home without a box. THere was a service available to shrink-wrap pretty much anything you wanted to put on the plane, and I should have done that. Instead, I listened to the ground crew, who said to simply give them the bike. So I did! 3 flights back to Boston, and the only damage was a bent fender (easily repaired) and a front wheel that needed trueing.
Tony Rudié, December 09, 2012