Update from calling Air Canada today August 21 2015
 

Hello to everybody ...


and thank you for the great information from this thread.

While being out in Florida right now and urgently trying to find some fast and economic transport to Southamerica, I came across this awsome offer from Air Canada via a German friend today. Following it to the Hubb I found further valuable information in this thread here.

So I called Air Canada today in Toronto following this information from their website dating Feb 18 th 2015 at What's new - Air Canada Cargo

Talked to a very friendly guy there , who unfortunately left me with some rather sad information. As I cannot find out , how valid this is, I thought it might be interesting for some of you for further plannings in case. Maybe someone could check with Air Canada what the future setup will be.

I was told today, that due to various customs issues in the countries of destination out of Canada this programm by now is only available for Flights out of Montreal/ Toronto / (guess also Vancouver , but had not asked for that) and back to there for destinations

London Heathrow UK and

Frankfurt Germany

The Programm shall be suspended by end September 2015 and decisions shall yet to be made, whether and where to restart the programm in 2016.

As said I cannot tell you about how official and valid this information is .

Prices given to me with the Programm for a 300 kg R1200 GSA from Toronto would have been for an assumed dimensional weight of 531 kg

-800 CND one way being booked myself on Aircanada to Frankfurt Germany
-1100 CND with the bike flying on itself

that was a price for Roll in the bike and drop at their cargo section without crading yourself

-3000 CND was called for as regular airfare

So as much as this was the perfect airline offer it seems, it could be suspended or at least widely reduced for the future. What a pity that would be for so many of travelling bikers.

Maybe statring some bikers action here in the forum, adressing politely to Air Canada and showing everybodies` interest would help, to get it going on ?


Just my 2 cents searching on for affordable and fast short term transport to Argentina or Chile . Airfreightrates so far out of the US to Buenos Aires as much as to Chile are very impressive and none so far rates lower than 4000 USD one way. Having contacted all recommended freightagents I found in the Hubb here I hope to still end with some better offers.

As I was explained by some freight specialist, the high prices to SA and even more henerally out of the US for airfreight result from the legal issue from the US side, that forces motorcycles as "Dangerous goods" into cargoflights only. While the high demand on Cargoflights at the same time rises prices for the high demand on it.

So a bit offtopic if anyone of you knows a reliable and economic way to get a bike flown shortterm from US or Canada to SA, your information is warmly welcome. as time flies.

And to help get the Air Canada offer going on seems worth some effort :mchappy:

Good nite from Florida

BABA

Air Canada, no more shipping
 

Hi folks,

We are in the early days of researching an extended motorbike trip. We contacted Air Canada, and received this, dated September 1, 2015:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
from:
YYZFF.ACCONNECT@aircanada.ca

Unfortunately our motorcycle service will no longer be available as of the end of September.

Rgds
Elton
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Really unfortunate, for everyone.

Unfortunately the Canadian Airlines cargo shipping deal ended Sept 30 2015. However, they plan to revamp the program starting early spring 2016. That's straight from Patricia the project coordinator.

Update:
This is what I just (2015/10/30) received from AC:

i know that the offer does no longer stand - but still: did anyone use the service and how was the handling at the destination ? was there an agent clearing the bike or could you do it on your own ... any additional costs ... ?

thanks

Hello!

I see that you said you had a deal to send your bike Toronto-Munich-Johannesbourg for $1500? Could you let us know which broker gave you that quote? Did you end up shipping your bike on that route for that price? We are thinking about doing that next year and are looking for more info! Thanks!

We worked with the freight forwarder WG McKay in Toronto and the crating company Topax. Total to ship two bikes in a single crate from Toronto to Joburg was $3000 USD. We partially disassembled bikes to reduce volumetric dimensions.

I can highly recommend both these companies. The experience from start to finish was top notch :)

Air Canada Motorcycle Shipping 2016
 

Available from May to September 2016
https://www.aircanada.com/cargo/shar...ENG_062015.pdf

I shipped w/ AC, Montreal to Frankfurt. Had a lot of people asking for details and ended up writing an article on all the steps. Might be useful for anyone else planning the trip...

https://www.bikeminds.com/thethrottl...e-us-to-europe

If you use it drop me a comment on the article and let me know how it went.

Cheers

I dont see anything about South America anymore.

Is it still possible to Air Cargo bikes from Canada to SA nowadays?

Call them and ask.

MONTRÉAL: 1-800-361-2159 yulff.lcacc@aircanada.ca

Funny you mention. I called the number above, a message told me to call 387-4865. Called that number and it was a gay sex talk line.

:oops2:

You must have dialed the wrong number...maybe from your saved numbers list. lol

1-800-387-4865

Shipped with Air Canada Cargo 2016
 

In searching for info about shipping to Europe this coming summer (2017), I thought I would share last summers experience. I flew and shipped with Air Canada from Montreal to Vancouver this past summer, after touring through Labrador and the Maritimes. The process was very simple and didn't require my even buying my flight ticket with Air Canada. I bought my flight on the interenet, and once having a flight number, you can book your moto, although you have until you are within 28 days of your flight. The hardest part was getting the dangerous cargo certification (another $113 Can) through the independent agency referred to by Air Canada. They were very slow, but a few phone calls finally had them emailing me my dangerous cargo papers. The bike shipping cost was $850 Can. Air Cargo Montreal and Vancouver were excellant. The receiver in Montreal was a rider himself and they helped me through the prep. Officially, I had been told that I had to remove and tape up the battery leads and have no more than a 1/4 tank of fuel in the tank. I had also been told that I could only have bike related gear left on the bike. Except for the near empty tank requirement, most of this was ignored and I was encouraged to leave as much gear and clothing as possible fastened to the bike. It is inspected by a customs inspector before closing all panniers and certain things had to be left behind, as well as others only carried by me in my on-flight luggage. Lithium batteries for any devices, like digital cameras or my Inreach had to be removed from the bike, and the alkalines from my gps had to be removed from the device. I was also not allowed to keep any oil containers (chain or motor) in my panniers, nor a MSR bottle that had been used for my camping stove.
They then rolled the bike away and strapped it to a reinforced aluminum pallet. In Vancouver it arrived before me, as I was able to select a transport flight that left Montreal about 4 hours before I left. It was a 15 minute walk to Air Cargo in Vancouver, and I was riding out of there in about 1 hour. I had left a note on my instrument cluster as a reminder to fill up. The receiver in Vancouver also reminded me. The folks i dealt with were very helpful and the whole process was quite easy.

Just to confirm, you flight ticket was on an Air Canada flight?

And the cost for the bike one way Montreal to Vacouver was 850$?