UKC

A friend of mine is presently cycling euro velo 15 loosely . Yesterday he was in karlsruhe ( sp ) . I m thinking of meeting up with him with my touring bike late next week . He’s happy to get a train to meet up somewhere in Germany and then cycle to Amsterdam together . I need to get me and the bike “ somewhere “ to meet up . I was hoping to do so with a combo of ferry ( van left at ferry port or even train from Penrith :Carlisle . First thought was ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, train from there to meet up . But that’s silly expensive , I  think I could get a private jet from Keswick for less . Next idea - fly from Newcastle to Amsterdam, get train to meet up , cycle back to Amsterdam fly back . But if I’m going to fly I’d prefer to fly somewhere and not then get a train . Any ideas where to fly to ? (Cheap  flight from Glasgow / Edinburgh/ Newcastle preferably . Looks ( from google )like easyJet are bike friendly ? 

Have you flown with a bike before? It takes a bit of planning/organisation.

Yes several times but not for a while . Previous experience: klm a few times - always easy . Other airlines - a bit hit and miss . Google land gives generally good reports about easyJet , I have used them and can’t remember it being a drama although it was to Mallorca and half the plane was full of bikes 

I've taken my bike on easyJet flights a dozen times.  Put it in a thick polythene bag and present it to outsized baggage.  Generally drama free.

How far are you looking to cycle?

One obvious choice would be Cologne. The airport is very close to the Rhine so it's a very mellow ride up to Amsterdam. 3 easy days or 2 if you want more Kölsch time!

For a longer ride (about a week's worth at touring pace) fly into Frankfurt Hahn. That way you can join the Rhine in its pretty section south of Koblenz and take a day off at Cologne.

that sounds like just the job . Thanks 

The bag approach has generally worked for a while but more airlines are asking for boxes and I've heard of a few people being refused carriage with bagged bikes.

With pedals off and bars turned. Then pray..I wasn't amused to see our bikes laid flat on the baggage cart with hundreds of suitcases on top!