If you are flying Air Transat to Cuba, your bike may not get there. I checked mine in and that was the last I saw of it. The Cubans said there was no bike on the plane. I couldn't get anyone to trace it until I returned to Canada. A week later and still no answer.
You have to sign that Air Transat is not responsible for loss or damage or they won't take the bike.
If you are bringing a bike make sure you record the serial number and have photos of it packed and unpacked. Try to watch when they are loading the plane to see if the bike is loaded.
If you are planning a bicycle holiday, it could be ruined.

saying they didn't charge you anything. So, in this case, if you get what you pay for, you end up with a spoiled vacation!

I was not impressed with Transat on my 3 trips with them. On my last trip, I had packed and weighed my bags before leaving. When I weighed in at the ticket counter, a had one bag at 31 kgs, with a limit of 30, so I had to go buy another bag in the airport and repack 1 kg of material in the other bag. Of course, the additional bag caught the eye of the inspector in Cuba, and ending up costing me a couple hundred dollars in customs fees. That was the same trip the return flight was 6 hours late, causing me to miss my connections home and work the next day. Thank you Air Transat!!

I sympathize with you, Did you leave from Vancouver?

My bike arrived 4 days after I did in Havana. I did pursue it vigourously from Havana with a very helpful cubano Mexicana agent.

Here's what happens. On crowded aircraft, sometimes the baggage is more than the plane can hold, so they leave some behind. Of course, a bike is seen as non-essential. My cousin who is a supervisor of baggage handling let me in on this dirty little secret. When the weight of baggage and passengers exceeds the regulations then they start eliminating baggage (especially large packages).

Air Canada claimed that they couldn't find my bike even though it was in a 1.5 meter x 1 meter x .3 meter black corroplast box with large white letters proclaiming: "BIKE CRATE" printed on both of its sides, etc. After a lot of phone calls (which are expensive), computer entries (which are free) and angry outbursts, my bike arrived 4 days late. This is after I threatened to have them fly me home, return my frequent flyer points and pay me $3000 for my lost bike. My bike had not left Vancouver as claimed by Air Canada as the baggage tags attached only showed Vancouver-Cancun-Havana. The original baggage tag placed on the box showing the destination was still intact and very very visible. Before the plane took off from Vancouver I asked the flight attendant if my bike was loaded and he said, "everything that was checked in was loaded". So don't trust them either. ONly the person responsible for loading the plane knows and he/she has the baggage check numbers on a manifest list.

If this happens to anyone, here is how you should proceed to correct the problem. Someone in Cuba handles the baggage for Air Transat and they are responsible for communicating the loss and baggage tracing. Get friendly and respectful with this person as this goes a long way in getting your baggage or bike back. Airlines don't lose bikes. They are stolen! How does anything so large vanish into thin air. Do not move from the airport or Havana until you have pursued every avenue to get your bike back.

Air Canada offered me $100 for renting a bike which probably would have covered the cost of renting a bike for 30 days in Cuba. However, I doubted whether I would have been able to rent a reliable bike to take me to the other end of the island and back. I refused their "generous" offer and continued to demand that my bike be sent to me in Havana.

If you suspect your bike was stolen from the airport baggage area report it to the airport RCMP when you arrive back. Ask them to investigate the video surveillance tapes that watch over all baggage handling. If your bike wasn't loaded at its source then you have the airline by the balls.

On my return home I went through Mexico City and Toronto before returning to Vancouver and I was like an eagle watching to ensure my bike was loaded onto the airplane.

If it wasn't, I was prepared to delay the flight until it was loaded. Fortunately, it arrived safe and sound with me. Funny thing, the box had marked in clear English "This Side Up" on the sides and top. In Mexico and Cuba my bike was delivered with this side up. In Canada, it was upside down. Go figure.

Don't give up on your bike and pursue them until they offer real compensation. Like a free flight to Cuba or the actual cost of replacing your bike. Continue to post on other websites (bike ones) about your misfortune and don't pull any punches. Call them daily and even give the CEO a piece of your mind. Eventually, your persitence will cost them as much money in time as your bike was worth. Let them know this beforehand that your one persistent pit bull.

I never had to sign any waiver etc before giving my bike over to Air Canada.

Sorry for the length of this, but this type of negligence pisses me off.

I left from Mirabel airport in Montreal. I dealt with the cuban Air Transat rep in Cuba and he did the paperwork. He knew he would get a reward if he found my bike.
I had several discussions with Air Transat and have mailed off all my supporting documents. I am being nice now, but I will give them a fight if I think they are slacking.

An acquantance of mine was returning from Holguin with a valauable bike. He watched from the airport window as the bags ..and other bikes were loaded but his was not there.
As soon a they announced boarding he started kicking up a fuss, but they swore his bike was there.
So as the last call was announced, he finally said "I'm not goingf, get my luggage offf the plane">
Now the police got involved.
And shortly a car was seen speeding off. It returnerd 1/2 hour later.... with the bike. It had already been removed from the airport.


TRUST NO ONE!