'The airport is essentially a giant bike crushing machine' - Dr Hutch runs his steed through the airport baggage gauntlet

Michael Hutchinson reflects on the challenges of flying with a bike, describing airports as "giant bike crushing machines" where damage seems almost inevitable. Despite widespread horror stories and conflicting packing methods—from using rigid boxes to soft bags or wrapping bikes in clothing—most bikes actually survive air travel intact, though riders remain fiercely loyal to their chosen approach. Hutchinson suggests that much of the anxiety around bike transport is based on superstition rather than logic, with survival often down to chance rather than packing technique.