I checked Aer Lingus' web site to see what it said: 1 bike + 1 bag = 2 pieces of checked luggage. No box necessary unless flying out of Amsterdam. Sweet!

I called the Aer Lingus 800 number just be on the safe side and was told that I'd have to box the bike. Well, I had better things to do than get a box. Besides, a box is clearly over the max 62 linear inches and while a bike is also oversized, it's less obviously so. Instead I printed out the part of the web site that says bikes only need to be boxed from Amsterdam and folded it in with my ticket confirmation.

I dropped my saddle, spun the stem off to the side, rolled the handlebars under the top tube, and took off the pedals. When I got to Logan, the counter agent had to call her super over and I was told how to prepare the bike to travel. (Everything I'd done plus remove the front wheel and affix to the frame.) I hooked the wheel over the bars and fastened it with a toe strap in about 30 seconds (20 of which was rooting around in my bag for a wrench--track wheels, dontcha know), much to the agent's surprise.

By the time I got through customs in Dublin, there was my bike already unloaded and waiting for me. Apparently the baggage handlers didn't like the wheel attached to the non-drive side of the frame, so they moved it over, even refastening the strap. Good men!

With the aid of a wrench and a multitool, it was ready to roll in just a couple of minutes.

I'm moving here indefinitely, so I can't report on the return trip.