| Remove ads on the forum by becoming a donating member. More here. |
|---|
The TSA regulations do not permit walking poles to be carried as cabin baggage in the USA, just as other national air safety regulators have banned them on flights originating in their respective countries. The application of these rules by the human staff in US airports appears less rigourous than in Santiago etc. Perhaps they are more concerned with the much more dangerous practices of other members of the US travelling public, like the 89 firearms that were detected in one week in July, 79 of them loaded and 27 with a round chambered (see https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2017/07/21...irearm-discovery-record-set-firearm-concealed). This doesn't make it legal, but it does make it possible to get them aboard when travelling from the US. The risk is yours.
.) Maybe the sticks that fold to 15" are not considered to be "poles", which would explain why they are often allowed. 
First and foremost, the TSA regulations themselves say nothing about hiking poles. They say that ski poles are prohibited and walking aids are permitted. The TSA blog or facebook page says hiking poles are not permitted, but that is one person's interpretation, is not legally binding, and obviously other TSA people disagree. It would be very nice if TSA would change its regulations to make it clear, but they are not likely to be consumed with interest about this issue. 
We've had this problem on and off at various Spanish airports (Madrid, Santiago, Sevilla) and only on one occasion could we convince the supervisor to take the pole on board. We now leave them at home or send them in the hold. Last time we could "borrow" some forgotten ones at an albergue and also the pilgrims' office. NB later we returned them faithfully to the office in Santiago.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibringThere simply is no consistency of practice that we can tell you, to provide certainty, EXCEPT that poles are not allowed through security at Santiago airport.
As @dougfitz says, the wording of the regulations always says walking poles are not permitted. However, what constitutes a walking pole is not clear and the illustration that is often used shows a traditional full sized pole. However, if I assembled a walking "pole" by rolling up magazines, stringing a rope through them, and taping them together, I would probably (I'm guessing here!!) be allowed to take them on board even if they were functionally "walking poles." (No, I have no intention of putting this to a test
So, just be prepared to check them, since the security agents make the final decision and can prohibit whatever they think might be a hazard.
Edited to add: I would never dream of arguing with the security staff or proposing my alternate definition of "pole." I just give it here on the forum as a theory to explain why the foldable poles might be permitted so often in practice.
This isn't saying nothing:IT's been a while since @dougfitz and I have had a chance to disagree about TSA regulations, so I'll take a shot at this.
Back from another camino, I have now carried my poles yet again through TSA in the US and through the Madrid airport to transfer to a flight to San Sebastián. Just for the record, I carry my poles (collapsed) out in the open for all of TSA to see, and no one has ever batted an eye. I have done this now more than 25 times and through many different US airports, both when going to the Camino or when going somewhere I will be hiking. I am not trying to fool or deceive anyone, they are in plain view when they go through the screening machine. I have read one report on this forum from someone who has personal knowledge of someone who was not able to carry hiking poles on at a US airport, so there is some risk. I always carry a duffel bag stuffed in my backpack so that I can check them at the last minute.
This year at the Madrid airport, I had to leave the terminal and go over to a different terminal to mail something, because the only post office is in T1 and I was flying in and ot of T4. Coming back through, the security agent asked me about my poles (first time in 8 or 9 years that I've ever had a question) and called over her supervisor. Her supervisor asked me if I needed them to walk. I explained honestly that I was going to walk the Camino de Santiago and that I would have problems with knee pain without them, and he waved me through. But again, I had my duffel in case of a last minute problem.
So, my experience may be different than yours, but for me the risk of having stuff lost on my way to the Camino (as happened in 2010 when I last checked my poles) is worth the risk of having to maybe check them at the last minute.
I beg to differ. In my post, which you quoted but did not address, I suggested an explanation that could get us past the ongoing heated accusation that passengers who carry on folding poles, and the security agents who allow it, are blatantly violating federal laws and jeopardizing airline security. My explanation would apply specifically to the folding poles. Describing his experience, @fraluchi did not say what kind of pole was rejected.
Not true for current EU legislation which is easy to check in 24 language versions.
There simply is no consistency of practice that we can tell you, to provide certainty, EXCEPT that poles are not allowed through security at Santiago airport.
As @dougfitz says, the wording of the regulations always says walking poles are not permitted. However, what constitutes a walking pole is not clear and the illustration that is often used shows a traditional full sized pole. However, if I assembled a walking "pole" by rolling up magazines, stringing a rope through them, and taping them together, I would probably (I'm guessing here!!) be allowed to take them on board even if they were functionally "walking poles." (No, I have no intention of putting this to a test
So, just be prepared to check them, since the security agents make the final decision and can prohibit whatever they think might be a hazard.
Edited to add: I would never dream of arguing with the security staff or proposing my alternate definition of "pole." I just give it here on the forum as a theory to explain why the foldable poles might be permitted so often in practice.
Exactly. People will choose to do whatever they want and interpret the rules to meet their needs. Until they get burned as many of us have.I don't mean to pick a fight, just to say that my own interactions with TSA agents have been as I have described. Your mileage may vary. I have seen the TSA postings that say that someone interprets the regulations to prohibit hiking poles, but the regulations themselves do not say that, and I have interacted with many TSA agents who do not interpret the regulations that way either. These agents are professionals, and they have discretion, and in my experience they are reasonable with that discretion. I'm not encouraging you to do things that would make you feel uncomfortable, and you now know that you may find yourself in a pickle if you rely on being able to carry them on. So let's leave it to each individual to decide what risks are acceptable and how to deal with the uncertainty. Some may choose to check their poles, that's fine. Burned once with that approach, I have found an alternative that continues to work for me.
Further affiant sayeth naught.
And that is the problem. You take care your chances. Just like when you choose to speed. You are taking the chance that you won't get stopped and ticketed.
