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Nordic Poles and Ryan Air

Gaelic59

El Norte aspirant
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances 2011, 2013--now planning for Camino El Norte in May 2015
I am leaving for the Camino on May 10th, 2011.
I have a new pair of Lexi Nordic walking poles that are taller than my backpack-they collapse, but not enough to avoid being noticed.
Has anyone had difficulty getting poles on Ryan Air as cabin baggage or does the backpack and poles have to go in the luggage compartment?
I would prefer to take them Dublin -Biarritz and Santiago- Dublin as cabin baggage.
Is suspect Ryan Air are expensive with baggage compartment services.
Any advice or suggestions appreciated.


Edward
 
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My friend had a pole that came apart into two parts which he put into his backpack. It went through security flying from Madrid to Santiago. On the way back, security would not let him take it through. He took it to the Ryan Air desk and they checked it without any charge. It did show up in Madrid.
 
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Just another thought, sort of off topic, since you have good poles you probably already know how to use them...however most of the people I saw on the Camino did not know how to use their poles and didn't get much help from them. I would suggest that a few minutes on the internet and some practice time would develop the needed skills.
 
I took mine onboard as hand luggage on Easyjet between Liverpool and Madrid without any problems, but I've read on other threads that Ryanair have refused them. I don't know the legalities of this, because surely you could argue that a walking stick is a mobility aid, and to refuse you to carry it could be seen as discriminatory.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Whalleyranger said:
I took mine onboard as hand luggage on Easyjet between Liverpool and Madrid without any problems, but I've read on other threads that Ryanair have refused them. I don't know the legalities of this, because surely you could argue that a walking stick is a mobility aid, and to refuse you to carry it could be seen as discriminatory.

I thought of this too, but in SDC airport I saw a notice which said you have to provide some kind of evidence for that. Now that I know, this might be "arranged".

I must emphasise that my problem was with the knuckleheads on security, not Ryanair.
 
I just got my backpack with the poles outside wrapped in PE film, available at any airport, and checked it in as luggage. I had to anyway due to the metal items s.a. knife and nailclipper. No problem with Ryanair.
 
From the Ryan Air FAQ's:

What items are prohibited from being carried in the Cabin of the aircraft?

Passengers are not permitted to carry the following articles into the security restricted area and the cabin of an aircraft: Guns, Firearms & Weapons; any object capable, or appearing capable, of discharging a projectile or causing injury, including: All firearms (pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, etc.) Replica and imitation firearms, Component parts of firearms (excluding telescopic sighting devices & sights), air pistols, rifles and pellet guns. Signal flare pistols, Starter pistols, Toy guns of all types,ball bearing guns, industrial bolt and nail guns, cross bows, catapults, harpoon and spear guns, Animal humane killers, stun or shocking devices, e.g. cattle prods, ballistic conducted energy weapons (laser), lighters shaped like a firearm.

Pointed/edged Weapons & Sharp Objects; pointed or bladed articles capable of causing injury, including axes & hatchets, arrows and darts, crampons (grappling iron, hooked bar of iron, or plate with iron spikes used in mountaineering), harpoons & spears, ice axes & ice picks, ice skates, lockable or flick knives with blades of any length, knives, including ceremonial, religious and hunting knives, made of metal or any other material strong enough to be used as a potential weapon, meat cleavers, machetes, open razors and blades (excluding safety or disposable razors with blades enclosed in cartridge), sabres, swords and swordsticks, scalpels, scissors with blades of any length, ski and walking/hiking poles, throwing stars, tradesman's tools that have the potential to be used as a pointed or edged weapon, e.g. drills and drill bits, box cutters, utility knives, all saws, screwdrivers, crowbars, hammers, pliers, wrenches/spanners, blow torches.

Blunt Instruments: any blunt instrument capable of causing injury, including baseball and softball bats, clubs or batons - rigid or flexible - e.g. billy clubs, blackjacks (truncheon of leather covered lead with flexible shaft), night sticks & batons, cricket bats, golf clubs, hockey and hurley sticks, lacrosse sticks, kayak and canoe paddles, skateboards, billiard, snooker and pool cues, fishing rods, martial arts equipment, e.g. knuckle dusters, clubs, coshes, rice flails, num-chucks, kubatons, kubasaunts.

Explosives and flammable substances; any explosive or highly combustible substance which poses a risk to the health of passengers and crew or the security/safety of aircraft or property, including ammunition, blasting caps, detonators & fuses, explosives and explosive devices, replica or imitation explosive material or devices, mines & other explosive military store, grenades of all types.gas & gas containers, e.g. butane, propane, acetylene, oxygen - in large volume, fireworks, flares in any form and other pyrotechnics (including party poppers and toy caps), non safety matches, smoke generating canisters or cartridges, flammable liquid fuel, e.g. petrol/gasoline, diesel, lighter fluid, alcohol, ethanol, aerosol spray paint, turpentine & paint thinner, alcoholic beverages exceeding 70% by volume (140% proof)

Chemical and Toxic Substances; any chemical or toxic substances which pose a risk to the health of passengers and crew or the security/ safety of aircraft or property, including: acids and alkalis, e.g. spillable "wet" batteries, corrosive or bleaching substances - e.g. mercury, chlorine, disabling or incapacitating sprays - e.g. mace, pepper spray, tear gas, radioactive material - e.g. medicinal or commercial isotopes, poisons, infectious or biological hazardous material - e.g. infected blood, bacteria and viruses, material capable of spontaneous ignition or combustion, fire extinguishers (excepting as authorised by fire protocols and as aircraft emergency equipment)

Guns, firearms, ammunition and weapons (including replica items), paints, Christmas crackers, items with internal combustion engines such as chainsaws, model aircraft, lawnmowers, etc., may not be carried in any baggage (whether checked or unchecked)
 
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I flew Stansted- SDC the other week with Ryanair - My (screw together/super luxury/ homemade bamboo) pole, in my rucsac went through OK as cabin baggage, as did my - small - SA knife. I know it's got nothing to do with security, but what did get to me was the HUGE wheely suitcases most people took on board and stuffed into the overhead lockers. No way would most of them have fitted into the Ryanair, "check your cabin baggage" bin....
I did have a laugh at the Ryaniar in flight magazine though, which claimed that the company had the best record for baggage not being lost. What a surprise, as everyone takes their bags in the cabin, to avoid paying the extra £20 or more to check them as hold baggage.
(incidentally, I left the pole behind at Bezantos, by mistake...)
 
Screening at Stansted is by the airport, not Ryan Air. Here is what the airport has to say (emphasis added):

Banned items

The following may not be carried in hand baggage.

Sharp items
This includes knives (with blades over 6cm), razor blades, box cutters, scissors (with blades over 6cm from fulcrim), axes, hatchets, cleavers, ice axes, ice picks, swords, sabres and sharp or pointed martial arts equipment.

Projectile-firing weapons
These include firearms, toy guns, replica/imitation guns, firearm parts (except telescopic sights), airguns, pellet guns, BB guns, flare guns, starting pistols, bows or crossbows, arrows, harpoon guns, spear guns, slingshots and catapults.

Stunning devices and incapacitating devices
Including stun guns, Tasers, animal killers, incapacitating chemicals, gases or sprays (eg Mace), pepper sprays, tear gas and animal repellent sprays.

Tools
This includes crowbars, drills and drill bits, saws, blowtorches, bolt guns, nail guns, or any tool with a blade or shaft over 6cm (eg screwdrivers or chisels).

Blunt instruments
This includes baseball/softball bats, clubs, batons, night sticks and martial arts equipment.

Explosive or incendiary substances
This includes ammunition, blasting caps, detonators and fuses, replica/imitation explosive devices, mines, grenades, pyrotechnics, smoke canisters, smoke cartridges, dynamite, gunpowder or plastic explosives.

Dangerous goods
These include flammable or harmful substances such as gases, oxidisers, poisons, corrosives and hazardous biological or chemical material. Non-safety matches, lighter fluid and firelighters are also included. The Civil Aviation Authority guide What Can I Carry?* contains full details.

*Please note that this list only refers to the carriage of items on board the aircraft. With regards to liquids, you will still be restricted to 100ml when passing through security.

A single cigarette lighter may be carried on your person.

BAA may additionally prevent any item considered to pose a security or safety risk from passing through to the departure lounge.

If you are in any doubt about a particular item of hand baggage, we recommend you to pack it in your hold baggage instead. Please see our checked baggage page for what can and can't be carried.

Prohibited hand baggage items

The following items must not be packed in your hand luggage. They must be placed in your hold baggage. If these items are discovered in your hand luggage they will be confiscated and not returned:

Scissors (except where both blades are round-ended or shorter than 3cm).
Razor blades (razors that have the blade set into a plastic moulding are allowed, but razors that can be opened and the razor blade removed are prohibited).
Knives with blades of any length.
Household cutlery (small teaspoons are permitted).
Hypodermic needles (unless required for medical reasons, for which proof will be required).
Tools (including multi-tools and penknives).
Catapults.
Corkscrews.
Walking/hiking poles.
Fireworks.
Toy/replica guns (metal or plastic).
Sporting bats.
Darts.
Billiard, snooker or pool cues.
So the Ryan Air rules are different than the Airport Authority rules, both of which are different from the U.S. rules. Items like trekking poles will be subject to different standards wherever you go, so do not expect consistent treatment, and don't be argumentative when you encounter something different (unless you want to risk a bit of time in lockup). I can tell you that the U.S. authorities will not debate you; they will simply arrest you. We are not particularly welcoming these days.
 
You can see the headlines : "Ryanair refuse to carry hikers from Warsaw. Walking Poles get lots of stick on budget airline...."

The bit about knives is somewhat contradictory - on the one hand they stipulate that blades should be no longer than 6cm, then go on to say no knives of any discription are allowed....
 
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Hi Gaelic59.
The last time I flew Ryanair or Easyjet, can't remember which one, I purchased a role of brown packaging tape and secured the vertical, telescoped poles to the outside of the pack, down the back between the hip belt and shoulder straps.

Another time I purchased a large sports/roll bag, lightweight, big enough to fit my 35 litre pack and the poles. When I reached Spain I posted the bag ahead to Santiago de Compostella with a few extra goodies in side. Buen Camino.
-Lovingkindness
 
I have poles that are too long to fit in my hand luggage but found that if I dismantled them completely they are then short enough to fit.
 
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This subject gets plenty of discussion, and you will find previous contributions here -->>http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/traveling-to-from-the-camino/topic10258.html and http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/el-camino-frances/topic10784.html just to point you to two. They reflect two themes already touched on here:

First - carrying polies on as cabin baggage is prohibited by the air safety authorities - airport security staff and airlines are applying these rules, and may occasionally do so inconsistently.
Second - to use technical poles effectively, you need to spend a little time learning how to adjust them, hold them and use them in the different conditions you will face.

The alternative would be to buy a reasonable set of poles on arrival. I know that I paid extra for my checked bag on Ryanair going from Santiago to Stanstead because it had a larger pack. If you avoided that fee by meeting the Ryanair carry-on limits, you would be able to buy a reasonable pair of walking poles on arrival and still not be out-of-pocket. Someone may have checked this out and have worked out whether this is possible.
 
Another, cheaper alternative (at least for those of us living in Europe) would be to post the poles/SA knives/scissors etc to oneself at Poste Restante SJPDP, or other starting point, then send them home from SDC.
Would cost about £5 - £6 to post from UK.....
 

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