happymarkos
HappyMark
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2023. Finish the VDLP. Zamora to Santiago.
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I'm so surprised by this. I've always carried my poles in my carry-on (pack) with nary an eye batted. The last time was 2015. I hate the idea of checking them. Like you, I consider my trekking poles insurance on my trip. I quite honestly wouldn't even consider beginning without them should my luggage turn up lost. I'd need to pay for new ones immediately....and that's not cheap. I'm not sure what I'll do next year. But I truly appreciate your post letting me know this could happen.Recently when passing through security at Stansted airport in the UK the way to Porto to walk the Portuguese coastal route we were told we could not take our walking poles onto the aircraft with our backpacks. This was a great surprise as we have travelled in many parts of the world including the EU with our walking poles either on the outside or inside the backpacks.
So back through security and had to pay nearly $50 to have them checked in.
On the way back from Santiago we put them inside the backpacks but were again stopped once the backpacks went through the scanner, In this instance we had to go back and check them in but there was no charge (on Ryanair; amazing)
Obviously the Santiago airport although just as security conscious, in this instance, we were not charged an exorbitant amount.
So next time will check in a backpack to go into the hold and pay that fee.
Hope this helps others who want to take their walking poles with them. Personally having now walked 4 Caminos I wouldn't be without them. I see them as an insurance against ankle and knee damage and are great for stability on rough terrain and great shock absorbers doing down steep tracks.
happymarkos
We just flew back from Santiago yesterday and Iberia airlines was making everyone check their hiking poles. Also going through security check they were sending people back to check their poles.Recently when passing through security at Stansted airport in the UK the way to Porto to walk the Portuguese coastal route we were told we could not take our walking poles onto the aircraft with our backpacks. This was a great surprise as we have travelled in many parts of the world including the EU with our walking poles either on the outside or inside the backpacks.
So back through security and had to pay nearly $50 to have them checked in.
On the way back from Santiago we put them inside the backpacks but were again stopped once the backpacks went through the scanner, In this instance we had to go back and check them in but there was no charge (on Ryanair; amazing)
Obviously the Santiago airport although just as security conscious, in this instance, we were not charged an exorbitant amount.
So next time will check in a backpack to go into the hold and pay that fee.
Hope this helps others who want to take their walking poles with them. Personally having now walked 4 Caminos I wouldn't be without them. I see them as an insurance against ankle and knee damage and are great for stability on rough terrain and great shock absorbers doing down steep tracks.
happymarkos
On the way back from Santiago we put them inside the backpacks but were again stopped once the backpacks went through the scanner, In this instance we had to go back and check them in but there was no charge (on Ryanair; amazing)
I bought folding polls, which are very handy. I don’t know what airport security thinks of them, because my partner and I usually check in one bacpack that contains any potentially troublesome items, such as our swiss army knife and possibly excess liquid. A bit more hassle that can also save some worse hassles.Recently when passing through security at Stansted airport in the UK the way to Porto to walk the Portuguese coastal route we were told we could not take our walking poles onto the aircraft with our backpacks. This was a great surprise as we have travelled in many parts of the world including the EU with our walking poles either on the outside or inside the backpacks.
So back through security and had to pay nearly $50 to have them checked in.
On the way back from Santiago we put them inside the backpacks but were again stopped once the backpacks went through the scanner, In this instance we had to go back and check them in but there was no charge (on Ryanair; amazing)
Obviously the Santiago airport although just as security conscious, in this instance, we were not charged an exorbitant amount.
So next time will check in a backpack to go into the hold and pay that fee.
Hope this helps others who want to take their walking poles with them. Personally having now walked 4 Caminos I wouldn't be without them. I see them as an insurance against ankle and knee damage and are great for stability on rough terrain and great shock absorbers doing down steep tracks.
happymarkos
@happymarkos, thank you for mentioning this.
Santiago airport has a special arrangement: every passenger can check in walking poles free of charge, on all airlines and for all ticket categories. This includes bargain tickets where only hand luggage is allowed and airlines with high additional fees for checking in luggage that has not been prepaid.
This seems to be one of the best kept secrets of the pilgrimage world, I'm surprised that it is not better researched and not more widely known.
Having flown into, out of, and within USA many times, I thought it obvious that walking poles would not be allowed, even if the rubber caps covered up the sharp points. But if I had learned the hard way, I would have backed out and gone to put them in as checked. If confiscated after asking that, I… we were told we could not take our walking poles onto the aircraft with our backpacks. This was a great surprise …
The relative cost of checking a bag works out to about one or two days (at most) expense while on Camino.
Which type of poles are we talking about.....there are poles and poles. I have never had a single issue with black diamond z poles, which fold up very small and do not have pointy ends.Recently when passing through security at Stansted airport in the UK the way to Porto to walk the Portuguese coastal route we were told we could not take our walking poles onto the aircraft with our backpacks. This was a great surprise as we have travelled in many parts of the world including the EU with our walking poles either on the outside or inside the backpacks.
So back through security and had to pay nearly $50 to have them checked in.
On the way back from Santiago we put them inside the backpacks but were again stopped once the backpacks went through the scanner, In this instance we had to go back and check them in but there was no charge (on Ryanair; amazing)
Obviously the Santiago airport although just as security conscious, in this instance, we were not charged an exorbitant amount.
So next time will check in a backpack to go into the hold and pay that fee.
Hope this helps others who want to take their walking poles with them. Personally having now walked 4 Caminos I wouldn't be without them. I see them as an insurance against ankle and knee damage and are great for stability on rough terrain and great shock absorbers doing down steep tracks.
happymarkos
I’m flying next Thursday from Stansted to Biarritz. I flew twice last year with Ryan Air and took my poles with me, but my friend had hers confiscated. I think it was simply a matter of who you get at security!
After reading this thread I’ve made the decision to check in my pack and poles. It’s just not worth the risk. It has cost me an extra £40 each way, but I think it is worth it.
Isn't it mind boggling? Well at least my mind gets boggled. There are various, but contiguous, national rules on airport security - most of which can be summarised as: you cannot take nasty sharp pointy things, or anything that might be used as a bludgeon, into an aircraft cabin. There are also rules about things that might go 'bang' or flare into fire or be noxious in one way or another but they are not relevant to this discussion. Nevertheless pilgrims fly into and out of multiple countries on a variety of aircraft having passed through apparently similar standards of airport security and enjoy totally different experiences.
'Under-pants' bombers and 'shoe' bombers and 'parcel-knife' hi-jackers have all got through airport security at one time or another. And lots of people have got through airport security with trekking poles - and some don't. If there were any sense to it there might be some comfort in it but there ain't.
For this old pagan and anarchist the arbitrary nature of everything is just par for the course. I do feel some sympathy for those who would have it otherwise.
Have also chosen Z-fold carbon fiber poles. No problem carrying on Seattle-Frankfurt or Frankfurt-Bilbao in Oct 2017. REI suggested carbon for that reason—although no one guarantees anything of course.Just curious. I've never been stopped at security with the poles folded up inside my pack. Mine are carbon fibre poles - does carbon fibre show up on the scanners?
Hi Mark. Exactly the same happened to me at Stansted when we flew to Asturias with Easy jet. I told a sob story partially true that I was carrying them for a friend who was ill. To cut a long story short I was escorted back through security and had to check them in along with people checking in bicycles , musical instruments and other outside objects. It was explained if I had needed them as a walking aid to get on the plane this would have been fine. They are classified as dangerous objects. Anyway at the least they did not charge me a penny. On the way home the problem did not arise as all poles by then lost, abandoned or broken but you are right if I want poles next time Ill check them in the hold. MaggieRecently when passing through security at Stansted airport in the UK the way to Porto to walk the Portuguese coastal route we were told we could not take our walking poles onto the aircraft with our backpacks. This was a great surprise as we have travelled in many parts of the world including the EU with our walking poles either on the outside or inside the backpacks.
So back through security and had to pay nearly $50 to have them checked in.
On the way back from Santiago we put them inside the backpacks but were again stopped once the backpacks went through the scanner, In this instance we had to go back and check them in but there was no charge (on Ryanair; amazing)
Obviously the Santiago airport although just as security conscious, in this instance, we were not charged an exorbitant amount.
So next time will check in a backpack to go into the hold and pay that fee.
Hope this helps others who want to take their walking poles with them. Personally having now walked 4 Caminos I wouldn't be without them. I see them as an insurance against ankle and knee damage and are great for stability on rough terrain and great shock absorbers doing down steep tracks.
happymarkos
I have never been able to carry my walking poles returning from Spain.
Joe's were actually confiscated with no option to check them one time.
We don't even try anymore.
I am not totaly agree with you. I believe that security petsonal realy trying to take nessesary steps for the passengers safety.Recently when passing through security at Stansted airport in the UK the way to Porto to walk the Portuguese coastal route we were told we could not take our walking poles onto the aircraft with our backpacks. This was a great surprise as we have travelled in many parts of the world including the EU with our walking poles either on the outside or inside the backpacks.
So back through security and had to pay nearly $50 to have them checked in.
On the way back from Santiago we put them inside the backpacks but were again stopped once the backpacks went through the scanner, In this instance we had to go back and check them in but there was no charge (on Ryanair; amazing)
Obviously the Santiago airport although just as security conscious, in this instance, we were not charged an exorbitant amount.
So next time will check in a backpack to go into the hold and pay that fee.
Hope this helps others who want to take their walking poles with them. Personally having now walked 4 Caminos I wouldn't be without them. I see them as an insurance against ankle and knee damage and are great for stability on rough terrain and great shock absorbers doing down steep tracks.
happymarkos
WOW - I very much believe that probably is a security violation - WOWI approached another pilgrim at stanstead and offered him 10 pound to put my poles in his luggage which he was very happy to do. The Danish man then only wanted 10 euros. We met up at Biarritz airport and he gave them back to me. He was walking El Norte and me the Camino Frances. Coming home at Santiago a Kiwi girl took them for me.
WOW - I very much believe that probably is a security violation - WOW
I suspect that the fact that I carry the trifold black diamonds may have helped Me in the past. Security can see into the hollow poles while they are folded and the folded length is quite a bit smaller that many other brands. Plus they don’t have the long alpine hiking spikes on them. I have the flat plastic tech tips and cover those with rubber tips. (Keeps the blasted click-click-click at bay while walking on hard surfaces.)
Face it- the whole bag could be a weapon for some pilgrims, ha ha.
First rule of the Camino- roll with the unexpected! Check them if you’re worried, carry them if you can get by without them!
We take responsibility ourselves for how we come about with nordic walking poles and airplanes.....
I'm obliged to share the good and the bad in equal measure....
Never ending saga.....came back some weeks ago....flew out of Madrid..
Was asked to show inside of rucksack by security and it was my sooo good swiss alu poles he wanted to see....was told to check them in....
Kept completely undeterred and just asked to speak to team manager.....maybe he silently was provoked....? ....do not know.....cause two guardia civil officers was asked to talk to me...
Again....calm as a ...."Peregrino in a Happy place"....just stated the obvious...pilgrim on my way home with the walking aid at hand dismantled in my handluggage.... was instructed not to take them out.....easy peasy as that was why I put them theire in the first place...
I do suspect different official aporoach and that it will continue that way in the forseeable future ....it is what it is....
My take on now, is to go no metal/three piece carbon on the next purchase....until then....no worries and low shoulders....what happen...happens....
Ultreia
https://www.facebook.com/plutseligpilgrim/posts/1952972861646364
I'm a 65 year old female perigrino. While I agree one should never accept anything from a stranger I have walked enough pilgrimages to know the difference. If either people had said no I would have been fine with that. As it was I had met the kiwi woman on the way so we did know each other however vaguely. Also my impression was that all checkin luggage also goes thru xray!"Has anyone given you anything to carry?"
(it is indeed a security violation, and if anyone but a friend or family member asked me to carry something, the answer would be a firm negative).
Wow!@makingtrax and @CaminoDebrita that is the same reason my elderly client agreed to carry presents home for a friend. Because he knew the friend was a good person. He was very sure about that. And he watched as the presents were wrapped. Harmless things. Sadly they were packed with cocaine. Which got picked up on arrival in Sydney.
Many people feel very uncomfortable saying "no" when someone requests a favour.
Thank you very much. That is excatly my point. It could be something worse luke the B-thing.@makingtrax and @CaminoDebrita that is the same reason my elderly client agreed to carry presents home for a friend. Because he knew the friend was a good person. He was very sure about that. And he watched as the presents were wrapped. Harmless things. Sadly they were packed with cocaine. Which got picked up on arrival in Sydney.
Many people feel very uncomfortable saying "no" when someone requests a favour.
I know you posted an identical message before but now my curiosity is getting the better of me. Does this mean that the policemen let you pass with your poles in your backpack? If so, it would definitely be one of the more interesting anecdotes on the topic "Me and my poles in airport X".
Excatly my point - freinds or no freinds - it is prohibited. Period.The airport/security authorities have certainly stepped up their information efforts. I'm not a frequent flyer so maybe this has been around for longer but when I checked in online for an upcoming inter-Schengen flight this came up (see below) - a first for me. Note the last line and the obligation to confirm. No new information, obviously, for those who have been familiar with these instructions for years.
View attachment 36998
Nothing sharp, and nothing blunt. Hmmm.
Have always checked my back pack in so no problem with the poles. For information for next year, I asked Dublin airport about carrying them on board in my pack and they said there would be no problem. After reading this thread, I think I will stick to checking in my pack. Not worth the bother if some security man says I cant take themRecently when passing through security at Stansted airport in the UK the way to Porto to walk the Portuguese coastal route we were told we could not take our walking poles onto the aircraft with our backpacks. This was a great surprise as we have travelled in many parts of the world including the EU with our walking poles either on the outside or inside the backpacks.
So back through security and had to pay nearly $50 to have them checked in.
On the way back from Santiago we put them inside the backpacks but were again stopped once the backpacks went through the scanner, In this instance we had to go back and check them in but there was no charge (on Ryanair; amazing)
Obviously the Santiago airport although just as security conscious, in this instance, we were not charged an exorbitant amount.
So next time will check in a backpack to go into the hold and pay that fee.
Hope this helps others who want to take their walking poles with them. Personally having now walked 4 Caminos I wouldn't be without them. I see them as an insurance against ankle and knee damage and are great for stability on rough terrain and great shock absorbers doing down steep tracks.
happymarkos
As long as it's not sharp there's no problem.Nothing sharp, and nothing blunt. Hmmm.
@makingtrax and @CaminoDebrita that is the same reason my elderly client agreed to carry presents home for a friend. Because he knew the friend was a good person. He was very sure about that. And he watched as the presents were wrapped. Harmless things. Sadly they were packed with cocaine. Which got picked up on arrival in Sydney.
Many people feel very uncomfortable saying "no" when someone requests a favour.
It's not the whole story.I have always checked in the walking poles. Or you can post ahead and collect. Airport security won’t let you take them airside in the airport.
My pack is also a weapon if I choose to swing it. As are any keys I choose to carry. Hell, there isn’t even enough room to swing poles in an airplane anymore! Unless you’re in first class I suppose.I had to laugh! Our poles are defense against dogs, assaulting strangers, but on planes---why would anyone consider them weapons??
Yes I know it could sound a little... and as well somebody in this thread seems it is kind of redicoules not to carry something for others.My pack is also a weapon if I choose to swing it. As are any keys I choose to carry. Hell, there isn’t even enough room to swing poles in an airplane anymore! Unless you’re in first class I suppose.
Have you tryied to put them into your backpack and take of the hardmetalarrows????It should be clear by now that you cannot count on taking poles with you in the cabin. I've always checked in my backpack, with my poles attached to it. To show how much you are dependent on personal considerations of staff: the first time I flew with Transavia and was told to take my poles with me in the cabin.
It’s always entertaining for us when we take our SCUBA regulators with very long hoses, and canister lights as carry on. We have TSA pre-check so we breeze through regardless, but those regs and canisters always get swabbed for explosivesPLEASE, can we just STOP with all the dated anecdotal stories about how one or another pilgrim was able to carry their hiking poles onto a commercial aircraft in their rucksack a year or two ago? This back and forth has gone on too long, at least IMHO, and is not helpful.
I believe it is misleading and less than helpful to everyone. Worse, it costs too many pilgrims their hiking poles at the last minute and introduces stress. Starting a Camino off on the wrong foot is never a good way to start any journey...
The aviation security threat changes daily around the world. Security officials and intelligence analysts (I used to be one) in all the western countries constantly evaluate threats, internet chatter, and developing issues or trends. Security is adjusted based on assessments on a regular and ongoing basis.
It is a simple rule of thumb that aviation security only gets tighter and more restrictive as the bad actors around the globe get more clever. We are, none of us, likely to see reduced aviation security during our lifetimes. Please, GET USED TO IT, or do not fly. It is as simple as that.
In the US, for example, I have learned from reliable sources within the government (my pre-retirement employer) that, from November 2017, EVERYTHING in your carry-on larger than a standard paperback book (4" x 6") will have to come out of your carry-on bag for a visual search and x-ray. This is regardless of what the item is made of. You will still need to remove your 3-1-1 pouch of liquids, gels, or pastes.
As the airlines tightened up their checked baggage allowances, charging for everything they possibly can, passengers have been cramming more and varied items into their carry-on bags. This makes it more difficult for aviation screening officials to rapidly assess the threat for all items carried. The increased difficulty slows down processing, and causes longer lines and wait times.
It does not matter how sophisticated the x-ray machine is. Too many items crammed into a bag at all angles can look misleading, deliver incorrect scanning results, or can camouflage restricted items. For example, bars of chocolate you bought as gifts have to the scanner, a density similar to Semtex or Composition 4 (C4) plastic explosives. I am regularly shunted to a secondary swabbing for this issue.
So, as is customary, security officials will reduce the least common denominator to that which they can handle most effectively. I am told this will NOT affect passengers who oped to pay to be pre-vetted in the US TSA-Pre or Global Entry programs.
So, my closing plea to all is this: You planned, saved, and budgeted for your coming Camino. WHY would you jeopardize it over the cost of checking a single bag containing all sharp items, other questionable items, and your hiking poles?
The relative cost of checking a bag works out to about one or two days (at most) expense while on Camino. Personally, I believe the fractional added cost to be insignificant considering the issues involved. Yes, there is always a risk of your checked bag going walkabout on you. Life happens...
But, did you know that international aviation security rules specify that your checked bag MUST travel on the same aircraft as you? Planes are regularly held at departure gates until the passenger list can be reconciled with checked baggage placed on board. The idea is to prevent a bad actor from checking a bag, then not boarding the plane...think about what this means...
In part, it logically means that if your bag does not turn up on the arrival carousel, it went missing on the arrival or connecting flight end, not the departure end. This is why I always attach a "destination" baggage tag, stating where I will be the first night I arrive. The airline can deliver the bag to the hotel I stay in the day or two before I start my Camino. Everything irreplaceable is always with me, in my carry-on.
This is also why I place my rucksack, and hiking poles, inside a brightly colored nylon laundry bag. I want my checked bag to stand out clearly so it attracts baggage handler attention and is not missed (all dark bags look alike). The bright color makes my check bag easier to spot on the baggage carousel, and lessens the likelihood that anyone will inadvertently grab my bag because it looks like theirs.
I sincerely hope this helps resolve this ping-pong issue...
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