I’m flying out west with my pack. My plans is to put it in a duffle and check it. Do you think I should have them check the bag in front of me? I have so much food and supplies in there that I wouldn’t want them digging through it without me. Has anyone done this or do you just check it?
Bob
Bob, I Flew from the UK last year to Thru Hike the AT. I had all my gear less food fuel, and water. I packed it in two duffles one which contained my pack ready to hike and the other my spare gear etc. Since 9/11 some airlines can be more stringent than others. but any fuel bottles should be empty ( preferably New ) and anything that has contained fuel well ventilated to remove any trace of fuel. I had to empty all my pack for security to rummage through it but was on hand to re-pack it rather than have it just stuffed back in by some Anal security guy. so my advice is if you can be there when they go through it, before you check it. If not then it will probly only be opened if the X-Ray operator see’s something suspicious.
General
Good luck with that.
I really don’t think that you would be very successful with trying to get the airline security to work with you on that one. In fact, I think it would be a particularly bad idea to draw attention to yourself in any further way that you already would be (1 way ticket, I’m assuming…that is already going to give you the terrorist screening pass). I didn’t honestly ask when my pack was rummaged through, but they honestly didn’t do a bad job re-packing it.
Is your concern that some of your gear may be misplaced or damaged, or something else?
bearbait
Yeah, that is pretty much it. I figure they are going to look at it on the X-Ray and see tons of **** packed tight in the bear canister and then take everything apart. I’m concerened something will be left out. Maybe I’ll take the food and supplied in a carry-on and leave all the gear in the pack. Hmmmm.
Bob
We flew from Oakland to Baltimore. We mailed our fuel, knives, tentpoles, food and stove (airline regs differ on flying with a stove). All went ground ahead of time. We flew with our backpacks as carry-on. We knew that we were high profile with one way tickets so we went to the airport very early. Our Mariposa (smaller than carry on size limits)packs were x-rayed but never opened! We carried our cameras and put them through separately. We put our packs in overhead storage. Worked well!
Have a good flight and hike
GottaWalk
Marcia
I flew from Atlanta to New York/Laguardia the past two years to do section hikes in MA/CT one year and NJ/NY the other. I put all my gear including stove and pack in a large athletic bag. Since the bag appeared to be packed the way I packed it, it would seem that no one had disturbed it on either trip in either direction.
Mike
As long as you don’t have anything pointy or suspicious-looking in your carry-ons (I think you’re now limited to 1 lighter, max), then I would suggest the carry-on method.
If baggage handlers do search your bag contents, I believe that they are required to leave a card in your baggage, to inform you of the search. I’ve found a few cards before in my own baggage - with explanations of how they are not responsible for replacing anything they break, etc. That’s also something you may want to keep in mind as well. Items that can break and are crucial to the hike (what isn’t, I know) may be better off being mailed ahead.
Good luck!
bearbait
If you have checked luggage,airport workers can,and do open and check your luggage.If you have a non approved lock, they can, and do cut them to check your gear.Approved locks can be obtained at most luggage stores.If they open your luggage there is spot on the lock that changes colors so you know that someone checked your stuff.Persons who check the luggage have keys that will open all APPROVED locks.
I just read that you can now take lighters in your carry- on but it can not have any fuel in it.You can carry matches on board.Go figure.:oh
Old&In The Way
I just flew this past weekend and several of the airlines/airports do not allow lighters or matches of anykind past security. Those are pretty cheap, you might want to just plan on buying when you get there.
Grassy Ridge
We flew from Atlanta to Billings with no problem with a full pack. (My wife had her back pack as well.) No problems whatsoever. We put them in with checked bags and got them at the other end. Enjoy your trip…
frasier fir
I’am sure I read in the New York Times that you COULD take lighters as long as they dont have any fuel.Oh well,small stuff.
Things you can take:Four books of matches,Flint&Steel,magnifying glasses,two sticks & a boy scout.
Old&In The Way
the biggest problem that i had was flying with my hiking poles. i lashed the to the outside of the pack as tightly as i could and offered for them to go ahead and go through my stuff. i them put my pack iside of a clear plastic trashbag provided by the airline and they took it. i was quite nervous because i had everything in the bag that i would need for the next few months. the only thing that happened is that they more closely examined the poles at some point on the way to san diego. it wasnt that bad. good luck
WISE OWL
If you have any perishable food (cheese, lunch meat, tortillas, bagels, etc), carry that on the plane with you. The plane could spend time in extreme heat on the runway or extreme cold up in the air, and that could ruin your cheese, etc.
yogi
yogi
Has anyone had success carrying on a pack with trekking poles? Would it help to take the poles apart into three pieces?
HotRod
Hotrod
1.Airline security never like trekking poles, even before 9/11. You can call the TSA office at the airport you expect to use and discuss the issue ahead of time.
Since airlines differ on stoves, and some airlines allow them on domestic flights but not international flights, it’s a good idea to call first if you have not flown recently with that airline. Start by asking the rep to look in the book under camping gear. If you start with the word “stove” you’ll likely bump into a brick wall and never get to the page where it says empty, aired stoves are permitted.
From August 1996 until August 2004 I was “coded” and went through extra security procedures each time I flew (2-3 times a year). My advice is to be friendly and polite to all people involved, and pack with an expectation that your gear will be hand searched. My duffle always arrived on the other end with all gear there, though not necessarily in the order I packed it and not necessarily re-locked. There was always an extra tag on it, like the bag check tag it gets from the airline, only this one says the bag was search at X airport. The only real hassle I’ve had was the one time a searcher felt it necessary to unstrap/undo every buckle, strap, you-name-it. Sure are alot of straps on packs these days.
I’m wearing trail runners these days, and, no one had to take off their shoes when I went through security in Reno last week. But! If I was still wearing boots, I’d be putting them on the belt without waiting to be asked. My security searches began in '96, Boston, shortly after TWA 800 went down, with security folks who wanted to cut open my boots to investigate the metal they detected there (full lenght steel shank). I didn’t let them.
Splat!