UKC

Been trying to reduce weight for a long trip in the states requiring all of the cams.
Does anybody know if cams or climbing equipment are restricted items and can you take them on as hand luggage?

Has anybody done this before? Would prefer if cams weren't confiscated.

In reply to James S:

This has been discussed on many occasions and there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer. However, turning up at the airport only to have your precious cams confiscated from hand luggage just seems too big a risk to take in my view.

In reply to James S:

Can't decide whether you're a 10 or an 8.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=8172

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Is the plane on a conveyor belt?

In reply to James S:

If you really want to take them as hand luggage, facebook both airports and ask them, and if the response is yes, take a screen shot and print it out and take with you to the airport.

In reply to James S:

I'm pretty sure its up to the mind of the people at the airport as you go through, once they decide either way I don't think they are likely to change their minds. Personally I wouldn't chance it.

In reply to James S:

Is that the one where David Cameron and Cameron Diaz fight it out on a jumbo jet?

In reply to James S:

Check it in. Otherwise you risk losing your gear or your trip. A tenner or so for a checked bag is cheap insurance against this, and saves you lugging it round the airport.

In reply to James S:

Was it Samuel L Rackson that said: "I am fed up of these motherf*cking cams on this motherf*cking plane"? :p

In reply to Lenin:

You can do this print out what you like but if the security operator of the days says no, that will be the end of it...I had a badminton racquet allowed from Newquay to Manchester but not Manchester to Newquay!! Had to go back and check it in, a short walk in this case, I wouldn't want to do this in a busy LHR.

In reply to aostaman:

If it's Ryanair that could easily cost you 50 quid or thereabouts.

In reply to Neil Williams:

Ryan air well known for flying to the states?

In reply to dunnyg:

Do any airlines flying to the States charge for bags?

If not, what possible reason is there not to check them? Assuming the OP is not trying to skimp on insurance too...

In reply to James S:

Can you not just stow your cams in the hold bags and take other items as hand luggage? - guide books, laptop, climbing shoes etc.

In reply to Neil Williams:

Cams are comparatively heavy. The more heavy items you can get in your hand luggage the better.

Although most airlines detail a 10 kg weight limit to hand luggage they never check. Consequently if you pack all the dense items into the hand luggage you can get more weight onto the plane.

In reply to Brown:

Jeez - 10kgs is 22lbs. I'd get upset if my hold luggage weighed that much!
One of my pet peeves is people who flout the weight limits for carry on luggage and then try to take up all of the overhead lockers.
But I guess that's more a reflection of baggage size not weight.
Best to check those cams in though as losing them would spoil your holiday.
You've probably got a checked allowance of around 23kgs - that's 50lbs. So over 72lbs of luggage in total.
How long are you going for and what do you plan to do?
Even my missus can't pack that much stuff (well, not without a little effort!).

Pmc

In reply to James S:

Always stuffed trad rack excluding nut key in hand luggage, never an issue. Always searched but that's probably because I put all the electronics on there too. Not sure how a cam would be regarded as a weapon?

In reply to Brown:

Yes. I always find it hard to get my hand luggage up to 10kg with allowed items while keeping it within size limits.

In reply to baron:


Full climbing and camping stuff plus other bits and pieces can easily exceed 33kg.

In reply to Robert Durran:

It's really frustrating looking at all the heavy stuff that needs to go in the hold and all the light clothing etc which is safe to go in the cabin.

In reply to Brown:



That's what I believed until my flight to Innsbruck this winter. Cabin baggage restricted to 5kg and all hand luggage weighed at check in.

In reply to BnB:

What airline was that? Even Ryanair, who are well known for strictness, don't generally weigh it (or indeed have any facility to do so). I guess smaller aircraft? 5kg would be useless for most business travellers these days given the weight of laptops.

In reply to baron:

I was well pissed off when I was forced to have my relatively small bag stuffed round my feet all flight because of lack of space in the lockers as other people had brought on such huge carry on bags and also insisted on stuffing coats etc in too. Inconvenienced for adhering to the rules! It's not like you get much leg room in the first place.

In reply to earlsdonwhu:

Interestingly Wizz Air charge for overhead locker space (effectively). This costs more than a check-in bag.

In reply to baron:


I can feel my hackles rising already. Apart from the 'disabled' munter that leapt from her wheelchair and sprinted to the plane when she found she'd be boarding last, not first, Mr 'Cock with the TNF Duffle bag as hand luggage' is first to be beaten to death with the size 11 hex in my ryanair sized cabin bag.

In reply to earlsdonwhu:


I refused to do that on one flight I was on, eventually they loaded a couple of oversize bags into the hold. Last time I flew they actually checked the size of hand luggage before allowing it on board, which was nice.

In reply to baron:


I fail to see the connection between overweight bags and the taking up of too much space in the lockers.

In reply to Ridge:


Oh come on. We're climbers. We all know that part of the game is trying to get as much stuff onto the plane as possible without paying extra.

In reply to Robert Durran:


There isn't one, I'm just having a good rant and building up my aggression prior to getting on a plane to the states later this month

In reply to Robert Durran:

It would really have helped if easyJet had done what they said they'd do years ago, which is to allow multiple bags provided all fit fully in the sizer at the same time. They could then fill in small gaps in the lockers.

In reply to Ridge:

To be fair, planes to the States tend to be widebodies with plenty of locker space.

In reply to Ridge:


Remember to save a little bit of it for the Department of Homeland Security.

In reply to James S:

I've known karabiners to be turned away by airport security so I would expect cams to be a no-no. They could be used as a potential weapon (I know, so could a pencil).

I've never had any trouble packing climbing gear within the baggage allowance. Take as few clothes as you can get away with (one on, one in the wash) and pack what you can in your hand luggage. Wear the rest - you only have to do this as far as the plane and then you can strip off. If you're still struggling, pay a bit more for more luggage allowance - it will be cheaper than replacing your confiscated cams.

In reply to James S:

This is how you do it. I presume you are traveling with a friend.
You go to the desk to check in with your bag that is the correct weight.
Your friend waits with the super heavy bag around the corner.
Have all the straps on your bag unorganised.
Say to the airline checkin person that you would prefer to put the bag into the oversized section because the last time you checked in the bag got stuck in the convayer belt. They will say thats a good idea and take your bag to the oversize section.
Then go to your friend and get all the heavy stuff from his bag put it in your bag and off you go.

In reply to Aigen:

Sneaky!

In reply to Neil Williams:


And planes in the States are full of wide bodies.