UKC

Hi All

Im heading to Costa Blanca on the 14th of July from Birmingham to Alicante. Im taking cams, nuts, carabiners, slings and a 40m rope with me as cabin luggage. Im flying with Ryanair and when I called them they said I should have no problem with this equipment but that I should check with the airports. The airport phone numbers and emails however have proved to be useless.

Just wondering if any of you have had any experience in taking climbing gear through Birmingham and Alicante airport. I plan on wearing my helmet and my rope. I have heard this works fine. Any other tips on getting climbing gear through security or the airport is appreciated.

Any info much appreciated!

Wearing your rope is a sure fire to get it confiscate. You need to check it all in to the hold

Ryanair do not care as long as it fits in the normal baggage dimensions and security have never cared (in my experience at least) if climbing gear is checked into the hold.

Keeping your helmet as carry on is wise (although I dont think you need to wear it!) To stop it getting damaged in the hold. Allthough I have had someone with one of those massive weely suitcases smash mine in the overhead locker once.

I would put all the hardware and rope in the hold luggage -- you risk it being confiscated otherwise -- this is the airport security's choice, and yes there is no rhyme or reason to it, but why risk it?

Put 1 pair of climbing shoes in cabin baggage (as it's too hard to find a replacement pair at short notice, unless you like breaking in shoes), and maybe your helmet for the reason outlined above.

Check luggage weight obviously before you go to the airport; make sure you have bought enough weight or however RyanAir does it.

I went to Crete last month via Birmingham and had most of my gear in my carry-on, quickdraws, harness, belay device, nuts etc. No problems either end.

Rope and anything pokey like nut tool went in the hold.

Exactly. I've been through Gatwick and my mate was made to check his QDs in and mine were fine two people ahead of him.

But as Toerag pointed out, it's inconsistent and entirely down to the individual security officer.  One person may be successful, another might not. If you're taking hold luggage anyway, why risk it?  I've never had any problem packing climbing gear within the weight allowance (a trad rack might have to be split between partners).  I don't take many clothes and rely on washing them often.  If weight or bulk is a problem I pack uncontroversial items such as clothes in my hand luggage, or wear them. 

The only climbing gear in hand luggage is shoes (because fit is important) and helmet (to reduce the chance of it getting damaged).  QDs aren't much use without a rope, so they might as well go in the hold with the rope.

It would have been easier to all go in the hold, but had to spread the weight around a bit as the big case was too heavy with the metal stuff.

Not the first time I've taken QDs, belay devices, chalk bags etc through security, at various airports no problem. 

As already stated, the decision lies with the individual security officer. It all depends on what level of risk you are prepared to tolerate.

UK Airport security is under extreme pressure currently and this pressure will magnify personal behaviours making officers either more likely to ignore or more likely to challenge and/or confiscate.

For risk free travel put all climbing gear in the hold. I recently travelled hand luggage only to Spain, carrying just personal gear, harness, shoes, gri gri. The gri gri was challenged on return flight.

You are flying to alicante where there is a large decathlon, any losses can be replaced there if you are unfortunate.

In the good old days when the pound was strong against the euro, it arguably made sense to buy gear at your destination, using both the exchange rate and saving on the outbound hold bag to subsidise your gear shopping. A good strategy when/if those days return. 

In my experience it depends on the person on the day I pay for an extra bag now. Last time I flew to Norway I had an internal connecting flight and the duty free person had not put my receipt in the sealed bag for the alcohol i had to pay to check that in also! absolute joke!