UKC

Hi everyone

Does anyone have any RECENT experience of taking a rope and quickdraws on a plane as cabin baggage? Have done it before without problems but seems experience is always changing. Flying Ryanair from Manchester. Thanks

I think you'd be unwise to risk it. These days everyone I know puts climbing shoes in hand baggage, rest of the climbing gear in the hold.

Did it in October, as always, not an issue. Flew with easyJet though I suspect it would be at airport security if there was an issue.

Yep, it's airport security, not the airline, that chooses.

If you don't want to risk losing it, check it in.  Sometimes you will get away with it, but often you won't, and it will often depend on the mood of individuals on the day.

Put clothing etc in your carry-on if things are tight, and check the gear in.  With airlines charging for carry-on now though, you're probably just as well to book two hold bags and enjoy the lack of hassle of being able to walk on with your coat, a book and a bottle of water like people used to.

It's the same answer it's always been, nothing has changed on this since 2001: you might get away with it and you might not.

And a lot of it comes down to profiling and your demeanour.  There's nothing inherently offensive about QDs, but if your responses if asked about them fail to provide sufficient comfort then they're not going on.   You may ask to speak to a supervisor, but see above.

Haven't done it for a few years but it was always hit and miss and never the same objection twice, sometimes it got through, sometimes it was a complete ballache. Leave plenty of time if you decide to gamble.

jk

Took a rope through over new year at Manchester Airport no issues. Had a helmet too and tatty down jackets which might have helped with the suggested profiling. 

I remember flying back once from Alicante with my entire trad rack in my hand baggage, it caused much interest  and at the height there were about 5 security staff playing with my friends, in the end the head woman bizarrely just kept my nut key, I thought it  was a lucky escape so didn't argue

Last time with a rope through Manchester airport they insisted I remove it from carry on (I could use it to tie people up apparently. Cable ties were ok though ) and put it loose through the conveyor system for checked bags, I explained if it unravelled they'd be cutting it out of jammed baggage machinery for hours which predictably resulted in a no for both options. In the end I had a shop wrap it in a poly bag and tape. It's just a lottery, you don't get to see the 'rules' so you can't argue against decisions, they're final no matter how nonsensical and inconsistent.

jk

A decade ago I was told I couldn't take on a rope as "I might use it to abseil out of the plane".

Don't know how long they thought the rope was!

Or use it to transfer to another plane in mid air like in that ridiculous film that I can't remember the name or plot of. I think there was a suitcase of money involved too. Anyone?

I did it Sept and Dec, no issues.  Cams, nuts, quickdraw, chalk, etc.  Got checked in Edinburgh security but all good.

Thank you everyone for replies. Particularly liked the idea that abseiling from a plane was even remotely a possibility 🤣

I have buckled and bought a check in bag, quadrupling the original cost of the flight but giving me peace of mind. Thanks everyone. 

Ps I'll be in Calpe over the weekend if anyone else is  

And there was me thinking Samuel L Jackson had a new film out

Suspect the bolt gun would also need to be put into hold luggage

Surely that'll narrow down the film...

Just for info, Manchester airport actually did reply to me and say all the things I'd listed (rope, carabiners) were permitted through airport security.  But they also put a disclaimer that the final decision was in the hands of whoever was on security on that day. I might keep a screenshot of the message for future reference though!  

Hi Cheryl,

There's a Calpe Climbing facebook group. Could be handy if you're looking for partners

You got lucky! In my experience the staff at EDI are amongst the worst jobsworths I've come across. They've taken ridiculous stuff off me before, and then very helpfully given me a brochure for a company that will post it to me. For an exorbitant price... Isn't that a coincidence?

I seem to remember something about necessarily having to stretch a rope across a (turned out not to be) death defying gap to get off a pinnacle rather than using zillions of more obvious ways to get off 😁

Also, being as it was based in the States, how comes there wasn't a multi-million pound court case for the equipment failure.

I had a Platypus tube taken from me some time back on a flight from Manchester. Security had no idea what it was for and took the pipe. I was allowed to continue with the bag without the tube and fortunately one of my nalgene bottle tops fitted the bag. It's so random.

They took great pains to ensure no-one could identify a make of harness. In fact I would imagine the one used in the close-ups was made (almost if not absolutely completely) by the SFX department as decent metal doesn't bend the way the buckle did, let alone the rest of the cr4p that the harness did.

I'm pretty sure it was a BD harness in the film, and BD weren't very happy about it (although it was years ago when I saw it).

I think there was a specific disclaimer at the end saying that the BD harness could not fail in the manner depicted 

Argh it’s on the top of my tongue….

Know exactly the scene but can’t think of the film!

I got no issues with quickdraws and carabiners on hand luggage in Norway and Geneva, but heard of people that have issues on Malaga.

Dont leave us on such a Cliff Hanger! You can do it, I believe in you.

To the OP: have you thought about going through security racked up? I'm sure if you're wearing it all, you will be fine. Bonus is that everyone knows you're a climber.

At Edinburgh airport, I once saw a builder trying to go through security while wearing his toolbelt, to which a hammer and other tools were attached. To nobody's surprise but his, he got bounced. But he wanted to argue about it.

So, while some security people can certainly be officious, some passengers can be dumb as shit.

I'm usually stuck behind someone who has secreted every banned item possible throughout their luggage and now can't find it, has their liquids in an opaque bag with the zips stuck and is wearing boots with 6 inch thick soles that will take 2 people an hour to remove.

Flew Ryanair from Manc to Oslo last weekend. One of our party got stopped at security and made to remove quickdraws and put them in checked luggage.

Yep.  Following legal action from BD possibly?  (Not so sure about that.)

From the flim's imdb page:
"The credits include a message which explains that the Black Diamond harness used in the opening scene was specially modified so that it would fail."
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106582/trivia

That sequence is on youtube, and the harness is quite clearly visible.  (It's a Bod I think.) 

Far from making the prop harness unidentifiable, the buckle that spontaneously self-destructs in the film is the same distinctive shape that Black Diamond still use on the Bod to this day.

Dunno. Some terrible movie with John Lithgow. Mind is blank.

Are you sure he was a passenger? I used to do work airside and I've had run-ins with security over taking my tools that I needed for the job and had all the correct documentation for. I do wonder what's on their mind when they insist I put a Stanley knife through the x-ray, as if it could have a weapon comcealed in it! 

Actually, thinking about it other than Cliffhanger I think there’s another movie where they do the same stunt? It’s an older movie, maybe 70s?  The plane has been hijacked and they’re trying to put a pilot on the plane?

Anyone?

Yes, this guy was a passenger, wanting to fly back to Ireland. (I heard the ensuing argument.) It was totally weird.

This? youtube.com/watch?v=Q5AxvY3N4WE&

And this was post 2001? OK, fair enough, security were being perfectly reasonable and the guy was a total idiot. That is an impressive level of stupidity, I certainly wouldn't want him working on my house!

About ten or so years ago.

Yes - he was a total idiot.

No nooo that's awful. If it becomes known that you only need the pilot for landing and can autopilot the takeoff and rest of flight then Michael O'Leary is going to be looking into this technique to insert the pilot just before landing and so save on their wages

I once took all my ice climbing gear out to Norway, minus axes as they were already out there.  Coming back I brought the axes as well, predators, it was a bit like the scene in the matrix when they go to storm the building and go through the metal detector!

Pre 9/11 so we laughed about it and the axes went in the hold.

Good luck

Toby

Wise decision to get the hold luggage.  We nearly lost our VF kit as the security lady thought the large carabiners were handcuffs.  Presumably she thought the rest of the harness etc was some kinky BDSM stuff.  Thankfully the head of security for the day knew what they were, but warned us to put them in the hold for the return and told us they don't like anything you can tie staff up with.   I didn't point out my boot laces were pretty long, and lets not mention my nylon belt.

I asked the question of the three people at the central security station, after the security checks at Manchester airport, in October IIRC.

Carabiners, the squeezy clips, as they called them, fine.

Ropes, not fine.

Walking poles, 2 said fine, the other person checked .gov website I assume, and said not fine.

They said,if pulled by security, refer them to the back office.

I have in the past campaigned for the BMC to produce an A4, sheet with pictures, that has been agreed with UK security body, of what is allowed, for climbers to print out and carry. Of course,this would only have weight uk side.

This is always a predictable thread to follow, but I always struggle to believe anyone actually goes on a climbing holiday with just hand luggage. 

Who needs clothes?  Climb naked :-D

I can do a week of sports in Spain with a 45 litre pack, that will fit cabin baggage, plus under seat size bag, so would comply with old  easyjet cabin baggage rules, and still will if you take the extra leg room option.

That is 60mtr rope, 14 draws, harness, etc, and I struggle to understand why people need more baggage, but I suppose it comes under the if you have a bigger pack you fill it.

Avoiding hold luggage makes a big difference if you can take advantage of £60 ish return flight

I flew out of Manchester this January (also Ryanair) with a sport rack and it was only the grigri that got them a bit riled up but after explaining it was for climbing and me clad in "climbing clothes" they seemed unsure but allowed me with the gri gri through. Don't think any of them really knew if it was allowed or not.

Cliff hanger 

As per others you may be asked to check it into the hold. I’ve had to do that before.

Yep me too. It's a royal PITA. You have to go back to check in where there will be a substantial queue and so you have to impose yourself on the check in staff whilst the people in the queue mutter and tut tut. Repeat at the security queue. I guess there's always the possibility you may be ordered to join the back of the queue adding further jeopardy. If time doesn't run out you'll get back to your mates who have been having a nice relaxing time with their coffee and sausage sandwiches. And you will be in a right flap which everyone will find hilarious!

But of course you may be lucky and breeze through security with climbing gear in your carry on bag.

Nearly got my quickdraws confiscated coming back from Valencia in November, had to plead with the security lady to save them. Just put it all in the checked baggage to be safe!

Climbing gear on a plane gave me an image of an old jet covered with bolt on holds.   Good basis for an interesting wall.