Flying with your gear...

“Hi there,

I haven't taken my kit on an airline before, and I will this summer (domestic) Bos-California(JMT). Are there any general "dos/dont's" since september? Besides the obvious no fuel, can I put a lighter with my checked bag etc.?

Any and all tips/suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Camel”

“i thought this post was about all the recent hiker falls”

“OPIE, that's the Flyer with your gear thread.”

“Gear is best packed and checked...take only the most expensive of your gear as a carry on, and avoid ANYTHING with a sharp edge....no fuel, otherwise, all is pretty much the same as before. Arrive an Hour early...if you are selected as a Security Check there is an "S" stamped on you boarding pass, and your checked bags will be searched...it also tells you that you will be screened at the entry to barding gates, and again at the gate to the plane...”

“not having an "s" on the boarding pass does not mean you won't be searched. Random searches occur at the ticket counter, the security checkpoint and at the gate. No sharp instruments, no fuel and if they search your luggage checking in, probably no fuel bottles and perhaps no stove.

You might consider drop shipping your gear ahead of your planned arrival time.”

“and no pot. The bomb sniffing dogs frown on that.”

“I think I'll check everything using a "tuff" tote-makes it easy to search+re-pack. I checked UPS, and they'll accept butane type cartridges (ground) so I'll ship them, lighters, matches and anything "weird".”

“yeah its really emmbarrassing when they make you inflate the blow up doll in the middle of the airport...”

“Another tip....Put your pack in some kind of bag. If your stuff is lost or etc...the airlines only pay for the contents of your bag not your bag. So put it in a duffle or something cheap.
Also if they search you carry on luggage they can take anything you can't have and they will keep it.
My friend just went to Hawaii and in San Francisco they checked her carry on. She had some very nice fingernail sissors. They took them. She ask if she could just check them or mail them to her home and they said NO. So be careful what you carry on you may not own it anymore.
Barbara”

“to vegas from kc...no problems...took my fuel cannisters...stove and knife, all as check in and walked on board with nothing but my pc and book.

I have a lockable tote chest and tell them exactly whats inside, that I have no fuel and would you like to check it. they alway say no thank you. As for the pot...well, I usually just put it in condoms and swallow it, dogs be darned.”

“Yea, but that latex taste is a killer, don't you think?”

“What happens if you have a small tote, inside your checked luggage, and inside that there is a fingernail cleaner and scissors? Will they take that, or only from carry-on????”

“I think they only take things from your carry on items. But they don't always check everyone.
Barbara”

“stikmon is used to the taste of condoms!...OUCH!!!”

“as a general rule I put everything i dont need into my checked baggage and rarely carry on more then a book to read. Since I arrive at the airport at least an hour early and dont schedual flights less then 30 minutes apart ive never had a lost bag or any other problems. the case idea is a good one. i have a large job box from wally world which also doubles for a food / gear locker when im car camping.. a bit heavy but very tough.Airlines do tend to be very rough with baggage and a good lock can ensure it doesnt get riffled by the handlers.

is there an rda for condoms? :P”

“I dare those guys to search my backpack after a trip. The stench will kill em!”

“Heh heh, lots of funny jokes here - great. Seriously, though, I will be flying to MT (not for the big group thing I read about here a while back) this summer, and am wondering about stove and fuel bottles. A couple years ago, a friend had to leave his MSR stove and [empty] fuel bottles at home, as the United gate folks said their policy said he couldn't even have them in his checked luggage. Turned out they misread their own policy, but I really don't want to get stuck without stove/bottle (don't like raw fish. . . ). If OK to check, great. If not, wouldn't it be impossible to ship via UPS, etc. too?”

“No marty. You can ship UPS without any problems as far as the stove goes. The fuel bottles need to be empty and clean. As long as no hazardous substance is packed, I have not had a problem.

For our new project, we are holding training classes for the providers all across the country and we ship a torch (no fuel)without any problems.”

“I have traveled 3 years with all my gear...stove, bottles, knife, saw, hatchet...not once did I have problems...it is all locked and stowed. I always tell them I have no fuel...the counter person or curb side check in person just moves it along and off I go. I carry nothing onboard but a carry on with NO nail clippers. pc and a book and my camp pillow.

so...now that I have said all that, I know that I will have difficulties in July when I go to Denver...Thanks a bunch. I better knock wood.”

“I talked with an American Airlines rep at length about this before I flew. The law leaves room for interpretation, and it seems as if it is up to the people checking your luggage at each airport. I cleaned my fuel bottle with hot soapy water, and disasssembled my stove. I had no problems, but I'm sure that there could have been if the wrong person checked my bag.”

“I just want to know why I checked my keys with a small knife and the lady that sat in front of me had LARGE knitting needles?

"It's been 30 minutes since we checked your ID...please have your photo ID out for the flight attendant."

Don't these people realize the highjackers had IDs?”

“I flew from Nashville to Phoenix in '96 with all my gear. I'd recomend using some type of belt or something to pull your shoulder straps in tight to the pack and make sure you have a luggage tag attached with name,address,etc. You might consider using an alcohol stove at your destination and getting your fuel after you land.”