Hand Luggage restrictions
Discussion
These are hammer boots, for use in Highland Games hammer events. They are a regular pair of boots with a huge blunt metal bar sticking out the front, for digging into the ground and therefore anchoring the competitor.
I'm trying to find out if there is anyway (with the metal bar bound in foam and tape) that these could be taken as carry-on luggage (UK > USA). All websites I've looked at, obviously, don't mention them and I can't find a suitable e-mail address (probably with BA
)to ask(Last year BA managed to delay the delivery of our luggage for almost three days - including the cases that had these boots in and it would have meant missing her best event in the World Championships, so don't *really* want it to happen again . . .)
Edited by chopper602 on Tuesday 2nd April 14:45
Can the bars be removed? Looks like they are bolt on. With them removed and wrapped up in hand luggage they might be ok, although they might look sus on the scanners and you'd have to explain what they are. The BA Restricted Items list does include blunt instruments and these might fall under that whether or not they are attached to the boots though.
ETA found this? https://www.britishairways.com/content/information... Surely these come under Specialist Equipment? There is contact info on the page.
ETA found this? https://www.britishairways.com/content/information... Surely these come under Specialist Equipment? There is contact info on the page.
Edited by parabolica on Tuesday 2nd April 15:33
parabolica said:
Can the bars be removed? Looks like they are bolt on. With them removed and wrapped up in hand luggage they might be ok, although they might look sus on the scanners and you'd have to explain what they are. The BA Restricted Items list does include blunt instruments and these might fall under that whether or not they are attached to the boots though.
ETA found this? https://www.britishairways.com/content/information... Surely these come under Specialist Equipment? There is contact info on the page.
Yes, they do come off (with a couple of spanners) and the BA contact info, once you go around in circles, is a phone line and I really want to send an e-mail including photos to explain what they areETA found this? https://www.britishairways.com/content/information... Surely these come under Specialist Equipment? There is contact info on the page.
Edited by parabolica on Tuesday 2nd April 15:33
Sadly I cannot see you getting those on in hand luggage.
They will likely insist upon those going into the Hold.
Airport Security will decide, not the Carrier too.
I’ve only travelled with bicycles and related sports equipment but they have a lot of rules re objects that could potentially be dangerous if misused and even small blunt tools can be an issue.
Equipment that Security Officials may deem can be used as a weapon, even blunt, can be blocked on their own cognisance so it may even vary from airport to airport.
No harm in trying to ask I guess but I suspect it may come down to the Official at the scanner on the day.
They will likely insist upon those going into the Hold.
Airport Security will decide, not the Carrier too.
I’ve only travelled with bicycles and related sports equipment but they have a lot of rules re objects that could potentially be dangerous if misused and even small blunt tools can be an issue.
Equipment that Security Officials may deem can be used as a weapon, even blunt, can be blocked on their own cognisance so it may even vary from airport to airport.
No harm in trying to ask I guess but I suspect it may come down to the Official at the scanner on the day.
Bill said:
Presumably the metal bars are pretty standard (if niche...) and could be got hold of if needs be? In which case put the bars in the hold and keep the boots on you.
Nope - home made - customised for the individual.I guess we'll have to be at the mercy of the baggage handlers and might end going via Dublin rather than dreadful Heathrow . . .
Edited by chopper602 on Tuesday 2nd April 20:00
No way they will get through into cabin luggage.
They look like the boots the 007 Russian spy leader Rosa Klebb's used.
And as has already been pointed out they look robust enough to attack doors with.
You will have to post them or they go into the hold.
No point risking getting them confiscated during the security checks.
They look like the boots the 007 Russian spy leader Rosa Klebb's used.
And as has already been pointed out they look robust enough to attack doors with.
You will have to post them or they go into the hold.
No point risking getting them confiscated during the security checks.
If you're concerned about baggage being lost/misplaced is a land/sea route not an option?
Alternatively have you considered seeing if you can ship them to your hotel ahead of time?
Plenty of services like this, https://www.sendmybag.com/en-gb/, it might not even be that much more expensive than paying for a bag these days.
Alternatively have you considered seeing if you can ship them to your hotel ahead of time?
Plenty of services like this, https://www.sendmybag.com/en-gb/, it might not even be that much more expensive than paying for a bag these days.
Oddly my father was allowed to fly from Edinburgh to Hamburg with a Swiss army knife a few weeks back - a fairly small one but still with a decent blade on it. He'd forgotten all about it and it was attached to his car keys in a pocket of his rucksack. The security chap fished it out briefly before going through the rest of the bag without comment.
No mention of it at all coming back through security in Germany. Was pretty surprised given some of the overzealous nonsense you hear!
No mention of it at all coming back through security in Germany. Was pretty surprised given some of the overzealous nonsense you hear!
chopper602 said:
Bill said:
Presumably the metal bars are pretty standard (if niche...) and could be got hold of if needs be? In which case put the bars in the hold and keep the boots on you.
Nope - home made - customised for the individual.I guess we'll have to be at the mercy of the baggage handlers and might end going via Dublin rather than dreadful Heathrow . . .
Edited by chopper602 on Tuesday 2nd April 20:00
You’ve no chance in hand luggage at any airport even if they’ve been removed from the shoes bearing in mind the material and shape. I converted two of our old hand luggage cases to a newer acceptable size using new wheels and threaded bar axles mounted on thin bits of steel plate - I got the third degree over those, but only on the third or fourth flight iirc - they went straight through on the first holiday but when I was finally pulled by security they were very very not happy. I managed to convince them I wasn’t a terrorist.
Even a couple of cable ties inside hand luggage have been taken from me so I cannot imagine those getting through. Not worth the risk of losing them imho.
Hold only, but look at sports equipment luggage options - it may be cheaper than the cost of a full suitcase.
Snow and Rocks said:
Oddly my father was allowed to fly from Edinburgh to Hamburg with a Swiss army knife a few weeks back - a fairly small one but still with a decent blade on it. He'd forgotten all about it and it was attached to his car keys in a pocket of his rucksack. The security chap fished it out briefly before going through the rest of the bag without comment.
No mention of it at all coming back through security in Germany. Was pretty surprised given some of the overzealous nonsense you hear!
No mention of it at all coming back through security in Germany. Was pretty surprised given some of the overzealous nonsense you hear!
When I visit my daughter over in Basel Switzerland, it always amuses/confuses me when I've cleared security and found not to be in possession of any offensive weapons such as nail clippers, only to go through to the duty free shops where they sell Swiss army knives !! (Basel airport).
Mobile Chicane said:
riskyj said:
Rough101 said:
Indeed, I had a key confiscated as well.
Sorry I’m confused. A key? Like…a normal key? 
When I got to the scanner, my bag got picked out, and the security bloke seemed to go straight for something in the bottom. It was one of these four way keys, which I think must have been caught between the bag and the stiff liner on the bottom. He did not know what it was, and asked me. When I explained what it was, he called over his supervisor. She looked at it and said it was okay. He put it back, and sternly advised me not to travel with it again.
When I got to where I was going, I found there were actually two of them, and the second one had a screwdriver bit that could be used as quite a vicious weapon.
On the way back, I dropped them inside one of the rigger boots and the bag got picked out again. They took the boots out, had a look around the bag, and let me put them back.
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