Taking climbing gear in hand baggage?

[Bill]

Currently failing to get through to an actual human on BA's chat so I thought I'd ask here. It's pretty harmless, nothing sharp or pointy so I think it's fine, but I'd rather be sure before someone has a sense of humour failure at it in security.

It's a via ferrata set, a webbing strap with a caribiner on each end. Like this:

[Castrol for a knave]

I have always put mine in hold, but we are talking full rack.

I was once told it had to go in "because I could tie people.up with it". My comment of less about the pilot's sex life, what about my climbing gear was not well received.

If you just have cowtails,.you should be ok..

[Regbuser]

Slings and krabs won't get through as hand luggage

[LivLL]

Bill said:

Currently failing to get through to an actual human on BA's chat so I thought I'd ask here. It's pretty harmless, nothing sharp or pointy so I think it's fine, but I'd rather be sure before someone has a sense of humour failure at it in security.

It's a via ferrata set, a webbing strap with a caribiner on each end. Like this:

That would be fine at most airports and most airlines as hand baggage. If you’re going BA email [e-mail] with the details and at least you’ll have a copy of the answer if some power hungry muppet at security tries to remove it from you.

For info Carabiners alone are fine in hand luggage, have travelled with them many times. Climbing rope and ice axes would not be as an example.

[RichFN2]

With hand luggage I always take the approach that if it can be considered as an offensive weapon then it shouldn't be taken on board.

As extreme as it sounds if it can fit around an adults neck then that would make a very good device to strangle someone with when you consider how strong it is.

3 individuals with these on a flight would have no problem in creating a pre planned hostage situation, which is something airport security is meant to stop.

[Bill]

RichFN2 said:

With hand luggage I always take the approach that if it can be considered as an offensive weapon then it shouldn't be taken on board.

As extreme as it sounds if it can fit around an adults neck then that would make a very good device to strangle someone with when you consider how strong it is.

3 individuals with these on a flight would have no problem in creating a pre planned hostage situation, which is something airport security is meant to stop.

You could do the same with belts.

[Bill]

LivLL said:

That would be fine at most airports and most airlines as hand baggage. If you’re going BA email [e-mail] with the details and at least you’ll have a copy of the answer if some power hungry muppet at security tries to remove it from you.

For info Carabiners alone are fine in hand luggage, have travelled with them many times. Climbing rope and ice axes would not be as an example.

Brilliant, thanks, I've fired off an email.

I'd just put them in the hold like normal when it's obviously spiky, but we're arriving late so are trying to reduce delays.

[Matt..]

It’s not the airline you need to worry about, it’s airport security. The airline will have no idea what’s in your cabin bag. Airport security is always a gamble as rules are often not applied as written. Different people in security will apply the rules differently and so you never really know what’s going to be allowed. Airports in areas popular for hiking and climbing will probably be more accepting of the lot we use. Many people will give an opinion but have no actual experience trying to get items through security in a cabin bag.

I flew from Heathrow to Venice this year and had no issues with security in both airports and my cabin bag contained:
- Folding hiking poles with metal tips (BD FLZ)
- Microspikes (Kahtoola)
- Climbing harness
- Via ferrata lanyard (Petzl)

I have flown multiple times in the last year with hiking poles in a cabin bag which are technically not allowed. I’ve had no problems at Heathrow, Venice and Geneva. I am happy to gamble for short haul flights but wouldn’t gamble with a long haul flight especially to the US.

I seriously doubt you’d have any problems with the via ferrata lanyard in a cabin bag.

Edited by Matt.. on Sunday 29th September 13:49

[croyde]

Maybe just wear it

This has made me realise that I have taken a small rucksack on countless flights with caribiners attached to it's hoops.

I didn't even think.

[Bill]

croyde said:

This has made me realise that I have taken a small rucksack on countless flights with caribiners attached to it's hoops.

I didn't even think.

To be fair I am probably overthinking it!

[Bill]

Matt.. said:

- Folding hiking poles with metal tips (BD FLZ)
- Microspikes (Kahtoola)

I wouldn't dare try to take those. Did you have a plan B if you got pulled up?

[Matt..]

Bill said:

I wouldn't dare try to take those. Did you have a plan B if you got pulled up?

Not always. Sometimes I take a cardboard tube I can use to check them if denied but normally I gamble. I’ve never had an issue where I fly in Europe. The microspikes were more of a gamble than the poles. I find many people online quote rules or what they’ve heard online but have never actually tried taking any of this kit through security. Rules are often not applied as written.

[RichFN2]

croyde said:

Maybe just wear it

This has made me realise that I have taken a small rucksack on countless flights with caribiners attached to it's hoops.

I didn't even think.

There would be any issues with caribiners at all, it's the climbing rope they are attached to that could cause an issue depending how big it is. Perhaps disassembled they wouldn't even notice it?

As someone above said it's ultimately down to airport security not the airline.

I've had a DSLR camera give me a headache at Krakow airport (had to prove it worked and open it up), security at Albanias international airport went through everything with a fine tooth comb and drug swiped me 3 times, Amsterdam airport they got into a full on arguement with eachother deciding if my trainers were boots and at Tenerife security they didn't like an iPad that was left inside the bag and not put outside in the tray.

IMO it's not worth the hassle if the device in question is reasonably large, it just depends if you get someone at security feeling awkward.

[Matt..]

RichFN2 said:

IMO it's not worth the hassle if the device in question is reasonably large, it just depends if you get someone at security feeling awkward.

I hike so I want to take things like hiking poles, microspikes, via ferrata gear. In Europe the flight cost hugely increases with hold luggage as does the time to get in/out of the airport. I gamble often with taking this gear in a cabin bag but generally only when travelling to airports in hiking/climbing heavy areas. I also travel with a big camera and tripod in my cabin bag and have never had issues with that when travelling all over the world. It’s always a gamble though and rules often seem irrelevant and it’s all about who is working security that day.

[Risonax]

In 1989, I boarded a Pan Am flight, to start a year studying in the US, about 8 months after Lockerbie. So at the Pan Am check-in, they had all these security guys checking bags. I had my life packed into 80 liter rucksack. They had a search inside the ruck sack, and freaked out about a box in the bag. It was the heal of a walking boot. I asked about a ice pickaxe I was carrying as hand luggage. No problem they said. Times change.