Air travel with pack, how to?

[Praha4]

forget flying, take the Greyhound. You'll check your backpack at the bus station, they load it in the lower compartments on the coach. No security checks, no hassles. I just rode Greyhound back from Charlottesville, VA to Florida, it's vastly improved from just 5 or 6 years ago.

[Odd Man Out]

I have one of those green canvas army issue duffels for the pack. Flew SW so no fee for checked bag. Then took Amtrak. Just carried it on board with me. Duffel stayed with my shuttle driver while hiking. Reverse strategy to get home.

[dmax]

The wife and I just got back from a trip out west and it was cheaper to pay the extra bag fees at the airport. We used to use a duffle bag but for the last two trips we used suit cases, which worked out better for us. The only thing we didn't put in our packs was fuel.

[Ruffdude]

Thanks for the advice now I have some options.

[Coffee]

If the Greyhound isn't full, try taking the pack onto the bus rather than having it go into the storage compartment.

[Dinendir]

Most of the advice I saw here was for domestic US travel, but how about international hikers? What would you guys suggest: check in the pack (with the already mentioned precautions to prevent shredding it), or send it through something like ups? Any advice from people who have done this before.

[squeezebox]

What the heck is dangerous about liquid soap?

[Dogtra]

What the heck is dangerous about liquid soap?

Nothing. But identifying that it is just soap with nothing else hidden in it, that would be their worry.

[misprof]

Count yourself blessed. I cannot tell you the number of times my luggage has gone missing, rerouted, or damaged. On several recent international flights I saw many people carrying on their packs up to REi's 62 Flash but nothing larger.

[mankind117]

I flew to missoula for a week of backpacking in Glacier this summer on Frontier airlines. Somehow by checked pack ended up in Spokane and it was going to take them 2 days to get the pack to me. Needless to say that wouldn't fly since we had to pick up the permits the next day so I got an extra treat of driving an extra 5 hours to go to Spokane to get my pack. I wish I had shipped the damn thing out there to the hotel we stayed at the night I flew in.

[Nodust]

I carry on pack, with hammock, tarp, top and bottom quilts.

The rest of the stuff goes in a small suitcase or duffel bag. I can replace most of that at Walmart if needed.

But always carry on the stuff that can't be replaced easily.

[swjohnsey]

Just check it, no bag or covering necessary. Put everything in the main compartment. Tighten all straps and tie the lose ends together. If your pack won't survive being checked it won't survive a thru-hike.

[Damn Yankee]

I have flown back and forth to NH and Cali. in the last month and a half with a full Jam 50 pack and trekking poles on either side and stove, no fuel and had no problem getting through security, even with the poles. They did not even pull them out from the side pockets. I did however put the rubber tips over the carbide tips. You can give the pack to the stewardess and it will get placed under the plane and pick up at the sky bridge just outside the plane or they will put it in a crew closet in the plane. No worries.

[Seatbelt]

New guy here and could use some advice.
I'm pretty sure my pack will not meet carry on requirements so how do I travel with it and insure it will still be in one piece when I arrive in Atlanta?
A large duffel bag to wrap the entire thing and then either toss the duffel away at the airport or mail it back home is where I am at now.
Am I missing something?

Just curious, what are you referring to when you say your pack will not meet carry-on requirements?

I just flew to Atlanta and back with a full pack--carried on my back and stuffed it in the overhead on the plane. no problems. My pack is a ULA Circuit. I would not want to trust the airlines by checking it. JMO

[Rolex]

Just check it, no bag or covering necessary. Put everything in the main compartment. Tighten all straps and tie the lose ends together. If your pack won't survive being checked it won't survive a thru-hike.

I respectfully disagree here. We usually take care of our equipment after having to pay for or make it to the best of our ability during a hike. So it doesn't get abused unnecessarily.

The baggage apes could care less and will grab it from the carousel, cart, ramp, or plane by whatever they find to grab and throw it into the next station without a care. I've watched them over and over from airline waiting rooms as they loaded and loaded. They are in a hurry and the strap, handle, pocket or whatever looks like a good place to grab and pick it up.
The baggage moving system is designed for the suitcases and bags that are smooth sided with no straps hanging off. A strap gets hung in a crack and dams up the flow then something gets yanked (or cut) to get the line moving ASAP again.

I use a ULA Catalyst and love it. Chris from ULA has an excellent reputation as standing behind them. But if I snatched mine up by the handle and threw it around a few times and broke it, I would understand if he gave me a "what the hell !" look.

Out of this thread though I think I will try something different in the future. I'll carry on the bag without the "dangerous" stuff and try to planeside check the other items in a small bag or duffel and pick it up upon getting off.
I don't think TSA will let you through security to the gate though with items not allowed so that may not work.

I've always NOT taken food. I had thought that wasn't allowed. But you can take packed food into the plane in your bag?

Items that I know concern them. Any others?
Hiking poles
Tent Stakes
Tent poles
Liquids
Fuel
Stove and Fuel Bottles (must pass sniff test)
Knives

[Ruffdude]

Just curious, what are you referring to when you say your pack will not meet carry-on requirements?

I just flew to Atlanta and back with a full pack--carried on my back and stuffed it in the overhead on the plane. no problems. My pack is a ULA Circuit. I would not want to trust the airlines by checking it. JMO

Maybe I wrongly assume that my pack will not meet carry on restrictions.

[Ruffdude]

I've always NOT taken food. I had thought that wasn't allowed. But you can take packed food into the plane in your bag?

Items that I know concern them. Any others?
Hiking poles
Tent Stakes
Tent poles
Liquids
Fuel
Stove and Fuel Bottles (must pass sniff test)
Knives

Crap I didn't think about tent stakes.

[Damn Yankee]

Trekking poles did not have any problems getting through security and neither did my tent stakes for my tarp.

[Slo-go'en]

I flew to Florida recently (for my Mom's 90th B-Day!). You can carry on food, I had a bunch of snacks in my carry on just in case. Since you can't carry any liquids through security, I also went dumpster diving for an empty water bottle in the trash to fill up at a water fountain. (I'll pay $8 for a hamburger and $9 for a beer, but not $3 for a bottle of water!)

Anyway, pretty much everyone who came on the plane had some kind of large carry on and some of it didn't fit so they had to move it to under the plane. If I hadn't had just a tiny day pack which fit under the seat in front of me, I would have been one of those who's carry on wouldn't fit. If you expect to fit your pack in the overhead, make sure you can board early (pay extra for that) and have a really small pack.

[Traveler]

Just curious, what are you referring to when you say your pack will not meet carry-on requirements?

I just flew to Atlanta and back with a full pack--carried on my back and stuffed it in the overhead on the plane. no problems. My pack is a ULA Circuit. I would not want to trust the airlines by checking it. JMO

Airlines have a maximum size limit that they usually enforce (some are fairly lax with this however). Max size carry on is 22" long x 14" wide x 9" tall. Larger than this may send the item into the hold either to your final destination or as a gate check.