Air travel/baggage issue

[kgilby]

We will be flying to our hiking trip in New Hampshire this fall and I have learned that our airline (Southwest) will allow our stove to be transported either as carry-on or in our checked bags (we've got an MSR pocket rocket):
"Camping Equipment

• Lighters, lighter fluid, strike anywhere matches and fire starter (liquid, solid or gel) are prohibited in checked or carryon baggage.
• Safety matches (up to four books) are allowed in your carryon baggage or on your person.
• Camping equipment, typically camp stoves and lanterns, are fueled by either a flammable liquid or a flammable gas. Southwest’s policy is not to carry these items, with the following exceptions:
  • Flammable Liquid Fueled Equipment (white fuel, gasoline, diesel, etc.) : Camp stoves, heaters, lanterns or other flammable liquid fuel camp equipment will not be accepted as checked or carryon baggage unless the equipment is brand new, unused and still in the manufacturer’s package. We will not accept the flammable liquid fuel equipment if there is any evidence that the equipment has been used.
  • Flammable Gas Fueled Equipment (propane/butane) : Camp Stoves, heaters, lanterns, or other camping equipment that uses compressed gas cylinders will be conditionally accepted as checked or carryon baggage. The stove burner and/or lantern filament may be carried, as long as there is no fuel cylinder. The fuel cylinders themselves must be removed and are prohibited in checked and carryon baggage, whether they are empty or full.
• Knives, axes, and other cutting instruments must have the blades protected and must be stowed in checked baggage only."

Has this been most peoples experience? I've searched through some threads on the subject and there is a variety of results. Also, any experience you may have had with trekking poles would be helpful. I'm just wondering if we should ship our backpacks ahead, but don't know if a hotel/motel would accept packages days in advance. Or are there other places we would ship our packs to? I'd just hate to be surprised at the airport.

[Ewker]

that list is not up to date. You can now carry butane lighters (non-torch type) as a carry on as of Aug 4th. You can take your pocket rocket on also but not the cannister

[Marta]

You should be able to send your stove, but not a fuel cylinder, in your checked baggage.

For my recent hike in California, though, I shipped my pack ahead FedEx, because the repercussions of having my baggage not get there were too unpleasant to contemplate. My daughter spent the summer in Finland--it took two full weeks for her luggage to arrive.

Sure enough, there were baggage problems with the first leg of my flight (TSA was having a problem screening bags in Charlotte) which caused only some of the passengers' luggage to make it on the plane. Then I had to sprint from gate to gate to make the connection--it would have been highly unlikely a bag would have been transferred in time. I was very glad to have sent my pack ahead.

The flamables were not in the pack when shipped so I had to do a little shopping at the California end to get stove fuel and a lighter. (As Ewker notes, the lighter restriction has since been lifted for air travel so you can carry one on a plane now.)

One of my fellow JMT hikers, Babysteps, from NH, also shipped her pack ahead. When she flew to Georgia this spring, her pack didn't make it for four days. It's not a fun way to start a hike.

As a further logistical misadventure, when I flew home from CA, I wanted to bring my pack as carry-on, so I sent the hiking sticks, tent pole, stakes, and Swiss Army knife Priority Mail, in a PO-bought tube. It had end caps, and they were taped shut. The tube arrived at my house 48 hours later...minus one of the end caps, the tent stakes and the knife.

Good luck with your transportation arrangements--you'll need it.
Marta/Five-Leaf

[kgilby]

Ewker, this is Southwests list, not the TSA. I'm wondering if Southwest can be more restrictive than the TSA. Hopefully, it's just not updated, as you suggested. Do you have any experience with Southwest or anyone else regarding backpack transport?

Marta, it sounds like you regularly ship your backpack when you travel by air. Have you ever checked you pack, or had problems trying to?

[Marta]

I haven't had problems checking the pack because I adhere to the instructions about flamables, etc. (My husband persuaded me not try to bring Everclear as stove fuel on a flight last year.)

Receiving the pack at the other end is a whole different story. I've had problems galore with regular suitcases so if I'm operating on a tight timeframe for starting a hike (such as the permit issue on the JMT) I would not take a chance with airline luggage service.

Marta/Five-Leaf

[Yahtzee]

What about fuel tablets, like Esbit or Coghlan's? I'm flying JetBlue to Burlington on Wed night and plan on checking my pack with my fuel tabs. Anyone have experience with this?

[kgilby]

I haven't had problems checking the pack because I adhere to the instructions about flamables, etc. (My husband persuaded me not try to bring Everclear as stove fuel on a flight last year.)

Receiving the pack at the other end is a whole different story. I've had problems galore with regular suitcases so if I'm operating on a tight timeframe for starting a hike (such as the permit issue on the JMT) I would not take a chance with airline luggage service.

Marta/Five-Leaf

Thanks again, Marta. When you do ship your pack, who do you ship to? Would the arriving airport have an area to ship to? Or do you ship to a hotel/motel at your ultimate destination?

[Just a Hiker]

Hey Kgilby, I always get stressed out when I fly with my pack because it always gets lost! Anyway, I have never had a problem with my hiking sticks; the TSA inspector sees that I am hiking and lets them through. However, I have never tried getting a stove on a plane. I use a soda can stove all the time, so when I arrive at my destination, I buy a can of soda and a bottle of soda. I make a stove from the can and I use the bottle for fuel. That has worked well thus far. Take care!



Just Jim

[Ewker]

I made a copy of the new TSA regulations when I went flew to Canada on Aug 4th (day of lighter restriction lifted) no problems at all with the lighter and box of matches. I have used Southwest and Frontier many times with no problems at all even with my pack.
TSA regulations IMO opinion would over rule what Southwest says since they have to comply with it.

[kgilby]

I have never had a problem with my hiking sticks; the TSA inspector sees that I am hiking and lets them through.

Just Jim

Jim,
I just talked with the TSA today, and they said trekking poles would need to be checked, as they could be used as a weapon. I described them as being used to 'assist' in hiking, and she said something like a cane could be carried on, with documentation of a need. I think that this issue, like so many issues, depends largely on who you get at the airport on any given day. The TSA person also said a cannister stove is OK, as long as there is no hint of fuel found. I'm beginning to think we'll put our packs in some sort of duffel and check them - it seems to be an option that won't have any chance of violating any regs, and since our flight is non-stop, the chance of losing the baggage is reduced.

[kgilby]

I have used Southwest and Frontier many times with no problems at all even with my pack.
TSA regulations IMO opinion would over rule what Southwest says since they have to comply with it.

Ewker, I think you are right about that. When you say you've had no problems with your pack, do you mean checking it or carrying it on?

[Just a Hiker]

Hey Kgilby,
I am sure you are right, in that it depends on who you deal with at the airport, and what kind of mood they are in.

Flying just isn't fun anymore! Thanks for nothing Al Quaeda!


Just Jim

[Ewker]

Ewker, I think you are right about that. When you say you've had no problems with your pack, do you mean checking it or carrying it on?

I check it. I put it in a large duffle and throw everything in it including poles which are attached to the sides of the pack and wrapped in bubble wrap for protection

[kgilby]

I check it. I put it in a large duffle and throw everything in it including poles which are attached to the sides of the pack and wrapped in bubble wrap for protection

Thanks Ewker, I think that's what we'll be doing - especially since we're on a non-stop flight.

[Footslogger]

Has this been most peoples experience? I've searched through some threads on the subject and there is a variety of results. Also, any experience you may have had with trekking poles would be helpful. I'm just wondering if we should ship our backpacks ahead, but don't know if a hotel/motel would accept packages days in advance. Or are there other places we would ship our packs to? I'd just hate to be surprised at the airport.

==========================================

We just got back from hiking a section in Maine (Rangeley to Monson). Flew from Denver to Boston (and back again) on United. Rather than risk TSA blocking us from clearing security we just went ahead and sent a box forward with stoves, empty fuel containers, tent stakes, first aid kits ...and anything else that might raise an eyebrow. Sent it USPS Priorty Mail about 2 weeks prior to our departure and it was waiting for us (along with our initial food supplies) when we got there.

Did the same thing for the return trip. Alllowed enough time on the last day to box up the things listed above and post it to our home address.

'Slogger

[kgilby]

Slogger,
It seems that either sending everything ahead or checking it all at the airport are the 2 safest bests. We just did a bit of hiking in RMNP a few days before Memorial Day this year - we hadn't been there since '97. It may be that I'm gettin' old, but I sure appreciated it more than ever this time, a great area of the country.

[Footslogger]

[quote=kgilby;398172]Slogger,
It seems that either sending everything ahead or checking it all at the airport are the 2 safest bests.
========================================

Yeah ...unless you are prepared to have stuff confiscated and then need to replace it before you start hiking I think the best bet is to send it forward.

We travel to most of our hiking destinations in the east so our backpacks are our luggage and we prefer NOT to check them, so for us sending stuff ahead is the choice.

'Slogger

[kgilby]

[quote=Footslogger;398212
Yeah ...unless you are prepared to have stuff confiscated and then need to replace it before you start hiking I think the best bet is to send it forward.

'Slogger[/quote]

Slogger, for us, the issue with checking the packs isn't about the possibility of having it confiscated, for me it's taking a chance that it won't get to my destination when I do. It sounded like your stove is a gas stove, which I understand has a chance of not making it on, either as carry on or checked. We're not taking anything that might be restricted as checked baggage - our stove is a cannister type, so there's no issue of residual gas. And as long as the trekking poles are 'checked', they're OK. I can't think of anything else we have that would be a problem if it's in checked baggage. I am going to find out how much it would cost to have ours shipped, though, and will decide one way or the other soon.

[modiyooch]

Just got back from Manchester airport. Southwest curbside checkin would not let me check my pocket rocket stove, if used. I was running short of time, and didn't want to leave it behind. I went thru security with it. Bottom line. I couldn't check the stove, but I could carry it on.

[kgilby]

Just got back from Manchester airport. Southwest curbside checkin would not let me check my pocket rocket stove, if used. I was running short of time, and didn't want to leave it behind. I went thru security with it. Bottom line. I couldn't check the stove, but I could carry it on.

modiyooch,
That makes me think that it really does just depend on who you get when you get to the airport. If anything I would think that the opposite would be true - they'd let you check it but not carry it on. Or, that they would flat out refuse it on the plane (even though it's NOT a 'liquid fueled' stove - per the Southwest policy quote in the first post in this thread). Oh wait, I think I understand what you did - Southwest refused it as checked baggage, and you took your chances with the TSA and they let it on, right? That makes a bit more sense to me, anyhow. But now I'm not sure if I feel comfortable with airport people understanding existing regulations, and 'Slogger's decision to always just ship might be the surest way of getting your stuff to your destination.