Fly with equipment as a carry on.

[Cyrel]

Wanted to make the re commendation that those traveling to the Camino, especially from great distances such as I have fly with their pack and equipment as carry on. Attached is a link for the perfect example of how El Camino has turned nightmare for one pilgrim. He is fortunate to have others help him out. This trip is active
http://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/26fx6e/american_airlines_worlds_largest_or_worlds_worst/

 

[grayland]

I never have checked my pack or equipment....and never will.
This is not an isolated case of lost Camino equipment. I have a friend who checked his pack, including boots, and it did not turn up upon landing. He walked in dress shoes (not sure why he had them on) and casual travel clothes for 6 days. He is a native Spanish speaker and was able to call and check on status of pack daily and to keep them informed of where to forward it when (or if) they found it. My Spanish would not be up to that.

It took a huge toll on the overall enjoyment of his Camino. His is not the only story I know.
Don't take a chance.
Many people will say that they always check the pack and nothing has happened, YET.
Imagine starting your Camino with none of your carefully selected gear.

 

[dougfitz]

@grayland, I am more sanguine about this. I check my bag and carry a small carry on bag with my critical documentation and air travel pack. I realise that I might become one of those whose baggage is lost, but accept that risk, and know how to deal with it should it happen. So far, over 35 years of international travel I have not had any lost or delayed bags, although I have had some delayed bags on domestic flights in Australia.

Unfortunately, bad news stories make good press, and not the reverse. And clearly, when baggage is lost it is has a dramatic effect on those involved. However, I am unlikely to change my approach based on this one incidence of poor performance.

 

[gerardcarey]

@grayland, I am more sanguine about this. I check my bag and carry a small carry on bag with my critical documentation and air travel pack. I realise that I might become one of those whose baggage is lost, but accept that risk, and know how to deal with it should it happen. So far, over 35 years of international travel I have not had any lost or delayed bags, although I have had some delayed bags on domestic flights in Australia.

Unfortunately, bad news stories make good press, and not the reverse. And clearly, when baggage is lost it is has a dramatic effect on those involved. However, I am unlikely to change my approach based on this one incidence of poor performance.

Couldn't have said it better Doug.
Regds
Gerard

 

[Rambler]

It is very sad to hear about such an experience and how it can ruin a person's Camino. This should be a lesson learned to all. DO NOT CHECK YOUR PACK! Especially for international flights. If you are carrying poles, get a FedEx or UPS tube and check them with any larger liquids or knives, or items that you really don't care if you have. If you are traveling elsewhere after your Camino, check all your clothing for that part of your trip.
But protect your emotional investment in your trip and carry everything else on the plane. Then you will not be like this poor soul.
If your pack is lost as baggage for your Camino, it is not exactly like a normal tourist losing theirs. Most of us have clothes specifically selected to be used for the trip and prepared and tested to make sure they are best. Afull kit can be purchased in most towns, but you will risk clothes and shoes that won't make the experience easy to deal with.

Or take the risk and just accept what the Camino provides, but then don't be surprised if you are forced to deal with the kind of issues in that post. In my opinion, most of the people that are interested in this forum want to plan for an enjoyable Camino and take the steps to prepare. Those that want to see what the Camino will provide tend to just show up and start.
Let those people experience the realities of losing their baggage.

Protect yourself and CARRY ON...

Rambler

 

[curtc757]

There is ZERO reason not to carry on your pack. My 58L fits easily in the international overhead. For smaller planes you can tag and check at the gate. Just don't overpack and stay within the dimension limits (it's okay to squish the pack to fit but you have to stay within weigh limits).

When I fly in June I may ditch my nice graphite poles and just buy a traditional walking pole. There goes that stressor. ;-)

 

[susanawee]

Couldn't have said it better Doug.
Regds
Gerard

And neither could I, (although I have had one time when my backpack did not arrive on the same plane as I did)......whenever luggage is checked, one receives a receipt (or whatever it is called) and if the worst scenario happens, one should go to the Help desk for whatever airline it was that one is flying with and present this and then it should be followed up by the airline. I would hope that this person had or has, travel insurance and, if so, there is usually cover available for times such as these...

 

[dougfitz]

There is ZERO reason not to carry on your pack. My 58L fits easily in the international overhead. For smaller planes you can tag and check at the gate. Just don't overpack and stay within the dimension limits (it's okay to squish the pack to fit but you have to stay within weigh limits).

When I fly in June I may ditch my nice graphite poles and just buy a traditional walking pole. There goes that stressor. ;-)

Well, you just mentioned two of the reasons why you won't be allowed to carry on your pack - it is over the weight limit or exceeds the maximum allowable dimensions. A full 58li pack will exceed the dimensional limits and possibly the weight limits for most major international airlines. It might fit into the locker, but you may not be allowed to get it onto the aircraft.

I have read the story linked in the OP, and would suggest that the individual might have been both better prepared and had some better responses to the circumstances he faced. For example, they appear not to have made some simple purchases on arrival that might have addressed their optical hygiene concerns. That would have been a pretty easy thing to do.

I travel pretty much prepared to walk - ie I wear one of my two sets of clothes, as well as my hiking boots and trekking socks, and have the light fleece I will be using in my cabin bag. I don't expect that I look the most dapper of passengers, but that never seems to bother the cabin crew or other passengers.

Finally, without trying to read too much into the story, it appears to be a good example of why travel insurance is so important. It's not just about replacing lost items. Most insurers run a help desk that might have been able to do much of the liaison with the airline that seems to have caused the complainant so much problem.

 

[curtc757]

My 58L pack has already flown internationally but you go ahead and check yours sanguinely if you like. To each his (or her) own. "Full" was not a word I used. When it's not "full", it fits in the size checker at the airports just fine. I also put mine into a size small Osprey Airporter (50L) just in case I have to check it at the gate on a smaller flight. Yes, my NOT FULL 58L pack squishes into the 50 L porter bag. Just because you have a large(ish) pack doesn't mean you have to fill it for day after day hikes like this. Mine is already packed (including an ultralight tent) and is 15 pounds which is under the Air France limit.

On weight and volume, folks would be wisest to just pack the backpack and make sure you can make sure it fits within the constraints provided by your airlines.

I agree that you should be flying in hiking clothes (your heaviest at that) to keep the bag weight lower. I ales agree with folks that have said you should not overdo it onboard.

Other than having less chance of loosing your gear, advantages of carrying your pack aboard include:

1. You don't need to reclaim, reinspect, and then recheck if you are reentering the US. Just pass straight on to the security check.

2. You are immediately ready to leave the airport upon arrival.

However you choose to go, have a
Buen Camino ;-)

 

[Thomas1962]

DO NOT CHECK YOUR PACK! Rambler

What is it what makes you so upset about this specific topic? It sounds to me such a thing for a normal risk. There are many reports on many risks on the Camino: people injure legs, things get stolen, die in heart attacks and traffic accidents, they divorce on camino, or fall in love with some Jacob. It is all a risk, I cannot choose to take no risk.
On my last flight from Spain I bought a bottle of whiskey in the Spanish airport. I forgot to take that bag when I left the cabinn and realized it only when I was home

 

[Anniesantiago]

One of my walkers just arrived in Pamplona. Someone had helped themselves to all the technical wear in her pack. I always advise people to carry on their pack or risk losing it. It happens fairly often.

 

[Rambler]

What is it what makes you so upset about this specific topic? It sounds to me such a thing for a normal risk. There are many reports on many risks on the Camino: people injure legs, things get stolen, die in heart attacks and traffic accidents, they divorce on camino, or fall in love with some Jacob. It is all a risk, I cannot choose to take no risk.

Thomas:
The risks you named are ones that are not always easily prevented. Carrying your pack on is. Why would you not? It is like wearing a pair of boots for the first time in St Jean. You know that there is a big risk of getting blisters. You know also there is a simple way to significantly reduce this risk; wear your boots several weeks before you leave. Why would you still take the risk?
Many things on the Camino are uncontrollable, but this one is and is not a real problem to do. It should not be a hassle to carry your pack onto the plane and put it up in the overhead bin.

So when I hear people minimizing the risk. I can tell it is those that have never lost a bag. If you have, and then dealt with the subsequent hassles of getting your insurance paid (at reduced value mind you because most items are not brand new) and the replacements of all the items you lost, you would not take the chance for a trip as important as a Camino.

And if being passionate about it makes one new pilgrim NOT lose their bag, then it is one person that benefited.

I love that we debate back and forth ponchos vs. rainsuits or boots vs. shoes. These are all personal choices that have to take into account many factors about a person and their camino. But carrying a bag on isn't one of those subjects. Why risk ruining your trip from the very beginning? You have plenty of other risks like you described to worry about.

Rambler

 

[Olivia Luna]

I am a seasoned traveler. I am a first class, low class, and no class traveller. . There was a time when I knew more about fellow travelers than I knew about my neighbours and I loved every minute of it.

Whenever possible, I carry-on. It makes me pack efficiently, gives me a sense of security, and as an added bonus, I can leave the airport right away.

There are times that I have checked in bags and, frankly, I have always regretted it. Though I have never lost a bag while doing so.

For this trip, I am blending check and carry. Check the walking poles and carry the backpack. Simple enough!

If check-in is a stressor, eliminate it!

If carry-on is a stressor, eliminate it!

Do not allow worry to rent space in your life a during this time (or anytime for that matter) and ¡Buen Camino!

 

[annakappa]

Just make it simple. After all, you shouldn't be having a bulky pack, so it can go in the overhead compartment. Until last year, we were allowed to even carry on our poles ( duly dismantled, so as to fit in the pack). Last September, they were refused, so we had them rolled up in that plastic stuff offered to safeguard luggage and we sent them off in the hold. But the packs always stay with us.
Even if you have travel insurance ( which IMHO is a must), there's still the bother waiting around for your things to show up, or the choice of searching for a store to buy up again. Another reason would be if your plane was delayed. You rush to get your ongoing connection, but your checked in bags don't have legs and didn't make it! Anne

 

[grayland]

We have flown nearly a million miles over the last 20 years. Pretty much covered most of the world. We seldom checked bags for a number of reasons...fast out of customs on arrival....more efficient packing...luggage handling...etc. We often check bags on the home bound flight.
I would estimate that our luggage has been lost or delayed 1 out of 10 times that we checked it. Usually on a flight with connections.
If you have never had a luggage problem, you have just been lucky and are probably due for some fun.
Never a big deal when you are going home...but a delay in traveling to your starting point of a camino would be a bummer and a bad way to start.

As said above, there is no real reason to check your pack..unless it is too big to fit in the overhead. I would suggest you reconsider the size of your pack if you have that problem.
A simple way to remove a possible stress point.
Just my opinion, of course.

 

[Olivia Luna]

Just wanted to add one more morsel for considering not checking bags. . . Just so that when it is time for travelers to make a decision all the angles have been considered.

It is easier to hop on another flight if yours gets delayed to the point where connections will get missed. If you have checked bags you will likely stay with them.

 

[Cyrel]

Ok so I have read all these replies and most of it provides valid information or good insight with only a few comments from people who "know everythig and never have any issues".
To clarify I simply put this up asa recommendation for those who may be new to a trip of this nature. It is one thing to be in one destination where you can await your bag, quite another where you rely on the contents of the bag and are changing location daily. I of course carried my bag on as opposed to my brother whom travled ahead of me and lacked the experience to know this. In addition he was dead broke the beginning of the trip save for money set aside for the Albergues and food. So for those of you suggesting he could purchase stuff and expect a refund he didn't have that option right away. He has also been in contact with the airline daily whom by the way have still been unable to coordinate getting the bag anywhere but London airport.
However my brother has left instructions deliver the Bag to honolulu airport and hold it until his return. It helps that he received his paycheck and was able to purchase a few things.
And to you Thomas you deal with the worlds largest airline in the world and have them treat you like you don't matter all the while they can't simply deliver a bag then you will understand why there was such frustration behind it. Happy travels to you all.

 

[dougfitz]

@Cyrel, you have me confused. The story at the link was a personal one, posted with the signature line 'Cyle Tramel I stand for the little man'. I originally thought that might have been you because of the similarity of that name and your forum name, despite the attempt to suggest it might be a third person in the post. You now suggest this was your brother.

Many of us share our personal stories without feeling the need to disguise our identities. If, indeed, this is your story, tell it so.

BTW, you say:

So for those of you suggesting he could purchase stuff and expect a refund he didn't have that option right away.

This was also confusing, until I realised that the suggestion you are referring to was made in comments on the reddit.com post, and not here.

 

[peregrina2000]

I also have strong opinions on this topic, which I have frequently stated, but I hope I can express them without insulting anyone. I will not be offended if you disagree with me or if you choose to check your pack after reading the excellent reasons I offer for not doing so.

For one thing, it´s clear that what is allowable varies tremendously from airline to airline and from security control in one country to security control in another. All I can give you is my experience flying from the US directly into Spain on an American carrier (US, American, Delta) or on Iberia. I started doing caminos in 2000, so I have a few years of experience under my belt, though admittedly things changed a lot after 9/11. But you should make sure to get advice and comments from people flying from and to the countries you will be flying in and out of.

I would never check my backpack for the reasons stated so clearly by other posters -- the hassle of having the pack not arrive is so much greater than the hassle of carrying it with you. I know many people have logged many miles and have never had a problem, but I travel a fair amount and have delays in baggage about 1 in every 5 trips. A delay of a day or so on the Camino might be a trivial inconvenience, but it might also be a big pain in the ***. As many others have said over the years, if your pack is too big to carry on the plane, you might want to consider downsizing because storing it in the overhead bin is one thing, carrying it on your back for weeks is another.

Now the hiking poles, I haven´t given my opinion on this topic in at least two months, and my apologies to those who have heard this rant before. Somewhere around 2009-2011, my poles did not arrive in Madrid with me. I had checked them in a big cardboard tube. Luckily I had time to get to a sporting goods store before my train to Sevilla, but it added to the anxiety a bit. For those without good Spanish, it would have been very stressful. Even verifying that they have not arrived takes time and consultation with a number of different employees, and I was on a pretty short timeline. Since then I have carried my poles onboard with me and have never had a problem with security. I carry them in a duffel bag, with plastic tips on, collapsed, and I have gone through security in a number of US cities and in Madrid without incident. I have the duffel just in case I am unlucky, and then I can rush and check them quickly. Once at my Spanish destination, I send a box with duffel bag, airplane pillow, and maybe one or two other things to my Santiago hotel, where it sits till I arrive in Santiago. Then for my return, I´ve got the duffel. Postage usually runs around 8 or 9 €.

Because of the number of stories I´ve heard about hiking poles and the Santiago airport, I always check my poles in my duffel bag for the return trip, when I don´t really care so much whether my luggage arrives with me.

However you get your gear to Spain, I wish you all a buen camino and a hassle-free backpack and hiking pole experience! Laurie

 

[Brissy]

Well, you just mentioned two of the reasons why you won't be allowed to carry on your pack - it is over the weight limit or exceeds the maximum allowable dimensions. A full 58li pack will exceed the dimensional limits and possibly the weight limits for most major international airlines. It might fit into the locker, but you may not be allowed to get it onto the aircraft.

I have read the story linked in the OP, and would suggest that the individual might have been both better prepared and had some better responses to the circumstances he faced. For example, they appear not to have made some simple purchases on arrival that might have addressed their optical hygiene concerns. That would have been a pretty easy thing to do.

I travel pretty much prepared to walk - ie I wear one of my two sets of clothes, as well as my hiking boots and trekking socks, and have the light fleece I will be using in my cabin bag. I don't expect that I look the most dapper of passengers, but that never seems to bother the cabin crew or other passengers.

Finally, without trying to read too much into the story, it appears to be a good example of why travel insurance is so important. It's not just about replacing lost items. Most insurers run a help desk that might have been able to do much of the liaison with the airline that seems to have caused the complainant so much problem.

I think too, that the frames of some packs, particularly for tall men create a pack that is too long for the critical dimensions. It does not make sense to buy a smaller pack just to allow it to fit in the overhead locker if it then will be uncomfortable to wear on the trail. My husband's pack did not fit in the cabin, but mine did - because I am a shorty…..

 

[curtc757]

Update. Just got back from a two week Camino stage. Carried my pack but checked a duffel with walking poles and a one man tent. The duffel never made it to France and they are still bumbling around trying to find it now that I am home. My lightly packed Gregory 58l went with me on each plane and is safe and sound at home. You can decide your own conclusions from that. But lost bags are NOT rare. And getting them back is USUALLY easy - only if you plan to stay in one place for days waiting on them.

 

[curtc757]

Update 2: The bag was eventually found. I got it back one week to the day AFTER I returned from the Camino. It was being held at my airport of origin by an airline that I didn't travel on. Thankfully they called.

 

[Ullali]

At least you got it back Curt! But DANG what a horror story! I hope your trip was lovely in spite of that, somehow!? I can only imagine how much that 'incident' filled up your mind.

I remember how my, travel of a lifetime, (Inka trail trekking in Peru), seemed to go down the drain, when my carefully selected luggage didn't show up and I had to go shopping for new stuff (which wasn't half as easy or good as what I had preparred from home!). I was soooo happy when my own stuff turned up 24 hours later! Later on that trip MY luggage fell off the roof of the bus that was taking us to the trail and rolled down a mountain side!!! ARGH!!! My heart stopped for a bit there!!! We managed to get it up/back but MAN!!!....makes me think how attached we are to our 'things'.

I shall not depart from my backpack on this trip! Carry on luggage!

 

[dougfitz]

At least you got it back Curt! But DANG what a horror story!

I seem to have lost perspective here. Where is the horror story? Surely not that there was a misplaced bag - which is, after all, a normal risk for any air travel. Some of us accept that risk, and check our bags, others don't.

 

[Kitsambler]

Absolutely, the safest, surest course of action is to take everything into the cabin with you. Alas, many airlines are downsizing their carry-on allowance as to weight and size. Just in the past year, the allowances seem to have shrunken. The allowance varies with the airline, and occasionally with the aircraft. Enforcement varies with how full the aircraft is, and how early in the herd you are boarding. Still, about 1% of luggage goes missing, generally all to be found within 24 hours.

You can take strategic measures to improve the probability of a successful outcome. It's important to triage: absolutely keep with you the irreplaceable items. Wear your boots! Always keep medical supplies, including contact lenses, eyeglasses, and prescription for replacements, with you. Always keep cash/credit, travel documents including travel insurance, and electronics (with chargers) with you also. Arrange your itinerary so the delayed bag can find you: spend a night in a major city at a lodging with a known address and phone after your long-haul flight (you need a decent night's sleep anyhow). Clearly mark your pack, inside and out, with a sturdy tag, your contact info including a working cell phone and physical addresses in Europe. Package your pack, in a shrink-wrap or large sack, to minimize theft and accidental damage. Choose your contents (no sharps or large liquids) so you can get through security as a carry-on, and then gate-check it only if necessary.

 

[CaptBuddy]

Here is the short version of my 'horror' story from 2012.

I mailed 3 boxes of gear and gifts and stuff to my cousin in Santander, 10 days before our departure from the U.S.
We were going to visit Santander before heading to Sarria, and return there after Santiago. No brainer, right.

Except, some fool in Customs at the Madrid airport decided that we were trying to circumvent the import laws, and sent a letter to my cousin demanding a detailed list of the shipment contents, a 27% duty assessment, and a 12% administration fee. Needless to say we judged that to be out-of-the-question. Fortunately, we had checked a duffle with our backpacks and a few essentials, but the bulk of our well planned, tried-and-true hiking gear was "stuck in customs", as they say.
Hooray for Decathalon, and the Columbia knock-offs they stock. We shrugged off our first Camino challenge, and went on to our great adventure.

The boxes were finally returned a full six weeks after our return home. Because the U.S. Customs can be just as mussed up as their Euro-brethren, one of the boxes made 2 round trips before I was able to convince someone in Miami to manually handle it.
Lesson learned; carry essentials, always.

 

[MichaelSG]

Wow, I was really confused reading all the replies. Then I looked at the original post and realized that I just misunderstood the thread topic "Fly with equipment as a carry on". I was trying to picture just how small the gear must have been for the fly and why would you take him along as carry on anyway. Make him pay its own fare if he really needs to go to Spain but, in case you didn't know, Spain has enough flies already.

 

[petitewalker]

Always, carry your backkpack on the plane. If it won't fit, get a smaller one!!!!!!

Here is the short version of my 'horror' story from 2012.

I mailed 3 boxes of gear and gifts and stuff to my cousin in Santander, 10 days before our departure from the U.S.
We were going to visit Santander before heading to Sarria, and return there after Santiago. No brainer, right.

Except, some fool in Customs at the Madrid airport decided that we were trying to circumvent the import laws, and sent a letter to my cousin demanding a detailed list of the shipment contents, a 27% duty assessment, and a 12% administration fee. Needless to say we judged that to be out-of-the-question. Fortunately, we had checked a duffle with our backpacks and a few essentials, but the bulk of our well planned, tried-and-true hiking gear was "stuck in customs", as they say.
Hooray for Decathalon, and the Columbia knock-offs they stock. We shrugged off our first Camino challenge, and went on to our great adventure.

The boxes were finally returned a full six weeks after our return home. Because the U.S. Customs can be just as mussed up as their Euro-brethren, one of the boxes made 2 round trips before I was able to convince someone in Miami to manually handle it.
Lesson learned; carry essentials, always.

Always carry your backpack on the plane. If it won't fit, get a smaller one!

 

[dougfitz]

I mailed 3 boxes of gear and gifts and stuff to my cousin in Santander, 10 days before our departure from the U.S.
We were going to visit Santander before heading to Sarria, and return there after Santiago. No brainer, right.

Except, some fool in Customs at the Madrid airport decided that we were trying to circumvent the import laws, and sent a letter to my cousin demanding a detailed list of the shipment contents, a 27% duty assessment, and a 12% administration fee. Needless to say we judged that to be out-of-the-question. Fortunately, we had checked a duffle with our backpacks and a few essentials, but the bulk of our well planned, tried-and-true hiking gear was "stuck in customs", as they say.

It seems to me that it is a 'no brainer' that if you send items to another country then you will be subject to the import regulations of that country, including any customs duties. Calling a diligent official names does little to cover the naivety of thinking otherwise.

In the past, I have used unaccompanied baggage to overcome some of these import issues, but it does not entirely remove the liability for customs duties, it just allows one to be present to declare the items are your personal possessions, not commercial imports. Given the context of this discussion, it appears unlikely to be useful for those travelling to their Camino start point, and of relatively limited value on departure.

 

[CaptBuddy]

It seems to me that it is a 'no brainer' that if you send items to another country then you will be subject to the import regulations of that country, including any customs duties. Calling a diligent official names does little to cover the naivety of thinking otherwise.

In the past, I have used unaccompanied baggage to overcome some of these import issues, but it does not entirely remove the liability for customs duties, it just allows one to be present to declare the items are your personal possessions, not commercial imports. Given the context of this discussion, it appears unlikely to be useful for those travelling to their Camino start point, and of relatively limited value on departure.

Doug, since I was shipping exactly what I would have carried into Spain in excess baggage, it is difficult to see how I was violating import regulation. Nothing I was taking was for resale, so my conscience is clear.
I would think that a diligent official would have reviewed the documentation that was provided with the packages, and tried to work with me to find a fair resolution.
Travelers do this all the time, around the world. Especially sports or photography travelers. There is nothing underhanded about it.
As for the fit of the post, I think it is good to learn from other peoples' mis-adventures and adventures.
But if you like, I will delete the post. Not a problem.

 

[Ullali]

I seem to have lost perspective here. Where is the horror story? Surely not that there was a misplaced bag - which is, after all, a normal risk for any air travel. Some of us accept that risk, and check our bags, others don't.

OK OK Doug! I get your point! Just my way of speaking I suppose (I'm Danish, is my excuse!), and you're right it's not exactly a HORROR story, (as in 'Return of The Vampires' or such! )

Nevertheless it IS a pretty dumb and dissapointing way to start your dream-vacation-walk, without your carefully selected luggage! Yep you're right, some take the risc and others take the precautions. So be it!

Always, carry your backkpack on the plane. If it won't fit, get a smaller one!!!!!!

Always carry your backpack on the plane. If it won't fit, get a smaller one!

Good saying there! I agree!

 

[dougfitz]

Doug, since I was shipping exactly what I would have carried into Spain in excess baggage, it is difficult to see how I was violating import regulation. Nothing I was taking was for resale, so my conscience is clear.
I would think that a diligent official would have reviewed the documentation that was provided with the packages, and tried to work with me to find a fair resolution.
Travelers do this all the time, around the world. Especially sports or photography travelers. There is nothing underhanded about it.
As for the fit of the post, I think it is good to learn from other peoples' mis-adventures and adventures.
But if you like, I will delete the post. Not a problem.

Going to the last thing first, I am completely neutral on whether your post should be deleted. It could make sure others understand how postal imports might be treated.

I'm not sure that I suggested you were violating any import regulation, or being underhanded in any way. I do think it might have been reasonable to expect to pay customs fees, import duties, VAT and excise where that applied. Here is a link. So far as I can tell, you would only be exempt for items in your personal baggage, but there are some rules to that too, explained here. While what you posted might have been that same as you might have brought in Spain as baggage, the fact is that you didn't do that, which means you would not be able to claim those exemptions.

Unfortunately, as in most countries, there is no general exemption from import duties on the basis that the items are intended for personal use, and not for resale. Once the value is assessed as exceeding the minimum threshold, the duties will be applied.

I hope that in sharing your experience, you have allowed others who might have been tempted to follow a similar path to better understand what they could face.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

Very similar situation this spring with United Airlines through Newark to Paris. It isn't acceptable nor should one accept that there is a risk of your bags not being when your plane lands. Three days at the airport in Paris waiting for bags becomes very expensive. In our case train tickets and hotel reservations lost. We had essentials on small carry ons but hardly any consultation. I don't believe anyone who has been traveling for 35 years has not had issues.

 

[SkuDah]

I agree with you Doug. If we worried about all of the possible problems we would never leave the safety of our front door. Good luck to all for safe and problem free travels.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

I hope people don't leave for any destination worrying about problems that might occur but they(the problems) should not be expected or just accepted. I think there are fewer people who have the ability to just hop on a plane, travel 4000 miles plus and have no worries to think about for 31 days than there are those who pretend to be free spirits.

 

[dougfitz]

@Scott Sweeney, what an interesting post!

Very similar situation up n this spring with United Airlines through Newark to Paris. Sorry Doug it isn't acceptable nor should one accept that there is a risk of your bags not being when your plane lands.

So we both accept it happens, and it is unfortunate that it happened to you. And it might not be 'acceptable' inasmuch as you want your luggage to arrive with you every time you fly. But to suggest that one should not accept that there is a risk is just fanciful. Clearly is happens, and it is advisable to take some practical precautions against baggage being delayed.

Three days at the airport in Paris waiting for bags becomes very expensive. In our case train tickets and hotel reservations lost.

I normally arrange to have travel insurance that covers the costs of such things. You generally need to have the wherewithal to pay up front for things, but I that aside, I don't think its worth not making some insurance arrangement.

 

[Jo Ann Rademacher]

The only time I have had problems with checked bags is on trips with airline changes or connection changes. Especially if the connection is a short one. I have never had a problem with baggage on a nonstop flight. If you check your bag please check the tag when they tag it to your destination to make sure it is going to the right (your arrival) airport.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

Flying from Perth to Madrid via Dubai this year, I put my new Aarn backpack plus walking poles inside an ancient suitcase, so as to disguise it from would-be baggage thieves. This also protected the lightweight pack from damage. On arrival, I simply ditched the suitcase. I believe that fewer checked in bags are lost these days because of the electronic tagging system (though North American travellers seem to be still having problems for some reason).

 

[annakappa]

I prefer to take my pack with me on the plane, at least when going to Spain. Recently our poles were accepted ( after having been dismantled and fitted in the pack), so we had them plastic wrapped at the airport and sent as registered baggage. Sometimes on our return journey, we register the packs ( always having the plastic wrapped at the airport). It's not that important if your bags don't arrive with you on your return journey back home. Anne

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

What exactly is registered baggage, and how does it differ from checked in baggage?