Halfway round the world and taken at Santiago

[Trude]

I left Australia before Christmas with my backpack and poles neatly folded in the side pocket. I travelled to Los Angeles, only hand luggage. stayed a month, then flew to Fort Lauderdale, only hand luggage. Then flew to Barcelona via Sweden, only hand luggage. Travelled for a while and then walked the VDLP and on to Finnesterre. Went to Santiago Airport to fly back to Barcelona only to be met by a very aggressive security person who yelled at me to remove my walking poles (in Spanish of course). You would think by his reaction I had an AK47 in my bag. After my initial Suprise (it took a while for me to figure out what he was talking about). I explained to someone who spoke English they had no spikes and had come all the way from Australia with them, in my hand luggage. However you know the type, I knew I was never going to win this one so I handed them over. You would think In Santiago more than anywhere a 63 yr old woman with walking gear and poles had obviously walked the Camino and was no risk.
I have walked 6 Caminos each time back and forth with just hand luggage and poles. First time ever It has been an issue. Do they take walking sticks from people with disabilities?
I don't think so. Just thought I would let you know.

 

[whariwharangi]

Aena manages Spain's airports. Aena has a list of prohibited items on their website. It includes blunt objects and tools that can cause serious injury; descriptions that apply to walking poles. The fact of the rules not being applied equally at all airports is not a guarantee that you will be allowed to bring prohibited items at any given airport. Santiago is strict on walking poles. You are not the first to complain of it.
http://www.aena.es/en/passengers/hand-luggage.html

 

[Anemone del Camino]

It is a well known fact on this Forum that poles cannot be taken aboard when flying out of Santiago. It has been this way for years and years. This is why people pay to ship poles home by mail, or to check bags with poles on flights, or make it back to Madrid or other airport by bus or train.

 

[Trude]

It is a well known fact on this Forum that poles cannot be taken aboard when flying out of Santiago. It has been this way for years and years. This is why people pay to ship poles home by mail, or to check bags with poles on flights, or make it back to Madrid or other airport by bus or train.

I know that now but have left Santiago at least 4 times before with my poles. It just does not make sense. There needs to be consistency with air travel. The USA makes you take your shoes off but allows walking poles.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

It may have just been a, "knuckle down," kind of day when you flew out of SDC. Myself, I flew out Sep 1/16 with my poles in my hands and my pack on my back onto the plane, from Canada to Dublin, then to London, then to France then out of Santiago airport to Dublin and then back to Canada. I still have the same poles, which have a rubber treaded tip to each with no point if I take them off.

For me, the key point I found with keeping my poles when asked by Security about them was, "I need these poles to walk." Yes when they had to go through Xray, I asked for someone to help me through the scanner or provide a cane, "play the part," until it was over. Actually, I was only asked if I needed them to walk only once. Because I used them to walk through the airport, even if they searched video, they would always find me using them with every step. They were always stowed with my pack, on the plane but never needed as the seats were as good as railings.

I am your age, Trude and I have found that life, even now, can be great. Respect those who have a job to do, help them to do that job and be prepared.

 

[trecile]

There needs to be consistency with air travel. The USA makes you take your shoes off but allows walking poles.

Technically, hiking poles are not allowed as cabin baggage by TSA in the US. But many people do seem to get away with it. Personally, I check what is allowed and pack accordingly. I don't assume that I'll be able to carry on something which is prohibited, regardless of whether I or anyone else has done it in the past.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/hiking-poles

 

[NoQ]

It's silly. You can buy things that would be more successful as a weapon in most duty free zones. They ought to do the sensible thing and risk profile passengers better. After all, I can't think of too many 63 year old pilgrim ladies from Middle Australia who have hijacked / bombed a plane in the past, well, 100 years.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

A small woman in her sixties may not be much of a threat with her trekking poles but her large, young, strong and trained male co-conspirator using those poles would be. And that's why the poles weren't let into the cabin.

 

[Kathar1na]

Just a reminder that there is a special arrangement with all airlines departing from Santiago airport: you can check in your poles free of charges, even if you have a low-cost ticket that does not allow free checking of luggage.

 

[simeon]

yes, this was the case with me departing sdc to Dublin they then lost them! I would always attempt to carry them on whilst being prepared to loose them. Depends on the price you paid for them, your ability to do without them, the price of a checked bag..

you can reduce the risk of confiscation in carry on luggage by dismantling them and placing them vertically down the back of the rucksack

looks like an internal frame.....

does carbon fibre show up.in xray scanners??? Never could afford carbon fibre and probably too expensive to take a risk...

all of the above only if you are prepared to loose them...

 

[Patch]

Join the club to date I have had the following seized despite carrying them for multiple flight. A set of darts (used in a game here in England) because they had sharp points at Nuremburg airport. Luton London: a knife from my KFS set, you would have had a problem cutting butter with it believe me. Hobart Australia - a washed and cleaned fuel bottle from my hold luggage. Dubai - a small pen knife. Unfortunately you just have to smile as no amount of discussion will make them relent. Its all part of the joys of air travel

 

[gittiharre]

I left Australia before Christmas with my backpack and poles neatly folded in the side pocket. I travelled to Los Angeles, only hand luggage. stayed a month, then flew to Fort Lauderdale, only hand luggage. Then flew to Barcelona via Sweden, only hand luggage. Travelled for a while and then walked the VDLP and on to Finnesterre. Went to Santiago Airport to fly back to Barcelona only to be met by a very aggressive security person who yelled at me to remove my walking poles (in Spanish of course). You would think by his reaction I had an AK47 in my bag. After my initial Suprise (it took a while for me to figure out what he was talking about). I explained to someone who spoke English they had no spikes and had come all the way from Australia with them, in my hand luggage. However you know the type, I knew I was never going to win this one so I handed them over. You would think In Santiago more than anywhere a 63 yr old woman with walking gear and poles had obviously walked the Camino and was no risk.
I have walked 6 Caminos each time back and forth with just hand luggage and poles. First time ever It has been an issue. Do they take walking sticks from people with disabilities?
I don't think so. Just thought I would let you know.

That sucks!

 

[Kiwi-family]

Just a reminder that there is a special arrangement with all airlines departing from Santiago airport: you can check in your poles free of charges, even if you have a low-cost ticket that does not allow free checking of luggage.

Is this unwriting somewhere "official" that we could access as proof if need be?

 

[whariwharangi]

I know that now but have left Santiago at least 4 times before with my poles. It just does not make sense. There needs to be consistency with air travel. The USA makes you take your shoes off but allows walking poles.

You have to remember the security personnel at airports are low-wage security guards with a bit of additional training applicable to airports. I wouldn't expect sense and consistency from them on their best day. To be fair ... I can't imagine a less interesting employment than to root through other people's belongings knowing that there is a very low probability of finding anything of interest and even less of finding something belonging to someone of malicious intent.

 

[Kathar1na]

Is this unwriting somewhere "official" that we could access as proof if need be?

It's mentioned in an article on a website sponsored by Aena who manages all airports in Spain. I also wrote to the Spanish customer service of one of the airlines (AerLingus) recently who confirmed that they had this arrangement for flights from Santiago airport. I think there was a press release once but I cannot find it. Many people will travel on tickets that allow checking poles without additional costs anyway.

I wonder why this is option is not better known but suppose that peregrinos are a minority segment for this airport. They counted over 2 million passengers in 2016.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Fabulous thanks @Kathar1na
I'm one of those who travels on budget airlines and have always checked my poles all specially wrapped in cardboard scavenged from Santiago - but I have always paid for "one bag" as I dearly did not want to lose my Pacerpoles or Opinel knife. Good to know I can just check that wee package gratis!

 

[alaskadiver]

I know that now but have left Santiago at least 4 times before with my poles. It just does not make sense. There needs to be consistency with air travel. The USA makes you take your shoes off but allows walking poles.

They do not allow hiking poles. You may have gotten lucky but they are on the list of prohibited items.

 

[domigee]

It's silly. You can buy things that would be more successful as a weapon in most duty free zones. They ought to do the sensible thing and risk profile passengers better. After all, I can't think of too many 63 year old pilgrim ladies from Middle Australia who have hijacked / bombed a plane in the past, well, 100 years.

My friend flew for a last round trip from England to Germany in a wheelchair, obviously very unwell. They confiscated her knitting needles

 

[Patch]

Despite having lost some of my stuff at security I am still very grateful for all those girls and guys who do this very boring and thankless task, keeping us all safe on our travels I guess their will always be some tales of woe in the 8 million people who fly every day.

 

[Deleted member 29041]

It's mentioned in an article on a website sponsored by Aena

(google translate)
As for Santiago, include some services targeted exclusively to pilgrims on the Camino, as a specific area with tools for assembling and dismantling bikes and all companies allow trekking canes bill without additional cost to the passenger.

In addition, there will soon be a cultural hall with space for exhibitions, concerts and conferences, which currently houses two models of large format, one of the city of Santiago in the thirteenth century and another of the Cathedral.
()
Nice to know. Thanks

 

[newfydog]

We bought some poles in Cyprus last week and decided to pay for a checked bag to France so we could keep them. The good news--- despite our tcket stating otherwise, the bag went free.

 

[camino-david]

I suggest that if people feel so strongly about this subject then do something about it by checking the regulations or by taking up the matter with the relevant authorities. There is nothing that can be achieved by complaining about it on this forum. All foreigners in Spain, and indeed any other country, should abide by the law in the country they are visiting.

 

[grayland]

Since the last few posts were deleted by the posters themselves due to ruffled feathers and a bit of extra strong opinions.....the thread will close for a bit of cooling off.
Thanks for understanding.