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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.
There needs to be consistency with air travel. The USA makes you take your shoes off but allows walking poles.
That sucks!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.
Is this unwriting somewhere "official" that we could access as proof if need be?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.
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.
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.Is this unwriting somewhere "official" that we could access as proof if need be?
They do not allow hiking poles. You may have gotten lucky but they are on the list of prohibited items.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.
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.
It's mentioned in an article on a website sponsored by Aena
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