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When flying the low cost airlines it is cheaper to book hold luggage when you initially buy the ticket. I agree that airlines are really piling on the fees and have been now for several years. We always just ship our poles as luggage now because we like the ones we have and have used them for many years now. We also ship our pocket knife in the same bag along with any clothes we don't want to carry that will fit in the bag. It is one of these and it has worked now for several years without much wear. Also folds up super small and light and we sometimes use it as a laundry or grocery bag on the Camino. Says it is 8 ounces, but that is for two of them. We just have one.When I flew back today from Santiago to London, as I had done many times before, I went to check in my walking poles (which historically had been free of charge) only to discover there is now a charge of €40. In the past, it was complimentary, and even though I can disassemble them and fit them into my backpack, which I take us to carry on, that is not permitted.
I then decided I would have to leave my polls behind simply, and when I went to put them in a recycling bin, I saw another excellent quality set of telescopic walking poles had also been left there. In the meantime, I saw other pilgrims going off to pay the €40.
Before leaving them behind, I went online to see how much it would cost me to buy a new pair of the same brand, which was €29. I appreciate that airlines are commercial endeavours and look at ways to maximise their charges and profitability, but €40 is more than the cost of a large suitcase booked in advance. It does seem a bit harsh.
Plus having to buy more poles is somewhat wasteful too.
I could not agree more!Plus having to buy more poles is somewhat wasteful too.
The special agreement between airlines to check walking poles for free is specific to Santiago airport. Not at any other airport, be it in Spain or elsewhere in Europe.similar experience with Ryanair
I got a reply from the Oficina de Informacíon at the Aeropuerto de Santiago de Compostela. The content did not surprise me: they told me to contact Ryanair. I will of course not do such a silly and futile thingI sent an email to Santiago airport to enquire whether this was a mistake by Ryanair ground staff or whether they no longer adhere to the agreement of checking walking poles for free at Santiago airport. If I get a meaningful and useful reply I'll share it.
I am still committed to this. In the meantime, is there anyone else who has had the same recent experience at Santiago airport as @BiggBlue?If I get a meaningful and useful reply I'll share it.
With Ryanair I"ve found the cheapest way is to book your large rucksack with poles inside at the end of the booking process. I forgot to do this once but there was no charge then for poles at SdC. That's obviously changed.When flying the low cost airlines it is cheaper to book hold luggage when you initially buy the ticket. I agree that airlines are really piling on the fees and have been now for several years. We always just ship our poles as luggage now because we like the ones we have and have used them for many years now. We also ship our pocket knife in the same bag along with any clothes we don't want to carry that will fit in the bag. It is one of these and it has worked now for several years without much wear. Also folds up super small and light and we sometimes use it as a laundry or grocery bag on the Camino. Says it is 8 ounces, but that is for two of them. We just have one.
This does not work in Santiago. Believe me, I've tried this on several occasions. Each time I was sent back to the check-in desk to check them through (last year with Vueling for free).If they are telescopic, just take them through security and then put them in your carry-on luggage. Throwing them away is too sad.
I too had to dispose of my telescopic poles at Santiago. Apparently it’s the airport’s policy and I presume nothing to do with Ryanair! I tried to explain that I had successfully flown in with them in my rucksack on Ryanair ( albeit to Zaragoza!) but the official also lied about my husband ditching his! I asked the official how was it my husband got through with his wooden poles( dismantled) - he told me he had also ditched them. It turned out that he managed to get his wooden poles home, so what this official was on about, I do not know! Anyway, I am now pole-less! €40 sounds a lot to pay to put them in the hold! Very disappointed!When I flew back today from Santiago to London, as I had done many times before, I went to check in my walking poles (which historically had been free of charge) only to discover there is now a charge of €40. In the past, it was complimentary, and even though I can disassemble them and fit them into my backpack, which I take us to carry on, that is not permitted.
I then decided I would have to leave my polls behind simply, and when I went to put them in a recycling bin, I saw another excellent quality set of telescopic walking poles had also been left there. In the meantime, I saw other pilgrims going off to pay the €40.
Before leaving them behind, I went online to see how much it would cost me to buy a new pair of the same brand, which was €29. I appreciate that airlines are commercial endeavours and look at ways to maximise their charges and profitability, but €40 is more than the cost of a large suitcase booked in advance. It does seem a bit harsh.
Plus having to buy more poles is somewhat wasteful too.
Hi @Suesim, this thread is not about the method of transport of walking poles on airplanes. It is about payment for the transport of walking poles on airplanes.I too had to dispose of my telescopic poles at Santiago. Apparently it’s the airport’s policy and I presume nothing to do with Ryanair! I tried to explain that I had successfully flown in with them in my rucksack on Ryanair
Thank you for posting this info. There’s been a lot of questions in this forum regarding poles. When I walked in March I had carry on only and decided to buy a set of walking poles in Leon. I had no idea how expensive good quality, foldable poles would be : unfortunately only folding poles I could find were more than 100 euro. I should have just bought a cheap non folding pair but didn’t. When I got back to USA (packed new poles in my luggage) I sold them to a fellow pilgrim for 75$ USWhen I flew back today from Santiago to London, as I had done many times before, I went to check in my walking poles (which historically had been free of charge) only to discover there is now a charge of €40. In the past, it was complimentary, and even though I can disassemble them and fit them into my backpack, which I take us to carry on, that is not permitted.
I then decided I would have to leave my polls behind simply, and when I went to put them in a recycling bin, I saw another excellent quality set of telescopic walking poles had also been left there. In the meantime, I saw other pilgrims going off to pay the €40.
Before leaving them behind, I went online to see how much it would cost me to buy a new pair of the same brand, which was €29. I appreciate that airlines are commercial endeavours and look at ways to maximise their charges and profitability, but €40 is more than the cost of a large suitcase booked in advance. It does seem a bit harsh.
Plus having to buy more poles is somewhat wasteful too.
Thank you for sharing the details of your personal research efforts.I researched this in detail several years ago
You can purchase a box like this at the Post Office near the cathedral. I have done this twice so far. You can easily fit 2-3 pairs of collapsing poles and your jackknife etc. just need a little bit of tape and a pen. Iberia did “misplace” my box for several days last time, though. On my last flight out with Iberia in 2021 they were forcing all baggage including backpacks intended as carryon to be checked, free of charge, so I didn’t pay anything.I imagine that there is more than one pilgrim on any given Ryan Air flight from Santiago. Maybe a number of the pilgrims could batch their poles, ship them as a single piece of luggage and split the cost. Maybe, if enough people ask. one of the shops in the terminal will start to carry/sell a cardboard box with tape, marking pen, etc. that would hold a number of sets of hiking poles for pilgrims.
I had a similar experience with Ryanair as well. With the Spanish equivalent of Ryanair I had a very different one.
I flew to Barcelona with KLM, taking my backpack as cabin luggage. I must mention that KLM has (had?) larger size requirements for cabin luggage.
In Barcelona I changed flights, flying to San Sebastian with Vueling, knowing that my backpack did 't quite match their size requirements.
On a previous occasion with Ryanair I had to pay extra. But not with Vueling. The lady at the counter looked at my backpack and said it was too large to take as cabin luggage. I looked somewhat helpless and said that I couldn't possibly make it to Santiago carrying a smaller one. She gave me a lovely smile and said she couldn't make a peregrino pay an extra fee when I still had to walk that far.
I mailed my poles back to myself at the Santiago post office. Eliminated all need to worry about them. They have special boxes for collapsible poles. Took over a month to get them tho.
Good idea!I mailed my poles back to myself at the Santiago post office. Eliminated all need to worry about them. They have special boxes for collapsible poles. Took over a month to get them tho.
Cost? Thanks!I mailed my poles back to myself at the Santiago post office. Eliminated all need to worry about them. They have special boxes for collapsible poles. Took over a month to get them tho.
No surprise. RyanAir is very creative.When I flew back today from Santiago to London, as I had done many times before, I went to check in my walking poles (which historically had been free of charge) only to discover there is now a charge of €40. In the past, it was complimentary, and even though I can disassemble them and fit them into my backpack, which I take us to carry on, that is not permitted.
I then decided I would have to leave my polls behind simply, and when I went to put them in a recycling bin, I saw another excellent quality set of telescopic walking poles had also been left there. In the meantime, I saw other pilgrims going off to pay the €40.
Before leaving them behind, I went online to see how much it would cost me to buy a new pair of the same brand, which was €29. I appreciate that airlines are commercial endeavours and look at ways to maximise their charges and profitability, but €40 is more than the cost of a large suitcase booked in advance. It does seem a bit harsh.
Plus having to buy more poles is somewhat wasteful too.
Thank you for this detailed and precise feedback!In February I could send my poles for free flying Ryanair from Santiago airport. I tried to do the same this week, April 27. At the Ryanair-desk I was told that from April 1. this was no longer possible for free. I could send them for a fee of 40€.
May 3 2023 American Airlines allowed me to check my collapsible poles in my backpack as a carry one. I went through 1 domestic TSA screening And 1 international TSA screening. I hear than it can depend on the individual person who is doing the screening though. I did have a narrow box folded up and some tape just in case I had to check as luggageWhen I flew back today from Santiago to London, as I had done many times before, I went to check in my walking poles (which historically had been free of charge) only to discover there is now a charge of €40. In the past, it was complimentary, and even though I can disassemble them and fit them into my backpack, which I take us to carry on, that is not permitted.
I then decided I would have to leave my polls behind simply, and when I went to put them in a recycling bin, I saw another excellent quality set of telescopic walking poles had also been left there. In the meantime, I saw other pilgrims going off to pay the €40.
Before leaving them behind, I went online to see how much it would cost me to buy a new pair of the same brand, which was €29. I appreciate that airlines are commercial endeavours and look at ways to maximise their charges and profitability, but €40 is more than the cost of a large suitcase booked in advance. It does seem a bit harsh.
Plus having to buy more poles is somewhat wasteful too.
But just so that I understand correctly: This observation is not about a flight from Santiago airport because American Airlines do not fly from Santiago and even when you have a connecting flight with a partner airline of AA that flies from Santiago via Madrid to the United States, you have to go through security again at Madrid Barajas airport that is set up specifically for all passengers on direct flights from Madrid to the USA, correct? And TSA does not provide staff for the security lines at Santiago airport, it is local Spanish security staff, correct?May 3 2023 American Airlines allowed me to check my collapsible poles in my backpack as a carry one. I went through 1 domestic TSA screening And 1 international TSA screening.
This thread is only about the airport in Santiago which will not allow poles as carry-on, but has had a policy/agreement with the airlines to check poles in for free.May 3 2023 American Airlines allowed me to check my collapsible poles in my backpack as a carry one. I went through 1 domestic TSA screening And 1 international TSA screening. I hear than it can depend on the individual person who is doing the screening though. I did have a narrow box folded up and some tape just in case I had to check as luggage
Just my experience. Janet
You mentioned TSA - was this your flight FROM America then? Or do you mean that this was your experience when went through airport security (not TSA) at Santiago when flying home?May 3 2023 American Airlines allowed me to check my collapsible poles in my backpack as a carry one. I went through 1 domestic TSA screening And 1 international TSA screening. I hear than it can depend on the individual person who is doing the screening though. I did have a narrow box folded up and some tape just in case I had to check as luggage
Just my experience. Janet
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