Security at Santiago airport

[Travellingman]

Well, don't even think about trying to sneak walking poles through as carry on baggage.
My rucsac was pulled after going through the scanner, and I had to unpack it all. Reason: would you believe, my 18cm long pieces of wood making up the frame for the cross stitch embroidery I do in the evenings after walking (Yep, sad, isn't it?) Much to the amusement of both fellow travellers and security staff)
But, good to see, at least they are taking security seriously.

 

[Tincatinker]

Travellingman, thank you from the bottom of my heart for this. As I sit now in these autumnal evenings with my cross-stitch I can comfort myself that I am still as much of a threat to an ordered society as I ever was in my youth.

 

[Travellingman]

Mock, you may.
But my embroidery fame has spread far and wide, or at least as far as my back door.
However, Stansted failed to spot this budding talent, and threat to fellow air travellers.

 

[Tincatinker]

I mock not. I embroidered the scallop shell motive that elevates my rucksack to mochilla de Peregrino. The padded seat on which I sit to type this is cross-stitched in a Spanish theme reminiscent (blush) of a Miro tapestry seen in Barcelona. The "Welsh" cushion incorporates wool plucked from a barbed-wire fence in the Black Hills of Powys.

Respect amigo, I offer nothing but respect. To carry frame, screen and wools - go man, go.

 

[fraluchi]

Well, don't even think about trying to sneak walking poles through as carry on baggage.[...]
But, good to see, at least they are taking security seriously.

Walking poles are not allowed with carry-on luggage. But umbrellas are, and so are walking aids for elderly people. Yet a courtesy exception sometimes may depend upon the security supervisor and the destination of the flight.

 

[Mike Savage]

I had to walk with a cane for a few years and never had a problem getting them on a flight. I wouldn't even try to get my walking poles on a flight now. They will just have to go on as checked luggage for me.

 

[peregrina2000]

I had to walk with a cane for a few years and never had a problem getting them on a flight. I wouldn't even try to get my walking poles on a flight now. They will just have to go on as checked luggage for me.

I have seen security at Santiago in action enough to know that I have to check my poles for my return trip. But I continue to carry them on through security in the US over and over (Las Vegas being one of those airports, Mike) with no problems, and in many cities.

Though I have less experience in Spain, I have arrived in Madrid on at least five or six occasions (most recently June 2014) with my hiking sticks as carry-on and have gone through security to make a transfer to my domestic Spanish flight. Again, no problem. I always have a light fabric duffel bag in case I meet a security official with a different idea and I needed to check them, but so far so good.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Mike Savage]

I have seen security at Santiago in action enough to know that I have to check my poles for my return trip. But I continue to carry them on through security in the US over and over (Las Vegas being one of those airports, Mike) with no problems, and in many cities.

Though I have less experience in Spain, I have arrived in Madrid on at least five or six occasions (most recently June 2014) with my hiking sticks as carry-on and have gone through security to make a transfer to my domestic Spanish flight. Again, no problem. I always have a light fabric duffel bag in case I meet a security official with a different idea and I needed to check them, but so far so good.

Buen camino, Laurie

Very helpful. Thank you.

 

[peregrina2000]

Very helpful. Thank you.

You know, I know it may be just that I'm lucky, as that harmless looking grandma type, so if people have had a different experience, it would help if we heard from them too.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

it's those harmless grandma types you really gotta watch out for!

 

[alexwalker]

I got trapped by a Grandma! She is still coming to my house each weekend!!

 

[Silvester]

I flew with my (nonmetal) pacer poles dismantled in a lightweight sac inside my backpack which I carried on as cabin baggage. NZ domestic flights were fine, Singapore. Vallododilid and Barcelona were fine. While I was on camino I also bought a small swiss army knife which I suspected I would need to jettison at the amnesty bins. I approached SdeC airport with trepidation - and running a little later than planned. So, the very helpful security gate lady asked me if I had any poles in my mochila and told me that I could have them checked in free of charge. I asked the lady at the check in counter why SdeC doesn't permit poles in the cabin (even folded up inside the backpack). She reckoned that the sheer volume of numbers of pilgrims made for very cluttered plane cabin lockers and so we checked the poles through free (and tucked the pocket knife in with the poles) and then raced back to queue through security again. This time the xray machine found a set of sword cake stencils which looked like they were plastic - but were actually metal. Given the prospect of racing back to check in, and paying this time, I let them destroy the little swords.
So, another time I'd pack the poles and pocketknife beforehand and check them in from the start at SdeC.

 

[angulero]

I flew with my (nonmetal) pacer poles dismantled in a lightweight sac inside my backpack which I carried on as cabin baggage. NZ domestic flights were fine, Singapore. Vallododilid and Barcelona were fine. While I was on camino I also bought a small swiss army knife which I suspected I would need to jettison at the amnesty bins. I approached SdeC airport with trepidation - and running a little later than planned. So, the very helpful security gate lady asked me if I had any poles in my mochila and told me that I could have them checked in free of charge. I asked the lady at the check in counter why SdeC doesn't permit poles in the cabin (even folded up inside the backpack). She reckoned that the sheer volume of numbers of pilgrims made for very cluttered plane cabin lockers and so we checked the poles through free (and tucked the pocket knife in with the poles) and then raced back to queue through security again. This time the xray machine found a set of sword cake stencils which looked like they were plastic - but were actually metal. Given the prospect of racing back to check in, and paying this time, I let them destroy the little swords.
So, another time I'd pack the poles and pocketknife beforehand and check them in from the start at SdeC.

Valladolid....