Walking poles

[EmwoodAus]

Hi everyone!

I'm after some advice, im heading to SJPP tomorrow yay! I've been in Italy for the last month and a friend lent me her walking poles which I have had with me, however a last minute panic I realised my pack was too big and I had too much stuff so I have down sized and am sending a lot of things home with my mum. Though now my poles don't fit in my pack.

I am wondering whether walking poles are allowed as carry on I'm flying British airways and Qantus (I've searched their policy and can't find anything specific) and if not are walking poles a must?

Thanks so much in advance

Emily

 

[Tincatinker]

The decision rests with airport security, not the airline. Get to the gate-line early and be prepared to check or dump your poles.

 

[t2andreo]

Do not plan on your poles being accepted.

TIP, if you loosen and remove the hiking pole sections from each other, they are usually shorter overall by about 2.5 inches or about 6-7 cm. Rubber band them together and they might fit in your pack.

If they do not fit, ask the carrier to check them. They will have a suitable container. Some carriers will not consider this as a checked bag, and not charge you as for a full suitcase.

I hope this helps.

 

[EmwoodAus]

Do not plan on your poles being accepted.

TIP, if you loosen and remove the hiking pole sections from each other, they are usually shorter overall by about 2.5 inches or about 6-7 cm. Rubber band them together and they might fit in your pack.

If they do not fit, ask the carrier to check them. They will have a suitable container. Some carrier will not consider this as a checked bag, and not charge you as for a full suitcase.

I hope this helps.

Thank you so much that is really helpful!

 

[CdnDreamer]

Walking poles are not a "must", but they are really handy going down hills and walking on rough terrain. I wouldn't walk without them, but if you can't get them to SJPdP, you can buy walking poles there and in many stores across Spain.

 

[simeon]

My poles we're conficated departing from Madrid last week. I had managed to get them through 7 times before that at various airports. 7 * €30 = €180 savings on bag fees compared to a cost of about 30-40 for the poles. Don't attempt it in sdc as they will be conficated. Some airlines will put them in the hold for free. Each time I had dismantled them and put them in my bag.

 

[C clearly]

This may be a fine point, but the poles are not actually confiscated, if they are denied. You are told they cannot go through security and have the choice of going back and checking them in with your airline (as @simeon points out) or abandoning them. If you have time, you can do that. However then you will be subject to whatever fees your airline charges for a piece of checked luggage and you'll have to go through the security again at the back of the line. Also, you need to have a suitable container/ bag to put them in.

 

[JulieandPeter]

On the way home from Santiago, I kept my poles attached to the outside of my pack and then put my pack cover over both the pack straps and the poles and checked it. FYI I bought the poles at a bargain store in Spain for 12 Euros. I hardly ever use them, but when I do need them (mostly for steep, rocky downhill paths), I am very grateful I have them. Hope that helps. Buen Camino!

 

[David Tallan]

I had them refused as carry on when I was returning through Madrid airport last summer after our Camino. I had to pay quite a bit extra to have them checked as additional luggage (which I was willing to because at that point they had sentimental value) but if you are heading out on your Camino it may be cheaper to buy them there than to check them separately. I expsct you can find them in SJPdP and I know they were being sold in Roncesvalles and Zubiri. If you are starting at any of the sizeable towns farther along the route they will be available there, too.

 

[peregrina2000]

I had them refused as carry on when I was returning through Madrid airport last summer after our Camino. I had to pay quite a bit extra to have them checked as additional luggage (which I was willing to because at that point they had sentimental value) but if you are heading out on your Camino it may be cheaper to buy them there than to check them separately. I expsct you can find them in SJPdP and I know they were being sold in Roncesvalles and Zubiri. If you are starting at any of the sizeable towns farther along the route they will be available there, too.

My poles we're conficated departing from Madrid last week. I had managed to get them through 7 times before that at various airports. 7 * €30 = €180 savings on bag fees compared to a cost of about 30-40 for the poles. Don't attempt it in sdc as they will be conficated. Some airlines will put them in the hold for free. Each time I had dismantled them and put them in my bag.

Hi, David and Simeon,
You are the first persons I know of to have had a problem with carrying poles through the Madrid airport. I just carried them through twice, once in May, once in July. Were you transferring from a national flight or originating in Madrid? Sorry to hear of this problem. Laurie

 

[David Tallan]

I could carry them through the airport, just not onto the plane. It was an international flight originating in Madrid. At least we could check them.

After our Camino we did a bit of sightseeing in Spain before our flight back to Toronto, visiting Madrid, Toledo, Barcelona and Valencia. Our last day was spent at the Tomatina festival. Then we took a train back to Madrid before the flight home. My 16 year old son was quite taken with the bladesmiths in Toledo and spent all of his souvenir money on a nice knife. When we were getting on the train to Madrid, the only way security would let us board the train was if we let them confiscate Toby's souvenir. There was no option to check it and pick it up later.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

This is a topic that has been bantered about numerous times on this forum. It seems some areas do allow and some do not. Some confiscate and some allow check in or "stowed".
It seems like the only "constant" is "inconsistency" in the regulations. When I flew out of Lavacolla in 2016 I was told I could not take them as carry on and Iberia was kind enough to allow them as "stowed" at no cost(s). Once I boarded and we were in flight I noticed the lady across the aisle from me had been allowed long knitting needles and scissors in her carry on????? Interesting????

 

[t2andreo]

Actually, and IMHO, the only constant is that, if you check the poles, either alone, or attached to other checked items, the poles will travel on the same plane as you. In most every case, they WILL arrive when you do. International security rules dictate that your checked luggage MUST travel on the same plane as you.

If you want predictability in your travels, check the darn poles already! Take them down as small as they will go and then, either place them in your rucksack or strapped outside. Then place the rucksack in a reasonably tough outer bag and check it.

Conversely, if you opt to try to being them on board as carryon, the sole constant is then inconsistency among security officers and airlines. I sincerely DO wish that everyone would realize this and just check the darn poles already, within or attached to one checked bag (rucksack or other).

IMHO, this ongoing discussion is tiresome. For those who take issue with the cost, I suggest you consider this as a fraction of what you have budgeted for your entire Camino. Checking one bag is truly an insignificant cost.

On my last Camino, I carried my rucksack onto the plane, but WITHOUT my poles or anything else that was not-permitted or "iffy." The rucksack included all my clothing and other Camino gear, as well as all dry food, electronics and personal items not easily replaceable on arrival. I wore my hiking boots enroute.

All of the "iffy" or not-permitted items went into the one, soft duffle bag I checked.

On arrival at my first night's lodging, the contents of the bag I checked were repacked into the rucksack. Some items I used enroute went into the now "surplus to needs" bag.

On the morning of my departure from my starting point, I mailed the remaining duffle bag ahead to Santiago. In my case, I sent it to my reserved hotel, with their permission, as I wanted it immediately on check-in. The other splendid option is to mail stuff to Ivar, as provided for in this forum. I use that extensively as well.

This ensures the most critical items arrive with me. Should checked bags go awry, I affix a destination tag, in addition to my home address tag. In the case of a Camino, the destination tag could be my first night's lodging, or my Santiago destination hotel. I ensure that a lost checked bag does not mean the ruination or end of a Camino. It is simply a challenge to overcome...

I hope this helps.