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That's why I always check my pack in.In Bilbao on 19th May, our walking sticks were confiscated at the airport. We were told that we could check them in if we wished to. We were surprised that we weren't allowed to carry them on with us as we had flown with them as carry on from Dublin airport on 12th May. And the previous year, in July 2015, we had taken them as carry-on from Dublin to Biarritz aiport, and then from Bilbao (yes Bilbao airport!) to Dublin. No problem last year. Just giving everyone a heads-up. Might be worth checking in 1 bag with everyone's walking sticks if a few friends are travelling together.
The first year 2014, I used a large IKEA bag for both the pack and poles and that worked well but it was too heavy to carry on the walk. returning we discovered the plastic wrap at the airport and that got us home. Last year poles on the outside of the pack and plastic wrap worked to get me there. On internal Air France flights they had free heavy duty plastic bags internally, which was great.
That didn't work on the internal flight out of Paris where the plastic wrapper man refused to wrap the pack with poles on the outside and I couldn't fit them in, but a entrepeurial man was hovering for business looking for pilgrims like me and sold me a big overbag. He wanted €20 and I haggled down to €15 but it was still probably too much.
This year I am trialling a Deuter 70 +15L pack (lightweight walkers eat your heart out) but it has a built in rain cover that can cleverly open out and cover the whole pack for airline stowage. We'll see! Good luck to you @Taisce
Yep, had the same thing happen coming home from SdC last year (Ryanair) but it was a cheap n chearful €8 stick from Decathlon. If you value then you'll have to check in!In Bilbao on 19th May, our walking sticks were confiscated at the airport. We were told that we could check them in if we wished to. We were surprised that we weren't allowed to carry them on with us as we had flown with them as carry on from Dublin airport on 12th May. And the previous year, in July 2015, we had taken them as carry-on from Dublin to Biarritz aiport, and then from Bilbao (yes Bilbao airport!) to Dublin. No problem last year. Just giving everyone a heads-up. Might be worth checking in 1 bag with everyone's walking sticks if a few friends are travelling together.
My pacerpoles are way too precious to take the risk.
That's teamwork!the plastic wrapper man refused to wrap the pack with poles ...., but a entrepeurial black man was hovering for business looking for pilgrims like me and sold me a big overbag
My question is would i be able to check in the tube on its own./QUOTE]
Indeed you would, and should, if your desire is to eliminate any possibility of arriving at your destination without them.
Regards
Gerard
Sorry, but I don't know how the man's skin color contributes to this story.but a entrepeurial man was hovering for business
Ryan air had us check our walking poles at Santiago de Compestela (SCQ) to Madrid. It was complimentary.In Bilbao on 19th May, our walking sticks were confiscated at the airport. We were told that we could check them in if we wished to. We were surprised that we weren't allowed to carry them on with us as we had flown with them as carry on from Dublin airport on 12th May. And the previous year, in July 2015, we had taken them as carry-on from Dublin to Biarritz aiport, and then from Bilbao (yes Bilbao airport!) to Dublin. No problem last year. Just giving everyone a heads-up. Might be worth checking in 1 bag with everyone's walking sticks if a few friends are travelling together.
That's interesting. I will enquire about this next time I use Ryanair, which happens very frequently!Ryan air had us check our walking poles at Santiago de Compestela (SCQ) to Madrid. It was complimentary.
Thanks Taisce for the heads up, I was going to ask a question as to what i should do with mine. two of us are flying from Dublin to Bilbao with Aer Lingus . I have put four poles in a posting tube and sealed it well. I have two choices either post them to where we are staying the first night or chec them in.My question is would i be able to check in the tube on its own. Any suggestions welcome. last year i carried them on with Ryanair. Sorry in advance for hijacking your thread but no point in starting a new one for same topic.
The first year 2014, I used a large IKEA bag for both the pack and poles and that worked well but it was too heavy to carry on the walk. returning we discovered the plastic wrap at the airport and that got us home. Last year poles on the outside of the pack and plastic wrap worked to get me there. On internal Air France flights they had free heavy duty plastic bags internally, which was great.
That didn't work on the internal flight out of Paris where the plastic wrapper man refused to wrap the pack with poles on the outside and I couldn't fit them in, but a entrepeurial man was hovering for business looking for pilgrims like me and sold me a big overbag. He wanted €20 and I haggled down to €15 but it was still probably too much.
This year I am trialling a Deuter 70 +15L pack (lightweight walkers eat your heart out) but it has a built in rain cover that can cleverly open out and cover the whole pack for airline stowage. We'll see! Good luck to you @Taisce
In Bilbao on 19th May, our walking sticks were confiscated at the airport. We were told that we could check them in if we wished to. We were surprised that we weren't allowed to carry them on with us as we had flown with them as carry on from Dublin airport on 12th May. And the previous year, in July 2015, we had taken them as carry-on from Dublin to Biarritz aiport, and then from Bilbao (yes Bilbao airport!) to Dublin. No problem last year. Just giving everyone a heads-up. Might be worth checking in 1 bag with everyone's walking sticks if a few friends are travelling together.
I just got back from the Camino del Norte. I walked from Irún to Bilbao this time. I don't see much need to take sticks.
It seems to me that leaving them in your backpack is one of the silliest things to do. If you are going to bring walking poles, use them - that is how you get the benefit from having them.If you're used to them and don't mind their weight on your backpack, then it will not be a problem.
I'm not sure what the issue is with that. Umbrellas, even golf umbrellas, are allowable items of cabin baggage.Just returned from Bilbao airport and watched as a woman was allowed thru security with a golf umberalla.
You won't if you comply with the rules, otherwise ...I hope that I don't have a problem in July when I fly out of Bilbao again.
I saw this scene by several pilgrims who on longer tracks (easy and flat trails) just carried them on their backpacks. I'm sorry to say, but I felt every extra gram I had in my backpack, even an apple was too heavy to carry. I was happily relieved every time we stopped to drink and eat because that meant 200 -500 g less in the backpack. And for those who didn't need their sticks for several hours during the day, it must have been really a pain to carry them all along.It seems to me that leaving them in your backpack is one of the silliest things to do. If you are going to bring walking poles, use them - that is how you get the benefit from having them.
haha! Not a superwoman at all! I suffered those killer stages too! But there's a sort of inner voice who said to me: this Camino was been walked several hundreds of years, and there were no walking poles in the past; the peregrinos walked it however they could and they made it... why not me? It is impressive to experience how the knees and muscles regenerated (not the blisters!) overnight and were ready early morning to start again. I do some sports home and sometimes I can't move in a couple of days, but this time with the Camino was something different. Magic.Wow! You must be some sort of superman or superwomanThose first stages from Irún to Bilbao have been always a killer for me!
Thank you for blogging live from the Camino del Norte, Magwood!
What an interesting perspective. Walking poles, staffs or sticks probably pre-dated the Camino by about the same amount of time man has been using tools. Given the classic depictions of pilgrims and other walking travellers using a staff, it seems unusual to suggest that that they wouldn't have been using such aids.this Camino was been walked several hundreds of years, and there were no walking poles in the past; the peregrinos walked it however they could and they made it... why not me?
@dougfitz: My humble personal opinion drives me to an earlier posting I wrote, where the sticks are self provided by the nature. I didn't also know what to expect of the Camino del Norte. I read and collected as much information I could before starting, and I got a big fear that I could go unequipped and too "light packed". I was looking forward to buy the pole sticks in Spain if I had to, but I could surprisingly get through some difficult stages without the need of the modern sticks, but the roots of some trees along the way, and it was for just a couple of hours a day. It's my first pilgrimage and I'm not used to carry anything for such a long time a day on my back other than my own kids! This was my little experience on the track from Irún to Bilbao. I respect all those who decide to take their sticks. However, I thought it could be nice to tell my own story to those who struggle with the thought of taking or not their sticks. My pilgrim partners didn't take any natural sticks at all; one is a life-long hiker and the other a geologist... I was the one who had the worst shape!Hi Taisce. I just got back from the Camino del Norte. I walked from Irún to Bilbao this time. I don't see much need to take sticks. If you're used to them and don't mind their weight on your backpack, then it will not be a problem. They are useful on some tracks where you could also take your own sticks from the nature and leave them behind wherever you want. One difficult stage was from Deba to Markina-Xemein, because the terrain was quite uneven and there were a number of muddy areas. But as I wrote before, you can have at anytime your sticks from nature.
I agree with Tom's long winded post. He spells it out very well.What an interesting perspective. Walking poles, staffs or sticks probably pre-dated the Camino by about the same amount of time man has been using tools. Given the classic depictions of pilgrims and other walking travellers using a staff, it seems unusual to suggest that that they wouldn't have been using such aids.
I lost my poles in London Stansted once, even if I was only transiting through that airport. Stansted doesn't have the option of transferring directly from one flight to another, as it is in all the big airports. You must enter the UK (even if for 10 minutes) and then go back to the airport via passport and security check. That's when I lost my poles.
Aren't these pointy things too?I'm not sure what the issue is with that. Umbrellas, even golf umbrellas, are allowable items of cabin baggage.
And my point being that the TSA, etc specifically allow umbrellas in their guidance, but not walking poles. So seeing someone carry on an umbrella does not appear to me to be an example of inconsistent interpretation and application of the rules, as might have been inferred in @dalstonmarra's post.Aren't these pointy things too?
Fair point. Just seems an inconsistent use of common sense (the least common of all the senses, as S Yates says).And my point being that the TSA, etc specifically allow umbrellas in their guidance, but not walking poles. So seeing someone carry on an umbrella does not appear to me to be an example of inconsistent interpretation and application of the rules, as might have been inferred in @dalstonmarra's post.
I took my sticks home last hear. After much delay and debate they (Iberia) made me check them and charged me 75 Euros!In Bilbao on 19th May, our walking sticks were confiscated at the airport. We were told that we could check them in if we wished to. We were surprised that we weren't allowed to carry them on with us as we had flown with them as carry on from Dublin airport on 12th May. And the previous year, in July 2015, we had taken them as carry-on from Dublin to Biarritz aiport, and then from Bilbao (yes Bilbao airport!) to Dublin. No problem last year. Just giving everyone a heads-up. Might be worth checking in 1 bag with everyone's walking sticks if a few friends are travelling together.
In Bilbao on 19th May, our walking sticks were confiscated at the airport. We were told that we could check them in if we wished to. We were surprised that we weren't allowed to carry them on with us as we had flown with them as carry on from Dublin airport on 12th May. And the previous year, in July 2015, we had taken them as carry-on from Dublin to Biarritz aiport, and then from Bilbao (yes Bilbao airport!) to Dublin. No problem last year. Just giving everyone a heads-up. Might be worth checking in 1 bag with everyone's walking sticks if a few friends are travelling together.
In May I flew Ryanair from Bilbao with sticks as hand luggage - which airline did you fly with? I will be going back in September and am keen not have this happen to me.In Bilbao on 19th May, our walking sticks were confiscated at the airport. We were told that we could check them in if we wished to. We were surprised that we weren't allowed to carry them on with us as we had flown with them as carry on from Dublin airport on 12th May. And the previous year, in July 2015, we had taken them as carry-on from Dublin to Biarritz aiport, and then from Bilbao (yes Bilbao airport!) to Dublin. No problem last year. Just giving everyone a heads-up. Might be worth checking in 1 bag with everyone's walking sticks if a few friends are travelling together.
As has been stated previously in this thread and elsewhere, TSA rules state that the sticks/poles are not allowed in carry on. Therefore, if it is attempted, there is inherent risk. It doesn't matter who was successful in doing so, when or where; past success is no guarantee of future success.In May I flew Ryanair from Bilbao with sticks as hand luggage - which airline did you fly with? I will be going back in September and am keen not have this happen to me.
In Bilbao on 19th May, our walking sticks were confiscated at the airport. We were told that we could check them in if we wished to. We were surprised that we weren't allowed to carry them on with us as we had flown with them as carry on from Dublin airport on 12th May. And the previous year, in July 2015, we had taken them as carry-on from Dublin to Biarritz aiport, and then from Bilbao (yes Bilbao airport!) to Dublin. No problem last year. Just giving everyone a heads-up. Might be worth checking in 1 bag with everyone's walking sticks if a few friends are travelling together.
As has been stated previously in this thread and elsewhere, TSA rules state that the sticks/poles are not allowed in carry on. Therefore, if it is attempted, there is inherent risk. It doesn't matter who was successful in doing so, when or where; past success is no guarantee of future success.
p.s. I think I should have said "security rules" rather than "TSA rules" as TSA is an American thing. Apologies for my "Ugly American" moment.
I had mine confiscated leaving Santiago last year-it's a security thing apparently( they can be used as a weapon?!) not airline-although when I cleared security I saw l other people wandering around with theirs. You can check in for free if you say they are for health reason i.e arthritis- and they don't check your letter always and I just packaged mine up with my friends - they re really quick to pick up as both times they were waiting for us as we came through- usually hey are at 'out-sized' luggage' not on the carosel . Alternatively get some that fold up really small - Amazon do 55cm and put them in your rucksack!In Bilbao on 19th May, our walking sticks were confiscated at the airport. We were told that we could check them in if we wished to. We were surprised that we weren't allowed to carry them on with us as we had flown with them as carry on from Dublin airport on 12th May. And the previous year, in July 2015, we had taken them as carry-on from Dublin to Biarritz aiport, and then from Bilbao (yes Bilbao airport!) to Dublin. No problem last year. Just giving everyone a heads-up. Might be worth checking in 1 bag with everyone's walking sticks if a few friends are travelling together.
Thanks Taisce for the heads up, I was going to ask a question as to what i should do with mine. two of us are flying from Dublin to Bilbao with Aer Lingus . I have put four poles in a posting tube and sealed it well. I have two choices either post them to where we are staying the first night or chec them in.My question is would i be able to check in the tube on its own. Any suggestions welcome. last year i carried them on with Ryanair. Sorry in advance for hijacking your thread but no point in starting a new one for same topic.
Thanks. Good idea. Was that in Spain? I'm doing some of the walk in France next month. Anyone know if they also have mailing boxes for walking sticks?The post office has mailing boxes for walking sticks. A person can mail them home inexpensively. We received our about a week after arriving back at home.
Gary94123 that's interesting that Ryanair didn't charge you for checking them in. Amazing even!Ryan air had us check our walking poles at Santiago de Compestela (SCQ) to Madrid. It was complimentary.
Two reasons: (1) they are worried that a checked bag will go missing or be delayed; (2) avoiding the need and slight delay from having to go pick up the bag.I'm curious about why so many people carry on their backpacks? Why not just check them?
Two reasons: (1) they are worried that a checked bag will go missing or be delayed; (2) avoiding the need and slight delay from having to go pick up the bag.
I'm not advocating anything here; just answering the question. The two reasons seem valid but not terribly compelling. I have sometimes checked and sometimes not.
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