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Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:19 pmby Kristin5berry
Any one know if I can get away with my mountaineering crampons in my carry-on bag on a domestic flight? I hate checking bags and avoid at most costs..... Thanks!
~Kristin
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:36 pmby mrchad9
Oh leave Kristin alone Vitaliy!
I don't see why this would be a joke. I would be surprised if you could not carry them on, but I don't know. Your best bet would be to ask at an airport, but they would have to know what crampons are. Maybe someone who is flying soon can ask for you if no one here has tried it already.
My mother flies with these all the time, and hers are over a foot long. I'd use them as a weapon before crampons...
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:54 pmby lcarreau
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:59 pmby PellucidWombat
The first time I went to Alaska they let me carry ice screws on the plane.
The second time I went to Alaska there was a lot of confusion at the checkpoint and after about 15 minutes and several levels of supervisors mulling over what to do, they decided to be safe and make me check them in - which cost me an additional $70 since I was already paying overbaggage fees.
If I were you I'd play it safe and check the crampons.
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:18 amby mrchad9
Vitaliy M wrote:mrchad9 wrote: I would be surprised if you could not carry them on, but I don't know.
No way dude. Even if someone ever went on board with these (I am sure people have), I would not count on it now. The risk of having to go back, packing them (more charges), or having to throw them away to avoid missing your flight outweighs the convenience to sharpen them while on your flight. I do understand no one wants airlines to lose their crampons but there are other things you can take on board without the risk.
PS: If you are planning to fly with your stove it will be confiscated, or if you pack your stove with your bags there is a huge chance it will be taken (even if w/o fuel) anyways. My friend had a stove taken, even though he did not want to bring it as his carry on.
What do you mean you would not count on it now? Since when? People take knitting needles all the time, multiple flights a year. This is in the here and now. I am just saying we don't know and the link doesn't say either.
I guess I am curious now as to why Kristin isn't taking an ice ax on this trip.
BTW I have checked a stove many times and not had an issue. Once even had the slip of paper in my bag when I picked it up that said they had been through it. Did your friend have it taken when he checked it, or did he ask and they said no?
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:24 amby John Duffield
I've lost some stoves in Canada, in checked.
Crap Shoot, but that stuff is easy to buy. My guess is, that display they're looking at, in the computer, is all your flight activity. They're looking for a pattern or where you've been. Certain airports have reputations for laxity.
If you have a ton of other camping gear, it could also trigger activity. I got back from Montana today. My stuff had those "hand search" tags inside both ways.
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:27 amby dadndave
I have had to take snowsatkes out of my carry-on pack and check them if that is any indication.
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:59 amby mrchad9
dadndave wrote:I have had to take snowsatkes out of my carry-on pack and check them if that is any indication.
It appears we have no clue... based on this and lcarreau's link:
Allowed:Screwdrivers
Pliers
Metal knitting needles of any length
Lighters with lighter fuel
Matchbooks
Compressed gas cartridges
Not Allowed:Snowstakes
Drill bits
Saws
Tools longer than 7 inches
Lighter fuel
Strike anywhere matches
Compressed gas cylinders
Consistency seemingly not required.
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:29 amby Kristin5berry
I went through the TSA site and couldnt find a clear answer, when I noticed Ice axe on the list I though "maybe crampons will be on." Not so much though, which is why I asked here.... I think that I should just play it safe and check them. Unless theres one sould out there that has a clear answer:)
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:56 pmby AlexeyD
I've definitely taken a harness and carabiners through carry-on, with no problem, but not sure about crampons. My guess is TSA will simply not know what they are, which means it's really up to the individual agent to make the call. Since your crampons are probably worth more than the $25 bag-check fee, I'd check them if I were you (though I totally agree with you that it's a pain).
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:44 pmby John Duffield
AlexeyD wrote:I've definitely taken a harness and carabiners through carry-on, with no problem, but not sure about crampons. My guess is TSA will simply not know what they are, which means it's really up to the individual agent to make the call. Since your crampons are probably worth more than the $25 bag-check fee, I'd check them if I were you (though I totally agree with you that it's a pain).
A good point and one worth stressing. + 1
The fact is, by the time you get to security, you might be in a position where you'll need to ditch your gear or miss your flight. So you're best erring on the side of caution.
A chartered climbing flight would be different.
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Thu Feb 03, 2011 8:30 pmby DukeJH
I've always assumed that since ice axes are prohibited in the cabin that crampons would be too. The TSA is quiet but Iberia Airlines offers the following:
Royal Decree 137/93 (BOE n.º 55 of 05/03/93) establishes that passengers are not authorized to introduce the items listed below into the cabin of an aircraft:
•Sharp weapons or objects with sharp edges (axes, hatchets, arrows, darts, crampons, harpoons, javelins, ski poles, etc.)
http://www.aa.com/pubcontent/jbax/includes/main.jsp?airlineCode=ib&locale=en_GB&category=Baggage&file=DangerousItems.html
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:45 amby yetibreath
I returned to the US from a Cho Oyu expedition about a month after 9/11. When I reached LAX, one of my checked bags was about a pound over the limit, so I opened it and grabbed the the thing on top and put into my carry on bag. Guess what: it was my crampons. When my carry on bag went through the X-Ray, the inspectors went nuts. Luckily, the folks at United Airlines were very helpful. They gave me a box for my crampons and paid for UPS to ship them to my home. The alert levels change frequently at the airports, so my advise is to avoid putting anything into your carry on that might look even remotely threatening to a TSA inspector.
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:53 amby ncst
Here in Europe, I once forgot I had my crampons in my carry-on packback. And although it is not listed as something you cannot take with you, security wouldn't let me go through. So I ran back to check-in and still had the chance to check them in. They somehow took note, coz on my next flight with the same airline I was asked if I was carrying any weapons with me... Two weeks ago had my camping spork knife in my carry-on and they let me take it with me (the blade isn't that long but I'd say it is a weapon if need so). Gas cylinders: I had them twice accidently in the backpack that I checked in, but they still arrived at my destination.
Re: Crampons as a Carry-on when flying?
Posted:
Fri Feb 04, 2011 2:52 pmby drpw
Every time I put cramps on I always feel like a full blown mammalian predator, like I have awesome claws on my feet. Crampons vs Knitting Needles? Come on. Crampons will win that fight any day.