My husband & I will be traveling to Venice and then be train to Switzerland. We have 2 pair of collapsible walking sticks & I'm wondering I'd they could go carry on on the flight. We normally pack lightly with only carry on bags but I guess we could check the if we need to. I contacted delta who told me to contact tsa but that also proved unsuccessful. Thanks for any help!
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
Walking sticks have placed in checked luggage. They're considered the same as ski poles and banned from the plane's cabin.
Posted by
Sammamish, WA
403 posts
Not true. As of April 25, TSA will allow ski poles, including collapsible ones, as carry on in the cabin. This is clearly stated on the TSA website. Anecdotally, I have seen a number of folks carrying the collapsible poles through SeaTac recently, so I think they started letting them through ahead of the rule change date.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5850 posts
Do you have a connection in Europe? Even if TSA lets you bring them, no guarantee that security in a European airport will let you carry them. I carried collapsible hiking poles on a flight from Stockholm to Paris with no problem. When I got to Paris, CDG security wouldn't let me take them on my connecting flight to Nice. They did let me go check the bag. If I had a connecting flight, I'd probably just pack them in a cardboard box or put them in a small bag and plan to check them
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
I just put mine in my checked bag.
Posted by
OP
Westerville, OH, USA
13 posts
I looked at the TSA website & could not find them listed. I guess I will try to contact them again
Posted by
new york
43 posts
I'd always assumed they'd be banned from carry on because they have somewhat sharp tips. I'd be pleased to find out otherwise.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
31 posts
We took 2 pair trekking poles on our trip last summer. Instead of worrying about them being taken at security, before our trip we just decided to take along a designated checked bag to carry all the questionable stuff. 95% of our things went with us as carry on, but the checked bag held the trek poles, a swiss army knife (my husband says he feels naked without one), and any extraneous stuff we could live without if we never saw it again (guidebooks, extra pairs of shoes). You never know who is going to hassle you along the way, or if there will be time to run back and check something they want to take from you, so best plan is to just check it from the start.
Posted by
Texan in CA
4415 posts
While true that after the end of April you should be allowed to carry them on from the USA, TSA will do what they want once you actually arrive at the airport - always remember that. They want to keep everyone on their toes...never mind what they've posted on their website :-( Having said that, IF you're prepared to check a bag to Europe IF TSA says 'no' on your particular day at the airport, bring your own walking poles. Plan on checking them FROM Europe, though. IF you're not planning on using the sharp tips, you might leave them at home. Now, you've basically got 2 walking canes. OR, buy some there, and perhaps leave them for someone else.
Posted by
Sammamish, WA
403 posts
Here's the link to the statement about ski poles on the TSA website:
http://www.tsa.gov/pil-sportequip "The following sporting equipment is included in this change and can now be carried through airport security: billiard cues, ski poles, hockey sticks and lacrosse sticks golf clubs (limited to two)." (Golf clubs limited to two. Hilarious. I guess 3 is considered terribly dangerous.) Canes have always been permitted, so if you are concerned I suppose you could extend them and use them to walk with. Voila! Canes! I usually have a fit when people call my walking sticks canes, but sometimes it can be useful. BTW, I always travel with the rubber tips on mine so they are not sharp, pointy objects.