You can tell by my handle that I know a fair bit about skating

The no skates rule is strictly enforced basically by all airlines. It's caused no end of trouble for International Competitors. One girl's skates got lost between Canada and Russia and never did show up. She & her partner couldn't compete at the competition (she has extremely small feet and her boots have to be custom made) and she had to have a new pair made (to the tune of well over $1000.00).