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Ice Skates Okay Through Security???

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Old Oct 20, 2011 | 7:46 pm
  #16  
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Fed-Ex. Period!

I ship specialized equipment now instead of having it fly along with me as checked baggage. I track my shipments with my iPhone app.
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Old Oct 20, 2011 | 9:49 pm
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See also this thread

Last edited by aztimm; Oct 21, 2011 at 2:27 pm Reason: merged thread cleanup
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Old Oct 20, 2011 | 9:54 pm
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Originally Posted by oldpenny16
Fed-Ex. Period!

I ship specialized equipment now instead of having it fly along with me as checked baggage. I track my shipments with my iPhone app.
This. The razor sharp blades of a skate could easily be used as a weapon so there's about a 99.99999999% chance the TSA will deny them though the checkpoint (and for once I agree with them). I'd personally have them shipped to your hotel or where ever you're staying.
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Old Oct 20, 2011 | 10:03 pm
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I wonder if a hockey team has ever tried to travel by air???
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Old Oct 21, 2011 | 8:06 am
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Originally Posted by NotaCriminal
While not specifically banned, and despite being told repeatedly it is up to the airline, I've never been allowed to carry on my skates. It's not the airlines making the decision - it's always the TSA that stops me. I figure skate, and travel to Sun Valley by air for workshops, lessons, etc. My skates are custom made and costly, and frankly, I hate being forced to check or ship my equipment. After my bag was delayed for 24 hours a couple years ago, costing me a day's worth of lessons/workshops, I now ship my skates ahead for such trips/competitions.

There are plenty of horror stories out there about elite skaters' skates being lost in transit. Brent Bommentre, an U.S. ice dancer, lost his skates on his way to the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships. In 2006, Canadian pair champions Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay withdrew from Cup of Russia when Langlois' baggage was lost. Jordan Noelle McCreary was competing in the 2011 National Solo Dance Championships. Delta Airlines lost her skates, but she competed anyway in rental skates! Elite skaters pretty much know the TSA/CATSA will not let their equipment through. That doesn't give much hope to us non-elite skaters if Michelle Kwan can't even carry her skates.

There are a few decent tips and alternatives listed here: http://www.sk8stuff.com/f_basic_ref/...ith_skates.htm

But I think your idea to wait to mount the blades until you get home and carry your boots as a carryon, is your best bet.

Good luck!
CATSA does allow them now.

Originally Posted by Allan38103
I wonder if a hockey team has ever tried to travel by air???
They normally do travel by air, they charter out the plane and their equipment is checked.
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Old Oct 21, 2011 | 9:43 am
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5 hockey pucks says they won't be allowed. Every time I flew with my hockey gear, the two things I wanted to travel with me as part of my carry-on items were my skates and my mask and every time, I was told my skates were a no-no so into the big bag of gear they went and were then sent as checked luggage.
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Old Oct 21, 2011 | 1:45 pm
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Originally Posted by unLogical
CATSA does allow them now.
Good to know! And CATSA's website even says so. Thanks for the info.


Originally Posted by LtKernelPanic
This. The razor sharp blades of a skate could easily be used as a weapon so there's about a 99.99999999% chance the TSA will deny them though the checkpoint (and for once I agree with them). I'd personally have them shipped to your hotel or where ever you're staying.
I'd be hard pressed to call my blades "razor sharp", even after a fresh sharpening. YMMV. My skates probably have more utility by using the toe pick to try to hack into something. I'll give you that the could feasibly be used as a weapon. But so can a pen, a lighter, a rolled up piece of paper, or just about anything else permitted, if one puts their mind to it.
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Old Oct 21, 2011 | 2:28 pm
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Originally Posted by cordelli
See also this thread
Thanks for the link to the past thread.

Do I need to change the thread title, sounds like Ice Skates may not be OK now?
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Old Oct 21, 2011 | 5:01 pm
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Originally Posted by aztimm
Thanks for the link to the past thread.

Do I need to change the thread title, sounds like Ice Skates may not be OK now?
I think it's fine to leave the title as is since the question seems far from settled.
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Old Oct 21, 2011 | 5:38 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by ontheway
My family is traveling with a pair of ice skates. Will the TSA give them a hard time? They checked on AA and on the TSA and there was nothing about ice skates.
I don't think you're allowing to bring ice skates through at TSA checkpoint. Besides, I think you have placed them into checked bags. It's not safe for you at all. The sharp are very extremely dangerous and they will not let you through at security.
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Old Oct 21, 2011 | 5:41 pm
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Originally Posted by aztimm
Thanks for the link to the past thread.

Do I need to change the thread title, sounds like Ice Skates may not be OK now?
No, I think you can placed them the ice skates into checked bags and you can't have it go through at security. The sharp are very extremely dangerous. Besides, I think you have wait for final destination cities that you can get a rent the ice skates.
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Old Oct 21, 2011 | 5:55 pm
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I typed ice skates into the TSA app, and to my surprise it said that they are allowed in checked and carry-on luggage. The only prohibition mentioned is on blunt equipment that can bludgeon, but no mention is made of sharp sports gear. Regardless, I still would not try to bring them in my carry-on.
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Old Oct 22, 2011 | 4:47 am
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Originally Posted by 14940674
I typed ice skates into the TSA app, and to my surprise it said that they are allowed in checked and carry-on luggage. The only prohibition mentioned is on blunt equipment that can bludgeon, but no mention is made of sharp sports gear. Regardless, I still would not try to bring them in my carry-on.
I just did the same at the TSA website, and got the same answer. Go figure. I don't know if I'd want to give it a whirl unless I had a pre-addressed FedEx box ready to go and a spare day at my destination waiting for the skates. But, maybe if I do Sun Valley next year, I'll give it a try for the laughs of showing the TSA their own website and having them tell me "no, the website is out of date" anyway.
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Old Oct 22, 2011 | 5:17 pm
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Originally Posted by NotaCriminal
I just did the same at the TSA website, and got the same answer. Go figure. I don't know if I'd want to give it a whirl unless I had a pre-addressed FedEx box ready to go and a spare day at my destination waiting for the skates. But, maybe if I do Sun Valley next year, I'll give it a try for the laughs of showing the TSA their own website and having them tell me "no, the website is out of date" anyway.
I sent an email to the TSA regarding this question a couple of days ago. While the answer that I received was a standard response, it did not list ice skate as being prohibited. They did say that individual TSA inspectors CAN make a determination about what is dis-allowed. I did talk to someone at a pro shop here who said she had carried on her skates as recently as March of this year. She said that she gets questioned most when she is traveling alone, rather than with a whole team of synchro skaters.

My 4 year old really enjoys skating and I have been taking lessons with her (well, in the Adult class held at the same time, not Snowplow 3). I am in the process of purchasing new skates- need Jacksons due to my wide feet, and the dealers in town do not carry the two models I am interested in. I am going on a business trip to L.A. in a couple of weeks and will be purchasing the boots from a pro shop there. I am still not sure what I will do, but am leaning strongly towards purchasing and mounting the blades here. I am leaving on another trip a few days after the first, so don't want to ship them. Plus, I am too excited to wait until I the second trip is over to try them out.
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Old Oct 22, 2011 | 8:33 pm
  #30  
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Originally Posted by N830MH
No, I think you can placed them the ice skates into checked bags and you can't have it go through at security. The sharp are very extremely dangerous. Besides, I think you have wait for final destination cities that you can get a rent the ice skates.
Not everyone can rent. I gave up skating in my late teens because I outgrew the largest rentals and I didn't do it often enough to warrant buying my own pair.
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