El Cochinito

SMF yesterday. I have a Leki collapsable walking stick that I use as a cane. Not supposed to walk without it per doctor's orders following knee surgery.

At checkpoint TSO pointed me towards the nude-o-scope. I said I couldn't assume the position. He asked if I could walk without the walking stick and I said no. He then said no problem, we'll let you borrow our wooden cane while we x-ray yours. He handed me a wooden cane then directed me through the WTMD. They passed my Leki stick through the x-ray, no issues whatsoever. No post-WTMD gropes or interaction with TSA following WTMD. All in all a decent experience.

svenskaflicka

I just went through BOS, DFW,HNL and OGG with a metal cane. I didn't have one single problem at any of them.

Carl 65

Is there one? I haven't found it prohibited, or permitted. After a few emails to the TSA Service Center, I actually got an email from someone at TSA (whose return address doesn't work) who told me that they were not prohibited as long as they didn't have a knife or sword in them.

I'm going on vacation, and want to take my walking stick with me. Since I have several connections, I don't want to trust such an item to the baggage handlers (sorry Delta), so I want to take it on board.

If challenged, I'll produce the email, but there's no guarantee that the local agents will accept that as authority, in which case, I'll let them confiscate it (it can be replaced, and it's worth the $75 to me to hassle TSA).

Any suggestions, experiences, comments?

Thanks,
Carl

jspira

I am re reading your post and beginning to wonder if you actually meant to say what you wrote about the walking sticks that don't have hidden surprises in them.

Carl 65

I may have been unclear.

The TSA letter said:

Dear Carl:
Thank you for your e-mail message of March 9, 2013, to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Contact Center asking if a walking stick is permitted aboard commercial aircraft.
Canes and walking sticks are not prohibited items and are allowed aboard aircraft after being screened at the checkpoint.
As a point of information, when TSA screens canes and walking sticks at the checkpoint, we occasionally discover a sword hidden in the length of the cane. In those instances, even when the passenger is completely surprised at our discovery, the walking stick is prohibited.
Thank you for your inquiry, and I hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely yours,

Daniel J. McCann
Office of Security Operations

gobluetwo

OP, what kind of walking stick are you talking about? If it's a cane, which is typically around 3' long or so, I've seen MANY being taken through without incident. If it's a walking stick (generally 4'-5' in length), I've seen a TSA screener push back once, but ultimately let it through. I've seen a few inside the secure area in the Pac NW and Colorado, so they should also be fine.

FXWizard

I had to travel with a cane in February (BLI-LAS), and they ran it through the x-ray machine; they also had a cane available for me to use if I needed one while mine was inspected.

Once on-board the plane, my cane went into the overhead bin.

FreFly

Does TSA allow trekking poles as carry-on? I have a fordable (to about 25 inches) pair that I'd rather not check in.

chollie

I wouldn't try it (and it's a real sore subject with me).

Earlier this year, Pistole proposed 'relaxing' a few carry-on rules. Included were ski poles - the pictured 'ski' poles were actually what I call trekking poles - they were collapsible multi-part poles.

Those rule changes were shot down completely because FAs objected to one item on the list specifically (very small knives of a very specific sort).

As I understand it, the problem with the poles is the tips - they're sharp enough to be considered a threat. Covering the tips is no answer - that's like sheathing a knife. It's still an available threat.

It's an annoying issue for me because mine are old, just a shade too big to fit in smaller checked bags unless I completely disassemble them. Then my checked bag always gets opened and searched - I've been told it's because a bundle of tube-like objects looks suspicious on the x-ray.

Another sore spot? Still can't get a straight answer after eleven years on whether or not collapsing tent poles are allowed in carry-on (not stakes, just the poles) One TSO who posts here said he saw them both allowed and denied at the same checkpoint in LAX, IIRC.

FreFly

OK, thanks. I googled this before posting and it looks like a grey area, where TSA agents can decide either way, which is consistent with what you are saying. I was hopping that there was a recent rule change that made the poles OK, but it does not look like there was.

chollie

Here is the list of items that Pistole suggested we could start bringing on:

http://blog.tsa.gov/2013/03/tsa-proh...hanging_5.html

As I noted, the FAs objected to the tiny knives, so the whole thing was a no-go (for reasons I don't understand).

Anyway, surprisingly, the picture of a 'ski pole' looks like a trekking pole, not like any downhill ski poles I've ever used (non-collapsible).

jill5172

For what it's worth, we've traveled with trekking poles through carry-on many times. However, as we all know, TSA can and will change their minds at random as to what they will allow through.

daregale

We've traveled with collapsing trekking poles as carry on a number of times and we're questioned about them once. The TSA agent was not going to allow them but called a supervisor who deemed them a "mobility device" and let us through. So we've never been stopped with them, and would have checked the bag if we were.

Yesterday, my five-year-old almost didn't get through security in Frankfurt with a toy wooden sword a little longer than the length of my forearm. It wouldn't fit in the checked bag, and the ticketing agent had assured it wouldn't be a problem. It was. We kept calm and friendly when the security agent wouldn't let it through. Talked to a supervisor who was disinclined to let it through--if it were plastic yes, wood no--but ultimately relented as a one-time exception. Tried to be proactive in Detroit after getting off the plane and checking with TSA before rechecking the luggage, and they had no issues. Said it was clearly a toy.

chollie

What kind of tips are on your trekking poles? Mine (few years old Lekis) aren't quite as sharp as on my regular ski poles, but they definitely come to a point. I might be able to buy rubber tips, but I'd be concerned that a TSO would pull them off and then deny the poles based on the sharp tips underneath.

BTW...don't suppose you've ever taken a tent through the checkpoint? I know stakes couldn't go through; it's the aluminum poles I worry about. If I'm going backpacking, I don't like checking the tent. It isn't something I can easily replace at my destination if my luggage gets lost. One TSO posted here that he saw the tent poles both allowed and rejected at LAX checkpoints. That's the only data point I've ever gotten.

daregale

Mine are Leki Super Makala poles, several years old. They come to a blunt point at the end and have little plastic caps that cover them.

I've also carried a backpacking tent through, sans the stakes. It was a little two-person tent with the collapsible poles. I had no problem with that.