Airline Travel

[katman]

Thanks for the suggestion AKDan.

[bornagainbowhunter]

these stories make me glad that I drive everywhere I go to hunt... Oh yeah, I like pickles too!!!  

[Grant Sutherland]

I've never flown with my bow, but I have with about 100 lbs of dive gear and I know my buddies have flown with their hockey gear.  We all just call ahead, have them make an amendment to our boarding passes and when we check in, they'll inspect it right there, tag it and send it on it's merry way.  That would seem to be the best way when I decide to travel because they're happy, you're there when they inspect it so you're happy, and best of all, there's usually no charge for "sporting equipment".

Hope this helps.

[Dick in Seattle]

I've read through all of these.  Good information and some bad experiences.  In Oct. I went down to Texas to hunt.  I shipped my longbow but took a back up TD recurve in my large duffle.   No problems.  I put the arrows, points unscrewed, into a pvc tube with caps and labeled it clearly:  "Warning!  Sharps... arrows".  Had another tube similarly labeled but "Knife and Tools".   Told them what it all was and it caused no particular reaction.  

However, shipping the bow back and forth was expensive, so I am now in the final stages of finishing a TD longbow.  I plan to build a mate to it as well, and in future will take one in luggage and ship one, for insurance.  The TD will ship for about $12 instead of the $35 each way for the one piece longbow.

[Bjorn]

I send the stuff ahead via FedEx, insured. No worries.

[JDVasos]

Snakeeater, yes I flew Continental round trip and they did not charge me for an oversize bag on the way down.  Just on the way back where they decided to tack on the extra $100.00 charge.  It would have been cheaper to buy clothes when I got there and thrown them away before I left than what they did to me.  Next time I mail everything ahead rather than deal with these crooks.

[John3]

I have flown quite a bit with my one piece longbow case. Most everytime the airline check in people just assume it is for fishing poles. I don't correct them. "sporting" equipment (skis,bows,fishing poles, ect) are included in your FREE baggage allotment and are not charged and oversize fee. At least in my experience they havn't been...

Last year I had enough with being treated like a criminal just to board the plane after getting nickel and dimed. Chemical sniff your luggage, take off your shoes, stand in the painted footprints while someone from TSA pats you down... Too much!  

I don't like 15-25 hour drives and LOVE to bowhunt Canada but it will be a cold day before I ever pay again to get treated like a criminal.

Just my .02...

[MercilessMing]

I put my TD and a tube of arrows in check in luggage without problem with Delta/NW.

For my longbow, I have a longbow hard case from Black Widow.  Since most of the airlines are going to charge extra fee for excess size and if more than 2 bags, I would ship it out next time.

[TexasStick81]

I usually check it with no problem but I have carried it on as well.  I had to show it to TSA before boarding.  They thought it looked neat but wanted to know how I was going to fix it since it was broken into three pieces:)

[Lenny Stankowitz]

Apparently on Delta/NW if you hide it in your undershorts, nobody seems to care.

 

[KumaSan]

Some say to have security check the contents adead of boarding at check in. They willl tag it, and the clowns in the pits won't open and damage the bow or arrows.

[Terry Green]

Going to un-sticky this one.....