Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Airtravel Resources - Traveling with Sports Equipment

By Tanja Martens

Are you an avid sports fan? If so, there is a good chance that you will try and incorporate sports into your next vacation or business trip. If you are planning on enjoying a game of golf or a game of baseball, it is likely that you will want to bring along some sporting equipment with you. However, did you know there are certain restrictions on those items? If you are planning on traveling with sports equipment, not matter what sport that equipment is for, you are advised to familiarize yourself with these rules and restrictions.

As previously mentioned, golf is a sport that many travelers enjoy participating in. If you are planning on traveling with your golf clubs, you will need to treat them as checked baggage. All airlines currently have a ban on golf clubs being used as carryon luggage. Due to the cost of most golf club sets, you will either want to leave your clubs at home or properly protect them. If you are traveling to a golf resort or other popular vacation destination, there is a good chance that you should be able to rent a set of golf clubs. Although they will not be your own, it is nice to know that your set is safe at home.

In addition to golf, baseball is another sport enjoyed by many. Like golf clubs, baseball bats are prohibited from being used as carryon luggage. If you are about to enjoy a baseball game, your next vacation or business trip, you will want to save your baseball bats in a bag to ensure security conditions that can be transported across different airports. While baseball bats are banned from aircraft cabins, there is no mention of other teams, such as detachable, helmets, or baseball. For your convenience, you might want to store these supplies baseball in the same place as their baseball bats in their checked baggage.

Of course, if you plan enjoying a hunting trip during a vacation or a business trip, you need to keep your supplies in your checked luggage. All bows, arrows, and firearms are strictly prohibited from being in the aircraft cabins. In fact, if you try to pass through a checkpoint security at these points, there is a good chance that you will be stopped by airport security, for further questioning. Even though you may not necessarily reflect, bows, arrows and guns are only used for recreational purposes, but they are also used to harm others.

Additional sporting goods that are banned from being included in your carryon luggage include pool cues, ski poles, lacrosse sticks, or hockey sticks. As with all other items, if you are concerned with the safety of your sporting equipment, you are advised to rethink your decision to bring that equipment along. You can help to protect your equipment by making sure that everything is properly and safely packaged; however, there are no guarantees. You are also advised against relying on compensation from the airlines if and when your sports equipment suffers damage.

As previously mentioned, there are some sporting goods that are outright banned, but other rules are not so clear. If you are trying to decide whether or not you can pack other equipment in your carryon luggage, such as masks or other protective gear, you are advised to ask before heading out to the airport. In the event that these items are banned, you may have to make additional arrangements. Regardless of whether you choose to return the items to your car or mail them to your home, you may end up wasting unnecessary time and money. - 16003

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