Carry-on Skates in US/Canada | Golden Skate

Carry-on Skates in US/Canada

cl2

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Has anyone had any problems with bringing skates on carry-on baggage traveling between US and Canada?
 

sandraskates

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
The various airlines I've been on have had no issue with me bringing my skates on their planes.

However, a questioning USA TSA agent can make your life h*ll.
I've only had problem once, with a TSA agent that insisted I could not take my skates on the plane.

Go to this website https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all
Put "Skates" into the search box.

I strongly suggest printing out the page that says Skates can be brought as carry-on and keeping it with your skates should you get a questioning TSA agent.
 

Sibelius

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
The various airlines I've been on have had no issue with me bringing my skates on their planes.

However, a questioning USA TSA agent can make your life h*ll.
I've only had problem once, with a TSA agent that insisted I could not take my skates on the plane.

Go to this website https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all
Put "Skates" into the search box.

I strongly suggest printing out the page that says Skates can be brought as carry-on and keeping it with your skates should you get a questioning TSA agent.

Yes, we had an issue traveling home to California from Austin, TX last year. Both my wife and our daughter were taken out of line and "randomly" searched. Her skates were taken, wiped down for some reason, then shoved back at her to put back in her skate suitcase. They were rather obnoxious about it, especially considering she was 11. I was behind them and really angry, but you don't get to show that to TSA or YOUR life will be hell.
 

sandraskates

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
Yes, we had an issue traveling home to California from Austin, TX last year. Both my wife and our daughter were taken out of line and "randomly" searched. Her skates were taken, wiped down for some reason, then shoved back at her to put back in her skate suitcase. They were rather obnoxious about it, especially considering she was 11. I was behind them and really angry, but you don't get to show that to TSA or YOUR life will be hell.

I understand Sibelius. My ordeal was similar. Obnoxious doesn't even begin to describe the agent, and the supervisor was pretty clueless. For my other skating colleagues that have been stopped because of skates, having that printout smoothed their path. I always keep a copy in my skate bag now.
 

Sibelius

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
I understand Sibelius. My ordeal was similar. Obnoxious doesn't even begin to describe the agent, and the supervisor was pretty clueless. For my other skating colleagues that have been stopped because of skates, having that printout smoothed their path. I always keep a copy in my skate bag now.

Good idea, I don't fly much at all, but she'll be a traveller, so I'd better do that for her in the future.

One of the younger coaches we know was traveling to Germany for a competition right after 9/11 with her brand new Sp-Teri/Gold Seal skates. She almost used them as a weapon when they tried to confiscate them. She's a very lovely girl so was able to charm the agents into letting her take them on board. She said she was ready to go to airport jail...
 

hanyuufan5

✨**:。*
Medalist
Joined
May 19, 2018
Yes, we had an issue traveling home to California from Austin, TX last year. Both my wife and our daughter were taken out of line and "randomly" searched. Her skates were taken, wiped down for some reason, then shoved back at her to put back in her skate suitcase. They were rather obnoxious about it, especially considering she was 11. I was behind them and really angry, but you don't get to show that to TSA or YOUR life will be hell.

If the random search has some kind of set protocol, the wiping down might have been to take samples to check for trace explosives. :laugh: Yes, I'm serious.
 

sandraskates

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
If the random search has some kind of set protocol, the wiping down might have been to take samples to check for trace explosives. :laugh: Yes, I'm serious.

Yes. You are correct. The problem is that there are other items that mimic a potential trace explosive.
 

cl2

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
You should be fine, but please check with them.

Great, thanks. The Air Canada website says the following, so it seems like it should be OK

Non-removable skate blades:
If brought on board as carry-on baggage, skates must remain in the appropriate travel bag at all times.

Did you know? Japan does not permit ice skates with nonremovable blades as carry-on. These are only accepted as checked baggage.

Removable skate blades:
Removable skate blades are not accepted in carry-on baggage. These must be stored in checked baggage.



The various airlines I've been on have had no issue with me bringing my skates on their planes.

However, a questioning USA TSA agent can make your life h*ll.
I've only had problem once, with a TSA agent that insisted I could not take my skates on the plane.

Go to this website https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all
Put "Skates" into the search box.

I strongly suggest printing out the page that says Skates can be brought as carry-on and keeping it with your skates should you get a questioning TSA agent.

Great suggestion, thanks! I've not had problems with TSA agents picking on my skates within the US before, but it won't be a bad idea to carry some additional supporting material.
 

skatespin

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 2, 2014
I can tell you that ice skates are allowed to be taken inside carry on luggage for domestic flights within the US. They are TSA allowed. For some reason, the TSA security checkpoint employees are always confused by them and will often pull the bag to check the skates in person and will confusedly ask another TSA employee if skates are allowed to which the person always replies yes they are allowed.

I am not sure what the rules are for international flights as I have not done that myself, but I have taken skates on an airplane countless times within the US.

It is definitely good to know the rules ahead of time, because often the first line airport employees are confused because this is something they see much less commonly. So make sure to know the rules and be confident in your right to bring the skates in your carry on, don't let them confuse you.

The posters who mentioned bringing the TSA printout, I've never done that, but that's a great idea. You never know when you will get really unlucky and have some grouchy TSA employees that insist ice skates aren't allowed (although that really shouldn't happen). I think more importantly is to check on what the security of the foreign country (if you are traveling internationally) permits on flights.
 

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
My son recently (in December) flew on Air Canada from Canada to US with his skates and we had absolutely no problem, either with airport security or with Air Canada allowing them on the plane. Nobody did any extra inspection on them or anything. We had them in the rolling carry-on suitcase that he uses for practice. We also had tennis racquets with us in a carry-on tennis backpack, but none of it raised any eyebrows.
 
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