Bringing figure skates as a carry on to International competitions
- Thread starter domodomo
- Start date
It is my understanding that North America allows skates in carry on luggage and that Europe does not. I know that the Canadian team flew Toronto to Vienna direct and then chartered a coach bus to Ostrava for the JGP Czech Skate so that the skates would not have to go into checked luggage.
I do not know about other areas of the world.
We've been able to put skates in the carryon when going to Europe. Flying back, however, they always require us to check them. The letter from the fed didn't make any difference for us in Europe. Hope this helps. Good luck!
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
It is possible in some airlines/routes to take skates in cabin in Europe. depended on airline and departure city they said in some instructions.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2006
Funny, this is the FIRST I finally read it as "skates" and not "skaters"!! lol. I'm thinking I could pack Adeliya in my tiny carry-on case! But no, I have ALWAYS had to check in my skates in America. As for competitors I have heard the best way to secure it is to Fedex overnight to your location, thus avoiding any potential loss in the airport. (Didn't Jilly Trenary have a problem with that at Worlds one year? 1990? And that was only to Nova Scotia!!! My god....). I've also known skaters who would carry on their boots without blades with them and check in their blades. It's the boots that matter, really.
Wait, really? Before March 2020, we travelled within the US with my kid's skates in their carry-on because no way in (whoo!) would I be inclined to check skates if I didn't have to. This is across numerous state lines, on different airlines (mostly cheap ones, since coaching fees eat up all in their path). Even flew in and out of Canada with skates in the carry-on. Of course, now things are different.
Up until 2018, we travelled with skates in carry-ons in Canada & the US. A few times they were flagged at security and we had to provide the airline rules that allowed them, to the agents. However, Europe had different rules. Several skaters we were with almost missed their connecting flight in Frankfurt because they had skates in their carry-on luggage - they had to arrange for them to be checked. The most stressful moments of those trips were waiting to see if the luggage arrived, not the competitions.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2006
Granted, that was my ONE experience ever trying to carry on a pair of skates. I was heading to Big Sky MT I think it was United with my b/f who had a ranch out there with a rink. (Spoiled, party of one, for two !!!!! hehe). This was after 9/11. I didn't make a fuss. I would assume if you have credentials to compete in a FS competition, which I wasn't, you might get a pass by security, or not... Like I said, I've known competitive skaters to just ship with insurance to the desired location. If I were a competitive skater going to Worlds or even a random international, I would invest the money in shipping 24h to the desired location. I REALLY wouldn't want to feel that absolute dread like I've had waiting for my luggage going around and around at pickup, and it's NOT THERE. And don't have Mom drive your skates from LA to Greensboro, just send them. I mean, is that UNcommon amongst non-wealthy/or non-backed skaters??? Skates are extremely expensive. I wouldn't risk the ones I paid $800 for years ago if those were the ones I'd compete with at Adult Nationals.... Now I like this convo. Just skimming I thought it was a joke about carrying on a SKATER! lol.
Yes, we have been flagged at security (domestic, US) for skates about 50% of the time. It's possible that travel will increase for us next spring/summer. So I'm paying attention to this conversation because "nobody tell us nothin'" (for all you Hot Fuzz movie fans out there).
My "big idea" is this: somehow get two pairs of skates (a major investment that we'll have do deal with) on rotation. Wear one pair one day, another pair the next. Then, either ship a pair of skates in advance while taking the second in checked luggage, or just have our kid and one parent each check a pair of skates when travelling. Probably the ship ahead/check a pair would work best. The idea of carrying boots/checking blades sounds intriguing, but how available are blades these days in whatever competitive town you're in?
We are not loaded with cash. Then again, not having your skates for a competition you fly to makes you eat the money for the whole trip, so one can't be penny-wise/pound foolish. We have also met other skaters who didn't have skates arrive to competition and had to compete in borrowed boots, while they were at their (in retrospect) peak competitive time. Just the worst thing to be at a competition and not skate.
My "big idea" is this: somehow get two pairs of skates (a major investment that we'll have do deal with) on rotation. Wear one pair one day, another pair the next. Then, either ship a pair of skates in advance while taking the second in checked luggage, or just have our kid and one parent each check a pair of skates when travelling. Probably the ship ahead/check a pair would work best. The idea of carrying boots/checking blades sounds intriguing, but how available are blades these days in whatever competitive town you're in?
We are not loaded with cash. Then again, not having your skates for a competition you fly to makes you eat the money for the whole trip, so one can't be penny-wise/pound foolish. We have also met other skaters who didn't have skates arrive to competition and had to compete in borrowed boots, while they were at their (in retrospect) peak competitive time. Just the worst thing to be at a competition and not skate.
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2013
Curious about this. Having the blades securely attached to the boots is also very important, right? How many times can you unscrew/screw blades in before you have to drill other holes/replace the boot?
It varies a lot how many times you can reuse a hole before it strips; sometimes, it may strip on the second use; other times, you may reuse the same hole six times or more. At any rate, stripped holes alone should not result in chucking the boot; you can permanently plug them and re-drill them. Not something you want to do just prior to a competition, however.
Another reason not to remove your blades unnecessarily, especially before a competition and even if the holes don't strip: the sole and heel mounting plates of the blades rarely fit flush with the soles and heels of the boots. The boots often deform (relax) over time and with repeated tightening of the screws to conform to the blades. Once you remove the blades, the boots can change shape again, and it might take a couple of sessions to get a conformal fit again: not something you want to mess around with just prior to a competition.
And to reinforce what someone else pointed out: the strategy of removing blades from boots assumes that, if your blades are lost in transit, you can find the blades you need AND in the size you need AND find a decent sharpener who can sharpen the blades to your specs AND at your destination site AND just prior to a competition. That's a lot of if's. AND Murphy's Law usually prevails.
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- Joined
- Aug 7, 2022
Just to add a data point, but from travel in Asia: Hong Kong and Singapore (both common transit hubs) do not allow them in carry-on bags, and will make transiting passengers go through security again. So flying out of US to domestic/international destinations is always fine (I have gone through extra screening stateside but TSA has always let me through eventually). However I once had to take a plane that transited at HKG, which is where I was denied boarding and reduced to tears by security screeners 
