Fins as aircraft hand luggage

[Cornholio]

Could someone help me please?

In the past my Mares fins have travelled in my large suitcase. However, I now have Omer Millennium Ice fins which will not fit. I'd hoped to carry them onto the plane in their bag, but UK restrictions state that hand luggage must measure no more than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm.

Exceptions are made for musical instruments, so what about fins? Has anyone been allowed to carry fins onto a UK flight recently?

I don't want to put them in the hold in their bag as I wouldn't like to trust them to the baggage handlers.

They may fit in my suitcase if I remove the footpockets, but would prefer to travel with them intact.

Thank you!

Gavin.

 

[James T]

Hi Gavin,
I have carried my fibre-plastic fins back and forth to France with Flybe no problem over the past 6 months. As you mentioned I have also taken a guitar back and forth in the cabin without problems. Unfortuantely it isn't too clear - if you speak to the customer sevices they may well give you the party line, whereas I found generally the security staff and cabin crew are far more helpful. If you have a chance to check it with the ground staff before you fly it is the best bet.

Otherwise I have also done what you said, when travelling on charter flights where space is limited - I removed the footpockets and packed the blades in my luggage.

Omer make a good fin bag if that helps also.

James

 

[argus66]

put fins in guitar case.

 

[octopus]

I have been taking my HF2000 and Waterways mono all over the world in hand luggage. Most of the time I put them behind the last seat. Sometimes staff take them and put them below the deck or in clothes compartment. It is also possible (just about) to fit waterways large mono into overhead compartment (perhaps due to 42 eur foot size?). You just have to make sure nothing else sits on your monofin. For fins it is even easier as they'll easily fit in lengthwise. I would be tempted to keep footpockets and blades together.

I have never ever had a problem with security people or airplane staff. They are very kind. I do have to satisfy their curiosity though and promote freediving a bit.
Monofin will fit thourgh x-ray machine. It might need a bit of persuasion though.

The problem is check-in people. They'll almost always tell you that you cannot take it as hand luggage (I guess that's their job). They'll also tell you that security will return you to check-in - never happend to me. I try not to raise the question at all. If they do spot my monofin, I just tell them that it fits into overhead compartment and that security do not have problem with it.

Only once check-in lady (Quito airport) was insisting that I do not take my mono onto the plane. Eventually I had to tell her that I was going to leave mono in the airport and she had to let me go.

Last time I came back from Nice with easyJet in September, with my mono in hand luggage.
I am off tommorow to Dahab and I am taking my mono in hand luggage.
Good luck.

 

[Cornholio]

Thank you all for your replies. They are most helpful.

I do have a few guitar cases at my disposal, but think I'll try to get them through security in their Omer bag instead. As they're long(ish) 'n' thin bi-fins there'll be no problem getting them into the overhead locker.

Thanks again. Lanzarote here I come!

 

[Cornholio]

Thanks again to all those who replied.

For the record, there was no problem taking the fins into the cabin, even though they exceeded the permitted dimensions.

Whilst going through security at East Midlands they were inspected. The two people who looked at them concluded that they'd never seen anything like them before but they were not likely to be used as an offensive weapon. They passed through security at Arrecife with no problems.

I had someone ask me if I had a surfboard in my bag. Come on now, they're not that long

Cheers,

Gavin.

 

[Aldan]

Hey, that's what I was looking for. I'm thinking of Omer Fin Bag too. Do you guys know if two pairs of fins (Omer Millenium and Gara 3000) will fit in? Is this bag big enough for both? I need to know before I buy. Thanks!