Heading across the pond for paddling in April and am planning to bring all my gear. I have two stoves, Dragonfly and the Brunton Optimus. They both run on any fuel. Can I bring the empty fuel bottle on the plane in checked bags?

How about paddles? Has anyone flown with their 4 piece break apart paddles and carried them on? Are they considered weapons nowadays?

Suz

You can take everything except fuel bottles, empty or not, but not as carry on. You take them as checked baggage and I took paddles no problem last summer to Scotland.

( I used to take ice axes on international flights, and those are weapons and I did this post 9/11)

Take a Gaz stove and buy a bottle (the blue ones) over there.

You probably cannot carry on your paddle. I was not able to when I went to Alaska last summer on American. Yes, I was told it could be used as a weapon.

I'll echo Ken: 4-piece paddles travel fine in a duffle. I wrapped mine in a wetsuit.

Fuel bottles, even new, are forbidden even in check baggage. You might get it through, but if they have to go digging for it in check baggage, the results may not be pretty.

Scott

Hi Suz,

Forget the stove, the most important item to pack is the is the CAMpaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide, found at

http://shop.camra.oxi.net/acatalog/CAMRA_M..._Guides_51.html

and probably Borders and B&N.

Deb gave me this as a gift a few years back and we've used it to sample many fine ales in pubs from Stornoway to Dartmouth.

Who needs Le Guide Michelin when there's CAMRA?

Cheers,

Bob

I lent my large pullman to Karen to take to NZ. As far as I know, she put your four piece paddle in it. You are welcome to borrow it. It fits a lot of gear and has wheels and has a hard structure to protect things like your paddle.

-Dee

Suz - I took my MSR stove and empty fuel bottle on an Air New Zealand flight in my checked luggage. They did check it carefully,however.

I called the airline to find out their policy. Air NZ might be more liberal cause they figure lots of folks are going to camp.

Try to get every trace of fuel smell out or else you'll be standing at the check in waiting for it to evaporate.

Karen

How about a trip report?

Liz N.

Thanks Liz - I have lots of stories and pictures. Am just trying to figure out what time it is and get organized.

k

Suz

When I flew out to the Grand Canyon (2004) the airline (Southwest) said that I could not take a used fuel bottle or STOVE on the plane (I checked the week before the trip). What I did was send the stove and fuel bottle FedEx three day service I did it five days before I left and I found it in my room when I got to the Grand Canyon. If you ship the stove and bottle, make sure that it is as clean as you can get it. At the end of my trip I sent it back FedEx ground and it took 4 days instead of three.

Jonathan