Traveling by plane with your equipment.

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Schnedler

New User
This will be my first time traveling by plane to get to a tournament, this years nationals in AZ is a bit too far to drive for me.
How do you guys normally travel with your gear? I don’t really want to check in my rackets, so how do you get them on board with you? Are there restrictions etc to be aware of?
 
Buy a massive racquet bag, the latest Nike gear, a pair of massive sunglasses, and scowl at anyone who tries to take your picture like you’re a pro going incognito and the cabin crew will be really accomodating

Otoh if you are going to nationals you probably do that already
 
Cashman said:
Buy a massive racquet bag, the latest Nike gear, a pair of massive sunglasses, and scowl at anyone who tries to take your picture like you’re a pro going incognito and the cabin crew will be really accomodating

Otoh if you are going to nationals you probably do that already
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I’m more of an Adidas guy, but everything else you said is spot on. Now back to the racquets, can they be carried on normally?
 
I usually do one of two ways: physically carry the racquets in hand onto the plane (only readable to do with 1-2 bc more than that is unwieldy). They can go in the overhead or under the seat. OR like above pack them very well-cushioned in a hard sided suitcase and check. In your situation I’d probably take my racquet bag and if they don’t allow it on, take my racquets out of the bag to hand carry onto the plane.
 
I’ve carried 1-2 rackets in a backpack and put them under the seat. But I wouldn’t worry about checking them in. They’ve likely faced more abuse on the court.
 
Bringing the racquet inside cabin is usually not a problem for domestic travel.

I usually either put 1 racquet in a backpack or store it diagonally in a luggage and check it in. For international travel, luggage is the only way I choose. Tired of convincing ground crew and security to let me in with a racquet on a backpack.
 
Check the racquets in. Don't lug it into the plane with you as carry-on. If there are no transfers (honestly even if there are) its highly unlikely anything will go wrong with your gear on that flight.

I prefer to have as little stuff with me in the cabin as I possibly can, with the exception of things that will aid with the enjoyment of / coping with the flight.
 
I always carry them on. Have seen people carry on much larger bags - rollers, guitar cases, even golf clubs back in the day. I see no reason why a backpack with a couple racquets is an issue.

A few years ago I boarded a flight and after i put my bag in an overhead bin and sat down, a flight attendant suggested I was going to have to check my backpack with 2 racquets. I was fully prepared to go Ben Stiller, Meet the Parents, “dead lifeless fingers” on her. Fortunately she thought better of suggesting that again, and made alternative arrangements.:)
 
These days I just put a couple rackets between my clothes in my suitcase and check them. Tennis shoe on the head and the butt. for extra protection. For many years I used to bring my rackets between my surfboards in my board bag .Used to travel with a min of 6 surfboards throughout the world, and never had any damage to the rackets or the boards.
 
Put them in your carry on backpack. Idk, maybe im too paranoid, but checking racquets doesnt seem like a great idea. Its cold and high pressure under the plane and i would hate for it to mess up your strings
 
Always, always, always, Carry on if it is important to you. If you are traveling to Arizona to play in Nationals and it is important to you (I will assume that given it is Nationals) than Carry them on. If at the gate they insist you check them at least you know your sticks are on the same plane as you are.

The previous suggestions to check them in are flat wrong.

Right now, this week, I am in Central Texas on a trip from the Great Lakes Region to watch my son's college tennis team play their Spring Break matches. I restrung two of my racquets and carried them on along with my prescription medicine and my work laptop. We got here and our checked clothes/luggage ended up someplace called "Not-here-ville, USA".

My son traveled on a separate flight with his team and they all brought their racquets into the cabin with them.
 
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Schnedler said:
This will be my first time traveling by plane to get to a tournament, this years nationals in AZ is a bit too far to drive for me.
How do you guys normally travel with your gear? I don’t really want to check in my rackets, so how do you get them on board with you? Are there restrictions etc to be aware of?
Click to expand...
Sch
carry on your racquets in a racquet bag. if the overheads are full, you might have to take them out.
if other people are trying to stuff in their carry ons in the overheads, be aware and offer to help them so they wont damage your racquets
usually there is no problem.
i have taken my racquets to Hawaii numerous times without issue
z
 
guanzishou said:
I always packed my racquets in my huge and tough suitcase and check them in. I don't want to use up the limited space in the luggage compartment above passengers seats.
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same...
i have a biggest tough suit case... and pack everything in there, including flattening out my 12 racquet tennis bag...
then recompose everything into my tennis bag once i arrive.
alternatively i've been able to get a smaller racquet bag as carryon, in the overhead bin...
but more times that not, i've been burned even with carry-ons smaller than a racquet bag, and forced to check them with luggage (ie. particlarly on very packed flights, and if i'm in economy/towards the rear - but sometiems they just target any/all carryon as you walk throgh the loading tunnel - not sure if they are taking a mental tally or not)...
 
am1899 said:
I always carry them on. Have seen people carry on much larger bags - rollers, guitar cases, even golf clubs back in the day. I see no reason why a backpack with a couple racquets is an issue.

A few years ago I boarded a flight and after i put my bag in an overhead bin and sat down, a flight attendant suggested I was going to have to check my backpack with 2 racquets. I was fully prepared to go Ben Stiller, Meet the Parents, “dead lifeless fingers” on her. Fortunately she thought better of suggesting that again, and made alternative arrangements.:)
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I call this BS. Try to bring a golf club driver with you onto an airplane without having to check in.
 
bobleenov1963 said:
I call this BS. Try to bring a golf club driver with you onto an airplane without having to check in.
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I believe the subject was tennis not golf...

I am down in Texas now. Carried on my racquets no issue. Note: My checked luggage got lost and arrived 2 days later. Had that been racquets I would have been SOL.
My son carried his 12 racquet bag with 6 racquets and all his other stuff down here with his team with no issue. His team all did the same on same trip down here with a transfer without issue.
We flew for a week of training at academy down in Florida and to see the Miami open this time last year. My son carried on the same racquet bag no issue.
We flew for national tournament last January and my son carried on his 12 racquet bag no issue.
We flew the same schedule / events the prior year. All carried on. All no issue.
We flew the prior year to this prior year to all the same events. All carried on. All no issue.
I can go back further if you like.

We have spoken with multiple tournament kids families who travel all do this without issue.

Again, the worst that can happen is at the gate they make you check it at the gate (which has never happened to us) and then you know at least it is on the airplane with you.

Again, I am on a trip right this minute in my hotel looking at my tennis bag that I carried on to get down here.
 
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LOBALOT said:
I believe the subject was tennis not golf...

I am down in Texas now. Carried on my racquets no issue. Note: My checked luggage got lost and arrived 2 days later. Had that been racquets I would have been SOL.
My son carried his 12 racquet bag with 6 racquets and all his other stuff down here with his team with no issue. His team all did the same on same trip down here with a transfer without issue.
We flew for a week of training at academy down in Florida and to see the Miami open this time last year. My son carried on the same racquet bag no issue.
We flew for national tournament last January and my son carried on his 12 racquet bag no issue.
We flew the same schedule / events the prior year. All carried on. All no issue.
We flew the prior year to this prior year to all the same events. All carried on. All no issue.
I can go back further if you like.

We have spoken with multiple tournament kids families who travel all do this without issue.

Again, the worst that can happen is at the gate they make you check it at the gate (which has never happened to us) and then you know at least it is on the airplane with you.

Again, I am on a trip right this minute in my hotel looking at my tennis bag that I carried on to get down here.
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I know it is about tennis and not golf but @am1899 said that you could bring golf club onto an airplane which is not true.
 
bobleenov1963 said:
I know it is about tennis and not golf but @am1899 said that you could bring golf club onto an airplane which is not true.
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Ah... Sorry, I didn't see that. Yeah, I question that too.

Plus what good is 1 club. With my golf game I need all the options I can get just to fully confuse the mater and lead to a more ridiculous outcome.
 
am1899 said:
Reading is fundamental.



http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id...d-items-list-planes-allows-sporting-equipment

For the record, this has since changed again. Currently TSA does not allow any golf clubs to be carried on.
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What you said is very misleading. According to the article: On the sports front, lacrosse sticks, hockey sticks, pool cues, ski poles and golf clubs are allowed. But Rory McIlroy can't bring his entire bag of new Nike clubs on the plane with him because the carry-on limit is two clubs.

What can do with two golf clubs on the golf course?
 
bobleenov1963 said:
What you said is very misleading. According to the article: On the sports front, lacrosse sticks, hockey sticks, pool cues, ski poles and golf clubs are allowed. But Rory McIlroy can't bring his entire bag of new Nike clubs on the plane with him because the carry-on limit is two clubs.

What can do with two golf clubs on the golf course?
Click to expand...

Well that’s obviously what I intended - to mislead people like you. :rolleyes:
 
I put my racquets in my work laptop backpack with the handles sticking out. Once everyone is on the plane, I put them in the overhead bin on top of whatever luggage is in there. Never had a problem. Some planes I can put them under the seat if they don't have a metal leg dividing up the footwell area and I am traveling with my wife so I can lay them across both our foot areas.
 
Just did Dallas - Philly - Zurich - car to Kennelbach - Zurich - Paris - Dallas.
From KB back carried a huge Team Tour bag with 13 rackets and other junk in it. No one sad a thing, always with me and had a good luck to sit next to a tennis enthusiast from CDG - DFW, so, brought my bag down to show off :cool:
Most challenging part was carrying all my stuff to work related meetings...but also was a great topic to chat about during intro...
A220 (Swiss) --> B787-9 (AA)
 
dr325i said:
Just did Dallas - Philly - Zurich - car to Kennelbach - Zurich - Paris - Dallas.
From KB back carried a huge Team Tour bag with 13 rackets and other junk in it. No one sad a thing, always with me and had a good luck to sit next to a tennis enthusiast from CDG - DFW, so, brought my bag down to show off :cool:
Most challenging part was carrying all my stuff to work related meetings...but also was a great topic to chat about during intro...
A220 (Swiss) --> B787-9 (AA)
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Did you board as Group 1?
 
dr325i said:
ya.
I do have the EP status on AA, and 1k on Star Alliance
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Yeah... gate agents and flight attendants are a lot more lenient towards priority clients. Both because of customer service reasons but also because when you board there's definitely room for whatever you got.

I have status with AA but not with United and I definitely feel the difference whenever I fly Star Alliance...
 
Aslan T said:
Yeah... gate agents and flight attendants are a lot more lenient towards priority clients. Both because of customer service reasons but also because when you board there's definitely room for whatever you got.

I have status with AA but not with United and I definitely feel the difference whenever I fly Star Alliance...
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I have flown most airlines around the world (all over europe, China, south east Asia , last 25 years. During this time, only one airline, Malaysia Airlines, made me check the bag from Bangalore to Kuala Lumpur. Aeroflot tried in Moscow but I won.

I have not flown Jet Blue but have heard they won’t budge…. So, they are blacklisted for me.
 
Carry on is my advice.

You don’t want to risk not having your racquets for your matches if the airline loses your luggage, they load it on the wrong plane (happened to me before), or someone picks it up by mistake.
 
The problem is different airports and even personnel in security that change what is acceptable. For instance, Indonesia technically does not allow racquets on carry on. I've done it many times, on occasion, the security will suddenly enforce the rule that 80% of the time, it's allowed, especially in Bali. We've had to check in racquets at the check-in counter, hand carried fragile cos they wouldn't let us on the plane, no matter what class we're flying, cos the airlines don't want to overrule the airport security.
 
Just did DFW - CLT - MUC on AA (exec Platinum status) then MUC to VLC on Lufthansa (No more status with LH), then MAD -DFW on AA and no one said a single thing about my 12-pack loaded with rackets, shoes and other stuff…
 
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dr325i said:
Even JetBlue? I heard ugly things about them and tennis bags…
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Yeah they've pink tagged my racquet bags a couple of times but never asked me to check them in like I've heard stories of. They did annihilate our very nice childrens stroller a few years back (something ran over it, you could see tread marks) and had to answer to my then pregnant furious wife. Got a nice check in the mail later on.
 
haqq777 said:
Yeah they've pink tagged my racquet bags a couple of times but never asked me to check them in like I've heard stories of. They did annihilate our very nice childrens stroller a few years back (something ran over it, you could see tread marks) and had to answer to my then pregnant furious wife. Got a nice check in the mail later on.
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Don't think they'd accept my $8k tennis bag content claim without a lawyer :)
So...no way I am checking it in...
 
Allegiant asked me to remove my racquets from my backpack when I put it in the overhead compartment so the door would close, like a regular carry on bag (front to back).
 
So far the only country I've been to that has not allowed racquets as carry-on has been Indonesia.

First class might allow but Im not sure. The last time I flew first class into Indonesia I didn't have my racquets with me.
 
onehandbh said:
So far the only country I've been to that has not allowed racquets as carry-on has been Indonesia.

First class might allow but Im not sure. The last time I flew first class into Indonesia I didn't have my racquets with me.
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As mentioned before, Indonesia, when leaving from their airports. For eg, I've flown into Indonesia with racquets and never had issues, but leaving from JKT or DPS, it's a crap shoot. It depends on mostly if the security guys are on the ball when doing the x-ray at the immigration entry point. I escaped pre-COV but could not this last April. The station manager of the airline apologized profusely and said the inconsistent enforcement is an issue. Class isn't the issue. A guy the day before in economy class managed to carry his sticks as hand carry. But I couldn't in a higher class.
The larger issue are the airlines. For instance, I'd flown from the US into LHR, with a 6 racquet bag, but when I was in transit and changed from Virgin to BA for my connecting flight, BA doesn't allow anything over 56cm long and they made me check it at the gate! Yet a musician with a viola walked right through at 80cm! I don't fly BA if I don't have to.
 
BEG - AMS - PRG (KLM)
PRG - IST - DFW (Turkish)
No status on any of them pretty much
KLM tried to make me check my tennis bag t AMS because "the plane was full". Got into an argument with the gate agent, my kids and wife got upset, so I sent them in ahead of me, I stayed outside to have some fun. Called the Supervisor. Showed the lady the width of my tennis bag (5 rackets in and some clothing) was narrower than a regular carryon they were letting in and made a deal with her -- if my bag does not fit straight in (B737-900) then you take it ;). (Done this thousands of times). I won.
No one said anything on both filly packed Turkish flights...
 
Sardines said:
As mentioned before, Indonesia, when leaving from their airports. For eg, I've flown into Indonesia with racquets and never had issues, but leaving from JKT or DPS, it's a crap shoot. It depends on mostly if the security guys are on the ball when doing the x-ray at the immigration entry point. I escaped pre-COV but could not this last April. The station manager of the airline apologized profusely and said the inconsistent enforcement is an issue. Class isn't the issue. A guy the day before in economy class managed to carry his sticks as hand carry. But I couldn't in a higher class.
The larger issue are the airlines. For instance, I'd flown from the US into LHR, with a 6 racquet bag, but when I was in transit and changed from Virgin to BA for my connecting flight, BA doesn't allow anything over 56cm long and they made me check it at the gate! Yet a musician with a viola walked right through at 80cm! I don't fly BA if I don't have to.
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Garuda Airlines allows you to bring sporting equipment for free without additional fees. This includes big items like a bicycle.
 
Of course, all airlines accept sporting equipment. The topic of this thread was sticks in cabin bags, which unfortunately in Indonesia, is against the airport security codes, which I can't reiterate enough, WHEN LEAVING FROM THEIR AIRPORTS! I've flown in a number of times with rackets in the cabin bags into DPS and JKT from HKG, SIN, and NRT/HND. Leaving, oth, is always a crap shoot!
onehandbh said:
Garuda Airlines allows you to bring sporting equipment for free without additional fees. This includes big items like a bicycle.
Click to expand...
 
Always wanted to know if people were able to carry on their 6/9/12 racquet bags.

I may have to try this next time. Do you just make sure it’s not that much larger than a carry on luggage?
 
koolio said:
Always wanted to know if people were able to carry on their 6/9/12 racquet bags.

I may have to try this next time. Do you just make sure it’s not that much larger than a carry on luggage?
Click to expand...
Did you even read the thread above??
 
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