Traveling with Tennis Racquets

TennisDawg

TennisDawg

Hall of Fame
So, I'm going to Florida for a few weeks and want to get in some Tennis in my spare time. I haven't taken a tennis racquet on a plane as carry-on, in quite awhile, Does anyone know if they allow that nowadays? Seems they should but with TSA rules now I just don't know. Thanks for the help
 
Johnatan

Johnatan

New User
To be honest with you, I have never taken my racquets as cary-on just in case they would not allow it. I just pack it in my big luggage making sure that they don't break. However, I did see many people at the airport and in the plane with couple racquets. I guess it would depend on the company. To avoid any trouble and if you are taking a check-in luggage, I would recommend that you just fit it into.
 
T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Johnatan said:
Do you mean as a "carry on" ?
Click to expand...
Yes.

Also, I’ve been traveling around South America a lot this year, and curiously many of the flights on I’m on have at least one professional touring pro on the flight. Last Friday there were 5 female pros traveling on my flight from Asuncion to Santiago, and every one of them had 3 or 4 loose matching racquets on board in the cabin.
 
S

Sir Faultalot

Rookie
My sister had her racket snapped in half when she checked her bag, so now I always carry them on. Last time I flew United I didn’t purchase a carry on and brought my rackets in my “personal bag”. They threw a stink because the handles were sticking out and were bigger than a personal item. I was so mad I swore I’d never fly United. They had a valid point that I was outside the dimensions for a personal item, but rackets are technically too long for a carry on too.

If they got technical on you I wouldn’t be surprised if they made you check it, but every time I’ve purchased a carryon they let me carry on rackets.

Hope that helps
 
Johnatan

Johnatan

New User
That's great to get your experiences, I will probably try to take them as a carry on next time. However, if you wrap your racquets correctly around your clothes it should be fine as for their "safety".
 
S

Sir Faultalot

Rookie
I still wouldn’t risk it with a checked bag- have you seen the way they toss those things around? If you’re bags on the bottom of 5, 50lbs bags you’re dead!

To be fair to United they bought my sister a new racket, but still not something I’m risking.
 
T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
TennisDawg said:
Thanks everyone. I've decided to go carry-on with the racquets.
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I’ve carried my racquets loose as carry-on many hundreds of times, and never once had problem in US. I got hassled on two occasions by international airlines - once by a Chinese airline, and once by airport security in the Galapagos. But in both cases I was able to get my racquets on board by pleading, and in the latter case padding it inside a jacket and wrapped with duct tape to ‘de-weaponize’ it per the request of the airport security staff.
 
B

blablavla

G.O.A.T.
traveled several times with my rackets.
low-cost within Europe.
"regular" airlines within Europe.
"regular" airlines transatlantic flights (Europe -> South America).
charter flights, part of holiday package from Europe to Africa / East.

Both types: checked luggage and cabin luggage.
I haven't experienced any issues when I had my rackets as cabin luggage. Also didn't experience issues when I took my umbrella in the cabin.
In the past I could as well easily place the rackets in the checked luggage, but several times I got my checked luggage with bumps, and one of them was significant. Luckily for my rackets, they were not there. So, since that experience, I don't place voluntarily my rackets in the checked luggage.

Additionally, I recall Monfils 1 or 2 years ago, on a short flight within Europe with a reputable carrier had all his frames destroyed in checked luggage.
Some other stories mention lost luggage, which is almost "as good" as opening your luggage to find the rackets destroyed.
So, long story made short, if there is a chance, I won't place in checked luggage important and valuable to me items, my tennis rackets being part of the valuable to me items.
 
B

blablavla

G.O.A.T.
TennisDawg said:
So, I'm going to Florida for a few weeks and want to get in some Tennis in my spare time. I haven't taken a tennis racquet on a plane as carry-on, in quite awhile, Does anyone know if they allow that nowadays? Seems they should but with TSA rules now I just don't know. Thanks for the help
Click to expand...

in your specific case, if you want to be on the safe side, I would say contact the airline, in written form, and ask them if it is OK to have your rackets as part of your cabin luggage.
print the answer and have it with you.
P.S. no answer from this forum will be treated as an official document neither by the airline, nor by customs / airport authorities.
 
norcal

norcal

Legend
I've traveled with my racket handle sticking out of my backpack and had no problems with carry-on.
I'm guessing if you ask they're likely to say no because the handle exceeds dimensions - so just avoid airline employees until you board, the stewardesses don't care lol.
 
Sardines

Sardines

Hall of Fame
I carry at least 2 racquets held together by either rubber bands or tape, in a drawstring soft bag. TSA will X-ray them, so if you use lead pellets in the grip, like my buddy does, it may get double checked. Otherwise no probs.
 
TagUrIt

TagUrIt

Hall of Fame
I travel internationally often and I have always packed my racquets. I wrap them separately in the original plastic bag they came in and then pack them in the center of my case surrounded by clothes. Never had an issue or any damage to my racquets.
 
navigator

navigator

Hall of Fame
TagUrIt said:
I travel internationally often and I have always packed my racquets. I wrap them separately in the original plastic bag they came in and then pack them in the center of my case surrounded by clothes. Never had an issue or any damage to my racquets.
Click to expand...

Likewise. I've traveled all over the world with my racquets. I just pack them inside my checked luggage and make sure they're in the middle of the bag. I've never had a single problem.
 
B

blablavla

G.O.A.T.
navigator said:
Likewise. I've traveled all over the world with my racquets. I just pack them inside my checked luggage and make sure they're in the middle of the bag. I've never had a single problem.
Click to expand...

you guys must have really big luggage.
when I packed my frames in the checked luggage, there was no way to pack them in the middle, with enough room to be safe.
but it's true that there are bigger size luggage available
 
navigator

navigator

Hall of Fame
blablavla said:
you guys must have really big luggage.
when I packed my frames in the checked luggage, there was no way to pack them in the middle, with enough room to be safe.
but it's true that there are bigger size luggage available
Click to expand...

Well... if you're going to be traveling with your racquets... it stands to reason that you want to have luggage that's big enough to hold the racquets comfortably along with your other belongings. There are size limits to checked luggage so obviously you need to mind those. I think "big" in this case is "big enough to fit your racquet and other things." It sounds like your current luggage is of insufficient size to meet your objectives. I suggest a duffel bag or something similar.
 
N

not_too_shabby

New User
I just traveled with a racquet a couple weeks ago. I put it in my backpack with the handle sticking out. When I got to my seat, I just put the racquet in the overhead bin on top of my roller bag. I only have one very large roller duffle bag thing that would fit a racquet. No way I would bring that on a short business trip.
 
F

FIRETennis

Professional
If you're going to travel with them in the baggage hold as checked, I would recommend them to be unstrung and string them at destination. The extreme change in pressure/temperature in the hold will destroy your strings.
I made the mistake of flying with them checked once strung and I just couldn't imagine how bad those fresh strings felt afterwards.
I fly with 2 frames in carry-on cabin luggage in a backpack and the rest in checked luggage if needed -- depending in the place I go has a decent stringer available.

PS. In Europe do not try to take them as a carry-on cabin luggage with Ryanair. They specifically forbid tennis racquets. Never had a problem on any other airline.
 
TagUrIt

TagUrIt

Hall of Fame
FIRETennis said:
I made the mistake of flying with them checked once strung and I just couldn't imagine how bad those fresh strings felt afterwards.
Click to expand...


That’s very interesting, I’ve packed mine on international flights and had no negative impact on how they’ve played. I do agree if it’s feasible to get them strung at the destination, especially your traveling to a tournament. I carry mine just to play with some local friends.
 
B

bobleenov1963

Hall of Fame
I've traveled multiple times to Florida, California, Argentina, and Chile with at least 5 tennis racquets and I always bring them with me as carry on. The flight attendants always let me put my racquets bag in the first class cabin. When I traveled to Argentina and Chile and back, United is very good with this but not so much Argentina aerolineas airlines. Lot of rude customers there. Even when you put your racquet bags in the overhead, they will toss yours out to put in their s_it. Fortunately, aerolineas flight attendants are very nice and let me put my tennis bag where they have the serving cart.
 
Tennease

Tennease

Legend
I always pack my 2 racquets in my big 80 cm hard shell suitcase. It fits inside nicely. I always put them diagonally in the dirty clothes compartment which you can zip up. The socks and dirty clothes would give it a bit of cushioning. Each racquet is always in its original racquet bag with a zipper. I store shoes, socks, overgrips and other accessories in this compartment, together with dirty clothes, etc. The clean clothes are stored in the other compartment. The racquets never break or snap inside the hard shell suitcase. I've been doing this for more than 10 years now.
 
C

Cage Rattler

Rookie
FIRETennis said:
If you're going to travel with them in the baggage hold as checked, I would recommend them to be unstrung and string them at destination. The extreme change in pressure/temperature in the hold will destroy your strings.
I made the mistake of flying with them checked once strung and I just couldn't imagine how bad those fresh strings felt afterwards.
I fly with 2 frames in carry-on cabin luggage in a backpack and the rest in checked luggage if needed -- depending in the place I go has a decent stringer available.

PS. In Europe do not try to take them as a carry-on cabin luggage with Ryanair. They specifically forbid tennis racquets. Never had a problem on any other airline.
Click to expand...
Easyjet can also be problematic. Remember discussing with check-in agent for an hour .. Eventually convinced him they are my tools of the trade and didn't want them compromised in the hold ... Strings certainly get messed up if they are checked in due to temperature, etc.
 
BH40love

BH40love

Semi-Pro
I travel from Florida to California and always take two racquets in my carry on bag. Usually, just set my bag right between my legs on the flights I use a normal backpack not a racquet bag or anything.
 
dr325i

dr325i

G.O.A.T.
I put 150-250k miles on airlines (North America, Europe, Asia) every year and carry my 12-bag (head speed monstercombi) with at least 3 rackets and tennis gear ALWAYS as Carey on luggage with me.
In 22 years of doing that only had one instance where they made me check them in - on Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Bangalore.
 
Znak

Znak

Hall of Fame
I've travelled multiple times internationally and domestic with my racquet as a carry on, never a problem, (in my Tec backpack). I don't trust my racquet checked in my luggage the way they toss around your suitcase. Plus I always need room for other things.
 
C

Cage Rattler

Rookie
South Africa .. since the last few months security at all airports has changed policy to force racquets to be checked-in. Many airlines happy to take it as carry-on but security is the impossible hurdle.
 
dr325i

dr325i

G.O.A.T.
August 8, DFW - LHR - BEG (BA + AirSerbia)
12-pack with 8 rackets and clothes - no one asked a thing.
and good for them because my checked in luggage was lost in London and made it to BEG 3 days later…
 
dr325i

dr325i

G.O.A.T.
August 14: BEG - IST on Turkish airlines - no one asked or looked into my 12 pack loaded with 8 rackets, shoes and clothes…
 
Strayfire

Strayfire

Rookie
I will say that post-COVID, Australian and New Zealand carriers are now allowing racquets in cabin baggage because of changes to aviation safety guidelines in ANZ.

Prior to COVID, racquets had to be in checked luggage.
 
dr325i

dr325i

G.O.A.T.
August 17: IST-LHR on British A321 - no one asked a single question about my giant bag + backpack…
 
dr325i

dr325i

G.O.A.T.
And back to the US on AA from LHR - DFW, no questions asked with my 12-pack

so, last 2 weeks on BA, Air Serbia, Turkish and American and absolutely no questions asked.

next is Madrid in 3 weeks…
 
dr325i

dr325i

G.O.A.T.
9/11 DFW - MAD on AA
9/14 AGP - VLC on some Regional
9/15 VLC - BEG on Air Serbia
9/21 BEG - MAD on Air Serbia
9/22 MAD - DFW on AA
Not a single question about my 12-pack loaded with rackets and clothes
 
J

JabbaDad

New User
I’m a digital nomad and have carried all over the world. I’ve only had an issue once in my 10 years of flying and it was on viva airlines traveling from Puebla to Monterrey. I was stopped not by security but by the check in attendant. I think that’s where I went wrong on that flight. Some are not familiar with their own rules and err on the safe side. Had to do a Mexican plastic wrap to check it in.
On another note, I just got the adv backpack that doesn’t expose the handles and it’s been awesome for flights.
 
dr325i

dr325i

G.O.A.T.
Did Shanghai and back 3 weeks ago with Head Monster bag loaded with rackets and gear…no one said a thing
 
LOBALOT

LOBALOT

Hall of Fame
I am headed to the airport for my son's college spring break trip in about 5 hours..... restrung 8 racquets... packed.... a drink or two to wind down and after a few hours of sleep, a shower, and I will be heading to the airport... The parents watch the kids play and then we head out and do our thing while the kids do their thing.

This time I am going to put 4 racquets in luggage that we check and I will keep 4 with me as insurance in case the stowed luggage ends up in Tahiti. I am just shoving them in a small backpack with laptops and my meds. I need a break as it has been pretty stressful at work lately so look forward to some great tennis, food, and drink...

Oh, and no I don't expect issues with having to check my racquets.
 
G

gcadi

New User
Traveled a lot between Argentina-Europe-US and domestic flights in the US always with a 12r bag and like @dr325i said many times in many posts: never an issue with any airline. This year I flew several timer from MUN/FRA to different places in the US with my Head Tour Team 12r bag (with 7 rackets and gear) and my backpack with personal belongings like documents, laptop, etc, always with me in the cabin. The tennis bag fits perfectly in aircraft's overhead bin. I don't use a carry-on suitcase because it would be too much and would attract attention. And when I'm about to board the plane I just normally put my backpack in both shoulders and the tennis bag in one shoulder and walk in with confidence :)
 
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