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Author Topic: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on  (Read 59676 times)

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Offline AgnesNitt

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #25 on: May 15, 2012, 05:23:43 PM »
Would skatingsafe gel pads be banned by the same principle then?

Don't know. It doesn't fit in shoes, so I guess not. And anyway, you could always wear them and call them 'medical appliances' for mild arthritis or rheumatism
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Offline Query

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #26 on: May 16, 2012, 04:16:51 AM »
I think this is getting O.T., but I think most of the mail order sharpening customers send boots with skates on them. It's just more expensive to ship that way than to ship blades, and some customers who are far from their sharpening pros interchange multiple pairs of blades before they bring or ship them for sharpening.

Of course, many of these people have multiple pairs of boots and/or blades, so they can keep skating while other pair are sharpened. For a seriously competitive or professional skater, it's just one of the costs of skating, and other costs can be much greater.

Many "seriously" competitive figure skaters skate 15-20 hours / week. A pro told me he advices sharpening every 40 hours, but some prefer sharper blades. There have been times when I sharpened my own every skating day or two, but eventually decided I was using very sharp blades to compensate for incorrect body alignment.

And yes, some skaters have to skate on artificial "ice".

---

Back to the original topic - boots and blades are usable as weapons. People do get injured by blades on the ice. Maybe you've seen it, or seen someone come pretty close. Before the nut cases ruined our world, who would have thought a little box cutter knife was all that dangerous? Even without blades, boots are dangerously heavy objects.

I think we need to completely appreciate why some security person might be worried about carry-on skates. The last thing you need to do is make a scene about it in the airport.

I wonder what archers, fencers and skeet and trap people do, let alone the people who re-enact ancient battles.

Offline Bunny Hop

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #27 on: May 16, 2012, 06:42:07 AM »
Many airlines will say they allow things, but if you can't get it passed the screener, it doesn't matter that the airline allows it. 
Exactly. If you want a ruling for a specific country, you're better off looking at an official government travel advice site, e.g.
http://travelsecure.infrastructure.gov.au/domestic/prohibited_list.aspx
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Foreigntravel/AirTravel/DG_176922


Offline CrossStroke

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #28 on: May 16, 2012, 07:46:12 AM »
Back to the original topic - boots and blades are usable as weapons.
     (snip)
Even without blades, boots are dangerously heavy objects.

Actually, carry-on luggage should be prohibited too - those are really dangerous!   A person can easily be knocked off the feet with one.

My fairly small handbag stuffed full happens to be heavier than my Klingbeil boot without the blade is (street size 10, so no tiny little thing).  

Offline taka

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #29 on: May 16, 2012, 10:12:56 AM »
I wonder what archers, fencers and skeet and trap people do, let alone the people who re-enact ancient battles.
I used to fence and knew several international level fencers. Most took the weapons apart (often they are held together with a hex nut in the handle), packed blades carefully in padding / protective plastic tubing and packed them as hold luggage. The rest of the guards, grips etc went in hand luggage along with spare wires and other equipment just in case, so if the hold baggage went awol they could just buy a new blades (or borrow them from a friend) and set everything up to their liking as much as possible at a competition. Blades break fairly routinely so spare blades (even higher quality ones) are often for sale at competitions and competitors would often have quite a few with them.

I'm really praying my skates don't go missing when I fly to/from Madrid for my ice dance camp as I'll have to pack them in my suitcase in the hold. Eeeekkk!

Offline Bunny Hop

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #30 on: May 17, 2012, 06:04:08 AM »
Another ex-fencer here. I travelled interstate with my fencing gear many times. You pack the blades in hard plastic tubes, pad everything well, take the bag to the oversize luggage counter and then hope for the best. I never arrived with broken blades, but I may have just been lucky. They're a lot more fragile than skate blades, and harder to pack.

Does remind me of a funny story though - one novice fencer turned up at check-in and when asked what was in his bag, proudly said "Weapons!". This was pre-9/11, but still very much the wrong thing to say!  :D

Taka - are you flying direct? If so, and you arrive at the airport in plenty of time to check in, there should be a very, very low risk of your bag going missing, particularly if its identifiable with a baggage tag. Also, when bags do miss the flight, they usually go on the next one, so they're delayed rather than lost. I seriously wouldn't worry.

Offline fsk8r

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #31 on: May 17, 2012, 06:33:57 AM »
Taka - are you flying direct? If so, and you arrive at the airport in plenty of time to check in, there should be a very, very low risk of your bag going missing, particularly if its identifiable with a baggage tag. Also, when bags do miss the flight, they usually go on the next one, so they're delayed rather than lost. I seriously wouldn't worry.

When they say plenty of time they actually mean within the guideline times they tell you. Those times are based on how long it takes for your bag to make its way through the baggage system. If you're really late they have to hand transport your bag, although that will guarantee your bag makes the plane. If you're too early the bag can be put in storage (within the baggage system) and then you have to hope the computer remembers your bag and takes it out and sends it to the plane in time.
Baggage systems are quite fascinating things to simulate.

Offline taka

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #32 on: May 17, 2012, 06:47:23 AM »
Yep, flying direct. I'm just being paranoid... lol!

(My main problem is how I get clothing etc for 10 days AND all the skates & gear I'll need for 5 days of ice dance + off ice work within my baggage allowance! :o ::>))

Offline fsk8r

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #33 on: May 17, 2012, 08:01:44 AM »
Yep, flying direct. I'm just being paranoid... lol!

(My main problem is how I get clothing etc for 10 days AND all the skates & gear I'll need for 5 days of ice dance + off ice work within my baggage allowance! :o ::>))

Don't pack alternatives and pack layers for skating. Only the under layers need changing. Now I'm regularly travelling for work, I've cut down on the alternative options and only pack exactly what I need. It's amazing how little that actually is. And the Madrid camp is in summer so clothes weigh less! Try doing one of the skate / ski camps and fitting that all in your luggage allowance. 

Offline Bunny Hop

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #34 on: May 17, 2012, 08:57:15 AM »
There's also my father's favourite bit of packing advice - lay everything you want to pack out on your bed, and then halve it. You'd be suprised how well this works, and doesn't leave you short of clothing.

Offline Query

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #35 on: May 17, 2012, 09:43:54 AM »
I never considered that heavy purses might be dangerous. If TSA administrators banned heavy purses, ladies would would chase them down swinging purses and stiletto heel shoes.  ::>)

Back to the O.T. topic - some of the people who sharpen frequently, walk on rubber floors or carpet to and from where they put  on the skates. That may wear out the edges more than the entire skating session.

Skittl1321 wrote: "...skaters who remove blades from dance boots to freestyle boots and every time you skate?  Why in the world would anyone do that?"

Every time they skate, not that I skate.  :) (a) They don't want to pay for two sets of blades and (b) they practice freestyle and dance in the same practice sessions.

Offline Sk8tmum

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #36 on: May 17, 2012, 02:37:16 PM »
Back to the O.T. topic - some of the people who sharpen frequently, walk on rubber floors or carpet to and from where they put  on the skates. That may wear out the edges more than the entire skating session.

Why wouldn't they just wear blade guards????  ???

Offline Skittl1321

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #37 on: May 17, 2012, 02:48:55 PM »
Why wouldn't they just wear blade guards????  ???

Lazy?  I don't wear blade guards except the week before a competition.  They are too hard to put on/take off (I have Matrix blades, so they are fatter than most guards.)  Before that my blades were cheap so I didn't really care about any extra damage/loss of life. Very few skaters at our rink where guards. Only a few bother to walk on their toepicks.



I'm still baffled at a skater who has money/need for a second pair of boots, but not a second pair of blades.  Wouldn't removing the blades every time THAT skater skated really shorten the life of the boots? (At least for me, boots are the expensive part.)  The idea is really quite baffling.  Even if you use the same holes, it seems like taking the blades off and putting them back on would result in ever so slightly different mountings that you have to get used to each time.  And how can removing the screw this many times NOT strip the holes?   

It is interesting how so many other dance/freestyle combo skaters have managed to combat the problem without taking their blades off. 

So Query- what is the life of a screw hole for the skaters who do this?  How long until the boot soles are trashed? 


As for TSA: Everything can be a weapon.  A shoelace would make a really nice garrot.

Offline jjane45

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #38 on: May 17, 2012, 04:06:30 PM »
Why wouldn't they just wear blade guards????  ???

I get decent life out of each sharpening and don't want to risk breaking something stepping on ice with guards on. Too many precedents around me.

Skaters really need guards that fare better if accidentally got on ice!

Offline sarahspins

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #39 on: May 17, 2012, 04:21:19 PM »
I don't wear guards to walk the 10 feet between the ice and my skate bag, I will put on guards if I will be walking around on the mats for a while - like during a resurface.

Offline AgnesNitt

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #40 on: May 17, 2012, 05:44:25 PM »
There's also my father's favorite bit of packing advice - lay everything you want to pack out on your bed, and then halve it. You'd be surprised how well this works, and doesn't leave you short of clothing.

I met a woman at Aspen, who traveled to the US from Sweden with a single bag with(edit) all her clothes and(end edit) her skates in it for a two week skating trip.

When the Big Guy and I talk now about traveling light, we say, " Pack it like Gudrun."
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Offline Doubletoe

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #41 on: May 17, 2012, 07:00:31 PM »
Yep, flying direct. I'm just being paranoid... lol!

(My main problem is how I get clothing etc for 10 days AND all the skates & gear I'll need for 5 days of ice dance + off ice work within my baggage allowance! :o ::>))

In order to avoid using up precious space in my luggage, you'll see me wearing my bulky warmup jackets and coats onto the plane!  :sweat

Offline jjane45

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #42 on: May 18, 2012, 12:34:21 AM »
In order to avoid using up precious space in my luggage, you'll see me wearing my bulky warmup jackets and coats onto the plane!  :sweat

What about actually wearing the skates with hard guards?   88)
Just take them off for screening as if they were regular shoes.

Offline Bunny Hop

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #43 on: May 18, 2012, 05:13:40 AM »
What about actually wearing the skates with hard guards?   88)
Just take them off for screening as if they were regular shoes.
You might get away with it if you were wearing these:


Offline taka

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #44 on: May 18, 2012, 08:14:58 AM »
Thanks everyone!

In order to avoid using up precious space in my luggage, you'll see me wearing my bulky warmup jackets and coats onto the plane!  :sweat
I'll be doing this I think... particularly if the summer weather here is as bad as last year. I'll need all my warmer stuff on not to freeze getting out to the airport! :P

I managed to travel for months living out of a 60l backpack so I just have to reconnect with my inner backpacker and be very careful about what I choose to take! Capsule wardrobe anyone?

What I never quite understood is that things like knives are banned by security but glass bottles (eg from duty free) aren't? A broken glass bottle can be used as a dangerous weapon and can kill just as easily as a blade...

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #45 on: May 18, 2012, 10:10:15 AM »
Good thing the crazy high heel skates don't have toepicks, otherwise the skater would fall flat on their face.
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Offline Bunny Hop

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #46 on: May 18, 2012, 09:53:06 PM »
What I never quite understood is that things like knives are banned by security but glass bottles (eg from duty free) aren't? A broken glass bottle can be used as a dangerous weapon and can kill just as easily as a blade...
That's what we always say as well. In fact, people who order wine on a plane often get given a small glass bottle. If you're in Business Class you'll also get metal cutlery - a fork could do some damage used in the right way. Banning nail clippers (not scissors, clippers) always amuses me as well "Turn the plane around or I'll clip you!" doesn't really work as much of a threat.

Offline Query

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #47 on: May 18, 2012, 09:56:29 PM »
I'm still baffled at a skater who has money/need for a second pair of boots, but not a second pair of blades.

I'm sure you know the answer. Many people like stiffer boots for freestyle than for dance. But some dancers are happy in freestyle blades. So they figure they need two pair of boots, but only one pair of blades.

Wouldn't removing the blades every time THAT skater skated really shorten the life of the boots?

It must reduce the lifetime of the hole, the screw and the screwdriver bit. But you can repair a stripped hole - e.g., pound a dowel into it. Likewise, if you strip the screw head, there ways to remove the screw. And you can buy new screwdriver bits.

BTW I didn't say I did it - only that I've met people who did. Honestly, it seems like a big waste of time.

The idea is really quite baffling.  Even if you use the same holes, it seems like taking the blades off and putting them back on would result in ever so slightly different mountings that you have to get used to each time.

Not if the screws are installed correctly. Properly centered countersink screws (the ones with convex conical bottoms, fitting into holes with concave conical tops) fix the position very precisely. That's the whole point of countersink screws. However, as mentioned in another post, the screw countersinks all have to originally be installed precisely centered on the hole countersinks (not on the holes themselves!) for this to work properly. Some boot technicians aren't that careful.

Needless to say, if you are still on temporary mounts, it would be very hard to re-install them in the same position.

As for TSA: Everything can be a weapon.  A shoelace would make a really nice garrot.

Don't give TSA the idea. They might take it seriously!

BTW, people are dangerous weapons too.

Offline sampaguita

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #48 on: May 21, 2012, 08:07:22 PM »
If in skilled hands, a lot of things can turn into very dangerous weapons...

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Re: TSA changes policy for skates in carry-on
« Reply #49 on: May 23, 2012, 02:17:04 PM »
If you have an iPhone there is a My TSA app that purports to let you know wait time on their lines.  It may be available for Android also, don't know.
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