I am planning a trip or two for next season, maybe the west of Ireland or Orkney. What are peoples experiences of airports & airlines coping with rods.
Being a keen loch fisher most of mine are in the 10 or 11 foot category some, two piece.

Last year on a flight to the states my 4 piece 9ft 6in fly rod had to be taken to the excess baggage,to be put in the hold and it counted as 1 piece of luggage.Iwould suggest you give the airline a ring restrictions might be a bit more relaxed now

You are not allowed to take rods on an aircraft as hand luggage. Nor are reels, lines and hooks etc allowed. Why the airlines think a 3oz stick is dangerous is beyond me! Maybe you can lasso and hook the pilot with the lines and hooks?
Phil

Taken separately I think Ryanair will charge as Sports equipment and empty your wallet fairly rapidly.

I'd play it safe & check in everything. Had a " discussion" with a security guy at Newark where he at first thought that the tube of my TXL was a baseball bat. After I pulled the 4 piece 2 weight rod out of the tube he went to demonstarate how I could bring down the cabin door with the tube. Not worth the hassle.

That's sound advice. It doesn't matter what the Airline tells you..it's what the Security People think that matters..and that is down to the individual who happens to be checking your cabin baggage. Don't chance it..check it all in the hold.

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Roy

I've flown to 3 destinations in UK and Ireland this year. Any rods have to be checked in. On BA you are allowed a bag of sports equipement in addtion to your normal backage so if you get a sporttube you can put your waders and other stuff in that with the rods. I had FlyBe experience where I checked and paid for 2 bags on line. When I got to Gatwick they said the sporttube was sports equipment and charged me almost the same again as my flights! Aer Lingus charge extra for sports equipment. Maybe the other budgets are the same.
I haven't had a problem taking reels and line on the plane and feel safer with them in the hand luggage (I am an Abel fan so quite a lot to lose if a bag went missing or got robbed). A checker at Shannon once told me a box of flies was a dangerous object on a plane. I said I didn't realise that any fish were travelling as passengers but it seemed lost on him. I have a friend who is a baggage handling manager and he told me that it's not possible to allow their employees any discretion to use common sense due to their lack of brain cells!!!!
Probably checking everything is safest but I'd make sure the bags are locked and insured.

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"Nature is the artistry of God, and there are times when one is alone with one's rod by the riverside when Heaven seems very near" TK Wilson of Skipton "Trout by all Means" 1966

Totally agree with this approach.

Also, with the glamor that is air travel these days, with flights packed to overflowing, high security, long lines, and temperamental travelers, let's all do each other a favor and go the easy route--just check the rods as baggage. The last thing any of us needs is to be standing in line an extra 10 minutes while some twonk argues with security or whoever that their fly rod should be allowed on even though everyone told them it wouldn't be.

Grouse

I tend to stuff everything in one big duffel, rods (in their tubes) in the middle surrounded by clothes and other soft cushioning stuff. I reckon I can squeeze in a 4 piece 13fter in that fashion! That way those expensive rods attract less attention than if they're are checked in a sportube or whatever. Interesting about reels not being allowed in the cabin - I know of at least one individual who always carries on reels and lines and has never had any bother. Personally, I don't want to risk the hassle and stuff these items in my checked in luggage along with everything else.

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resist much, obey little

Walt Whitman

If you're travelling within the UK it's probably easier and cheaper to send your rods parcel post. You get better traceability, some insurance and probably a more reliable service. (I fly very regularly and have had 3 pieces lost without trace by various airlines over the last 2 years).

Andy