I've got a trip to Big Sky, MT planned and would like to bring a kite with me. I'm trying to pack carefully because I don't like overwhelming bag fees and will have all my snowboard gear plus clothes etc. for a week so I'm trying to keep my checked luggage to a minimum. Could I make it through airport security with a Twister II 4m in a backpack or maybe a small FS Outlaw as a carryon without a hassle? Should I check the handles, bar and plastic kite stake? Any tips for airline travel with kites? I don't see a harness being a problem, but TSA may not like the spreader bar. Who knows?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Took my beamers 3m and 5m as carry on and didn't have any problems. The Kite stake caught attention, and had to explain to the TSA what it was. The supervisor labeled it an Accesory and i was able to continue. If I can get a stake through security I don't see why you wouldn't be able to get a spreader bar through. But the TSA can be diffrent from airport to airport. Phoenix the asked questions, in Maui they didn't say a thing. All it takes is one self important super and they could take your stuff. I work for the airlines and have 2 fimmediate family members that are pilots. I hope this helps you and any one else

Check both the TSA and airline site. Kites shouldn't be any problem, and handles shouldn't either (unless you get a particularly over-zealous TSA agent). Put the stakes with check-in luggage. Bar may be an issue. The problem with TSA is that some of their rules are too much of a moving target.

This was from back in 2004, but it still redlines the "roll your eyes meter".

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/17/Hillsborough/Tourist_s_cri...

Basically, if it can even be construed as an adhoc weapon, check it in.

ATB,
Sam

When I took a kite trip to Cozumel, I flew with Continental and put my kiteboard, bar&lines, pump, and a backpack of clothes inside my golf bag and checked that in, then brought my kites on board with me. I didn't want to deal with possibly encountering an overzealous TSA agent and I figured they couldn't argue about some rolls of ripstop.

I used Space Bags to compress the kites (11m and 15m LEIs) and they both fit into one kite bag.

At the zoo, people have told about having problems with bars cos they're weapons, don't you know

Kites in check-in suit case, clothes in carry-on ... I travel light

Carry on with kites, makes me feel safer knowing they are with me than in the belly of plane.

TSA can be picky as one time they ask with is with the lines and handles. I said kite stuff and they wanted to double and makes me remove my lines from the kite. All kites what a pain. They still let me through though.

I always remove the lines and handles and put them in my luggage

Lines and handles = weapons? Really but better safe than sorry I guess.

I have a very low opinion of the nasty little frustrated dictators that get jobs as check-in assistants ... so it surprised me not that they make life difficult.
And don't forget to say "kiteBOARDing" and not "kitesurfing" or they'll insist that it's a surfboard and try to charge you extra too.

... depends how big your kites are too I guess

Last year when we went to Antigua I checked my kites in. But they lost all of our luggage on the flights home. (they found them in some other world and dropped them off at our house) But still freaked me out. I would insure them for A LOT next time.

Funny, only problems we've ever had is traveling from Toronto to US

- Ziggy had a problem bringing a big stuffed Phantom bag once - they wouldn't let him carry it one - due to size exceeding the small carry on limit
- had a friend get his rev handles yanked out at X-ray and told he needed to check them
- friends have also been hit with high fees by putting clothing in with sports goods coming back and the getting billed as an extra bag instead of sports goods
- Norm wasn't allowed to take his buggy bolts carry on - the woman pulled them as a possible "weapon" demonstrating to Norm that you could hit someone with one. He should have demonstrated the "Screw you"
She told him to either check them or mail them to an address - good thing he caught me just checking in and got them in my luggage

I've done carry on with my charger but put spars and bate/lines in checked luggage. I figured they'd be curious what the spars where for. I figured if they lost my luggage clothes and bar are cheaper to replace than kites

I carry on my kites only. Anything else goes into checked. Depending on the TSA agent, you may have to check it anyway and if you are running late you will loose it.

Kites are not a problem to carry on, you just can't wear the "paraschute" in flIght.

I just gy the nsi "golf bag" for traveling and ts wonderful. I fit 4 bars, a pump, 2 lei's (12/9), a v2 16m, tools, mako 151, all the hardware, and there was plenty of room to spare, and 49lbs :D. Bit if you are just going to take one small kite I'd carry it. Kites do pack amazingly small, I would think you could pack 2-3 foils easy flat in a snowboard bag.

The whole calling things weapons is a joke. My Mom had a tiny pair of scissors taken from her but they let her bring her 11" aluminum knitting needles on board!

A buddy accidently carried a loaded handgun through Orlando International guess the TSA agent was high.
I've not had a problem carrying on my kites so far.

Wow, reading all this there is one thing that is very apparent: the TSA dosn't have a clue what they are doing. What works on the "to" trip might not work on the "back" trip. It would apear that bottom line one needs to leave plenty of time and have plan B in place for work arounds. All this because of some crazy islamic #%&@ :puzzled:
Some great suggestions on packing a "golf bag" for carry on though.

In the Aviation industry we affectionatley refer to them as the "Thousands Standing Around"

You can all thank the bad people in the world for the pain (s) in the asses we have to deal with now. I agree, TSA can be different and inconsistent, and they have offended me on a number of occasions with their rudeness but their job is to keep planes from blowing up and their criteria for inspecting changes with the intel received. With this in mind, I just go with the flow.....

I never had a problem to fly with just the kite in carry-on. I always check at least everything metal/long like bar/spars/lines.

I will fly to Fuerteventura next month and will bring my light wind kiteboard with me for the first time. It's 144x45cm so pretty big. Bought a wheelie bag for that purpose. The bag is very heavy but very nicely foamed out. http://www.handmade.de/handmade-travelbag-wheelie-1011-149cm...

It eaven works as a huge ass backpack (its 1,49m long - thats 4.8 feet). Will take a picture with it on my back :-)

The problem is the weight - the airline i fly with only lets you pack 20kg in your sport luggage - but no size limit. The bag itself is 6 kg, so only harness, 2 venom II's, helmet, the board, bar and spars fit weight wise.