I am Fire and Light’s travel advisor and would like to share a series of articles with all of you. Before I begin I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am an Independent Travel Consultant and have been in the travel industry for a number of years now. I am certified by two travel organisations (one national and the other international). I own my own agency and pride myself in knowing I provide my clients with the best possible solutions and advice needed to make their travels hassle free.
This series of articles will be about travelling with various performance equipment. This is a very broad topic, so I will deal with a different type of equipment in each article.
It is very important to know that there isn’t one list of rules that cover all airlines and countries. When travelling there are numerous bodies involved with their own set of rules and regulations and I will try and explain these different rules and regulations to shed some light on this very confusing matter.
Every country has their own customs law and different ways of dealing with it. Some countries may allow you to take your equipment in and others may require you to send these ahead of time. There are even some countries that do not allow you to send or take any dangerous equipment in and you will have to purchase new equipment there! These different customs regulations are law and are NON NEGOTIABLE when you arrive. Should you not follow the regulations of that country they may:
- Confiscate your equipment
- Deport you
- Ban you from their country for a period of 10 years (this varies, depending on the country)
Just as every country has their own set of regulations and laws, so does each airline. The airline rules are very much the same as their respective country’s regulations, although these may also differ. Some airlines allow equipment as carry on, check in, even unaccompanied baggage, and then there are airlines that do not allow dangerous equipment on the aircraft at all.
Besides the rules and regulations of countries and airlines, you may also find that every airport has its own rules as well. Some airports have a security checkpoint at the entrance and may refuse you entry into the airport or even confiscate your equipment, regardless of what the airline may have allowed.
It is important to mention that any regulatory body in travel has the right to keep and destroy confiscated equipment so the chances are slim that you will get these back.
Ok, so enough with the doom and gloom – All is not lost! The rules mentioned above are there, but few and far between. It is important to know about them to make sure your trip is relatively hassle-free. So what advice can I give you regarding travelling with your performance equipment?
- Always try and book with a reputable travel agent – and disclose all equipment before your booking is made. Your travel agent will do all the work and ensure that you and your equipment are safe.
- Follow the different rules:
- Contact your local airport and ensure you can bring your equipment into the airport.
- Contact the airline you would like to travel on and ask what their rules are regarding your equipment and what their procedures are.
- Contact the local embassy of the country you are visiting and ask what there regulations are regarding customs (also ask them if the destination airport have any special rules regarding dangerous equipment)
- Make sure you get as much as possible in writing and carry these letters with you –this will not prevent any problems if rules have changed, but will assist in getting confiscated equipment back.
Yours in travel,
Ivan Marx
Fire and Lights Travel Advisor
Laziwayz Travel
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