Air travel and your cue

[legod]

I understand that current aviation laws would ban anyone from carrying a snooker cue on board a flight as hand luggage. Instead, your cue would have to be stowed away in the luggage compartment.

Has anyone had any experience of traveling overseas with their cue? Any tips on ensuring its safe passage? I've heard a few horror stories.

I'm thinking of buying a cue (a 3/4 2 piece) when I come to the UK in July and bringing it back to New Zealand with me. I'll be traveling via the US which could make things a bit more painful as I know the Americans don't like you to lock anything and they seem to love to rummage around your belongings.

[austrian_girl]

A friend of mine flew to the IBSF Amateur Worlds in November and he had no problems whatsoever to bring the cue into the cabin. Actually he had two cues with him () and brought them both into the cabin. So, I might recommend going with Royal Jordanian. I don't know why it worked as I am aware of those regulations but he asked me to arrange the same thing for the return trip and when I went to see the guy he said that everything had already been arranged. A very helpful and accommodating airline I must say!

[Cue_147]

I remember a company made a travel case but can't find the anywhere on the net.

[rambon]

A friend of mine flew to the IBSF Amateur Worlds in November and he had no problems whatsoever to bring the cue into the cabin. Actually he had two cues with him () and brought them both into the cabin. So, I might recommend going with Royal Jordanian. I don't know why it worked as I am aware of those regulations but he asked me to arrange the same thing for the return trip and when I went to see the guy he said that everything had already been arranged. A very helpful and accommodating airline I must say!

He was lucky. It's airport security that shouldn't let these through, not the airline itself.

I've never travelled with mine except on the train, but obviously New Zealand can't be reached by train...

I'd look into buying it and getting it shipped as then you can insure it or at the very least the company would have to send an unbroken cue.

[austrian_girl]

He was lucky. It's airport security that shouldn't let these through, not the airline itself.

Well, he was "walked through" the airport security by a guy from the airline who looked rather important, so it was an airline thing.

However, I guess if you wanna succeed in "smuggling" a cue into the cabin, Vienna would be a good place to start practising. Our security personnel are rather lazy (understatement!).

[rambon]

Well, he was "walked through" the airport security by a guy from the airline who looked rather important, so it was an airline thing.

However, I guess if you wanna succeed in "smuggling" a cue into the cabin, Vienna would be a good place to start practising. Our security personnel are rather lazy (understatement!).

I'll bear that in mind.

I was extremely surprised to be able to purchase a selection of vicious looking knives at Frankfurt airport once after checking in and having a safety razor taken off of me.

When I pointed this out in my finest German to a policeman, I was asked seriously why I would want to buy such knives and treated like a terrorist.

Mind you, I find it strange how you can not take 100ml of shampoo on a plane, but you can buy a glass bottle of wine in duty free which could cause as much damage as most knives

Tsk

[berolina]

When I pointed this out in my finest German to a policeman, I was asked seriously why I would want to buy such knives and treated like a terrorist.
Tsk

You were lucky it didn't happen in Munich, they wouldn't have let you on the plane. A while ago some poor man made a joke and he had to take the train back to Berlin...

[legod]

I'll bear that in mind.

I was extremely surprised to be able to purchase a selection of vicious looking knives at Frankfurt airport once after checking in and having a safety razor taken off of me.

When I pointed this out in my finest German to a policeman, I was asked seriously why I would want to buy such knives and treated like a terrorist.

Mind you, I find it strange how you can not take 100ml of shampoo on a plane, but you can buy a glass bottle of wine in duty free which could cause as much damage as most knives

Tsk

Yeah well, there's a strong element of 'controlling the masses' involved in all this terrorist hysteria. More rules, regulations and expense to inconvenience the law abiding citizen while the tiny minority of people who really want to cause mayhem can just carry on as normal.

[legod]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../sosnook09.xml

When he does have to fly Ebdon takes extraordinary lengths to protect his cue. He puts his cue inside a cue case then that case inside another case and that case inside another case.

[PaulTheSoave]

Last may I brought back a cue from Sheffield. I had to store it in my suitcase with the cue slightly sticking out (through the gap of the zip). I also had the tip sealed and it arrived undamaged.

This reminds me of the mid 80's when I boarded a plane in Sudan, along with 5 vicious swords. I travelled with Lufthansa and no one cared I took them on board (those were the days). Only the pilot cared. He asked me to keep them in the cockpit during the flight. Till I arrived at Frankfurt Airport. Full red alert when I approached customs. Whole area sealed off and I was taken to an interview room. Fortunately I could explain they were souvenirs and was released within the hour with the swords!

[MrRottweiler]

I took my cue to Spain once and because I was young and stupid I put a small ball bearing in the cue case as good luck. At the departure customs it caused a problem because my cue was setting off the alarm and they couldn't determine why. Eventually they found the ball bearing and that solved it. I wasn't the most popular after that and my pa told me in no uncertain terms what a 'silly sausage' I was.

[Wity]

Reminds me off the time my son set off them alarms. Ever tried telling someone who does not speak your language you can take a hearing aid off but not a cochlear implant.

Boy him like six million dollar man, see scar here on head, bionic hearing. si ?

[trevs1]

I think many players having to travel by air to tournaments have used a length of plastic soil or gas pipe with blanked ends. Their usual cue case fits inside this pipe giving really solid protection for the cue.

If cues have to go into the hold of a plane, it gets treated as luggage, when in fact, it's anything but luggage. This happened to Hendry a few years ago, as I'm sure many will know. It also happened to Mark Williams and Marcus Campbell, with Mark being lucky enough to have his cue repaired with some fairly extensive work and Marcus having his cue totally wrecked two days before he played in the Welsh Open.

The people handling these cues couldn't care a jot as to what importance the cue has to the owner, they see it as another piece of luggage.

Pack em well is what I'd say.

[MrRottweiler]

Treat your cue like your right arm. Don't let anyone play with it and never let it out of your sight. Leaving it at your club is also a risk because if it went missing I'm sure the club will have a disclaimer about theft and damage. No-one else will care about your cue or appreciate its importance to you than you.