Walking Stick-NOT HIKING POLES

[PasadenaDave]

My wife likes to use a wooden hiking stick when walking for distance on uneven ground including cobblestones.  We bought the stick in a National Park in the Southwest and it is wood and about 4 feet long.

 

How do you suggest we travel with this on the airplane?  Do we chance it by saying it is a mobility aid or do we buy a cardboard tube and include it as checked luggage?  Most canes and hiking poles can collapse and be placed in the overhead compartment.

 

Suggestions or experience?

[KBs mum]

You should be able to take it into the cabin as a mobility aid, the cabin crew will probably keep it during the flight. 

Send an email to the airline to check, include a photo, exact dimensions in cm and its weight. If its allowed on the plane take a printout of the confirmation email with you when you go to check in. 

If it has to go into the hold ask for  to cabin door and return to cabin door. This means your wife can use it to get to and from the plane, and it's not going into the baggage handling system. It won't need any wrappings, unless you are concerned about damage, but you will need to work out some way for 2 airline baggage tags to be securely attached. The usual suitcase handle type, and one that attaches with a loop of elastic, saying return to cabin door. 

If you have to check it, it will need packaging and you will probably need to go to the outsize items desk. Some airlines use a length x height x width formula for baggage allowances, you may exceed your allowance. As its mobility it might be exempt, best to find out in advance. 

Different airlines have different policies, as do airports regarding where items should be handed over and collected from. Sometimes I get my wheelchair back at the aircraft, sometimes an assistance person shows up with an airport chair to take me to collect mine from somewhere else. 

Warning, some countries have restrictions about import of wooden items for biosecurity reasons, some don't allow it at all. 

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by KBs mum

[duquephart]

In other words: Buy a collapsible walking stick.

[Jim Avery]

53 minutes ago, duquephart said:

In other words: Buy a collapsible walking stick.

When you see me walking with a cane I look old and busted.  When you see me walking with hiking sticks I look young and vigorous......Right?  Right D?  🍷

[Mich3554]

When you take things that are non collapsible, the flight attendant will normally take them from you and put them in a cabinet.  They have always done this with my crutches when I have flown with them.  I have only flown domestically with crutches, so am not sure if international flights deal with them the same way.
These days, I fly with collapsible hiking poles that I can shove into my carry on backpack.  The handles stick out about 6”, but this has never been a problem.  My biggest fear would be that I’d walk off without my stick, because unlike my crutches which I needed to walk, it would be easier to do, and there is no way I’m walking off my plane without my backpack!   
I have traveled with 4’ long packing tubes when I was presenting presentations at meetings.  However, the issue might be more that you are carrying a potential weapon than size.  Those tubes, I have always been able to carry onto the plane and put them into overhead bins without issue.

[KBs mum]

3 hours ago, duquephart said:

In other words: Buy a collapsible walking stick.

The thing being talked about isn't a walking stick or hiking stick, it's a walking pole, they help balance and forward movement in a different way and require less transfer of weight through arms and back muscles. They are not easy to find, and are usually one piece. 

It's reasonable that the OP's wife would ask if possible/how to have it with her on holiday to help with rough terrain. 

Sarcasm about mobility equipment suggests a great lack of knowledge. 

[PasadenaDave]

I actually have collapsible hiking poles which I use when backpacking, correction which I used to use, I must get back into backpacking now that I am retired!  They differ greatly from a walking stick with rubber bottom.  My poles used to have rubber covers for use off trail but they disintegrated years ago and were bothersome.  I likely have 300-400 miles of use with those poles which are very helpful

[FlyerTalker]

On 1/28/2022 at 1:59 PM, PasadenaDave said:

My wife likes to use a wooden hiking stick

 

2 hours ago, KBs mum said:

The thing being talked about isn't a walking stick or hiking stick, it's a walking pole,

 

 

I'd be much more inclined to recognize the description from the OP, who described it as a hiking stick.  Especially since he's the only one here that has actually seen it.

 

For the OP:  the answer is to contact the carrier directly and find out what their particular rules are.  Note that if you use any kind of assistive device, you will not be allowed to sit in an exit row, nor in any other specially designated spots.  And depending on the carrier, you may be assigned to special "mobility challenged" seating.

[FlyerTalker]

One more thought.  Although you might not have a problem with the airline, you are always subject to the whims of your friendly TSA agent.

[PasadenaDave]

1 minute ago, FlyerTalker said:

One more thought.  Although you might not have a problem with the airline, you are always subject to the whims of your friendly TSA agent.

That is my main concern, my wife absolutely cannot lose that stick, it might be best to include it as checked luggage which is included in business class 

[KBs mum]

@PasadenaDave

 

It wasn't my intention to sound as though I was correcting you on the term for your wife's walking aid. Apologies if it came over that way. I was trying to explain to those who don't know why getting one that is either collapsible or folding is difficult. 

 

Had a thought, when dealing with the airline they get a bit apprehensive about things that may have a point instead of a flat ferrule. 

Best to use the term 'walking' rather than 'hiking' as hiking poles tend to have points, walking sticks/poles don't. If it hasn't got a point be sure to make it clear when contacting the airline. 

 

Baggage handling systems are notorious for damaging or losing mobility gear. If possible it's a good idea to get an inexpensive substitute for holidays, or an 'it'll do' folding version. Better than losing the good one that will probably be difficult to replace like for like

Edited February 1, 2022 by KBs mum

[duquephart]

Just like I said above.

[PasadenaDave]

3 hours ago, KBs mum said:

@PasadenaDave

 

It wasn't my intention to sound as though I was correcting you on the term for your wife's walking aid. Apologies if it came over that way. I was trying to explain to those who don't know why getting one that is either collapsible or folding is difficult. 

 

Had a thought, when dealing with the airline they get a bit apprehensive about things that may have a point instead of a flat ferrule. 

Best to use the term 'walking' rather than 'hiking' as hiking poles tend to have points, walking sticks/poles don't. If it hasn't got a point be sure to make it clear when contacting the airline. 

 

Baggage handling systems are notorious for damaging or losing mobility gear. If possible it's a good idea to get an inexpensive substitute for holidays, or an 'it'll do' folding version. Better than losing the good one that will probably be difficult to replace like for like

No worries, not how the comment was taken.  Anyone who makes a comment on a social media type site must be prepared for all types of comments.  I could envision a comment of "walking stick?, I dropped my mobility aid when I was touring the US Capital January 6, when I dropped it a police officer was struck and now I am being prosecuted for assaulting a peace officer with a club".

 

I do think the best thing to do is to wrap it in bubble wrap inside a long tube and check it as baggage

[SuzWillCruise]

It might be worthwhile to also get a collapsible cane for use in the airports.
 

I used one several years ago after spraining my foot and ankle a few days before a trip to China. I was able to keep it with me on the flight to NY, but all of the Chinese crew took it from me, usually at the door to the plane. I’m not sure if your wife could keep it on domestic flights - my experience dates back to 2013.

 

Even if she can’t use it on the plane, it might help in the airport. They fold up fairly small and quickly, aren’t super heavy, and I don’t remember it costing that much.

[travelbug11]

 I took my walker to South America in December. A fairly large walker with a seat.

 

Even though it folded it was too big for the closet on the plane.  They put it with the baggage and it was there when I got off the plane.