Warning Dubai Airport Braid Issues

[Craig Maree]

I would like to let everyone know on a recent trip to Oman we had a issue with the security officials not letting us through with braid on our reels in our hand luggage. After some begging and pleading they eventually let us go through.

Friends of mine who traveled to the Andaman Islands via Dubai a week later  were not so lucky and were made to take the Jerry Brown off their reels. 

[Steve Li]

That sucks!!! I will be going later in the year and your post is a great heads up! Wonder if anyone else here had faced the same problem??? Having to check-in the reels will be a major headache....... 

[Thien Dao]

Luck of the draw with line and airport security, some let you through others won't. I put all my overhead reels and spools of spinning reels with line in check-in luggage, and if weight is an issue, all the body of spinning reels with my carry on.

Same issue with jigs in carry on, most times they let you through but last year we were stopped in NZ and they wouldn't let us on with jigs.

[Michael Adolfsen]

it have been years since i dared taking line in my hand lugage

[Jonas Holmsgard]

Just like Michael I would not dream of having lines on any spools in the carry-ons - mostly based on experience in Europe, US and Central America. I was stopped almost ten years ago with two flyreels with lines on when going to Belize through London and Miami. After a lot of discussions they finally agreed that the crew could store the reels during flights and I arrived with lines still on the reels. Last time to Panama they questioned the reels even without spools/line... In November in Dubai they questioned hookless stickbaits and poppers. When weight really becomes an issue I still carry reel bodys, but I am very nervous everytime as nothing seems sure anywhere.

Jonas (Sweden)

[Brandon Khoo]

The problem witth this is there are no set rules and it is left largely to the discretion of the security officer. A few weeks ago, some clown at Sydney airport decided to make an issue of a tiny SS popper which I use as a key ring. I was just astounded.

On a previous trip to NC, the security officer had no problem with Konishi San's reels and most of his lures but got himself all concerned about the biggest Gammas which I think he thought could be used as a club. In the end, I think they decided Konishi San didn't look threatening!

[Chris Tan]

Just went through Dubai as well to Oman. I never carry lines on hand carry anymore as customs always have a problem with them. Customs in Dubai did ask us to take out our reels to show them and when they saw that there are no lines on them, they waved us through.

But in Muscat, be warned - customs initially didn't allow us to hand carry our reels even without lines and wanted us to go back out and check all the reels in. We made a fuss and the senior officer came by and told us it's ok to hand carry them. Hopefully by now the junior customs people in Muscat would have seen enough of these reels going through

[Jay Burgess]

Cheers for the heads up, will be traveling through Dubai and Muscat this weekend. Will put spools in checked baggage as usual and bring my reels on carry on. Hopefully no problems in Muscat with the reels.

[Luke Wyrsta]

I simply don't understand why people run the gauntlet. Simply check spools into your luggage. You'll get stung one day if you think you are lucky!

[Mark Harris]

Dubai is very strict on this.

If you are travelling to fish Oman coming from Asia look at flying Oman Air. You can go direct to Muscat (with connections to Salalah if you are fishing the south) from KL and Bangkok.  I had no issues at all carrying loaded reels through Muscat or Salalah - not even a question.

Likewise within Asia I never have problems with loaded reels.

In Europe and North America I have always checked spools and hand-carried reels minus the spools.

[Ben Furness]

Be very careful with your spools in checked in luggage. In transport I had two spool bottoms flattened sideways and had to force them back by hand as best I could. 1 was a 2508 Daiwa Exist and the other a 3500HD Custom Daiwa spool. They have never been the same now that the centre of gravity has been thrown out of wack.

They were inside an explorer sock each and packed into a tight fitting Tupperware container in the centre of the bag surrounded by clothes and still manager to get crushed, the bags must cop a beating airside!

[Paul de Bruijn]

You never know exactly what to expect...some years ago some official at Frankfurt Airport made me take my Stella 10K (without spool) out of my hand luggage and put in in my suitcase, while my brother who was next in line had no issue with his Stella which was in a similar reelcase...

I use the Shimano spoolcase, which is nu guarantee my spools will stay intact, but at least gives me a better feeling about putting the spools in my suitcase separately...

I never have the spools with line in my handluggage, but in April we have a stopover at Dubai airport...we will see if they come up with something unexpected!

[Doug Terry]

Being from the UK and having to Travel the World for any decent fishing, I learnt Just after 9/11 to check all my fishing gear. Each airport security official is different.
Last year I was pulled over for a bag search at Melbourne Airport went through the bag with a fine tooth comb and gave me a verbal warning because I hadn't declared the wooden flybox. Luckily for me he fished and said on this occasion I could keep it but to make sure I declared it next time or it would be confiscated first time I've ever had a problem with a wooded flybox. There is ways a first time for anything. 3 years ago Security at Miami confiscated my mate fishing pliers which he had forgotten were in his fishing bag he was using as carry on.

[Chris Webster]

I cant understand why line is an issue when they let shoe laces, belts, hair ties even turbans!!!! All of these things could be used just like fishing line. It is just ridiculous.

I have been questioned on lures in both Sydney and Rockhampton but sanity won on both occasions.

Chris

[Andrew Susani]

When are they going to ban muscly guys and ultimate fighter type people on planes?  I think they could do slightly more damage than my spool of freeking fishing line.  Clowns.