Fiji Baggage???

[Mitch Chapman]

Hey guys hittin up fiji leaving on saturday and just wanted to know has anyone had any issues flying air pacific with length of rod tubes and taking reels as carry on etc. Dont really want to get to checkout with a few saltigas in my carry on then being told they are not aloud on and must be checked in... I know each airline is different as i didnt have a prob a few months back when i hit up cape york...
But thought id put the question out and get some feedback from anglers that have been to fiji before... Also what length rodtube are you aloud to take. Any info would be greatly appreicated
Thanks in advanced
Mitch

[Peter Morris]

Have flown Air pacific a few times now.
Generally pretty good with carry ons etc.

Greg took his reels on as carry on last trip and they did the full inspection of hs bags through the security checks.
He was ok as he had protective covering over his reels with zippy ties etc.....
BUT.....You could always get the nasty security officer who says they will be a problem as carry on.
Security issues such as you being able to choke someone with the line etc....
I know I know its sounds rediculous but some will make an issue of it.

Pete

[Scott Maybury]

Yeah we had no problems with a few guys with reels with line on in their carry on, and I had some long 400gm jigs which were allowed on Air Pacific, but on a different day and a different security guard on the metal detector who knows...they did pull me aside and check my bag as the jigs in the case on their screen looked disturbingly like a knife block

rod tube, i think max was 2.1m for the international leg

[Mitch Chapman]

cheers pete, yeh i normally take the spools off the reels and check them in and take the rest of the reel as carry hopefully i get someone who understands...
thanx again for the reply

[Brodie Cumins]

When I went to Fiji I had a 8'6" rod tube which wasn't a problem. Took almost an hour to get it once we arrived in Fiji. Was a very nervous wait, I was sure they had lost it then all the sudden it appeared along with a smiling Fijian wishing me luck. Carry on was a different story. My missus accodently packed my brand new $200 pliers in my backpack. After a 20 debate with the guy pleading to at least allow me to pick them up on the way home. He threw them in the bin!!! I wouldn't risk taking reels jigs etc in your carry on, it could ruin your trip, not worth the risk. Oh they let me keep the pouch for the pliers so that was ok, NOT

[Bruno Boisset]

In January,  with Air Pacific Los Angeles-Nadi   22 us dollars for the rod case
Flight back Nadi-LA   nothing for the rod case
Nadi  Kadavu   nothing
kadavu Nadi the guy at the little airport begins to tell us  that there is something to pay for the luggages(weight and number)  we told him firmly we had not anything to pay at the first flight and he stopped asking for money.
Flight back Nadi-LA  hand luggage strictly limited at 7 kg and the security officer  built as Jona Lomu was not laughing. Over 7 kg, hold luggage and tax to pay .

Bruno

[Greg Burt]

$22 for the Rod Case

[Greg Burt]

WHOOPS!! INFLATION???
  Price has over doubled since my trip in March, new link:
http://www.airpacific.com/Flying-With-Us/Baggage-Allowance

[Luke Wyrsta]

After all my international travel, never take reels onboard with line!

Never check reels in, unless you have taken the spools off!

At least if you carry the reel bodies on board, in a protective hard-case...anybody that steals reels out of your luggage is screwed, with no bodies it's a massive deterrent for them!

[Dan Harvey]

I flew to NADI in march,reels in carry on,spools in check in luggage.all good.When booking ask about "sporting goods luggage".when i checked in my rod tubes,this was not added to my total luggage weight,no extra cost .Just reqest copy from airlines when booking to flights to show proof.I,ve used this on all my travels.After all rods are "SPORTS fishing goods"

[Nathan Cefai]

When Travelling to Noumea or anywhere else,the spools go into the main luggaged some where in the middle of all the clothing,wrapped in socks or undis or small hand towels that i would use on the trip and the bodies i carry with me in a back pack and have never been questioned,i keep any eye on the man who looks at the screen and he pa they have always paused and looked but never opened up my bags at all,i have had a few mates been pulled up for carrying there spools with them in there back pack and have been told to strip all there line off,as they would be thinking there would be some kind of substance packed behind all the line,just imagine all you Varivas on the floor or wrapped around a bottle,full 200m or 300m...Since then the spools have gone in my luggage...

[Alex Jordan]

I always carry the spool in my main luggage - never had an issue going to different places but heard horror stories about a guy stripping a 50W in the airport!

Watch the hand luggage weight too!

[Mitch Chapman]

thanx again guys for the info much appreciated.
yeh ill be chucking the spools wrapped in clothing in my main bags and taking the bodies onboard in my backpack... not worth risking the whole line situation...
Leave on saturday and cant wait... this one aint a prop fishign trip but have organzied a few days out, hopefully in search of GT's etc, but then back to Weipa start of Ocotber so ill keep you all posted and chuck up a few pics from Fiji...
Thanx again guys
Mitch