I spoke to customs hear in sydney befor i left to go to New Cal about spools being in your hand luggage,i spoke to custom officer called peter who has been there for many years,he said the spools in your back back are honestly fine,i said there are some issues that people have had befor with the spools being carried in there back backs with the bodies-he said if its purely a fishing trip and your carrying so many dollers worth of reels with you "as he new what a Shimano stella was" it is quiet understandable and the spools are no problems what so ever to be carried with there bodies in a back pack as hand luggage...