Salalah Airport

[Dave Huck]

Hi folks,

i'm off to Oman for the first time on Tuesday night, just finalising packing and praying for the right weather! I'm keen to hear from anybody who has been through Salalah this year as I have a couple of questions:

I heard that some anglers have been stopped when boarding at Salalah as they had reel bodies (no line on) in their hand luggage. Is this a local regulation or just a dodgy security guy?

Has anybody experienced the same issue when transferring at Muscat?

The new duty free at Salalah was supposed to open in January (according to an article I found on the web). Did this actually happen and if so, can travellers arriving via Muscat buy some beers (I'm not a great spirits drinker but I'd love a cold beer after fishing..).

I'm assuming Heathrow is still ok for taking reel bodies in hand luggage as I haven't heard of any issues recently.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

[Mark Harris]

Dave, it was myself and 2 other friends who got stopped by a security officer at Salalah for having reel bodies in our hand luggage last month.

Luckily Salalah is a tiny airport and I simply went back through immigration and checked in my hand luggage (it was an HPA fish box which I had wrapped and then checked in no problem).  In a large airport this would have been a much bigger problem.

I have fished Southern Oman 8 times now and never had a problem at Salalah Airport until the trip last month. Up to you whether to consider this a one-off or whether I have just been lucky before.  You certainly will not get a firm regulation on fishing reels.  My view is that it is pot luck with the security officers on duty.

Duty Free open at Salalah? I honestly cannot remember...... I am sure someone will though.

[Dave Huck]

Thanks Mark,

Reassuring to know you can just go back. I'll see how the total weight pans out when I shut the bag tonight/tomorrow..... Interesting to hear you used a fishbox for hold luggage, I'm going to put one inside a big cargo bag for this trip.

Cheers

Dave

[James Triay]

it happened to me and my mate too. We were stopped and had to check in the reel bodies.  *sigh*

[Luke Wyrsta]

The principle for a traveling angler is to not risk it. Simple as that.

[Amr Kehila]

The principle for a traveling angler is to not risk it. Simple as that.

Agreed. I used to take them carry-on without spool; I don't know why they are being gooses about it (sometimes) now but I'm packing them in check-in from now so I have zero issues.

[Duncan O'Connell]

Dave
Our group that left Salalah a month ago didn't (as far as I know) have any reels in their carry on bags. I've more or less given up on taking reels in my carry on outside of Australia, as it only takes one overzealous official to make your trip difficult
When I came through, I didn't notice any new Duty free shops - everything was pretty basic and old there. I didn't get to arrive into Salalah though, only leaving through there.
Cheers

Duncan

[Dave Huck]

Thanks guys,

I've invested in a large hPa fishbox and a pacsafe mesh to go over it . That can go into a duffle and be checked in.

Will report back if we find a good source of beer in Salalah but I'll take some emergency gin just in case. Got an extra few days to finalise now as the trip has been put back due to boat issues. Just praying the conditions improve.

Cheers

Dave

[Ivan Kerley]

Good luck Dave. I've never had a problem with reels in carry-on from Heathrow. I asked a security guy last weekend when flying from T5 and he said no problem taking them from UK - same attitude as TSA (USA).

Tight lines buddy.

[Graham Carver]

Just to add latest info on this, both the kid and my brother got stopped in November with reel bodies and had to put through as hold baggage.

[Ivan Kerley]

How weird is that - 6 of us from London to Muscat to Salalah and return - no problems at all with reels and spools in hand luggage. Great new terminal at Salalah.