Security check at LAX airport

[parpin]

Happy new year to all from frozen Montreal,

Have you endured such an unusual situation at an airport security check ?

Just before entering the Los Angeles airport United terminal for my Denver flight, an over-zealousness employee told me that
I had one excess cabin luggage (max 2 permitted). I was kilted as usual and the sporran and for her my sporran was the excess piece of
luggage.

I t was obvious for me that the young employee was totally illiterate in Celtic culture and knew nothing about kilts.

I politely protested saying that the sporran was an essential part of kilt wearing. She finished by accepting it and tell her that was the first time
in more than 30 years of travel that I met an employeee like her.

I know that I have to remove belt and other stuff before passing the gate but that situation was pretty unexpected.

[sydnie7]

When I travel on Southwest, they do specifically state that a woman's purse is considered a carry-on and counts toward the "max 2" allowance. That said, the sporran being strapped to your body vs. stuffed under the seat or in the overhead. . . I'd have gone that route vs. the "essential part of kilt wearing" protest.

Sorry you had the experience in our fair state but good that you got it sorted.

[Father Bill]

They don't demand that trouser pockets be empty now, do they?

[California Highlander]

Interesting, probably a one-off. My kilted flight from SF to NJ and NJ back to SF, also on United, was uneventful. One TSA guy in NJ did come over before I went through security and discretely ask if I had my sgian dubh, as that wouldn't make it through. I got the impression that he was trying to keep it from being confiscated and he was very low-key about it. I didn't bring one, we were both happy, easy trip through security. No issues with the sporran as a 3rd "carry-on."

[Mike in Dayton]

Going through Vancouver a lady TSA agent asked me while I was in line if I had a sgian dubh. I told her I did not. She said "Good, as I would not have wanted to take it away from you". Those obviously would not get approved to go on board. I had no issues anywhere on the trip with the sporran but then I only had the one carry on bag. Because of the full flight they did not have room for all the carry on bags so they had a cart by the aircraft door. They asked if we did not need the bag during the flight would we mind having them stored below. We got them back at the aircraft door upon landing. I understand that practice is getting more common these days.

[cessna152towser]

I found LAX the toughest airport I have ever experienced for security both inbound and outbound when I passed through in 2009. Inbound to USA I had a two hour connection to a domestic flight, yet by the time I had gone through homeland security to gain admission for USA, been wanded for the domestic flight, then taken to a side room for a more personal search I had to run up the corridor to the departure gate and straight onto the plane and then they shut the door and started up. On the way home I returned to LAX by surface travel several hours early. Knowing the hassle which the kilt had caused previously I sensibly wore something modest under it so that I could simply remove the kilt and put it through the baggage x-ray along with the belt and sporran and then put it on again once I was through the metal detector.
I should say that I passed through Boston Airport the following year kilted with absolutely no problem.
Here in Europe I have never had a problem with a sporran being considered as hand luggage, even on Easyjet where they are particularly strict that women's purses must be put inside their handbags otherwise they count as a second item of hand luggage which is not allowed.

[Deirachel]

They don't demand that trouser pockets be empty now, do they?

But, unfortunately, this does not apply.

While a traditional kilt is normally not made with pockets, WizardofBC, most famously, makes them. I'm sure any kiltmaker would be willing to add a pocket if they can, if you ask. You can also buy trousers without pockets (I don't know why you would want to but there you go).

It's a interesting question which needs to be answered. Is it considered a carry-on, or not?

Here's the more important point to keep in mind. The two carry-on/in-cabin baggage rule is not a government regulation, but an AIRLINE Industry one. It's based on the FAA regulations about load and such, but it's the airlines who made the rule (of course it's also a question of courtesy, as there is limited storage space in the cabin.) It's now a standard of airline travel and so the TSA helps enforce it (as there are different government rules for what can be in each type of baggage).

A sporran is a type of belt purse, so I can actually see the argument it is to be considered a separate piece of luggage. A fanny-pack is considered a separate piece of luggage, even if worn throughout the whole flight and provides the same utility. But, a "travel belt" with it's hidden pockets isn't.

In the other version of this thread (which I assume will be merged) Chaz mentions the question of knowing international cultures when working at an international airport.

This does not apply either.

The sporran is a part of highland dress, yes, but it not a REQUIRED part of highland dress. We have talked about this before. It's normal and common, but it is a choice made. And, so is the sgian dubh, yet none of us think about leaving it at home when we fly. Even for cultural items which MUST be carried, there have been adaption due to the realities of air travel. A male Sikh MUST carry the kirpan, it's not an option for them. But, a sword/knife is obviously not allowed on an aircraft, or a courtroom. So, the Sikh leadership has compromised by stating the IMAGE of a kirpan may be carried in situations where an actual kirpan can not be.

If we accept as a general society this limit can stand on a basic article of faith for one group, then who are we to say our optional belt pouch can't be limited?

So, I say it is an interesting question. Does the sporran count as a piece of luggage? Why not, if a ladies purse or fanny pack is?

[KiltFitz]

Is it not a required part of highland dress? What is the standard for required? Do you mean ESSENTIAL, rather than required? Indeed it is not ESSENTIAL for me to have a sporran on when I wear a kilt but since my attire lacks the pockets that men dressed in trousers enjoy, it is ESSENTIAL for me to have somewhere to keep small personal items discrete, yet readily available.

That is a standard of modern life which even airlines have not managed to pare down.

It is ESSENTIAL for me to protect my modesty when sitting in public areas and a sporran helps someone of my size to do this.

It does not count because it is not an additional place below the waist to keep valuables, for traditionally attired kilt wearers (who don't consider pockets or pouches sewn into kilts to be a part of traditional dress) it is the ONLY place. In fact, fanny packs - so long as they don't hinder movement should not be considered luggage as they are not cumbersome and present little in the way of practical problems for the airline.

Consider: A wallet in a back pocket is not luggage, it is the contents of the back pocket. So strap it round your neck as I do when I travel and it's luggage? I have never been told that, maybe because it sits inside my jersey out of sight.

If the real criteria is whether it is visible then all sporran wearers should just take the sporran off, undo the front apron, and reattach with the sporran tucked between the front and rear apron. Problem solved.

But I doubt that any of us will have to do that because airlines are moving further away from strict interpretation of policy in an effort to secure repeat customers for the future. Recent youtube videos like the one of the girls putting on 8 layers of clothing to beat the baggage limits have ridiculed airline restrictions. Even O'Leary's trying to crack a smile these days.

The incident at LAX sounds more like a "needs more training" issue to me.

[TheOfficialBren]

^ and more discerning hiring practices.