on the plane

[dowofbuchanan]

so i have to break down and hop on a metal bird for the first time its not that im afraid its just the hassle of it ... id rather ride a bus, but im going to flint michigan and im taking my kilt ... dont know how to pack it so i thought i might wear it on the plane. is it much trouble as far as check in security and over the course of the flight. if it is a bad idea whats the best way to pack it. also anyone near flint that may want to get together for a kilt night ill be in the 18th to the 30th

[MacKay71]

No trouble at all. Just do it!

[EagleJCS]

I suggest taking off your kilt pin, unless you have soldered it on - or otherwise permanently affixed it - and it won't come off. Put it in your checked luggage because TSA probably will not like it being in your carry-on.

Likewise, don't wear a sghian dhub.

You can search through the forum for 'kilted flying' kind of threads too. There have been a couple of those in recent memory.

Have a fun, safe trip.

[Spartan]

I flown four times in the last month -- kilted each time. No hassle. My hassle was wearing a walking boot because of a broken foot. That was really no hassle. The TSA people were very courteous.

If you wear a kilt with buckles, as I did, they will set off the metal detector and they will have to wand you. My boot was going to set the metal detector off anyway. One time I put my kilt pin in my sporran to go through the x-ray. They wanted to take it out to look at it. No problem. The next time I just left it on the kilt since I knew they would have to check me with the wand for other reasons. Take the belt off and run it through the x-ray.

Just be prepared to spend a little more time going through security. Wearing your kilt is going to take some weight out of your baggage.

I was carrying a case with a set of Kitchen Pipes. When I checked my checked luggage at the ticket counter, the agent at the counter asked what was in my carry on. I just told her bagpipes, which they are, even though they are not the GHB. No problem.

Oh yes, I did receive two free bottles of Glenlivet 12 on one flight from one of the flight attendants.

Bon voyage!

[Riverkilt]

Lots of great flying kilted threads on this board. Kilt pin ONLY if its the stubby pins like the X Marks kilt pin. Long pointy pin is a no-no. Security is a breeze - they see kilts all the time.

I fly with a travel vest rather than a sporran so the sporran doesn't get counted as a piece of carry on.

No need for a belt, just use the kilt straps. More comfy and no beep hassle.

You'll be the most comfortable guy on the flight.

And if the flight attendents are female you'll probably get some extra attention.

Once you fly kilted you'll never wear pants on a plane again.

Pure comfort and FREEDOM!!

Ron

[David Dubh]

I have flown kilted also. No problems at all. Just common sence no kilt pin, no sgian dubh. and I took my sporran off sent through x-ray. Best of all no yoga when they wanded me as the straps set off the detector. GO FOR IT

[McClef]

In my experience even the kilt buckles do not always set off the detector.

[cessna152towser]

No problem. I usually do not wear a kilt pin when flying on scheduled airlines but last month when I flew to Ireland I wanted to wear my Hamilton kilt to which the clan badge is permanently attached (I superglued the fixing pin after attaching the badge to the kilt).
I checked with airport security in advance and they said it would be no problem and indeed it did not cause any difficulties on the day.

[Andrewson]

As the others have said, there is really no problem - in fact, as always, it's the most comfortable way to travel.

I recently went to Poland by air and noticed, for the first time that there is actually a benefit to being kilted through the security check. As usual I had to take off my sporran (and belt - why did I not think of leaving the belt in my checked bags? I will remember that for next time.) and realised that this was actually the easiest way to get the coins etc. through the checkout. I did not have to "empty my pockets" then scrabble up the coins from a box afterwards, just unfasten, re-fasten the sporran.

[Geoff Withnell]

I was flying last month kilted (on my way to and back from a professional convention reported on another thread). My sporran was not counted as a piece of carry on, just as fanny packs etc were not. This may be particular to the airline, so it may be well to check. Wearing the sporran made going through security a breeze. I didn't run my belt through the belt loops, so I just undid the belt, put it, sporran, keys on belt hook, and all in the plastic box on the conveyor, walked through the metal detector and put the belt back on. No pulling things out of and putting back into pockets, etc. Flint has a very nice airport, as small airports go, and the community is very diverse. The TSA folks there have seen it all, and a kilt should not be an issue.

Geoff Withnell