Flying With Stoves on Easyjet / Liverpool Airport

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AndrewClark
Posts: 26
Joined: 6 Jun 2007, 7:46pm

Flying With Stoves on Easyjet / Liverpool Airport

Post by AndrewClark »

I've taken my stove with me on several airlines including Easyjet in the past. Last year I began to read accounts of walkers/climbers/cyclists having stoves refused when checking in for Easyjet flights. This seemed to be especially prevelant at Liverpool John Lennon.

As I'm flying to France for 2 weeks cycletouring on the 18th June I thought I'd check.

I've had a pleasant email from the Head of Security at John Lennon who says they have no problem with a clean stove or fuel bottle.

Dear Mr. Clark,
>
> To clarify:
>
> The camping stove is allowed to be taken, as long as it is completely empty and free from any residue of fuel. No fuel
> is allowed to be taken.
>
> If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Lisa Brown
> Station Manager
> G4S Aviation Security Ltd.
> Liverpool John Lennon Airport
> Level 2
> Speke
> Liverpool
> L24 1YD


However I've also had 2 replies from Easyjet customer services saying that stoves are not permitted. I've also seen recent postings by other people who say they've been told by Easyjet that there is no problem with stoves :?: I guess it depends who deals with your query!

Would it be possible for someone in the CTC to contact Easyjet on behalf of the membership and get a definitive answer.

This is all in the name of "security" but I can't see how a Trangia burner is a threat!
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horizon
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Post by horizon »

Andrew, surely it's the fuel not the stove. This is nothing to do with terrorism - you never were allowed to take camping gaz etc on planes. I took my camping gaz stove on Monarch last year but then left it in Spain with a friend as the cannister was still nearly full! I bought the cannisters when I got there.
thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Post by thirdcrank »

Oh for the joys of yesteryear....

This is where the humble Primus stove, discreetly clipped to the frame, disguised among the complications of the chainset, would have been in its element. :wink:
AndrewClark
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Joined: 6 Jun 2007, 7:46pm

Post by AndrewClark »

No, it's the stoves themselves. Lots of people reporting that stoves of all types have been refused on board aircraft. Other people reporting that they've had no problems.

Hence I'm hoping CTC could use any contacts they made with Easyjet & other airlines re the carriage of bikes to get a definitive answer. Unfortunately they have'nt replied to the direct email I sent.
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horizon
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Post by horizon »

Andrew: when you say "on board", do you mean as hold luggage or as hand luggage? I would have thought that hand luggage would be a no-no for security reasons and fuel in the hold for safety reasons. My stove went on fine with my hold panniers. It didn't appear on any prohibited lists.
AndrewClark
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Joined: 6 Jun 2007, 7:46pm

Post by AndrewClark »

I'm talking about checked luggage, i.e. in the hold.

I'll probably fork out £12 for a new Trangia burner and take it through in it's packaging. Other option is to hit the nearest Decathalon when I arrive.

A few quotes from other sites (some from last year, most recent from May.


"My luggage and that of my fellow climbers was oversized so it went 2) through the oversized luggage area at Liverpool, while being X rayed they asked me did I have a stove as they had seen what looked like a stove on the screen, i said i did. One member of staff undid my Pod sack and emptied the contents on the floor I picked out the stove, they took it off me and threw it in a bin, my freind took it out of the bin and took it back to his car, one staff member passing through the area kicked my belongings to one side. We explained that the stove was completely harmless and taht we had no fuel or fuel containers in any form it was just the burner head. They point blank refused it. I asked why? non of those present could give a reason (prwesumably non of them were empowered to act in any way other than the last instruction given to them) It transpired that in fact they had seen the stove in my sons bag and mine hadnt even been through the machine yet! My son took his stove through and back again without a problem. This incident was witnesssed by everyone of the 8 in my party which included several members of the Cave Rescue Organisation and a serving member of the police force. We all considered the behaviour of those staff at the oversized baggage area at Liverpool airport to be not only rude but without logic. Non of our party did anything other than comply pleasantly with every request we understand that security is paramount in these times and we didnt want to do anything that prejudiced our chances of getting on that plane"

Last October had my Trangia burner confiscated at L'pool on easyjet. Luckily it was 15 yrs old. Ditched the windshield etc in recycling bin and bought a Camping Gaz at Decathlon in Grasse. One canister laster the whole 4-week's ride back to England. Still prefer Trangia tho...


We had a similar problem at Liverpool; we took 3 small stoves out to Spain earlier this month. 1 was in a pan, in a rucksack, the other 2 in a holdall. The rucksack had to go through the fragile luggage bay and was scanned by the staff there; the holdall didn't. The stove in the rucksack was spotted, and had to be mailed back home, the others travelled quite happily - there and back!

i was not allowed to take my stove on easyjet from liverpool to marseille. how is residue on a stove an explosion risk?! also, the piece of paper showing what could and couldn't be taken did not include stoves - although the woman couldn't tell the difference between a gas CANNISTER and a STOVE!!! ah well.

BA have never given me a problem, so long as you tell them you have it at check-in (they do check it, along with the fuel bottles)
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horizon
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Location: Cornwall

Post by horizon »

Hmmm... fair enough. I was lucky. This is a real pain if it doesn't get sorted.
thirdcrank
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Post by thirdcrank »

AC

To be fair to easyjet, they seen to be taking a very principled stand against global warming or that part said to be caused by air travel. From the way you say you have been treated, they seem to be intent on killing-off air travel altogether, which is noble of them.
AndrewClark
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Joined: 6 Jun 2007, 7:46pm

Post by AndrewClark »

Thirdcrank,

I've flown with Easyjet several times. They have always been OK, apart from the time I got back to Liverpool and my bike ended up in Bristol....

:roll:

I've had no problems myself with stoves. Just trying to make sure that good luck continues!
jam05
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Joined: 9 Mar 2007, 9:19am

Slow down and ride

Post by jam05 »

At the risk of being persecuted for daring to worry, can I just say that flying by aeroplane is highly damaging to the climate of our planet. If we do not alter our travel habits, the future conditions that we will live in will be unbearable. This is a matter about which there is a wide and large area of agreement in the scientific community.

Slow down and ride where you're going to.
Cyclenut
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Joined: 3 Jul 2007, 9:44am

Re: Slow down and ride

Post by Cyclenut »

jam05 wrote:At the risk of being persecuted for daring to worry, can I just say that flying by aeroplane is highly damaging to the climate of our planet.

Ah yes, but every time I've flown without an aeroplane I've found the landing highly damaging to my body :lol:

Seriously though, I'm sure most cycle-tourists would much prefer to reach their touring areas by train, it's what we always used to do, except that the train operators are nowadays even less keen to have our custom than the airlines.
Oracle
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Joined: 27 Feb 2007, 11:59pm

Post by Oracle »

I would have loved to reach John O’Groats purely by train, but the flight to Inverness was quicker and cheaper than the train. I did take the train from Inverness to Wick, and then cycled to the ‘start’, but the severe restrictions on train travel, and cost, just make flying easier. (For our the return journey from Lands End we used a car as it was cheaper, more convenient and considerably quicker) I always try to consider the environment when planning travel, but there are times when the aeroplane makes sense, either by cost or because we may be ‘time poor’.

I even listened to a debate the other day where someone from Kenya defended flying of fruit/vegetables to the UK as it was ‘greener’ than attempting to grow it in the UK using heated greenhouses or mechanised farming etc. Of course, we need not buy, or expect, such items all year round, in which the demand will disappear and so will the flights. But if the public want something, those who see an opportunity in a market economy will try to ensure the public get what they want: for example bananas and grapes available any day of the year.

The human race appears only to be interested in something when it starts to have an immediate effect on them. The use of air travel will continue until it either becomes restrictive due to cost or the environment has deteriorated so much that we have to stop. In the meantime, individuals will make a decision as to the best option and some will consider the environmental effects, others will not until forced to do so, by which time it might be too late.
eileithyia
Posts: 8399
Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Post by eileithyia »

I would agree with Cyclenut, we all leave a carbon foot print (I believe the modern terminology). It is not possible to cycle to the continent even if we had the luxury of the time required, we still need to catch a ferry, unless we use pedalo :lol: We could all stay at home and tour our far flung shores, putting money into our local tourist industry and buying goods from local shops, but then those goods still have to be transported to those shops........
All our actions have an impact on the environment in some way shape or form and have done so ever since man discovered fire and invented the wheel.


As for flying with a stove, might I have the temerity to swear, why not travel without and buy one on arriving at the country of destination, they are not generally that expensive these days?
Bärliner

Re: Slow down and ride

Post by Bärliner »

Cyclenut wrote:I'm sure most cycle-tourists would much prefer to reach their touring areas by train, it's what we always used to do, except that the train operators are nowadays even less keen to have our custom than the airlines.


Try Germany. Whether you're after Bavarian mountains or Mecklenberg, that makes Lincolnshire look alpine, regional trains carry dedicated bike carriages, with decent stands. No chucking them in the guards van with the Bundesbahn.

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