Taking a spotting scope on a Ryanair flight.

[grimm31]

Hi all,

We are off to Germany next month for Air Defender. Has anyone any experience of taking their spotting scopes on Ryanair flights? We don’t want to check it in the hold for obvious reasons but the Ryanair website says you can’t take any blunt instruments in the cabin. Previous trips with Easyjet have never been an issue.

Thanks

Andrew

[STN RAMP RAT]

Never had an issue with getting it onboard but if it’s in your hand baggage how would they know if it’s not in your hand baggage then the Ryanair policy would be to consider the scope a “bag”.

I also haven’t had a problem at security across Europe.

[podge]

Whenever I’ve flown with Ryanair or Easy Jet I’ve had my rucksack style camera bag as my hand luggage with all my camera gear and small scope inside. I’ve always put the bag through the X-ray scanner to speed things up and never had a problem.
There was one time in Germany they took me to a back room to check it for explosives
Taking a scanner might be an issue though.

[mhm]

If taking a scanner to foreign parts take a cheap one, as some countries will confiscate and you may not get back. So a £300-500 scanner would be a loss,
Some countries take a dim view of monitoring any frequencies, some enthusiasts have been locked up, remember a UK passport does not give you freedom to break foreign laws

[Blackcat1]

I had a yellow water pistol confiscated when I went to Majorca . As a small 6 year old I was obviously a threat to national security

[MarkL]

I've taken my 'scope onboard a few times. Security are the ones likely to be curious, but it's never turned out to be a problem in my experience. To be honest I never saw the Ryanair regs to be an issue and as someone posted, they would never even know.

Have a great trip.

Mark.

[grimm31]

Thanks for the info all.
Andrew

[Freeman Lowell]

We've taken our friend Martin on a few Ryanair flights without any issues - he's a pretty blunt instrument...
Freeman

[ArabJazzie]

Recently flew to Amsterdam and was stopped at security heading there and back because of my scope in my carry on bag. Thought it might cause an issue but a quick search and wipe check and on our way.
Arabest,
Geoff.

[Alf]

I've taken my 'scope onboard a few times. Security are the ones likely to be curious, but it's never turned out to be a problem in my experience. To be honest I never saw the Ryanair regs to be an issue and as someone posted, they would never even know.

Have a great trip.

Mark.

How would they "never even know".. it's in your hand baggage and would go through the xray machine, it would be noticed.

[MarkL]

I've taken my 'scope onboard a few times. Security are the ones likely to be curious, but it's never turned out to be a problem in my experience. To be honest I never saw the Ryanair regs to be an issue and as someone posted, they would never even know.

Have a great trip.

Mark.

How would they "never even know".. it's in your hand baggage and would go through the xray machine, it would be noticed.

Hi Alf, as I said, Security could be curious, that's them with the xray machine and as I also said, it's never been a problem in my experience. Ryanair themselves would never know what was in your handluggage.