Flying the Friendly Skies

**Doc Canary** · 18th April 17, 05:17 PM

On Friday will be flying from Ft. Lauderdale to Washington, DC for a long and hopefully relaxing weekend. Will be using that carrier which has been in the news as if late for poor customer service and removing people due to seating changes.
Have decided to fly kilted in Mt 5.11 Tactical camo kilt. Will be dressed respectable and with the realization of the kind of questions flying kilted generate. Have flown kilted many times before with no real problems so hopefully none are to occur this time. Friends have suggested in light of the current climate on this particular carrier I may be "poking the bear." I don't think that is the case if I follow the rules and just be a passenger there should be no issues. But this is the airline that would not allow a group of teens to fly in tights due to the provocative nature of their dress. Think I will hardly be provocative, but one never knows when you will run into a prude or two.
Any thoughts?

**Doc Canary** · 18th April 17, 05:29 PM

[QUOTE=Doc Canary;1339247]On Friday will be flying from Ft. Lauderdale to Washington, DC for a long and hopefully relaxing weekend. Will be using that carrier which has been in the news as if late for poor customer service and removing people due to seating changes.
Have decided to fly kilted in my5.11 Tactical camo kilt. Will be dressed respectable and with the realization of the kind of questions flying kilted generate. Have flown kilted many times before with no real problems so hopefully none are to occur this time. Friends have suggested in light of the current climate on this particular carrier I may be "poking the bear." I don't think that is the case if I follow the rules and just be a passenger there should be no issues. But this is the airline that would not allow a group of teens to fly in tights due to the provocative nature of their dress. Think I will hardly be provocative, but one never knows when you will run into a prude or two.
Any thoughts?

**Standard** · 18th April 17, 07:30 PM

I would expect business as usual as per your past flight experiences. As to the "tights" issue, they were flying on employee vouchers and therefore under a different set of guidelines than a normal paying customer. Just my 2 cents worth.

**ratspike** · 18th April 17, 07:45 PM

I wouldn't sweat it. As was mentioned, those girls and their leggings were nonrev passengers so totally different rules apply. There is absolutely a dress code in that case, but it in no way applies to regular passengers. During the hatefest that followed the leggings incident United was super duper clear that passengers can wear what they like.

As long as you're a white dude then the only thing you likely have to be concerned about is a TSA drone on a power trip, but that's pretty much a constant anyway. Hope you have a lovely trip!

**Taskr** · 19th April 17, 08:47 AM

Its not so much the airline as TSA.

As I'm sure you have from flying kilted before, here's a few things I've learned to share in this thread (not all apply to a 5.11Tac).

The over all advice is that the kilt is not an excuse to have or carry anything on board that you otherwise would not to get through the TSA check.
- no kilt pin on the kilt. I've carried it as 'jewelry' in carryon or sporran, though could be a risk depending on type.
- If they are elastic flashes with metal clasp take them off during TSA
- definitely no sgian ..anywhere.. If no checked bags, leave it home. (if not a bladed one, your call/risk)
- belt off, sporran off and into the x-ray bin. Phone out.
- as for trousers, nothing that goes beep in any pockets
- be ready for the pat-down as buckles and such will likely beep
- the wand stance; one foot slightly ahead of the other. I found doing this without them asking is a bit of a signal that I've done this before, and it seems to go more smoothly.
- be polite, answer questions, and say thanks when they are done

Happy travels

**ItchyTick** · 19th April 17, 06:30 PM

Can't see it being a problem.

**bikercelt1** · 20th April 17, 03:34 PM

When I fly I have a velcro fastened kilt that has no metal buckles. I found a tactical belt at a local hunting store that has a nylock buckle and I wear socks that don't need flashes. I detach my sporran and put my watch and bracelet in it before I send it through the x-ray machine so that I literally have no metal on me when I go through the detectors. I don't fly often but I haven't been pulled aside for wanding since I adopted this strategy. The worst problem I have is getting into the seat without having my kilt wadded up under me, particularly with a window seat.

**ratspike** · 20th April 17, 05:12 PM

I hate flying so I've only done it once since 9/11, last summer from Portland to Fort Collins and back. On the way out of PDX I wore a kilt with zero metal bits, only a single nylon quick release buckle and velcro on the pockets. The body scanner went nuts and I was sent back through with the same result, then pulled out for a full groping. The machine was alerting on the buckle. The TSA dude was really confused but eventually sent me on my way. SMH.