Airport security question
- Thread starter Buzz2001
- Start date
Well, kind of hard to say.
A lot will depend on the airport you are flying out of. We played it safe and packed the pins in the checked luggage. We flew out of Palm Springs, Calif. and security there was nosey (not sure if "tight" is accurate) to say the least. Not sure I could've gotten pins through security. Maybe it's because it is a small airport and a Member of Congress flies in & out of there regularly so they are more diligent. Don't know.
On the way home we also checked the pins. But then noticed several people on our flight wearing pins (ranging from one to a lanyard-full). I'm guessing Orlando airport security is a touch more lenient about pins than other airports would be....
A lot will depend on the airport you are flying out of. We played it safe and packed the pins in the checked luggage. We flew out of Palm Springs, Calif. and security there was nosey (not sure if "tight" is accurate) to say the least. Not sure I could've gotten pins through security. Maybe it's because it is a small airport and a Member of Congress flies in & out of there regularly so they are more diligent. Don't know.
On the way home we also checked the pins. But then noticed several people on our flight wearing pins (ranging from one to a lanyard-full). I'm guessing Orlando airport security is a touch more lenient about pins than other airports would be....
Obi-Wan Pinobi
<font color=red>Jedi moderator who likes to live o
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Definitely count on having your bags checked. I would imagine the pins show up on the screens as blobs or masses of metal. DW Lauri was searched at Newport News and searched twice in Orlando (at security and at the gate). Orlando security may see the pins a lot more than other airports and are more familiar with them, but I would imagine with as many people as there are going through MCO security is going to be as tight there as anywhere else.
I don't know if most people would call checking the pins "playing it safe." Most people would rather keep their pins with them in their carry on luggage than taking a chance on their pins ending up in Tahiti. Besides, I've read about a new law that will allow airport security to search checked baggage, locked or no.
Best thing is to be up front with security, tell them you have some collectible metal lapel pins that will show up funny on the x-ray, and they're more than welcome to examine your carry on. That's what Lauri did.
I don't know if most people would call checking the pins "playing it safe." Most people would rather keep their pins with them in their carry on luggage than taking a chance on their pins ending up in Tahiti. Besides, I've read about a new law that will allow airport security to search checked baggage, locked or no.
Best thing is to be up front with security, tell them you have some collectible metal lapel pins that will show up funny on the x-ray, and they're more than welcome to examine your carry on. That's what Lauri did.
eeyorefanatic
Devoted 2 Eeyore
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It has been a condition of flying for a long time, they used to not care though...
I had my lock cut off on a checked bag (and the zipper pull broken in the effort) on a flight from Atlanta to Houston Hobby in Feb. Airline security simply said they had difficulty getting the lock so they had to cut the zipper pull.
I think it would be safer to bring them on and be prepared to have it searched and/or then checked than just checking it in the first place.
I had my lock cut off on a checked bag (and the zipper pull broken in the effort) on a flight from Atlanta to Houston Hobby in Feb. Airline security simply said they had difficulty getting the lock so they had to cut the zipper pull.
I think it would be safer to bring them on and be prepared to have it searched and/or then checked than just checking it in the first place.
We live in Beaumont ... we actually flew American Eagle puddle-jumper to LAX where we caught Midwest Express to Milwaukee then Orlando (it was frequent flyer miles, didn't cost me a dime of actual money, and we wanted to check out MWE).
99.9% of the time we fly out of Ontario, and although security there seems to be fairly good, Palm Springs was on the verge of anal. Not sure if it really has anything to do with Mary flying in and out of there, but that combined with the celebrities in the area would make sense....
99.9% of the time we fly out of Ontario, and although security there seems to be fairly good, Palm Springs was on the verge of anal. Not sure if it really has anything to do with Mary flying in and out of there, but that combined with the celebrities in the area would make sense....
MeanLaureen
<font color=purple>Slam Dancer Extraordinaire<br><
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Hey guys..
don't be afraid of carrying your pins on. Everyone I talked to in both the Newport News airport and the Orlando airport said it was fine to do so.
Just be sure your pins are organzied and together in the book (not thrown all over your bag), tell them when you send the bag through the xray that there will be metal showing up on the xray and what it is - offer to let them look through the bag personally.
When you think about it, although the backs of the pins are sharp, they are no different than ladies pierced earrings or brooches. (Brooches actually are worse than pins) and jewelry like this is allowed in carryon.
I would seriously hesitate checking my pins. In the future they will be able to search bags that are being checked away from your presense, locked or unlocked. Not to mention the insurance on each bag would probably not cover the cost of pins in a large pin bag.
One word of warning for you guys though... when you go through Orlando security do NOT wear the same shoes that you have been dragging yourself through WDW with for days on end. They WILL ask you to take them off and put them on a table and after all those days in the heat.. WHOOOAAAA
If you are still worried about taking your pins on the plane, get to the airport a little earlier, go up to one of the people at the security check point and ask them about the pins and see what they say about carrying them on.
don't be afraid of carrying your pins on. Everyone I talked to in both the Newport News airport and the Orlando airport said it was fine to do so.
Just be sure your pins are organzied and together in the book (not thrown all over your bag), tell them when you send the bag through the xray that there will be metal showing up on the xray and what it is - offer to let them look through the bag personally.
When you think about it, although the backs of the pins are sharp, they are no different than ladies pierced earrings or brooches. (Brooches actually are worse than pins) and jewelry like this is allowed in carryon.
I would seriously hesitate checking my pins. In the future they will be able to search bags that are being checked away from your presense, locked or unlocked. Not to mention the insurance on each bag would probably not cover the cost of pins in a large pin bag.
One word of warning for you guys though... when you go through Orlando security do NOT wear the same shoes that you have been dragging yourself through WDW with for days on end. They WILL ask you to take them off and put them on a table and after all those days in the heat.. WHOOOAAAA
If you are still worried about taking your pins on the plane, get to the airport a little earlier, go up to one of the people at the security check point and ask them about the pins and see what they say about carrying them on.
Luv2Roam
DIS Legend
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- Jun 3, 2000
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- 15,479
Last January we flew Midwest Express from Omaha to MCO and back.
I had approx 140 pins in checked and carry on luggage. DH had a full, large pin bag as carry-on both times.
He never even had to open the pin bag at either location. It just a closer than usual scrutiny through the scanner.
We will be flying again on May 25, with not as many pins. (I think ) I am wondering if conditions have tightened, remained the same, etc since January. This time we will be flying with a change of planes at O'Hare.
I had approx 140 pins in checked and carry on luggage. DH had a full, large pin bag as carry-on both times.
He never even had to open the pin bag at either location. It just a closer than usual scrutiny through the scanner.
We will be flying again on May 25, with not as many pins. (I think
) I am wondering if conditions have tightened, remained the same, etc since January. This time we will be flying with a change of planes at O'Hare.I put my pin bag into one of the containers for laptop computers. I make sure all the zippers are open and ready for inspection. I also put the lanyards I'm wearing into the container. In Austin, each page of the book is looked at, and I ALSO get a wand/shoe search, b/c that is what they do with a bag search,but then I have my pins in my carry-on...love it love it!
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