Still another airplane and TSA question I need help with

[Bete]

I think this could be a difficult one. I'm not use to flying; so, I just don't know the ins and outs of how to do everything.

Anyway, I carry a tool kit for my mom's travel wheelchair on the wheelchair itself. I think for travel wheelchairs parts get looser and need fixing more often. I have had to tighten up areas of the wheelchair at Disney before. Maybe, a bump did me in or whatever. I'm careful that I inspect this every so often. I did have a bolt come off once on my mom's leg rest and I had to get a replacement for it. This took a good half day off of our vacation and we had the car at the time. I think my mom pushes down very hard on the leg rest and the screw just got looser and looser; until, it fell off. From then on, I've learned to check the wheelchair.

Anyway, this tool kit includes a small screwdriver, a pliers, and an assortment of allen wrenches. I have always kept this with the wheelchair in a built in pouch on the wheelchair back. Now, I'm afraid the airlines and/or TSA will not allow it to be with the wheelchair. You just don't know when you may need to tighten whatever on the wheelchair; so, I'm scared not to have it with me at all times.

If I keep it with the regular luggage I would be the lucky one not to get my luggage; it would be lost or something.

I was thinking of doing two tool sets and have one in the regular luggage and one with the wheelchair. If they take the wheelchair set then I still have a chance to have the other tool kit in the luggage.

Anyway, does anyone know if it's allowed to have a tool kit with you through TSA or the plane? Are there any restrictions on size and what you can have if it's allowed?

Thanks for the help.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Did you check the official tsa website? Answers to these types of questions are easily answered there.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

Look under Tools.

 

[SueM in MN]

We usually bring a tool kit with for DD’s wheelchair. We include the bare minimum of pieces - few bolts, several Allen wrenches that fit Allan bolts on her wheelchair. We also usually have a regular wrench the correct size for some things on her wheelchair.
Bring it in your carry on. You will need to take the bag off the wheelchair and send it thru the xray machine. At that point, they will see that it is in the bag and will see it is for a wheelchair.

I would not pack it in the checked bags. We did that once and had it removed (i.e. stolen) from the bag.

Keep in mind that if you need tools, Engineering or the bike rental place at your resort is very likely to have tools that will work. They won’t have the correct bolts, so you will need to bring those. But you probably won’t need to bring every tool you could potentially need - just those that you are most likely to use.

 

[Bete]

Did you check the official tsa website? Answers to these types of questions are easily answered there.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

Look under Tools.

I could have looked all day on the TSA site and probably not find the correct page for my question. I thank you for getting me there; I printed it out, too.

 

[Bete]

I would not pack it in the checked bags. We did that once and had it removed (i.e. stolen) from the bag.

Keep in mind that if you need tools, Engineering or the bike rental place at your resort is very likely to have tools that will work. They won’t have the correct bolts, so you will need to bring those. But you probably won’t need to bring every tool you could potentially need - just those that you are most likely to use.

Thanks for the heads up. I can't believe someone took your tools; how cruel that is. I think I'll still have a few tools in my regular luggage just in case I get a TSA agent that gets real goofy on me with my carry on tools. Of course, I'll ask for a supervisor, but you never know how this can turn out. i'm not going to miss my flight over such things. I'd rather lose a set of tools then be without them; hopefully, I don't get both sets taken away from me. I will keep in mind about Disney having some tools, too.