Tip if you are flying

[shirley 38]

Carry your pins on board. You will get most likely get
stopped by security. Do not lock your bag and they will want it opened.

I sent my pins through luggage one time and they showed up two days later.

I don't know if it was the metal or just the airlines.

 

[patbscrooge]

I sent my pins in my luggage once and when I got it back, there was a big red tag on it saying it had been searched. So now I carry my pins on. I always unzip the bag before I put it on the belt because some airports get really spooked when the alarm goes off and you reach to open the bag. With it unzipped, they can see what the deal is and it doesn't take as long to get cleared. And you never know when another pin trader might be around!!!


Pat inkbounc inkbounc

 

[Cheshire Figment]

We take the pins in JudySue's hard-side Samsonite Rolling Bag. We also expect to have it examined when we go through security, and are used to it. The big problem is MY having to get it into the luggage overhead. This time we expect there will probably be six hundred pins on the way down and SEVEN HUNDRED on the way home. I won't be able to lift that much over my head, and I know JudySue can't.

 

[Regina]

Shirley, I think your luggage was delayed those two days because the poor bag handler was rushed to the emergency room for the hernia he got when he tried to lift it.

Cheshire, I met Judy Sue, and I can understand your dilemna. It may be time to look for two smaller bags that would fit under the seats.

Not only would the bag that you currently use be hard to lift, it would be lethal if, for some reason, it fell out of the overhead bin.

My modest stash of a little over a hundred pins always raises eyebrows of the security scanner. All of you must set off every bell and whistle in the place!

 

[ladyandtramp]

Hmmm,

I've been through airports for two trips with my pins -- the first time I put them in my luggage, the second time I carried them both ways because of reports I read on this board of "pins disappearing out of luggage".

I haven't even seen so much as a raised eyebrow from security!

This is very interesting! You watch -- now they will want to do a full search of everything because I read this thread !

 

[peoplemover]

I carry on my pins using a pullman as well, and after it goes through the x-ray, they always ask to search it. They open up the pullman (with clothes and other stuff in it to soften any blows against the pin binders) and they ask me what's in there, then they take a peek and see all the pins and look at me like I'm a weirdo. That's at my departing airport. Coming back through Orlando security, they don't even look, if you tell them it's Disney pins, they will usually open the bag but they won't inspect what's in there. They seem to be getting used to us pin people!

 

[TIGGERSMOM]

This time I am getting lucky, I have a friend who works for FedEx and she is gonna send my pins and all my luggage through for us.

First trip no luggage - just carry ons, it will all be waiting for us at the hotel.

 

[Figgy]

Thanks for the tip... Since i am going to be carrying over 500 PinPics with me on my flight in Aug. I can see being at security for awhile...LOL

Another quick tip for flying is beware that several of the airlines flight attendents might be going on strike at the end of Aug. for those going to the convention I hope this doesn't effect you. I know that American Attendents figure to walk out on the 29 if nothing is resoved....

 

[Luv2Roam]

When I take pins on a flight, I have them in a carry-on. Haven't been stopped --- yet. And had a heck of a lotta 'em coming back from DL.

 

[suzanneb]

Orlando was no problem with pins in carry ons...but this last time, not only was it "opaque" and not able to see thru, it sent of an "alarm signal" when they used the "swatch" sampler they use...they copied my name from my ticket to a paper for their records...I was not happy about that...but what could I do!

It was a NEW bag...maybe that was it...on the way out (from Austin) for the first time EVER the bag was NOT searched..go figure.

 

[akacruela]

It was our first time in DL since pin trading began. On the way there I carried, or rolled, my pins with me. I was stopped as usual. We did so much trading, and buying I couldn't carry them home. I packed them all. Guess what? The bag was so heavy they weighed it. 70 pounds is what they told me. I had a very nice sky cap, though I think the green in my hand helped . There is a weight restriction per bag when flying in the US, not just out of the country.
Karen

 

[JudithM]

Karen, thank you for carrying that heavy bag home - I for one appreciate your efforts!

 

[Mickey527]

I had no trouble flying TWA and carrying my pins as my carry on, and when I flew out of LGA on Spirit I had no problem.
Flyin from Orlando on Spirit, I was late for the flight due to a problem at the rental car place. I was running to get on the plane, 5 minutes to takeoff and I was still at the front. I still had hat long monorail ride to go befoe trying to find the righ gate.
I put my bag down and they scanned and stopped. Long scan and they still wouldn't let it through. I said to the guy "It's pins, I am a collector" He looked at me and said "Oh" then put the pins through. No questions asked, didn't ask to have me open the bags, just "Oh"
Made them open the door of the plane to get on, but I had my pins with me. Peggie

 

[john59]

Shirley, my DW forgot a few particulars.

Yes we lost 1 bag with our collection. How she got the airlines to move---- in frustration she said "you better find that bag real quick (after 2 days), my husband's heart medicine is in it". A lotta things are broke in my bod, but my ticker is pretty good. It did work, the bag showed up in about 4 hours & had 7 different airline tags on it.
Going home was different. She bought one of these smaller bags with wheels & a pullout handle, to carry on.
I dropped her off at curb check-in, identified myself and took the rent car back. Meet you at gate 58, but running a little late.
Going through security, wearing "THE HAT" put the bag up for X-RAY----Sir would you step over to that table. Had to unload the whole bag. Pin backs flying all over the place & quite a crowd had gathered, mostly security.
The ultimate insult 'Sir WHY do you wear that ("THE HAT"). I was speechless or maybe I had no idea !!!
No money, no airline ticket, running out of time, going as fast as I can, pulling this great bag with square wheels that wants to make left turns. The faster I go, the sharper the BAG'S left turn.
Last 2 people to board the airplane, Shirley & John. Shirley said, "Where have you been"----"Boy am I glad you found my heart medicine, I needed it badly". Till this day, I don't think my DW knows why I said that. Dearest Shirley, we need a new system----john59

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

So you just wear the hat on the plane, huh, John? I wondered how you got that thing through security.

 

[JudithM]

John, now I know why we usually either drive or take the Autotrain!

 

[shirley 38]

I found the coolest bag in WDW this year. It is a backpack with wheels.
It is quite large and all my pins fit into it.
When I am going throught the airport I wheel it.
When I am in the park I mostly use it as a back pack or if you have a lot of space I will wheel it there also.
I found out it is the best thing so far.
It has locks on it so if you leave it in your hotel room you can lock it up.
Very cool

 

[tigger2esq]

last week going through the San Diego airport. I had about 50 pins in my carry-on from a jaunt to Disneyland. they didnt make me open the bag but did that little swipe thing over the handles/zippers...at the time I was curious as to what would have triggered that---now I know!! IT WAS THE PINS!!!

 

[YodasMom]

Thank you for bringing up this topic, Shirley. I was just going to post my concerns and found your thread.

I'm in a crazy, funny dilemma! On my way to Orlando in August, I'm first flying to San Antonio from Chicago since I will be performing in an International singing competition at the end of July. After that, I will be flying on to Orlando. So, picture me flying with a group of people who have known me from my involvement with singing and have no idea about my interest in Disney, especially with pin-trading. I'm just dreading the moment when I get stopped by security and they open up my carry-on and find, not only an elaborate costume for our performance, but a carry-on full of several hundreds DISNEY pins!
Oh my gosh!! People are going to think I'm nuts!!

I was actually thinking of risking packing in one of my checked bags so I don't have to go through the embarrassment, but it sounds like that has not worked well for people. I have always carried the pins on board and usually get stopped by security. In May I did not get stopped in Chicago or Orlando.