TSA and Garage Door Remote?

[karly05]

Has anyone tried to carry a garage door remote control in their carry-on bag? Have you had any trouble with getting it through TSA or having it on the plane?

Long story short, roads were yucky this year, a friend drove me to the airport (I usually drive myself and toss the remote in the trunk); I ended up leaving the remote with her because I didn't know if I could take it on the plane and I need it to get in the house (unless I wanted to tromp all around the snowy back yard when I got home). All's well that ends well, but I'm curious if anyone else has had to take a garage remote with them and how that worked out.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

No, but it is allowed.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Great movie plot. Terrorists attempt to sneak bombs onto aircraft in a variety of ways, shoe bombs, underwear bombs, toothpaste tube bombs, etc. All are set to remotely detonate using a seemingly innocent garage door opener. Does John McClane stop the attempt?

 

[bumbershoot]

I wouldn't have even thought twice about it. If they think its odd they'll rescan it and eventually look at it. Had the same hint happen with my min-iPod Rio MP3 player. No biggie.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

A garage door remote is a small radio transmitter. Just leave it in your checked or carry-on bag.

You may want to remove the batteries so that the button can't accidentally be pressed while it's in your bag. That way you can't accidentally transmit a radio signal. And you won't drain the batteries if something else is pressing up against the remote.

In addition to screening for prohibited items, TSA screeners are supposed to look for anything suspicious. So there's always a chance that a TSA screener can question anything from any passenger. But I really wouldn't expect a garage door remote to trigger a security concern. People carry on all sorts of electronic devices, including WiFi and and BlueTooth devices that transmit.

 

[DVC California]

I would just put the garage door opener in the same bin you put your phone and keys. Most car keys have remotes for car locks/alarms, so I imagine this is the same category.

I actually just stuff my keys, cell and watch in my carry-on to go through X-ray. Less stuff to juggle at security.

Steve

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I would just put the garage door opener in the same bin you put your phone and keys. Most car keys have remotes for car locks/alarms, so I imagine this is the same category.

I actually just stuff my keys, cell and watch in my carry-on to go through X-ray. Less stuff to juggle at security.

Steve

There is no reason to remove the garage door remote from a carry-on bag and to put it in a bin. The only things that have to come out of bags and into bins are laptop computers and other items with large, dense power supplies or electronics, such as CPAPs (nighttime breathing devices).

A lot of people put cell phones and keys into bins because they're emptying their pockets, not because such items must go into bins.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

Do you plan on opening your garage door while in Florida?

 

[goofy4tink]

Do you plan on opening your garage door while in Florida?

No, but a friend drove her to the airport, and she needs to be able to get into her house when she returns. She evidently enters thru the garage..hence the door opener.

 

[Jimsig]

Do you plan on opening your garage door while in Florida?

I think the op plans on using it from 35k ft to open random peoples garage doors using the same frequency on the ground as they fly. Might as well have some fun

 

[RoutemanDan]

Do you plan on opening your garage door while in Florida?

If you read the post the op explains why they had it.

 

[paults]

don't most garage door openers come with a keypad for outside the garage door, therefore not needing the opener. I'm guessing they don't have this.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

No, but a friend drove her to the airport, and she needs to be able to get into her house when she returns. She evidently enters thru the garage..hence the door opener.

If you read the post the op explains why they had it.

So a front door key (which takes up ALOT less room) is definately out of the question. makes sense

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

So a front door key (which takes up ALOT less room) is definately out of the question. makes sense

Whether the OP prefers to enter the house by pressing a button from inside a warm car or by trudging to a house door through two feet of snow on an unshoveled walkway on a cold winter night is up to the OP decide.

The OP prefers the former. Perhaps there are others who would prefer the latter.

People on this board sometimes ask about things they think might be a TSA problem, such as Disney pins -- or, in this case, a garage door remote.

 

[bumbershoot]

OP might live in a condo or apartment like I do. Why coming home with bags, I want access to the elevator in the garage. If I'm dropped at the front door I have stairs to contend with before the lobby.

Tons of my friends with houses and attached garages never ever use their front doors. Ever.

 

[tjmw2727]

OP might live in a condo or apartment like I do. Why coming home with bags, I want access to the elevator in the garage. If I'm dropped at the front door I have stairs to contend with before the lobby.

Tons of my friends with houses and attached garages never ever use their front doors. Ever.

This ~
I never use my front door either.

In the op's case I would have to drive into the driveway, get out of the car walk around to the front and up a set of stairs. Let myself into the front door and then back out the side door into the garage, open the garage and then access my bags from the car.

My garage door opener is on my "fob" with my car keys and has been through security more times than I can count. I don't see why a more traditional opener would be a problem either.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

Whether the OP prefers to enter the house by pressing a button from inside a warm car or by trudging to a house door through two feet of snow on an unshoveled walkway on a cold winter night is up to the OP decide.

The OP prefers the former. Perhaps there are others who would prefer the latter.

People on this board sometimes ask about things they think might be a TSA problem, such as Disney pins -- or, in this case, a garage door remote.

OP might live in a condo or apartment like I do. Why coming home with bags, I want access to the elevator in the garage. If I'm dropped at the front door I have stairs to contend with before the lobby.

Tons of my friends with houses and attached garages never ever use their front doors. Ever.

Good luck if there's a power outage when they return.

 

[tjmw2727]

Good luck if there's a power outage when they return.

LOL - the OP simply finds it more convenient to travel with a garage door opener and enter that way if he/she can. I didn't read in the OP that they don't plan to have an alternate method of entry?

The simple answer to the simple OP is yes you can bring your garage door opener through security.

 

[karly05]

OP here. LOL, 1352 posts and I finally found something to (j/k)

THANKS to all who gave helpful feedback. Part of my problem was, I didn't even think about the opener being a potential problem until the night before I left. I did think about removing the battery, but that would require a Phillips head screwdriver and I figured that would flunk the TSA for sure (I don't have a tiny one). I could have taken the opener apart and put the screwdriver in my checked bag, but by that point, things were getting way too complicated. I probably wouldn't have had a problem just putting it in my carry-on, but I'm a "worst case scenario" worry-wart.

FWIW, and not that I'm obliged to explain this - I always come and go through the garage. I do have options to get in if there's a power outage, but they're not convenient, especially with a yard and drive covered with snow. Basically I live in an old house that is really starting to need some TLC, including a new storm door in front and an exterior keylock for the garage door that actually works.

I will say, the idea of randomly opening garages from 35k feet was interesting...

(Oops, I think I may have sounded a little snarky here, and that was absolutely not my intention.)

 

[goofy4tink]

Good luck if there's a power outage when they return.

Seriously? Ok. We have a front door. Never use it. We have a garage door as well as a door from outside into the garage very also have a keypad, on the outside frame of the garage. Dh and I each have our own garage door openers in our cars.
So, why might we want to have one with us, when we travel? If we didn't take our car to the airport, we would prefer to enter the house thru the garage. That's how we enter the house. We could get out and use the keypad. It if it weren't working, then having the opener with us allows us to get in, via the garage. If there's a power outage? Dh just pulls the door up.
Not exactly sure why it bothers you do much if someone carries a garage door opener in their bag tho. That seems a little curious.