What's one of the most idiotic things you carried on a plane?

[lowkat]

My story goes back "to the good old day" ("50").
I was in 3rd grade and was flying to Florida and I had to take my doll. Which was okay, except the doll was a rag doll, and she was as tall as me, with hair my color, she took up a seat on the plane. While I was sleeping the air line hostess took my doll up to cockpit and threw it in the captain's lap. I guess it pretty
much scared him, but they all had a good laugh. Like I said good old days, couldn't do that now

 

[arminnie]

I had one of the first "portable" computers by Compaq. It was the size of a portable sewing machine. It was really "lug-able" not portable. I traveled a lot with that old machine 20 years ago.

I had a pilot one time make a comment about my bringing my sewing machine with me.

 

[RUDisney]

When we went to Russia 3 years ago, I was convinced that we'd never be able to buy bottled water. I didn't want to pack them in the checked luggage, in case they busted. So, I carried 3 1-liter bottles of water in my carry on and my DH carried 3 in his. When we got to the train station, there were 3 or 4 stands that were selling bottled water... still or sparkling. What an idiot I was to make us carry them.

 

[Pooh's Pal]

I once carried a bamboo/wicker oval shaped rug home from the Bahama's (from one of those flea markets)...Got some looks too!
That was back in the 70's and I kept that rug, hung on the wall of my apartment for years too.

 

[Kitty 34]

These are great!!

Any more?

 

[dianeschlicht]

It would have to be the giant raw shrimp! I purchased a small cooler to carry them in while packed in ice. About half way through the flight, the ice started to melt and run out of the cooler! There was a nice little river running down the floor between folks feet (I had it under the seat ahead).

 

[EiLuvCinderella]

I also carried a huge pinata from Mexico about 10 years ago. That was fun. Lotsa strange stares and many annoyed people. I still have it hanging in my daughter's room. We love it and still don't want to use it!

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

When I was newly married (1984) and living out of state, my dad was in the last stages of life and I flew home for a week to be with him.

My grandmother thought I very much needed a crock pot, and bought a new one for me to take back. She opend the box, filled the empty pot with homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Then, my ever-enterprising Grandfather threaded a rope through the box, crossing t the top to use for a handle. And to "diguise" it, painted it all black. Try explaining that to security!

And when it went through the x-ray machine, it all just showed a black lump inside that box. But the rope work was so intricate that the airport personel felt sorry for me and let me go through anyway.

Never would have made it like that today!

 

[CarolA]

These are too funny,

I have carried one of those early "portable computers". They weighed a TON and had a screen the size of an index card.

My favorite, I did not carry on but... I was getting on a plane in Dallas and one of the earlier passengers was still on. The plane originated in Mexico and apparently she had bought a large piece of pottery she claimed was very expensive and was an antique.

It appeared that in order to get the bowl in the overhead she had tilted it and wedged it in there. Well of course there is no wiggle room once it is in there and it won't come out. She was YELLING at the Flight Attendant and the maintenance man that she wanted them to take the overhead apart. They would not do this, since that requried removing the overhead air and that would then require several hours to put back. They just wanted to break the thing.

She was finally escorted off the plane by a security guard and the thing was hit with a hammer, the parts swept into a bag and we left.

I have seen lots of stuffed animals that are HUGE!

 

[robsmom]

was reminded of this yesterday when my DSIL was tossing our salad and said "love your huge salad bowl because I can toss without possibly spilling" I purchased it at a street fair in Mexico. A co-worker from Brazil's wife who is from Chile negotiated for it for me. It is probably a little under 2 feet in diameter, is wood and has a big (18 inches) fork and spoon set!

 

[piglet too]

I truly can't think of anything that I have carried on, so will share this instead.
On my way home from Washington D.C. for an 8th grade trip, one of the flight attentandts went into a panic mode. Water was dripping from the overhead compartment, and he could not figure out why. Finally he asked if anyone had anything that was "frozen" as carry-on and this guy in the aisle across from me raised his hand. When the flight attendants opened up the bin, a box of what had been frozen shrimp comes falling out! It landed mostly on the lap of the guy on the aisle, but some on me too. That was a long trip home!! My parents were flying home from SanDiego and had met me at O'Hare, needless to say they bought me some clothes for the ride home!

 

[Regina]

And here I thought I was the only one who brought stinky food on planes.

It was when we lived in GA for two years. It was temporary since DH was on loan to this other company. His employer allowed for all of us to fly home for visits once a month if we chose to.

After I met someone who was from this area, she begged me to bring back some genuine NY bagels. No matter how I wrapped, bagged or foiled them, the smell of the "everything" bagels always escaped.

The funny part would be when the other passengers would get a whiff and think that they were going to serve bagels that morning. (Serve meals?? Shows how far back this was.)

 

[JoNo]

I'll share a story. It was when I was coming back from florida once (before I lived here) Tanya had bought me a few cigars while we were here. I took 1 back in a metal round cigar holder. Well, when it went through x-ray, it looked a LOT like something else! The lady even said "Do you have a "neck massager" in your bag?" I looked at her funny and then they told me to unpack my bag for security search. I did, and then I remembered my cigar case rolled up in a t-shirt! The whole time they thought I was packing something else!

 

[Davids-Coco]

A friend of mine did have them check her bag because she had a "massager" in it. We were traveling for a GTG with other sorority sisters, and you have to pack EVERYTHING, or so I'm told. When they checked her bag, the look on the guys face was priceless as he held up this big pink "massager". She was cool as a cucumber and pointed to the switch saying "this is how you turn it on". It was great!

 

[jiminyml]

"This is how you turn it on"

I'm rolling on the floor!!!!!!!!!

 

[arminnie]

I had to go to Australia on business for about 3 weeks. I'd never been before and didn't know anything about where I was going to be staying or what was available.

I had 3 large suitcases. These suitcases had several pockets inside and I had several cosmetic bags. I got picked for my luggage to be THOROUGHLY searched. Everytime the guy (who was about 12) opened up another pocket or bag there was about a months worth of "feminine" products. I probably could have supplied the entire city for a month.

I don't know why this made me so suspicious but after this search when I thought I could leave I had undercover security agents (think Australian version of FBI) come over and interrogate me for a long time about why I was coming in the country and who I was going to see. I had a visa in addition to my passport but had to bring out memos showing which banks I had appointments with before they would let me go.

 

[missypie]

DH is very frugal and just hates to throw away food. When packing for our return from Paris last month, we all had to BEG him not to pack the half eaten package of goat cheese....can't imagine what that would have smelled like after 12 hours on the plane!

 

[Davids-Coco]

Originally posted by jiminyml
I'm rolling on the floor!!!!!!!!!

jiminyml - Portland Maine thinks Portland Oregon is funny.

 

[Micca]

I brought back a giant plush lion I got at a convention one time. I thought DDs would love it (they did). DD smuggled her rabbit onto a flight last year.

 

[Kitty 34]

Originally posted by Micca
I brought back a giant plush lion I got at a convention one time. I thought DDs would love it (they did). DD smuggled her rabbit onto a flight last year.

A real rabbit!? How did she "smuggle" this??