LOL. I had a decal on my carry on luggage, from a Record / CD shop in Tacoma. The store was called "High Voltage Records and CD's". Well, in the airport, the officer at the station where you put your personal effects in the bins for X Ray screening, he did a big "WHOA", when he saw High Voltage. He didn't read the rest of the label.. he called me over, and I explained it was a decal for a Record / CD shop in Tacoma, not that far away ( we were in Sea-Tac airport )( which is what the decal said). He made me open the carryon, to view my clothes. Next, it passed thru the scanner. Next, it was reinvestigated just after the scanner by another officer. Next, I was sent to a special room where it again investigated, thoroughly. After 3 separate "investigations" I was cleared to go. Not one piece of apparatus in the luggage, my toothbrush was the most offensive item. I REMOVED the decal when I got home. My experience, last year, SeaTac airport.
Flying in the US or CAN lately with an amp or other big electronics as carry-on?
Hi. I am considering flying from Toronto Pearson Int’l to O’Hare with a ~25lb AC-DC power converter/power supply unit (JRDG “Power Storage Unit” to be specific) in my carry-on wheelie bag. It will fit in the wheelie bag and is under the weight limit, but I am pretty sure that the airport security X-ray machines will read the device, which is basically milled from a large block of solid aluminum, as entirely opaque and hence, suspicious, and so the staff will need to inspect it manually. Obviously, I don’t want them to scratch its beautiful front or try to open the chassis.
I would take the unit out of the bag and put it in it’s own bin for the screening and try to explain the situation to an officer before hand as well.
Does anybody here have any recent experience with trying to bring a medium/big piece of audio equipment on a US commercial flight in your carry-on bag?
(The alternative, because I don’t want to ship from Canada, is to drive to Niagara Falls/Buffalo, clear customs at the Whirlpool Bridge (NEXUS only) and then FedEx or UPS the PSU from Buffalo, but there are various issues with that approach that I’d prefer to avoid, if possible.)
Thanks!
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That’s a hoot and a bit scary @robeffy . on the one hand, glad they were careful, but pathetic that they couldn’t distinguish between a safety warning and a promotional decal. I will now know not to use any words like that when describing the PSU. thanks. |
Yes, it is both a hoot and scary. Being super super cautious is good! |
I took an oversized, aluminium shelled DAC through from Pearson to Germany via Heathrow last year. I brought needed mini specialty tools along in case they wanted me to open it at Pearson. Passing between one Heathrow terminal and another, my tools were confiscated, even the bits. If the weather is OK, crossing to Buffalo to ship has worked for me before. Always like an opportunity to visit the Lucky Day Whiskey Bar on Pearl Street in Buffalo. |
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