Bringing my 5mW green laser on a plane a good idea?

[ToAsTBoY101]

I want to bring my laser to my upcoming trip to California because you never know when you might be bored! Has anyone ever tried this?? My fear is that it will be taken away by TSA members! Should i or no? HELP!

 

[Weltall]

Hello and welcome!, doing some search will always help you :beer:...

http://laserpointerforums.com/f53/taking-laser-plane-different-situation-time-46221.html
http://laserpointerforums.com/f53/lasers-plane-38326.html

In my own experience, i gifted one of my 5mW green pens to my uncle last xmas, which was going to take it with him back to USA in his plane, so i told him to leave the batteries here and separate the two halves of it (it was a newwish) and he had no problems at all.

So i suppose there should not be any problem as long as u take it with no batteries, be discrete, use common sense and all that...

 

[Flaminpyro]

I don't know but isn't there a TSA web site that will tell what and what not you can carry on board an aircraft ?
since it's a 5mW that is OK in the USA but don't go telling them I said it was ok to carry it on board :crackup:

If nothing else ask MFO he works for TSA...

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Given the current state of paranoia when it comes to planes, I wouldn't.

I mean I might take one with me, but don't use it on the plane. Where are you going to point it? Out the window?

Scenario: you point out the window, reflection hits the guy standing up to go to the bathroom, he yells, flight is rerouted to nearest airport, you get a crap load of fines, and dropped on the no fly list.

Risk not worth the reward in this situation.

 

[Arayan]

I travel all over the world for conferences and I always bear a 5 mW green laser with me for presentations in my hand luggage... never had any problems

BTW: Welcome to LPF :beer:

 

[rangedunits]

Thanks, flying to France in sept, then i can go to LEM with lasers

Il fill m'y backpack with loads of gizmo

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

I travel all over the world for conferences and I always bear a 5 mW green laser with me for presentations in my hand luggage... never had any problems

BTW: Welcome to LPF :beer:

Good to know. I still think shining a laser on board a flying airplane is asking for trouble though.

 

[ReaperZ]

Good to know. I still think shining a laser on board a flying airplane is asking for trouble though.

i dont think hes intending to use it on the plane??? just wants to have it with him for his trip at the other end of the flight

i never go anywhere without at least one laser

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

I want to bring my laser to my upcoming trip to California because you never know when you might be bored! Has anyone ever tried this?? My fear is that it will be taken away by TSA members! Should i or no? HELP!

@ReaperZ -

I guess this is a case of interpretation. I tend to look for worst case scenario and work back from that. Longest part of a plan trip to Cali, is the flight... Besides, if you aren't gonna need or use a laser in the plane, why do you need one in carry on? Unless of course you only take carry on with you, and don't check anything.

 

[Arayan]

i dont think hes intending to use it on the plane??? just wants to have it with him for his trip at the other end of the flight

I confirm

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Quote:
i dont think hes intending to use it on the plane??? just wants to have it with him for his trip at the other end of the flight
I confirm

:thinking: - ok, but why even bother with this? I mean to have the laser for the other part of the trip, what is the difference vs checking it?

I happen to also have a bit of a knife hobby, and as a result have looked into security policies and general carry laws. Bottom line, is unless you expect to need something, and can prove a reasonable expectation of needing to use whatever you are carrying... it can be seen as illegal.

Since original poster isn't checking in though, I think we're :horse:

 

[Radim]

Revived!

I have similar question - can I take laser stuff (see below) on board?

• Area is "EU" (Vienna to Luxembourg with change/transfer in Switzerland - Zurich and back the same - airline Swissair).
• We will be having a laser level for measurment (with tripod) and laser distance meter. Both should be up to 5 mW some red diode lasers.
• We will have cabin baggage only.
• We will be two, so we can potentially put one laser per baggage not to attract too much attention on X-ray scanners if needed.

Does anyone here have recent experience taking some device like this?

So far I have never had problem with up to 5 mW green laser pointer, but this one is pen style and for presentation purposes. I never tried to take on board anything from my collection, but I travelled with scuba equipment and lighting and it was allways checked separately and often detailed explanation was needed.

I did not found any restriction on airports (yes, I check these signs there) and their webpages, nor on Swissair web regarding lasers, no information forbidding them (although everywhere is just non comprehensive list of items not permitted).

Thanks a lot for any relevant info.

 

[steve001]

I want to bring my laser to my upcoming trip to California because you never know when you might be bored! Has anyone ever tried this?? My fear is that it will be taken away by TSA members! Should i or no? HELP!

For Pete's sake look it up.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all

 

[NightExplorer96]

I've taken my lasers in my backpack before when traveling international and never had a problem with them, TSA didn't seem to care at all. Or maybe they looked too much like pens? Either way, pointers should be fine to board the flight with you

-Alex

 

[Benm]

Revived!
I did not found any restriction on airports (yes, I check these signs there) and their webpages, nor on Swissair web regarding lasers, no information forbidding them (although everywhere is just non comprehensive list of items not permitted).

Thanks a lot for any relevant info.

As we're in europe we don't have to deal with TSA idiots, but there are still checks. I doubt the actual lasers will give you any problem in european air travel, regardless of power level. They could in theory be seized by customs on arrival as illegal items, though checks are very rare and i doubt they would actually be illegal to import into the EU.

The latter is of concern as you are connecting through switserland which is not EU common customs area so you are subjected to limitations of what you can import (like amount of cigarettes or liquor) compared to direct eu-to-eu flights.

The tripod would be of larger concern if carried as hand luggage though. How big/heavy is it? There is a provision that bans you from carrying blunt weapons as hand luggage on european flights - things like baseball bats are not allowed as hand luggage (but no problem as checked luggage).

If you have a tripod you use when standing up i guess even with the legs folded in that would be fairly large and potentially usable as a weapon to hit someone with. It could happen that you run into some jackass in security that doesn't let you take it for that reason - though you could just as easily club someone with a bottle of liquor just purchased at the duty free. There is no formal definition of how heavy, long or sharp/shaped something can be to be permitted as a carry on, though things like baseball bats and golf clubs are mentioned as examples.

 

[NightExplorer96]

It should be noted(if you can), try to avoid batteries when going on board a commercial flight with security checks, it lessens the risks of having them ask you what you are carrying. Honestly though, a couple pointers are the least thing of concern for security agents

-Alex