Lasers and airports

[Haloid95]

Hey guys, I got my 1.2 cyber from lazerer yestrday, link to review is in my sig.

Anyway I am moving to Florida in a week because my dad is changing jobs, I want to take my Laser with me so im am not bored. Im going from a state to a state so im not going outside the country. Is it illegal to have it in my bag? Is there a chance it could get confiscated?


Thanks!

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Take the laser apart, stick it in your luggage, and you should be fine. Keep the batteries separate.

 

[Haloid95]

Ill probably put the batteries in a different bag. Are Lithium batteries even allowed to be on planes? How do you suggest I wrap the laser? And thanks for your reply!

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Well... don't wrap it in tinfoil... that's a big red flag

Just stick it in a plastic bag along with your other electronics, between some towels.

Same goes for the batteries, just put then into an extra separate bag just in case.

You may want to just ship everything to yourself instead and not deal with this stuff though.

 

[Ablaze]

No, Lithium batteries are not allowed in your carry-on luggage. That rule is only ever enforced for loose batteries. There are no TSA regulations against lasers in your carry-on or check-in luggage.

I suggest you do not remove the batteries. Instead I suggest you put a bit of paper between the battery and its connection and put the laser in with other electronics. That way the laser will appear not to work. The TSA never checks electronics. So long as you don't attempt to use your laser in the airport you'll be fine.

They aren't really interested in finding anything dangerous short of an actual bomb, they're more interested in hassling poor people and collecting body scans.

 

[Sigurthr]

I would just ship it to the new location, safe secure and no chances.

 

[Elektrotechniker]

I would just ship it to the new location, safe secure and no chances.

You're kidding, right?

 

[Sigurthr]

Nope, not kidding, 100% serious.

I'm a musician, flutist, to be specific. And on one flight TSA decided that my flute looked suspicious. It is an 18th century wooden orchestral flute, doesn't look much like modern flutes. They noticed it when my bag was X-rayed, pulled me aside under armed guard, and proceeded to go through my bag while I watched. They were NOT respectful or gentle with my delicate flute and ended up doing some minor damage to the tenons when forcing it together/apart to test that it wasn't "some sort of improvised bomb". I suppose they thought the keywork looked odd on the xray. Luckily, it was only a $600 flute, and I was able to repair the damage myself.

Lesson learned, never bring an object through an airport that your generic idiot cannot immediately identify.

 

[Ablaze]

on one flight TSA decided that my flute looked suspicious.

This is what I'm talking about, they go after low-tech things like this all the time, but if it's high tech or it's in a laptop bag they leave it alone.

I put knives, all my batteries, shampoos, lighters, and anything that might look suspicious in my laptop bag and no matter what it is they always pass it through without comment.

They see Ethernet wires and electronics and ignore everything else.

 

[SRESAL]

Any of the three ways will be fine. I personally don't trust putting them in my luggage, and always carry them on the plane in my bag. I've done this in at least 12 airports, and never had an issue. Included were >1W lasers...

Edit: I always bring the batteries too, in my bag... but not in the lasers. This is just the way I do it, and never had an issue.

 

[mfo]

No, Lithium batteries are not allowed in your carry-on luggage. That rule is only ever enforced for loose batteries. There are no TSA regulations against lasers in your carry-on or check-in luggage.

I suggest you do not remove the batteries. Instead I suggest you put a bit of paper between the battery and its connection and put the laser in with other electronics. That way the laser will appear not to work. The TSA never checks electronics. So long as you don't attempt to use your laser in the airport you'll be fine.

They aren't really interested in finding anything dangerous short of an actual bomb, they're more interested in hassling poor people and collecting body scans.

This statement is horribly inaccurate.

1) Lithium batteries ARE allowed as carry on items. I mean for Christ's sake, doesn't every phone now days use Lithium batteries?

2) Laser pointers aren't actually on the prohibited items list, however the supervisor on duty does have the discretion for whatever reason they choose to disallow it as a carry on item.

3) I suggest taking the batteries out of the laser, place them in a separate part of the bag from the laser, this will draw less attention to it.

4) If they do question it, tell them it's a flashlight. They won't test it either way. Lasers have been getting a bad rap lately due to assholes shining them at planes, so some officers may give you a hard time with it if discovered.

5) Hassling poor people and collecting body scans? Go back to reading CNN.

Source of this info: I'm employed by TSA.

 

[hakzaw1]

^^^ Chris knows.....
he has many informative posts on (air)traveling with handhelds. All sound advice.
I flew to Orlando w/ six PL-Cs- all with batts (piece of cardboard between the front of the batt and the contact) all i my checked bag. I carry-on my laptop and I have been asked to remove it from its case every time. AND my CPAP machine always gets very closely inspected.
side note= water bottles afaik still not allowed UNLESS the water is partially frozen..I had refilled a water bottle with OJ and had it in the freezer the nite before flying. I asked if I had to toss it and was told NO.

WHO KNEW??

 

[Ablaze]

Sorry mfo, Lithium batteries are indeed a prohibited item. The TSA just doesn't realize and/or acknowledge that they are in lots of devices. The only way you can get in trouble for them is if you take them out of your devices and carry them separately. I've checked up on this.

Much of what the TSA does defies conventional wisdom.

 

[Tonga]

This statement is horribly inaccurate.

1) Lithium batteries ARE allowed as carry on items. I mean for Christ's sake, doesn't every phone now days use Lithium batteries?

2) Laser pointers aren't actually on the prohibited items list, however the supervisor on duty does have the discretion for whatever reason they choose to disallow it as a carry on item.

3) I suggest taking the batteries out of the laser, place them in a separate part of the bag from the laser, this will draw less attention to it.

4) If they do question it, tell them it's a flashlight. They won't test it either way. Lasers have been getting a bad rap lately due to assholes shining them at planes, so some officers may give you a hard time with it if discovered.

5) Hassling poor people and collecting body scans? Go back to reading CNN.

Source of this info: I'm employed by TSA.

Yep, what he said man. I just flew out and came back Friday and followed this advice and not a problem. It was all in my carry-on (to me and I don't fly much is the baggage that they have you open up and scan which seems to me like "checked " baggage) baggage in a clear plastic bag so they could scan and look directly at it (battery was in a clear plastic hard case holder inside the the clear bag with the laser). TSA prohibits large batteries and they describe them. These that we use in our lasers are not large enough to be prohibited, same as with cell and laptop batteries.
By the way Chris thank you for the advice, you're the man:wave:! +rep!

 

[Haloid95]

Thanks guys, I dont want to put it in my carry on bag though, just in the suitcase with my clothes. So its ok if i leave the batteries in with a piece of cardboard on the contact? By the way it does have a sticker on it that says 1.2w. Should I put it in the top or bottom of the suitcase? And in a plastic bag right?

Thanks!

 

[Tonga]

Thanks guys, I dont want to put it in my carry on bag though, just in the suitcase with my clothes. So its ok if i leave the batteries in with a piece of cardboard on the contact? By the way it does have a sticker on it that says 1.2w. Should I put it in the top or bottom of the suitcase? And in a plastic bag right?

Thanks!

The batteries have to go in your carry-on baggage, see the TSA: Safe Travel With Batteries And Devices. This is just in case anything does go wrong with your batteries and they will be where they can be noticed, in your carry-on. http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/batteries.shtm