Can my son bring his sports figurine through airport security?

[sr5242]

sorry if this is not the right place to ask this, but not sure where else to ask. leaving tomorrow for first flight with the kids in 4 years.

 

my 7 yr old son collects resin sports figurine with metal spikes/poles (about half an inch long) meant to affix the players to a stand. he likes to play with them rather than keep them on stands.

 

he wants to bring them with him on the airplane. does anyone have experience with this? The poles are very short and very dull tipped. I notice that scissers and tools/screwdrivers are allowed on the planes, so I cannot imagine these little football figurines would be of big concern.

 

but just wanted to check.

 

thanks for any assistance!

[cb at sea]

I wouldn't risk them being confiscated....anything that has the potential for "weaponry" is a major concern for these security folks...

Tell him they have to be packed in the checked bag...he can have them when you reach your destination.

If one of the security decides they are not allowed, they will throw them away...why risk it?

[reallyitsmema]

They shouldn't be an issue at all. If they have any problem with them, they will just pull you to the side to go through the bag. Years and years ago, pre 9/11, my then 4 year old was pulled aside for extra screening. They actually showed me what the were questioning on the xray machine. It looked like he had a gun in his sesame street carry on. It turned out to be matchbox cars that had been packed in the shape of an automatic weapon. They laughed about it then, 15 yrs ago, I can only imagine what the TSA would do now.

 

Back to your question though, as far as throwing them away, cb at sea is incorrect. You now have the option of paying a service to ship items back home for a fee. My DH has mailed his swiss army knife back home more than once from a security check point. It is expensive but they have mailers and a very slow service that deals with items now unlike in the early days of increased security where they threw away everything.

[beachchick]

They shouldn't be an issue at all. If they have any problem with them, they will just pull you to the side to go through the bag. Years and years ago, pre 9/11, my then 4 year old was pulled aside for extra screening. They actually showed me what the were questioning on the xray machine. It looked like he had a gun in his sesame street carry on. It turned out to be matchbox cars that had been packed in the shape of an automatic weapon. They laughed about it then, 15 yrs ago, I can only imagine what the TSA would do now.

 

Back to your question though, as far as throwing them away, cb at sea is incorrect. You now have the option of paying a service to ship items back home for a fee. My DH has mailed his swiss army knife back home more than once from a security check point. It is expensive but they have mailers and a very slow service that deals with items now unlike in the early days of increased security where they threw away everything.

 

I think that must have varied by airport because SEA, SFO, and LAX all had that option as early as spring of 2002. The only reason I know this is that my DH and my mother forgot to pack their small Swiss army knives in their checked bags. I had taken both of their small packs and stuffed them in my tote to get through SEA security faster. I, who did not even bring my Swiss army knife on that trip, was the one who was pulled aside and searched! I, wonderful wife and daughter that I am, was the one who took the knives over to the shipping service to send them home. I think it cost $15 for two small knives. I asked at both SFO and LAX (different trip for LAX) about the option, which they said they had up and running before summer 2002.

 

beachchick