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I've never taken an airplane with models, but I know people have done it.

If you had to check a bag, what kind of case did you use to protect your miniatures? I know some airlines seriously throw your bags around on the way.

Did you opt to carry on, and if so, are any of the standard mini cases a good size for that option?

Thanks.

Check in to Battlefoam. Many people use this and do custom bases with magnets on the bottom to keep the models in place during flights.

I will warn you though, its expensvie no matter what army size you are running.

If you moving somewhere, or staying at a place for a long time, you are better off bubble wrapping and shipping it.

I used KR's backpack once as carry-on hand luggage. I had two of their trays in there stuffed with my Orks.

To tell you the truth, I'd never do it again. As I was standing and waiting to get on the plane, I kept looking at the people in front of me who were being confronted by the airline crew for having hand luggage that was too bulky (there is no weight limit on hand luggage, but it must be within certain dimensions) and thinking: "Soon it's going to be my turn and I'm either going to have to repack all my precious Orks into another bag or check the whole bag into the hold".

Either of those scenarios would've ruined my day (imagine unpacking and sorting through your models in front of the rest of the passengers), so you can imagine I breathed a huge sigh of relief when they just waved me through. It's ridiculous how much you can get away with when you have an adorable three-year old in tow. Seriously, my bag was twice the size of some of the bags that got pulled.

Anyway, on the way back I just had one case in the backpack and I put the other (with all the plastic, less brittle models) in the hold to be on the safe(r) side. I'm not sure what the odds would've been on my metal Ghazzy making it unscathed after a bit of rough and tumble in the hold of a budget airline...

Anecdotally, I did hear a good story. Get a starters pistol, it's totally legal, and not a dangerous weapon, but MUST be declared an handled seperately by TSA. You need to declare it when you fly, just like a gun. A small piece of paperwork later and your luggage is kid gloved, expressed and handled fast (no airline wants to be responsible for losing a fire-arm!)

That said, battlefoam and checked luggage is always best, but...

Metal models with spiky bits need to be packed in hold luggage =(
Tried to take one of the oooooooold metal dragon models on a short flight from England to Sweden in my hand luggage and the security debated for a while 20mins on if it was legal to let me fly it in hand luggage =_=
I was finally allowed but told to pack any metals in hold luggage next time as aparrently bendy model metal xan still be used as a weapon *sighs*

I used to fly to and from the Pilbara for work. I was informed that my rocks were banned as they were too dangerous, but my solid lead dreadnougth was acceptable...

 goblinzz wrote:
Anecdotally, I did hear a good story. Get a starters pistol, it's totally legal, and not a dangerous weapon, but MUST be declared an handled seperately by TSA. You need to declare it when you fly, just like a gun. A small piece of paperwork later and your luggage is kid gloved, expressed and handled fast (no airline wants to be responsible for losing a fire-arm!)

That said, battlefoam and checked luggage is always best, but...

Sorry what do you mean by the bolded portions. It makes this hard to understand. I have never heard of a "starter pistol" before.

 Snoopdeville3 wrote:
Sorry what do you mean by the bolded portions. It makes this hard to understand. I have never heard of a "starter pistol" before.

A starters pistol is the gun used at the start of a running race as the "go" signal. No actual amunition is fired, just noise (like a firecracker).

"Kid gloves" means they handle it carefully and gently - I'm not totally sure on the origins, but it's a term used whenever dealing with kids who might erupt into tears if provoked (including the use of "there there" type platitudes).