Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Okay, I have to catch a flight with my army. Anyone ever have the (dis)pleasure of taking commercial air travel with a bunch of little mans with swords and guns? How can I do this without half my army getting destroyed by the baggage handlers? I've read somewhere that you can actually take it as your carry-on. That's probably the best way to keep things from getting tossed around too much, but is that even allowed?

pwnies wrote:Okay, I have to catch a flight with my army. Anyone ever have the (dis)pleasure of taking commercial air travel with a bunch of little mans with swords and guns? How can I do this without half my army getting destroyed by the baggage handlers? I've read somewhere that you can actually take it as your carry-on. That's probably the best way to keep things from getting tossed around too much, but is that even allowed?

Airports usually have little boxes near the ticket counter showing how big a carry-on you can have. Just make sure everything you want to take aboard the plane fits inside a single piece of luggage that fits inside the little box. The size is not standardized. Find out ahead of time how much you can bring aboard. A simple phone call should be all you need.

Raxmei wrote:

pwnies wrote:Okay, I have to catch a flight with my army. Anyone ever have the (dis)pleasure of taking commercial air travel with a bunch of little mans with swords and guns? How can I do this without half my army getting destroyed by the baggage handlers? I've read somewhere that you can actually take it as your carry-on. That's probably the best way to keep things from getting tossed around too much, but is that even allowed?

Airports usually have little boxes near the ticket counter showing how big a carry-on you can have. Just make sure everything you want to take aboard the plane fits inside a single piece of luggage that fits inside the little box. The size is not standardized. Find out ahead of time how much you can bring aboard. A simple phone call should be all you need.

It's not the size that's the problem, it's the contents. Models like Farseers and Warlocks with their swords and spears could be looked at as weapons. I mean, you're not even allowed a nail file in your carry-on. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this, that's all.

Flying with my Tau yesterday, they looked longer at my normal check-on bag with it's generic contents than they did at the "toys" in my army bag.

I agree with Iorek. In the past year, I've flown a few times now across Canada and the States with various armies. I'd say my Daemonhunters army was my most potentially lethal (with all those force weapons pointing out). I've packed my army in with my luggage and I've also taken them on the plane as carry on. I've never had any problems at all. The baggage inspectors didn't even flinch when they looked at my stuff.

It's basically a non-issue.

pwnies wrote:Okay, I have to catch a flight with my army. Anyone ever have the (dis)pleasure of taking commercial air travel with a bunch of little mans with swords and guns? How can I do this without half my army getting destroyed by the baggage handlers? I've read somewhere that you can actually take it as your carry-on. That's probably the best way to keep things from getting tossed around too much, but is that even allowed?

I am unsure of how superglue would be treated, but I usually throw a tube of it, and my knife in my case for normal trips to hte local shop becuase of breakage.
If that is also your habit, I would be sure to pull that stuff out, especially the knife.

I would agree with the votes to carry on. My reason would be, if you carryon, you cannot lose it. If you check it, you could show up to a tourney with no army.

I've travelled many times to interstate tourneys and carried my army case as carry on luggage.

It must happen a bit as all the security knew they were GW models, and some even asked if a tournament was on.

Never, ever had a problem.

Throw the chemicals and knives into the check bag, m'fren. I have about a quarter million miles with models, and the best solution I found was the GW canvas back pack they sold with the Apoc rig a while back. Throw a laptop in there and one GW case, good to go. Any questions I got at the x-ray were handled with "toy soldiers".

pwnies wrote:Okay, I have to catch a flight with my army. Anyone ever have the (dis)pleasure of taking commercial air travel with a bunch of little mans with swords and guns? How can I do this without half my army getting destroyed by the baggage handlers? I've read somewhere that you can actually take it as your carry-on. That's probably the best way to keep things from getting tossed around too much, but is that even allowed?

don't pack it in your luggage. try not to travel with too much. They might have an issue with the knife, but if you get yourself a cheap one where you go for a destination.

They are alot better with the stuff then they were a couple of years ago.

Just don't give them any static or they take it to the next level. Sort of a "you know I can do this, and you can't do anything about it, thing." when they go for the whole, "Open this that and the other bag, please?"

everybody has to suck eggs every now and then. Personally, I travel with a couple of books, and a small bag, anymore. they figure out what you have after they see a few things that are related. (nod nod wink wink- They have a list of things they are specificly looking for.)

Modeling knives might get you some looks, but the bottom line is that it depends on your particular airport people.

Knives get you an FBI interrogator and a concrete room.

Whenever I have to fly with something relatively important, I either go with the carry-on option, or stick a sign on my checked bag that says something t the effect of "DELICATE - DO NOT THROW, MANGLE, THRASH, OR MUTILATE" in convincingly official-looking font. It's worked before. I once stuck 5 or 6 Hormagaunts in one of my bags just to test the method, and they came back fine. And they break reeeeally easily, what with the leaping off of one foot at one end and having long pointy bits at the other end.

I worked in the airlines for 20 years, as a pilot, not a security screener.. There is huge gulf between the horror stories and reality. Screeners have an important job, they aren’t out to screw anyone. Just treat them as you would like them to treat you.

Toy soldier’s swords are not going to be flagged as a weapon. AFAIK, it’s OK to bring nail files. I would not bring an Exacto knife in carry on baggage, though I’m sure folks do. I would not let you on my plane with one.

My fear was the metal figs might look like bullets on the X-ray, but I guess they don’t. I was also deathly afraid of an open bag search in front of the rest of my crew, and having my little-green-men hobby exposed (I would often bring figs on layovers to paint).

It’s getting pricy to have extra carry-on luggage. That is something to consider. Checking bags is safe, but I would put my figure cases inside a plain piece of luggage so that no one is tempted to steal what could be mistaken for an expensive camera set.

If in doubt about proceedures or prices, contact the airline.

I actually bought one of those roller duffels, and it has worked well. I hear the horror stories, but I have never had a casualty or an issue and I have flown many minis in check. The roller duffel holds 2 GW cases in it's bottom (which is rigid) which is plenty for me. It's made by High Sierra, and cost a pretty penny, but does the job.

You shouldn't have any problems. Maybe its just me but I find that TSA people in the USA are mostly worthless. I forgot about a boxcutter in my backpack last year traveling to Houston. I went through security both ways, when I got home and cleaned out the bag, found a my box cutter. LoLZ

This subject has come up repeatedly, and most experienced folks’ advice is the same. I’ve flown for tournaments around the US seven or eight times in the last few years, including through Chicago, Boston, Philly, Baltimore and Dulles, and I also brought figures to Amsterdam when I was going there on a business trip and met someone I knew from online for a game. A friend of mine flies between the US and England for tournaments multiple times a year.

Carry-on is really the best option. Security people are almost always fine, usually curious and good-natured, and willing to be delicate and careful, particularly with you there letting them know the stuff is fragile. It can be nice to have rulebooks or army books with you showing the figs in context. Many of the screeners have seen the stuff before (particularly if there’s a GT that weekend), and I’ve even met a couple of TSA people who played themselves. Some cases do fine in checked luggage, and marking it FRAGILE can help too, but who wants to take the chance of their bags being misdirected and showing up late? You’d just be screwed.

Knives and glue should go in your checked baggage. They might miss glue (I’ve seen it go unnoticed or ignored a couple of times, but also lost a whole bottle of glue and one of zip kicker at O’Hare), but knives will normally get spotted, and will certainly be tossed if they are. You might also get special screening.

I check my army using the Division case from Sabol. Went to California & back and not one piece broke during transport.

This past Adepticon was the first time I had my carry-on opened (at SFO). I don't know if it was the Cobra, or if the massed amount of metallic paint made for an interesting x-ray profile, or if the screener just wasn't familiar with everything.

No problems - I asked the screener to please open the bag upright, and he was very careful as he removed tray after tray, set them in the buckets, and reran them through the x-ray. He thanked me for my patience; I thanked him for taking care. Took an extra 5 minutes.

By way of contrast, TSA has opened my checked luggage several times, and stuff always gets tossed around in the process. Pieces have come off the free sprue received at Adepticon, for example.

viney wrote:You shouldn't have any problems. Maybe its just me but I find that TSA people in the USA are mostly worthless. I forgot about a boxcutter in my backpack last year traveling to Houston. I went through security both ways, when I got home and cleaned out the bag, found a my box cutter. LoLZ

No, you're wrong, they serve a vital purpose. The problem is that sceening out something like boxcutters with current technology would be economically unviable. But, if it is any comfort, there have been major changes to airplanes and proceedures since 9/11 that would make taking control of the airplane with boxcutters very unlikely.

When I transported my army from the States to the UK I just found a box that did not vioate size restrictions had them stow it away with Fragile Stickers all over it. Just be sure to use army trays and plety of packing. My Army survied the plane ride unharmed.

The only time I ever had a problem was flying out of Baltimore with my orks. The screener pulled out all the KKs and dreads and sent them through all by themselves. I think what made them extra careful was that I had left an exacto knife in the case which they spotted first.

If you routinely carry glue and blades in your case for on site repair, make sure you take them out...

I would just like to say that I did infact have an issue one time with a carry-on army. I had the Sabol Army Transport with my world eaters army travelling in 2002 to the Chicago GT. The screener opened the Army Transport, and the supervisor, security guard, screening official, and a police officer all had to come over. After consulting with each other, they ruled that my bag had to be checked because the regs said "anything resembling a gun" or some such, and all my berzerkers had tiny little bolt pistols. I'm totally not kidding.

Anyway, I had to check my Army Transport, and just about all my army had some amount of damage by the time I got to chicago.

Just fair warning everybody, although this was in 2002 and much closer to 9/11 when everyone was still wacko about it.