Transporting GD entries on a plane - Tips

[Pictish Mini Painting]

Hi folks,

I am travelling to golden Demon in Coventry in a couple of weeks and I am flying down from Aberdeen.

My plane is to take my entries as hand luggage, and I have a flight case the correct size for hand luggage with pick foam so my entries can sit securely and wont move (I have tested this).

However I am slightly wary that my stuff wont be allowed as hand luggage. Nothing coming in the case is against the rules, i.e, liguids, sharps etc however as one has a thin line of barbed wire (0.2mm) wire I am worried about it, though its all glued onto the scene.

I plan to be as open as possible with the staff and let them see the stuff if needed and explain about where I am going and why and it can go through all the usual security checks etc and I am taking it as hand luggage as its very delicate.

I am taking a checked bag with repair kit of basic paint colours, glue and tweezers so if stuff is damaged a bit I can fix anything.

Given how tight the stuff fits into the foam it shouldn't move bar any small bits of leaf scatter or small stone etc.

As many will have attended the various painting competitions around the world surely I cant have been the only person to fly with competition entries.

 

[Ritual]

I have never had any problems being allowed stuff on board. I have always opened my case and showed the security staff before they send it through the scanner, both to be open with what it is (it could look very suspicious in the scanner) and to make sure they handle it carefully. It could be a problem if the foam encasing makes it difficult to see what the case contains. I never use foam. I use blu-tack to secure the piece to the bottom of the case and leave the rest of the space free. Also, if possible, place the case under the seat in front of you instead of in the luggage compartments. Up there, other people might move stuff around and shove bags in that might damage your miniature.

 

[Pictish Mini Painting]

yeah that's my plan. Foam wise its pick and pluck foam and the foam covering the bits is in the lid so as soon as you open the lid you can see exactly whats in it, and if really necessary I can take the stuff out for them to see.

I would rather not have to do that incase the fine bits of the forest entry I have may break but I will have a repair kit in my hold bag.

 

[SkelettetS]

the only problem ive had was when the airport had a bomb threat the day before. think they scanned my backpack a couple of dozen times before they finally decided to ask me to open the packages. destroying one of my minis in the process (primus death, rest in piece(s) )

 

[Ritual]

@Skell: That is always a risk if you don't show them the miniatures before they send stuff through the scanner. Things can look really bizarre in the scanner. My boss made the security staff very nervous once, because something she brought with her to give a relative for christmas looked like a hand grenade in the scanner. Don't remember what it was, but it was something very innocent.

I'm going to get a professional case with perspex front, so that it is clearly visible what's inside.

 

[Pictish Mini Painting]

I should be okay security wise I think. My worry was if something daft was an issue like the wire used for barbed wire or the like.

I don't mind opening it up as the case allows that without the models being touched, such is the grip the foam has.

 

[SkelettetS]

@Skell: That is always a risk if you don't show them the miniatures before they send stuff through the scanner. Things can look really bizarre in the scanner. My boss made the security staff very nervous once, because something she brought with her to give a relative for christmas looked like a hand grenade in the scanner. Don't remember what it was, but it was something very innocent.

I'm going to get a professional case with perspex front, so that it is clearly visible what's inside.

well ive traveled quite a lot with miniatures and frankly ive never had much problems prior (guess i shouldnt say that). traveling with a miniature carry box do make life easier at the ap though, that time everything was in packages.

 

[Pictish Mini Painting]

I think if I am open and upfront and show the guy what is in it before the x-ray I should be okay.

They do profile people a bit and I shouldn't come across to much as a threat but I just don't want all my hard work ruined at the last minute, as there wont be any point going if the stuff gets killed.

 

[SkelettetS]

i really think you are worrying too much RMA

on a sidenote my friend kyle on occations have a carrying case big as twice the size of the spoken limitations with him. last time it took a free seat (not sure how he wouldve solved it otherwise lol) Lufthansa rock. i wouldnt try that out on a ryanair plane though

 

[Pictish Mini Painting]

Yeah I know, I just get a bit stressed out, having a stomach condition I get twitchy flying as it is, so being told I cant take the stuff I have worked on for so long or it has to go in the hold to become a self assembly jigsaw worried me a bit.

I'm sure it will be fine, I was more just concerned I hadn't realised a part of the model was a big no no, like metal bits etc.

 

[Ritual]

Small metal bits are not a problem. I've travelled a lot of times with minis and the only time anyone have even questioned something was when I had a work-in-progress mini mounted on a pin vice wrapped in some protective material. Apparently the pin vice looked suspicious in the scanner. But when I showed it there was no problem as they could clearly see it was not something that could be used as a weapon.

 

[Bailey03]

Well, if you're going to a GD do you have much metal on the figures? If they're all plastic figures I imagine it should go through the scanner without issue. A little bit of barbed wire shouldn't cause an issue.

I've flown with unassembled metal figures a number of times and often get asked to take out the box and open it up, but that's a big box of odd shaped metal bits. I'm much more surprised when they don't ask about it. If I'm thinking ahead I'll already have the box out and put it in one of the bins so they can scan it separate from everything else (though I probably forget to do that half the time).

A few months ago I flew with some completed figures for the first time. I ended up getting one of the cases from Tablewar. One of the big benefits is it comes with a clear plastic front which I placed facing the security people. So once it passed through the machine the guy just leaned over, took a look and went back to work. Well, he actually asked me if the spider figure was real, gave me a weird look and then went back to work. Anyway, I like the case but it's a bit expensive, even more so if you add overseas shipping. But if you can either find or make something with a clear plastic lid that may make things a lot easier with airport security.

 

[Zab]

As long as you aren't transporting snakes on a plane - that never goes over well, with anyone. Ever. You should be fine