Flying with Carry-on Only- Help

[desiknow]

hey guys,

I am flying this week to a conference and it looks like I am only going to be taking a carryon. I plan on smoking like a banshee and want to know how you guys do it as far as getting through security with your pipe gear.

ie. pouches of tobacco, lighters/ matches, etc.
____

I will be traveling to the Raleigh-Durham area, any good tobacco shops there.

I am from Miami and feel like a lone-ranger here with my pipes.

Thanks!
Desi

 

[TallSmoke]

TSA Web Site on Prohibited Items

You can try to carry on a lighter with fuel but it will be confiscated if found though you will be allowed to board the flight. From what I understand, though, it could be a trigger for a wider search of your person and belongings.

Lighters without fuel are permitted in carry on luggage.

Best of luck!

 

[erratum]

A bic is okay to take, as are matches. I'd take one or the other, though.

Carry your pipes without the stems attached. That way, if they decide to inspect them, they won't break one trying to figure out how they come apart.

Other than that, you should be okay.

Enjoy the trip !!

 

[aaronbtxnc]

Good luck in your travels, when I travel I use a hard pipe display box for 8 pipes w/ pipes secured w/ bubble wrap and pack this on the very bottom of my carry-on. I also carry my pipe bag (man-purse as my friends and coworkers call it) and several tins of tobacco stored wherever there is room in my bag. You can carry a pipe tool as long as it does not have a sharp blade on it, I've had mine examined and OK'ed several times (although I have had 3 partial tubes of toothpaste confiscated on seperate occasions).
As far as shops in the area, there's a JR's somewhere around there, I'd get on their site and search the area or maybe someone from more over that way can help you find it, worth going for the tobacco prices for sure. There are a few shops in Charlotte, which isn't too bad a drive from Raleigh area if you've got some time to kill.

Aaron

 

[adauria]

I fly into and out of RDU all the time with pipes, tobacco, a Bic disposable lighter, and a Czech pipe tool all the time without any problems. Flame (non-torch) lighters are OK, just keep it to 1 lighter, and one you don't mind losing (just in case they don't like some feature on a fancier lighter).

As far as good shops around here, Pipes by George on Hillsborough street is a great little shop. He's a nice guy with a good selection of pipes available:

http://www.pbgeorge.com/page2.html

1209 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone919)829-1167

If you are near Smithfield / Selma, there's JR Cigar down there. Not a huge pipe selection, but some tobacco and lots of cigars at rock bottom prices. They also sell a bunch of other fun stuff there.

If you're here on July 14th we are having a TAPS meeting at Duffy's Tavern - come join us.

-Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

Last time I flew. I had 2 lighters, one in my pocket and one in my luggage. Both were confiscated. They also tool a pipe tool with a poker. I never recieved them back as there was no record of them being taken.

For lighters, zippo and colibri both sell a container with soft foam in it that is supposed to be okay to take in your luggage with your lighter in it. I wouldn't risk a good lighter, just in case. IMCO if you can get one. Or just take matches.

For pipe tools, I believe it was Art from Ming Kahuna that explained why he quit making tampers with either internernal or external picks: so that they could be carried on air planes.

What I do?
I don't take pipes at all. For one thing, I don't like strangers fingering my pipes. I take cigars, nothing fancy as they have a tendency to get damaged. I take only matches with me. For a cutter I use my teeth. I have some really nice Xikar cutters, including a Habana series and a redwood handle, and I am not willing to take a chance with eithers.

 

[Dubbya]

I fly into and out of RDU all the time with pipes, tobacco, a Bic disposable lighter, and a Czech pipe tool all the time without any problems. Flame (non-torch) lighters are OK, just keep it to 1 lighter, and one you don't mind losing (just in case they don't like some feature on a fancier lighter).

As far as good shops around here, Pipes by George on Hillsborough street is a great little shop. He's a nice guy with a good selection of pipes available:

http://www.pbgeorge.com/page2.html

1209 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone919)829-1167

If you are near Smithfield / Selma, there's JR Cigar down there. Not a huge pipe selection, but some tobacco and lots of cigars at rock bottom prices. They also sell a bunch of other fun stuff there.

If you're here on July 14th we are having a TAPS meeting at Duffy's Tavern - come join us.

-Andrew

The last time I was at J.R.'s, they had a huge number of CAO meerschaums for sale. Most of their tobaccos, from what I've seen, are house brand(some quite good) and drug store brands.

As for plane travel, just carry a pipe nail(be prepared to explain what it is and maybe have to buy a new one, but hey, it's much cheaper than a good pipe tool), a BIC lighter or matches, and break your pipes down so that some ham fisted NTSB agent doing inspections won't break them when he gets curious.

If you buy a lighter or three(like I'm prone to) on your trip, leave it in the box unfilled with the stickers on it until you get home. They won't confiscate an unfilled lighter, but one that you can't prove has never been filled will be up for discussion, and you know how discussions with airport security go.

I asked my friend's wife, a DHS airport agent, for tips and that's what she told me when I showed her the possible tools of the trade.

 

[Anonymous]

Question for you that travel alot: if some overzealous airport employee did snap off a stem or tenon, would the airport be liable?

 

[Natch]

I fly often and always take my pipes and tobacco on the carry on. You can pick up a mini-Bic where ever you end up. When they find my lighters (mini-disposable) they always take them.

Natch

 

[Justpipes]

hey guys,

I am flying this week to a conference and it looks like I am only going to be taking a carryon. I plan on smoking like a banshee and want to know how you guys do it as far as getting through security with your pipe gear.

ie. pouches of tobacco, lighters/ matches, etc.
____

I will be traveling to the Raleigh-Durham area, any good tobacco shops there.

I am from Miami and feel like a lone-ranger here with my pipes.

Thanks!
Desi

I have never had a problem. I usually fly out of RDU and carry my pipe bag on with all the essentials. Lighters are allowed now a days and they have never said anything about my pipe tools. I flew out of there as recently as April of this year.

 

[Justpipes]

I fly often and always take my pipes and tobacco on the carry on. You can pick up a mini-Bic where ever you end up. When they find my lighters (mini-disposable) they always take them.

Natch

I haven't had them confinscate a lighter recently but I wouldn't carry my best, just to be safe.

 

[Mikem]

I have a seven pipe pouch that I carry one of those aluminum pipe nails, a couple of tins, and some loose tobacco in Ziploc's along with the pipes. I also carry one of those refillable plastic pipe lighters and haven't had any issues. I have had to open up the tins once in awhile but not always. They have checked the lighter once or twice to make sure that it isn't a torch lighter. Have fun on your trip.

 

[Troll]

Why worry.... some wooden matches, pipe cleaners, tobacco in small ziplock bags, for a pipe nail/tamper, a golf tee, seperate stems from pipes. Your good to go
Dave

 

[adauria]

Yes, let be clear - lighters used to be forbidden, but are now allowed as long as they are simply flame (i.e. non-torch) lighters - unless they changed the rules again (that's always a possibility). And as JP said, I still wouldn't try to bring a fancy lighter in case you get some half-wit TSA agent that doesn't understand the rules.

I have literally been through airport security perhaps 25-40 times over the last 2 years or so and have not had a single problem with my pipes at any domestic airport (mostly RDU, but also Newark, Dulles, Reagan, Miami, Dallas, Austin, Tampa, and quite a few others). No one has ever asked about any part of my pipe bag, pipes, baccy, tool, or lighter.

Heck, I even got a lighter through once or twice before they had re-allowed them on flights.

If they break your stuff... I have no idea who is responsible. You can probably put in a claim against the TSA, if I had to guess, but I'd just as soon not bring anything too delicate or valuable with me when I fly unless I absolutely have to.

-Andrew

 

[john-in-kc]

I've said this at ASP, I've said this at SmokersForums, and now I say it here...

Take with you NOTHING you will regret being confiscated. No matter what the TSA national website says, the folks at the local airport are the ones making the decisions. Their interpretation of the rules can be "creative."

Typically I carry my pipes and a tin of tobacco (open) and at least one sealed tin. Pipe cleaners , too. Fire waits to the far end. Large headed nail for tamping waits to the far end.

It's your choice. Don't take, know the stuff is certianly safe. Take, and accept risk.

 

[beaupipe]

I fly anywhere from 50-75 times a year and I've never had a problem. I take bic lighters (and if you're worried about them, just leave them in your pocket--they don't set off the detector), pipes, tobacco, cleaners and a pipe nail. The only thing that's ever gotten a second look is the tobacco itself.

Way too much paranoia about this.

 

[docwatson]

Going to pipe shows can present problems depending on TSA's interpretations as has been stated earlier. I refuse to put my pipes in checked baggage because of the rough handling many bags receive. Only once did they tear apart my pipe cases and it was my own fault for packing a magnifying glass with small battery/light in the handle which they wanted to see. Now the only items that I put in my pipe cases are the pipes alone. Never encountered another problem.
Doc