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Jean Sendero
Joined: 20 Dec 2009
Posts: 270
Location: Hudson Heights, Quebec
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 Posted: Sep 15, 2010 02:03 Post subject: Denver 2010 and TSA |
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Hi,
Anyone has any thoughts or experiences (good or bad) on/with bringing newly purchased specimens as part of carry-on luggage at the Denver airport?
Cheers
Jean |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4905
Location: Barcelona
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Jean Sendero
Joined: 20 Dec 2009
Posts: 270
Location: Hudson Heights, Quebec
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| Posted: Sep 15, 2010 03:16 Post subject: Re: Denver 2010 and TSA |
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Thanks Jordi, seems to be a hit and miss situation.
Jean |
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Jesse Fisher
Joined: 18 Mar 2009
Posts: 629
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Sep 15, 2010 10:10 Post subject: Re: Denver 2010 and TSA |
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| In a nutshell, TSA agents have the absolute authority to ban anything they deem a potential weapon from being carried on to an aircraft. This means that, while "rocks" are not on the list of banned items, if the screening agent thinks you could use it to cause someone injury then you will have no choice but to check the item. In practice, I have generally had no trouble with specimens smaller than around 10 cm (4 inches). If you collect things larger than that, I suggest shipping them home by mail or private carrier. If you have anything suspicious in your checked bags (which are usually x-rayed) an agent will go through them, and usually not re-pack anything fragile with anything approaching the necessary care. |
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keldjarn
Joined: 18 Feb 2008
Posts: 157
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| Posted: Sep 15, 2010 10:25 Post subject: Re: Denver 2010 and TSA |
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| Jesse Fisher wrote: | | If you collect things larger than that, I suggest shipping them home by mail or private carrier. If you have anything suspicious in your checked bags (which are usually x-rayed) an agent will go through them, and usually not re-pack anything fragile with anything approaching the necessary care. |
I have for many years taken specimens back from the USA either in my hand luggage or in the checked bags. Smaller and more valuable items have been taken in the carry-on while larger and heavyer items have been put in the suitcases. I have allways included pre-typed sheets clearly explaining that the checked bags contain " fragile mineralogical (rock) samples for scientific study" with a request for "handling with care". Very often my bags have been checked by the TSA, but so far no item has been unpacked or repacked in a way that have caused any damage.
Knut |
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chris
Site Admin
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
Posts: 538
Location: Grenoble
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| Posted: Sep 15, 2010 10:28 Post subject: Re: Denver 2010 and TSA |
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Hi Jesse,
Not in relation, but a bit funny knowing that my camera is larger than 10 cm. It could be considered as weapon then...
Remember flying back from San Francisco on September 15th, 2001 with TSA on the edge. They stopped somebody having tweezers in her hand luggage ? Still wondering why as I can't understand how a plane could be hijacked by somebody having hand tweezers ?
Anyway Jean, I agree with Jesse, wiser to mail it home.
Enjoy the show (hope to see some pictures).
Christophe |
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Matt_Zukowski
Site Admin
Joined: 10 Apr 2009
Posts: 709
Location: Alaska
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| Posted: Sep 15, 2010 21:02 Post subject: Re: Denver 2010 and TSA |
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I had something in my checked bags opened and then barely repackaged and it was destroyed by the time I got home. I researched how to file a claim with the TSA and looked at people's experiences with actually getting TSA to pay a claim and decided it wasn't worth it. Total bummer.
I'd mail it rather than put it in a checked bag. |
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Jean Sendero
Joined: 20 Dec 2009
Posts: 270
Location: Hudson Heights, Quebec
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| Posted: Sep 17, 2010 00:09 Post subject: Re: Denver 2010 and TSA |
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Thank you all,
Mail is likely the better option or a private courier coming back to Tucson.
Cheers |
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