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A rather off-the-wall question: Does anybody know if Windstones are considered an OK item for carry-on baggage when travelling by air? I have stumbled across a Windstone (a rising Spectral) that has no box and need to get him safely home. The safest thing to do would be to bring him as carry-on, but I don’t know if TSA would throw a fit over that or not.
Anyone have experience with this kind of thing? We’re going to be travelling by Southwest Airlines, if that makes any difference.
I have taken some interesting things with me as carry on baggage including large wood sculptures and souvenirs from Mexico and the U.S. and no one ever asked me any questions. So I assume you would be fine with it as long as it’s wrapped up, in a box and in a carry on bag. They would put your bags through the x-ray machine but I don’t think they would wonder about a sculpture.
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Thanks Kimk! That’s encouraging. It being such a large Windstone, I worry that TSA might decide they don’t like the look of me carrying such a big heavy item aboard: “That is a bludgeon, dear. The FAA has rules against allowing bludgeons as carry-on.” :~ But without a box, the thought of putting it into the mail gives me the heebie-jeebies.
I took a Mother Dragon on a plane as carry-on 🙂 They did take the bag aside and sweep it with some special instruments because they “detected glass” but they didn’t ask any questions or have me take the dragon out. It was just like an extra 15 seconds and then I got my stuff back and there were no issues.
One thing you could do is wrap it in lots of clothes and soft things and keep it in a large carry on bag if you have a big enough one or buy something to put it in. The size shouldn’t be a problem. The wood piece I brought home before was a couple feet tall.
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I’ve also carried on sculpts (my Mayan lady and a vase, as well as wood sculpts from Cuba) and no eyebrows were raised.
They’re quite familiar with people carrying on fragile items, so you’re good.
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http://www.sarahjestin.com/feedbacklists.htmI carried on an antique sculpture about the size of a Scratcher and I didn’t have any trouble.
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Sun Dragon Koi #3I carried a rising spectral wrapped in a sweatshirt (the box was too big to carry on and it was a OOAK so no way was I risking putting it with luggage)and put in a re useable groccery bag on a plane in 2008 and had no problems.
I’ve carried Windstones several times. Each time (?!) I was stopped and they had to manually examine the object. The scanners picked it up as a dense packed material, similar to a dense powdered explosive I guess. So, I’d recommend keeping it in a way that you can easily get it out for them to look at. It took an extra 10 minutes because I had to unpack it and repack it carefully to prevent damage.
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My art: featherdust.comPhew, it’s good news to hear Windstones seem to be OK carry-ons, and fragile large items in general. Several years ago I was returning from a trip with a (shameful) amount of rocks and minerals. I had the most fragile and favorite ones in my carry on, just a few, but was told by the security folks that I had to pack them in my checked bag instead. Apparently rocks larger than the size of a closed fist present the danger of being used to bludgeon someone!
I cannot think that even the darkest soul would want to hit someone with a Windstone piece, though! 🙂
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I bought some art glass pieces recently when traveling, and took them home via carry-on, and TSA made us unwrap every piece (Despite the fact it had been professionally packaged by the studio that made them) and physically inspect them. Something about hte glass or perhaps the leaded content made it so the scanners couldn’t see into them.
They also did a residue test to make sure there was no explosives @.@
This was a /TINY/ airport, and I think that they are much more strict (ie have less to do) than the larger airports, but be prepared, worst case, to be able to open up the packaging and then re-wrap it on the fly in the airport :/
We were lucky and everything made it back safe despite having to re pack everything in about 5 mins after we took like 20 minutes packing it safely with clothing originally.
Good luck!
Well, I’m sure glad to hear from so many people that the Windstone they flew with did not present a serious problem. We fly out tomorrow, and have hit the decision point as to whether I take them as carry-on or entrust them to my mother-in-law for wrapping and shipping. While she would do her very best, we all know how that can turn out. :~
I also will be attempting to carry on a Coiled Male, a framed picture with glass, two ceramic bowls and a large wooden fish. TSA is going to think I am completely out of my mind. Strangely enough, the picture, bowls, and wooden statue are all on the “OK” list on Southwest’s own Web site.
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