Topic: gear and airlines

[Simp-Dawg]

easiest way is to tightly clutch the gear under your right arm, put your left arm out, palm facing forward, and run as fast as you can past the security guards

[Tim]

I've also found that striking up a conversation immediately w/ the person that is checking your bad is a huge help. I usually start w/ the "how are you" then get the "wow this is really heavy" remark. I then follow that up w/ "yeah, it's pro audio gear, I do location sound recording, mostly concerts...I fly w/ this all the time so I'm getting really used to getting searched"...etc. Next thing you know they're so interested in what you do and think you are a friendly person. A couple of swipes w/ the explosive residue tester and I'm through. Ironically I think it's gotten BETTER post 9/11. The TSA folks seem more educated on what is and isn't allowed. I've had them question the batteries much more before 9/11 than after.


mitch

oh, and smaller airports are ALWAYS worse than larger ones in my experience.

I think that is absolutely the best approach you can have, it will go a long way to making your search go smoothly if you're just friendly, calm, and patient. They deal with assholes all day long and I've found that most TSA employees appreciate someone who smiles and bullshits with them a bit.

I've had friends who have lost their cool (one had a dap1 pitched across the floor) and ended up in a back room for a few hours... don't fuck with them, they're in charge... like it or not

[Tim]

easiest way is to tightly clutch the gear under your right arm, put your left arm out, palm facing forward, and run as fast as you can past the security guards

[Nick Graham]

Flying to NYC last March, I was questioned thoroughly and double-checked leaving Nashville. At JFK on the other hand I honestly could've had a bomb and I don't think they would've realized or cared...

[audBall]

No holdups in:

Phoenix
or
Raleigh

I only had some mics, preamp, JB3, and a clamp in my bag with my clothes though.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I've endured less scrutiny when my gear was in a hardshell case.  ymmv

Back when I was running CM300s, I took all my crap including the CP4s thrown into a camera bag.  They stopped short of a cavity search.  Next time through the same airports with everything in a hardshell case with foam cutouts, they gave it a cursory look.   One security guy grabbed the case so that it wouldn't slide down the rollers into the bin and mentioned that he "knows how expensive all this stuff is".  Like anything else, not acting nervous will get you though a lot more quickly.

I've taken the 722 on several flights so I could use it to listen to shows.  They scan it but have never asked about it.

[Steve J]

I routinely have my bag fully emptied when I go through SeaTac. Man, they go through everything! Not sure why: they just must be under extra pressure locally to be more thorough or something. Easiest so far has been the Chicago airports. I've just zipped through at both O'Hare and Midway.

[mhibbs]

Atlanta is always easy.  Dallas (where I live and fly from a ton) is usually easy although I did almost get arrested once.  But that was only b/c the TSA lady was pointing at a car battery on this laminated sheet she had saying "batteries are not allowed" and I was calmly asking to speak to a supervisor b/c "this is not the same kind of battery and it is approved to fly and I have documentation from the manufacturer stating that it is ok for air travel."  The TSA lady was going to get the supervisor but some dickhead cop that overheard the conversation felt like being a badass...telling me "I couldn't argue with these people, etc".  I told him the same thing I told the TSA lady, they got a supervisor, she wrote the model number down, left for about 5min and came back and said it was indeed approved for air travel.  Getting to look that cop in the eyes w/ a shit eating grin on my face was almost worth the hassle.  That's the only trouble I've had in Dallas.  Little Rock is a hassle.  SFO and JFK are easy.  LA generally isn't too bad.  Missoula is slow, but they're just slow even you walk through w/ a bag t-shirts.  NOLA isn't too bad.  Overall I fly w/ my gear all the time, and 9x out of 10 I have no major holdup.  They swipe the bag and the Apogee and my home built SLA, run it through the machine, and I'm on my way.


mitch

[willndmb]

No holdups:

Fort Lauderdale FL
Syracuse NY

thats me