TSA and Cigars

tchariya said:
Always carry your sticks with you...and place them in a travel-dor. I always carry my expensive gear on to the plane with me.... electronics, watches, jewelry, pens etc..

If they want to take my socks/underwear and XXXL shirts....so be it.
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That's what I've been doing since that incident. A friend whose watch collection is impressive told me: Till, God gave you two arms so you can safely carry two nice watches when traveling. Don't put them anywhere but on your body.

The only thing I find a bit scary (nothing ever happened though) is when you take them off for the metal scan and put them under the x-ray. I am always afraid someone will sneak a watch out of the tray and no one but me will notice or believe my story.

Till
 
tfar said:
That's what I've been doing since that incident. A friend whose watch collection is impressive told me: Till, God gave you two arms so you can safely carry two nice watches when traveling. Don't put them anywhere but on your body.

The only thing I find a bit scary (nothing ever happened though) is when you take them off for the metal scan and put them under the x-ray. I am always afraid someone will sneak a watch out of the tray and no one but me will notice or believe my story.

Till
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I keep a crown royal bag I use to hold all my pocket stuff that I have to take off/out and put it in one of my bags
 
tfar said:
TSA might still give a hint to customs or are they not allowed to?

Till
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:r, the only time I've seen anything near that is when a co-worker found Meth in a suitcase going out of the country. I doubt any TSOs would know the difference between a ISOM and a NC.
 
Well this is a topic that I can comment on both sides of the argument. Just the other day when flying overseas to the land of sand and more sand I carried two sticks on me and packed the others away in a travel case. The two that I carried were not allowed beyond the x-ray, therefore since I had about 4 hours to spare, I went right back outside and smoked them both, can't let a good cigar go to waste, even if I had to smoke them fast. The others were tucked away amongst clothes and gear, and made it to the destination just fine. TSA did look through one of my bags and were kind enough to zip it back up with a nice little note saying that this bag was inspected. In all my travels I've always been told to pack them away and not carry them, this comming from 'govt officials and from customs. Sorry for your experience.
 
[OT] Loki said:
my advise, always, always always carry your sticks
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:tpd: The long and the short of it IMO. :tu

Boomer said:
I packed a selection of smokes in a cigar box, wrapping each cigar in tissue to help preserve the wrapper and insuring that they didn't get too beat up.
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If you had no choice but to have them in your luggage, at the very least you should've had them in a secure Otterbox with foam padding and nothing moving around inside the box. :2
 
tfar said:
May I ask what you base that remark on?

If one were to bring isoms from abroad it would be better to check them. If customs do decide they want to search you, they will start with the hand luggage. If that is clear they might not continue going through big suitcases. At least that's what would be human.

TSA is not kosher in my eyes. Ever since I have TSA locks on my suitcases they get opened almost every time, just because they can. I have locks that actually indicate whether they were opened.

There was one occurrence when the bag was opened and they clearly went through my cloths and even the files but there was no note that TSA had inspected the suitcase. Since then I do leave a note saying that I took photos of the content of the suitcase and have a detailed packing list and to please pout a note if they search through my belongings. So far that works.

I never had anything stolen here, though. But once, in Germany, they (baggage handlers) stole an expensive watch from my suitcase but left another one that was right next to it. So ever since I am very suspecting.

Till
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We aren't talking about international travel here.Thats what I based it on...
 
ragin' cajun said:
Well this is a topic that I can comment on both sides of the argument. Just the other day when flying overseas to the land of sand and more sand I carried two sticks on me and packed the others away in a travel case. The two that I carried were not allowed beyond the x-ray, therefore since I had about 4 hours to spare, I went right back outside and smoked them both, can't let a good cigar go to waste, even if I had to smoke them fast. The others were tucked away amongst clothes and gear, and made it to the destination just fine. TSA did look through one of my bags and were kind enough to zip it back up with a nice little note saying that this bag was inspected. In all my travels I've always been told to pack them away and not carry them, this comming from 'govt officials and from customs. Sorry for your experience.
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Wow! What reason did they give you for not allowing cigars in a carry on bag? :confused:
 
tfar said:
TSA might still give a hint to customs or are they not allowed to?

Till
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You are giving them way, way too much credit.
For domestic flights, TSA is looking for what they are asked to look for.
Liquids or gels more than 3.5 ounces.
If a machete is not specifically spelled out for them that too can get by.
International? Different story as the C folks are now involved.

The only way I can think of that they went through these cigars is if something led them to believe a banned item was in that humidor.
Otherwise, as much as I have traveled in the past two years and as many forbidden ones I have lugged around, I would have been locked up long ago.
 
Blueface said:
You are giving them way, way too much credit.
For domestic flights, TSA is looking for what they are asked to look for.
Liquids or gels more than 3.5 ounces.
If a machete is not specifically spelled out for them that too can get by.
International? Different story as the C folks are now involved.

The only way I can think of that they went through these cigars is if something led them to believe a banned item was in that humidor.
Otherwise, as much as I have traveled in the past two years and as many forbidden ones I have lugged around, I would have been locked up long ago.
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I am glad you are still running free then. :r

So when traveling internationally with isoms it would be best to check them and put them in a suitcase where there is nothing at all that will show up as suspicious on their monitor. That mains mainly no lighters, arms and canisters made of metal or anything technical like a radio with wires and such. It would probably also be better to not put a TSA lock on it but a normal lock and just risk having that lock broken if they really want to get to it.

When traveling nationally in all likelihood nobody give a rat's you know what about your cigars.

Till
 
I've carried 30+ cigars in a travel humi inside my backpack as my carry on luggage several times, and I've never been stopped or questioned about them. I never have trusted putting it in my checked luggage... waaay too risky if you ask me.
 
Rahllin said:
I've carried 30+ cigars in a travel humi inside my backpack as my carry on luggage several times, and I've never been stopped or questioned about them. I never have trusted putting it in my checked luggage... waaay too risky if you ask me.
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:tpd:

I put clothes and toiletries in my checked bags and that's it. I would never put anything in my checked luggage that was delicate or had any value.
 
tfar said:
So when traveling internationally with isoms it would be best to check them and put them in a suitcase where there is nothing at all that will show up as suspicious on their monitor. That mains mainly no lighters, arms and canisters made of metal or anything technical like a radio with wires and such. It would probably also be better to not put a TSA lock on it but a normal lock and just risk having that lock broken if they really want to get to it.

When traveling nationally in all likelihood nobody give a rat's you know what about your cigars.

Till
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I would recommend when traveling internationally, best not to have them, specially if can be readily identified.
It is illegal to transport them as it relates to Customs.
 
tfar said:
TSA is not kosher in my eyes. Ever since I have TSA locks on my suitcases they get opened almost every time, just because they can. I have locks that actually indicate whether they were opened.
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Sorry but that is just an incredible statement. :r Where I work, we don't go willy nilly into bags. Something in your bag must have alarmed or you were declared a selectee by your airline. That's more than likely the reason why your bag was opened. Plenty of regular household items will alarm.

About the no note part, some people forget or are just plain lazy or don't care. I can't vouch for 'em.

:2
 
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