I have to go to a conference next week and will be flying. I am trying to decide how much I can break the rules. I will only be gone for a few days and so can easily carry on all of my stuff (I'm an expert at this and even can get my toiletries through security easily). BUT the big problem is that I have to bring a poster tube. This is about a meter long (~3 feet), and clearly does not fit in the little box they tell you your stuff has to fit in. I wouldn't mind checking it, but I have a sneaking sense that it would get "lost" in the baggage hold. And I need it the morning after I arrive, so if it did get lost, it might not arrive in time and I don't want to have to do a last minute Kinkos run that will likely involve renting a car (which I wasn't going to do).
This is even slightly more complicated because I either can leave my place at 5:30 am to get to the airport about 50 minutes (though it could be ~1 hr if the traffic cooperates) before my morning flight or at 4:30 am to get there and wait for nearly 2 hrs. I wouldn't worry if I was taking a "shuttle" as I've always cleared this check point in 5 minutes. But, I have waited at security at the terminal I'll use this week for nearly 40 minutes before (although during that time they had people calling out flight number that were about to depart and fast tracking folks on those flights). But if I get stopped because of the poster tube, and the line is long, I'll likely miss my flight.
Also, if it helps at all, I will have printed my boarding pass ahead of time.
So, the question for you dear readers, is do you think I can get it through? And further, does it matter if I have two small bags + poster tube, or one bag + poster tube?
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5 comments:
Carrying the "tube" on the plane should not be a problem. To insure getting on I would suggest the "tube" and one bag. Most security agents will not hassel yoou for the second personal item but why take the chance?
Why not Fed Ex it to your hotel (be sure to bring the tracking number with you as well as the printed confirmation page with the signature of the person who signed for it at the hotel) and Fed Ex it home (or dump it at the conference)?
Oh, and I only carried a poster to a conference only once--I hated hated hated dragging it with me to the bathroom. Someone on the plane asked me if the tube contained a rifle (this was before 9/11). Thereafter I always had it shipped. Having the tracking number and conf. page is essential in case the hotel doesn't initially link it to your room.
I did FedEx. It worked perfectly. Thanks for the awesome suggestion, Kyle. I'll mail it back USPS tomorrow as there's a post office at the airport and I ended up with two carry-ons (and I can't waste time at the airport tomorrow since I'll be close on catching the bus).
Further follow up. Upon checking out, I found a ten dollar charge for package pick up. When I inquired, I was told it was for "handling." What a bunch of crap! Perhaps, I won't do it again. I also was able, no problem, to make it through security with my 3 bags on the return (one was the poster). The full service post office I thought was in the airport, was just a place to buy stamps.
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