View Full Version : Buttons on Airplanes?
Wayne C.
14-02-2002, 21:33
Here's a thought-
Just about every FIRST team I know of gives out buttons as mementos and tradeables at the competitions.
What are the airlines going to do with all these buttons when FIRST folks try to board planes?
While I can't picture a terrorist hijacker holding a flight attendant hostage with a "Swamp Thing" glowing eyed button, I can see all those collected buttons getting thrown out by the security guys at the gates.
And forget about a tool box!!!
Just a thought. Better plan ahead.
WC:cool:
I think as long as you keep them in checked baggage, it shouldn't be an issue.
I would keep them were you can easily pull them out and show the guard what they are and were your keeping them. No doubt they will look very suspicous in an x-ray. So just throw them in a zipperd capartment or on the top of your stuff.
-Andy A.
Carolyn Duncan
15-02-2002, 23:45
Actually, I would think that you should put them in your non carry-on luggage. Make sure to inform the airlines ahead of time to see that there won't be a problem or ask tem how they recomend you packing them. It would make sense to have them where you can get them out of a bag easily if you needed to but not have them where you could get to them on a plane. I hope that makes sense.
Alfred Thompson
17-02-2002, 21:00
Having flown a couple of times in the last few months I'd recommend putting them in you checked bags. You really don't want anything "pointy" in your carry on or on your clothing. Obviously tools should not be in your carry on either. not even that handy multipurpose tool you've been carrying in you pocket for quick robot adjustments.
Two years ago we had a team member try and take a 70 lbs tool chest has his carry on. It fit in the sizing box, but they didn't like the fact that he was trying to bring in cordless drills, files, hammers and other assorted pointng objects.
Needless to say it was checked.
tenthirtythree
19-02-2002, 23:29
Tools, buttons, etc. should all be checked. If there's anything that could be viewed as dangerous, declare it right away. Airlines usually don't have a problem as long as they know what it is and what it's there for.
Good luck everyone!
Damian "Chip" Eveland
#171 - Platteville, Wisconsin
Two years ago coming home from the National, as we were going through the metal detector, I kept causing the detector to go off. I couldn't figure out what was setting it off. I must have gone through at least 5 times before my friend pointed at my hat; I had forgotten one of my team's buttons was fastened to it. Needless to say, I'm reminded of it often.
-Mike375
David Kelly
01-03-2002, 23:56
last year in orlando, a girl on our team got stopped by the bag checkers cause of all her buttons on her bag... lets just say she was a little embarrased:p :D
volleygrrl234
02-03-2002, 10:28
Hye, it wasn't the buttons.. it was my stinking keychain! Make sure you don't have any huge metal keychains on your keys or else they will stop you and it took forever to figure out what it was... not to mention having all your stuff taken out of your bag in front of the whole airport!
THE EDGE
04-03-2002, 17:43
it seems that not many over here are very bright , i mean come on he is obviously starting this thread as more of a joke, buttons?! hahah who really cares he is just tryign to get a rise out of you all, and congrats on accomplishing his silly goal.
David Kelly
04-03-2002, 17:53
Originally posted by THE EDGE
it seems that not many over here are very bright , i mean come on he is obviously starting this thread as more of a joke, buttons?! hahah who really cares he is just tryign to get a rise out of you all, and congrats on accomplishing his silly goal.
umm... who are you and why are you so rude?
THE EDGE
04-03-2002, 17:55
sorry if you thought i was rude but i was just trying to point out a fact, i was not trying to offend anyone just posting a reply
twistedboi03
05-03-2002, 13:23
ever thought of key chains..........
Well, I went into the KSC vistors center during the regional and they make you go through metal detectors. I had a bunch of buttons with me and took them off, but it kept going off. They took me to the side and did a pat down and used a little metal detector. It turned out that I had a button in my back pocket. Silly me.
The battery on my cell phone was dead while I was going through the KSC metal detectors. They almost had a fit with me (you know how they make you "change" the screen...) so I had to get my friend give me his battery off his phone so I could prove that, yes, It was a cell phone.
Heh. I held up the line for a while. Oops.
Mark Hamilton
13-03-2002, 11:54
I spent about 5 minutes taking off all my buttons and other items, including my shoes (steel toed boots) at KSC, only to walk through and have my decidly unmetal wallet set it off. After about 3 more tries I figured it out. Then I had to face the inspectors, who were quite concerned about me attempting to carry in a tether cable, set of allen wrenches, and spare fuse.
SPAMcutie180
27-03-2002, 12:34
Here's a kinda funny one
While at KSC I was with some kids from another team and well they wanted to take in a back pack because it had money and cameras and stuff in it right?
Well he just asked a simple question as to why he coudln't take it in even if the ysearched it and the secuirty quard was like do you want me to have to use this and this on yo (pointing to a relaly big gun he was holding and to another smaller gun) and then the security guy was like I thought so and the kid left.
Then I had a disposable camera and they wanted me to take a picture with it to prove it wasnt a "weapon" of any sort andi refused to becasue i wasnt going to waste a picture on nothing so they got pissed and i was like wel lif you wanna buy me a new camera then ill take the picture,......they just let me go through.
Weird people
Just wanted to let ya all know that
and plus i was realyl bored=) hehe
Love ya
Nicole
Team 180 SPAM!
IsabelRinging
27-03-2002, 15:07
Oh jeez, those metal detectors at KSC were a pain. After taking off all your buttons, there was always one you forgot somewhere on you. Even the foil on my friend's gum set one of them off once.
But still, it's fun to laugh at people on your team getting frisked. :D
DaveO'B365
03-04-2002, 21:34
Originally posted by Wayne C.
I can see all those collected buttons getting thrown out by the security guys at the gates.
well dude, last year one of our team members just so happened to have a large clanky medal in his carry-on, and he set off a metal detector. to make it short, it was a pain in the butt, and the security doesn't find much humor in it. they took is bag and did a little 'sniff' for chemicals, but.... no major problems, just a waste of time. and remember... nothing large and metallic, nothing sharp, keep that in mind.
--Dave
Insanity is relative.
"Like olympic medals and tennis trophies, all they signified was that the owner had done something of no benefit to anyone more capably than everyone else."
-Catch 22
In days of old, when knights were bold, and toilets weren't invented, you left your load upon the road and went along contented
miketwalker
05-04-2002, 21:54
It was rather interesting at KSC. Like 75 kids were trying to get through. I remember each one went through like 4 times. I personally took 4 of those baskets to put metal things in (like 50 buttons, necklaces, multitools, belts, keychains, program backup disks, etc.) it took like 5 minutes to pull all this stuff off since all the buttons were on my shirt and everything else was scattered in the lime 20 pockets of my camo pants.
PsychoPhil
23-04-2002, 14:11
Originally posted by SPAMcutie180
i wasnt going to waste a picture on nothing so they got pissed and i was like wel lif you wanna buy me a new camera then ill take the picture,......they just let me go through.
Weird people
Just wanted to let ya all know that
and plus i was realyl bored=) hehe
Good work, keep it up, lol...
;-)
Jon Lawton
30-04-2002, 02:09
Hm, you know I would have thought that the paranoid airlines wouldn't have allowed those buttons in carry-on bags, but multiple people on 668 got on multiple times with them. And HMM, the airline (American) told my mom a needlepoint needle wouldn't be allowed on. Ooookay... explain to me that one?
i was worried about this because i didnīt want to lose my buttons in my trip to Brazil , so i put in my non carry-on luggage and then wasnīt any problem...but i donīt know what could happen if i put those buttons in my hand luggage
:D
stefi
Wayne C.
01-05-2002, 22:00
Hey- buttons on the plane home weren't our problem- medals were.
Apparently the medallions and trophy created lots of interest in the x-ray security crew at Orlando and, as a result, all of our adults and Mr. Volcano were thoroughly scanned and had our carry ons searched twice. It was truly memorable.
The security woman doing the search asked what the medals were for so I told her in my usual lengthy, excited fashion (see my other posts). I think that's the reason she finally shooed us away!!!
The day was topped off by not having a bus at our home airport when we arrived at 11:30 PM. Apparently the bus company never booked one despite being confirmed. So team 25 played hacky sack in the luggage terminal at Newark airport until 3:30 AM waiting for a bus to show up. Some of us even reported to class at 7:30. If it is any consequence, the homeless guys sleeping on the benches there want to form a FIRST team now.......
FIRST- always an adventure!!!!!
WC
:cool:
Quite the story!
Of course, my favorite part of any cross country trip has always been waiting around the airport late at night.
Don't even ask me about the night I spent in Calgery. To the airlines credit they booked us on the next flight out because security was such a hassle. Trying to get 250 pounds of camping equipment through 4 security points each way was probably something we should have planned for. We pulled our sleeping bags out and had a little camp right in 14d. Now that brought some odd looks from the Janitors...
Has anyone else missed a flight because of security? Has the airline done anything about it or is it just tough luck?
-Andy A.
we also spend a lot of time waiting for the flight.. but was very fun.. digo played guitar.. lol.. he plays very well.. tomorrow is digoīs birthday!!!! Congrats digo!
the flight was good... go home always is very good!!! But we have to go back to the school.. oh no.. big problem.. lol..
kisses
stefi
Originally posted by Andy A.
Quite the story!
Of course, my favorite part of any cross country trip has always been waiting around the airport late at night.
Don't even ask me about the night I spent in Calgery. To the airlines credit they booked us on the next flight out because security was such a hassle. Trying to get 250 pounds of camping equipment through 4 security points each way was probably something we should have planned for. We pulled our sleeping bags out and had a little camp right in 14d. Now that brought some odd looks from the Janitors...
Has anyone else missed a flight because of security? Has the airline done anything about it or is it just tough luck?
-Andy A.
Dreistul
03-05-2002, 15:32
Although I had the foresight to pack my pins, buttons, unnecessary keychains, and carabiners in my checked bag, I got pulled aside by security no less than 3 times while trying to leave Orlando.
First, at the ticket counter, they decided they needed to personnally x-ray my checked bag. This was probably because the ticket had my nickname (JT) as opposed to my real name (Teofilo), even though I had plenty of ID to support both names.
Second, because I had a laptop, they had to inspect my laptop for explosives, hand inspect my laptop case, and check my shoes.
Third, at the gate, because the gate attendants were being a little slow at ripping boarding passes, they checked my shoes (again), scanned me with the wand, pulled apart both carry-ons, made me turn on every piece of electronics (2 cell phones, a palmtop, a laptop, and a camera), read my prescription bottles, and take a close (and very confused) look at the glowing Ford necklace.
For better or for worse, I didn't miss my flight.
But, I do know someone who had a carabiner on his keychain confiscated by security. Why? I'm not sure. I guess mountain climbing gear could be used as a dangerous weapon...
hehehe, lol, you re a lucky guy!!!! just kidding.. iīm happy that they didnīt thought that i has an assassin stereotype and let me get the plane.. what you have to do is smiling all the time! lol.. thats what i do.. any suggestion about what to do to donīt get arrested in the airport?!
:D
stefi
Ryan Dognaux
05-05-2002, 22:11
I forgot about taking the buttons out of my carry-on bag since I took it to the nationals everyday, but they didn't seem to be very concerned or anything since I wasn't checked..... I wouldn't think a button to be that dangerous... - Raul
Heres an idea for anybody goint to nat's this year to consider. Since airport security is undoubtedly getting stricter, somebody, or a few people on the teams carry an bag within their bag, so whatever cannot be taken aboard the plane can be checked rather than confiscated...ive had one too many necklaces taken away on the way to cancun, so now i plan ahead...lol
My God- won't this thread every die!!!
Mike Schroeder
14-10-2002, 16:38
its the enigizer thread it keeps going and going and going
Amber H.
14-10-2002, 16:55
Originally posted by Erodge
My God- won't this thread every die!!!
Dealing with airport security and metal detectors in general is a very important issue to those who belong to a culture of tools.
I for one am very appreciative of the stories shared here. Try handling the post 9-11 security with six inches of surgical steel and several screws and staples inside your body. It's nerve wracking. At least they know me well enough at the courthouse to not give me a hard time when I need to do business down there (nice old guys. they like to tease me about it though).
I was on a trip to taiwan, and I had brought along my infinity-in-one (well, not THAT much, but that thing had like an endless set of tools!) screwdriver thing. was my favourite screwdriver (kinda silly, i know, but it was the only one i'd never lost...)
and they took it away!
:(
sanddrag
14-10-2002, 18:50
A couple years ago I was traveling somewhere leaving from LAX. I had taken a bag that I had used on a camping trip about 6 months earlier. My bag went throught the x-ray amchine and all the securitty guards got a funny look on their face. They asked if they could search my bag and I said sure because I didn't think their was any problem. My mom said that I had batteries for a flashlight and that ,might have caused some concern. Even greater concern was cuased when the security did not find any flashlight nor batteries. They searched my bag for quite a while and did not find anything. They were still sure they had seen something and asked me if there were any hidden compartments. I said "just the small zipper pocket on the inside." They hustled over to my bag, dug throught this compartment and pulled out this thing and said "WHAT, IS THIS???" I had this little credit card sized tool thing I had left in their from the camping trip. It was made of black plastic and only about 3/32 of an inch thick. Anyway, it had a large serrated knife concealed within it and that is what sparked their attention. I had been looking for that thing for months. Anyway, we were late for the flight and we did not have time to put it back in the car, or check the luggage. They wouldn't give it back. Darn, that thing was like 20 bucks too.
Tim_Wochomurka
01-11-2002, 20:54
Last year around christmas time i had a broken ankle (3 clear breaks, 1 chip) and they made me take off my half cast- that involves unwrapping 3 ace bandages and removing two halves of a cast- on the way home from Atlanta- now, tell me, does that make any sense?
If they're getting upset about cell phones, then don't even try buttons...
MacZealot
01-11-2002, 22:03
oh man yeah, last time I went to an airport I got stopped 3 times because I carried so much... so anyway, they ask me to empty my pockets into a bin:
I reach into my pockets and grab out:
3 packs of kleenex
1 cellphone
1 large set of keys
1 fat wallet
a few ticket thingies
then they decided I was suspicious because I had a flashlight on my keychain so they inspect my bags, and my shoes, and etc.
I hate it when they do that.
Yah I have a tale of my own stupidity.
I was over in London last February and I was about to go through the security checkpoint to get on the train to Paris. Wel the gaurd asks me if I had anything metal in my pockets. Well iI stupidly forgot about my 3 inhalers, 5-6 rolls of film and a bunch of other random stuff that I kept in all the pockets in my jacket. So of course the metal detectors go off and I get searched. It took a while and deffinitely wasn't fun. My cousin still won't let that die.
Tim_Wochomurka
01-11-2002, 23:33
Originally posted by Dreistul
I guess mountain climbing gear could be used as a dangerous weapon...
PUT DOWN THE CARABINER AND NO ONE GETS HURT!!!!
Tim_Wochomurka
01-11-2002, 23:37
Originally posted by stefi
hehehe, lol, you re a lucky guy!!!! just kidding.. iīm happy that they didnīt thought that i has an assassin stereotype and let me get the plane.. what you have to do is smiling all the time! lol.. thats what i do.. any suggestion about what to do to donīt get arrested in the airport?!
:D
stefi
NO! Don't smile cause then they think you're a nut.
But don't frown, cause then they think you're a depressed maniac
Stay neutral- then they think you're just another disgruntled passenger
Yeah. security has definately gotten stricter and weirder since 9/11/01. I was at Denver International and my little 8 year old sister was stopped. She was using my backpack as a carryon and was stopped. They saw a clump of metal in the backpack and wanted to check it out. they swabbed her shoes, the zippers and totally emptied out the pack.( This is one of those big L.L. Bean backpacks were talking about here) it delayed us 20 minutes all because my idiot sister had forgotten to put her purse into her checked luggage. Turns out she had $10 in change in her purse. (stupid little sister).
oh, definately put your pins into checked luggage because how are you gonna get down into the baggage hold of an airplane when it's in the air.
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