How to go through airport security with a team

[Jin Hayashi]

Thanks everyone for the video and their advice. I just forwarded a link of this thread to my team.These tips still seem valid. Does anyone else have new tips for traveling to Worlds?

What team policy do you have for allowing students to check-in bags or do you require them to only carry-on their luggage? I am trying to weigh the pros and cons of travelling light and would like to know what were the situations that teams found it necessary to check-in luggage.

[JB987]

We usually check in luggage filled with tools, spare parts, etc. Wish we didn't have to but you can only fit so much into a crate...

[Jacob Bendicksen]

Originally Posted by Jin Hayashi

What team policy do you have for allowing students to check-in bags or do you require them to only carry-on their luggage? I am trying to weigh the pros and cons of travelling light and would like to know what were the situations that teams found it necessary to check-in luggage.

We usually fly Southwest, so everyone gets two free checked bags. One of them is a personal bag, the other one is a team bag/toolbox/whatever. When we're not flying Southwest, the team pays for all toolboxes that need to be checked, and if people want to check personal bags, they pay for it themselves.

[Rob3653]

Does anyone know if buttons are allowed in carry on luggage?

[faust1706]

Originally Posted by Rob3653

Does anyone know if buttons are allowed in carry on luggage?

Most likely not. Put them in your checked bag. You run the risk of them being confiscated if you try to have them in your carry on.

[Pratik Kunapuli]

Originally Posted by Rob3653

Does anyone know if buttons are allowed in carry on luggage?

I've flown with them in my carry-on and have never had any issues, and neither has anyone else on my team, whether they had 1 button or 40.

[MrTechCenter]

Originally Posted by Pratik341

I've flown with them in my carry-on and have never had any issues, and neither has anyone else on my team, whether they had 1 button or 40.

In my experience, buttons with sharp pins are not allowed in your carry-on. You can check them just fine though.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Pratik341

I've flown with them in my carry-on and have never had any issues, and neither has anyone else on my team, whether they had 1 button or 40.

Yup I've brought back a fair number in my carryon. The only time I've had issues with getting pins on the airplane was when I forgot that I had one on and walked through the metal detector. The operator said I bet it is your button. I took it off went back through and then picked it up and put it back on.

[sanddrag]

Does anyone know how early I should be at STL airport for a flight out at 6:45 AM on Sunday? Is it going to be nuts or am I good?

[Jacob Bendicksen]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Does anyone know how early I should be at STL airport for a flight out at 6:45 AM on Sunday? Is it going to be nuts or am I good?

My hunch would be that you'll probably be okay, since most teams will probably be leaving later - speaking from experience, it's hard to get high schoolers out of bed that early

[cadandcookies]

Originally Posted by Jacob Bendicksen

My hunch would be that you'll probably be okay, since most teams will probably be leaving later - speaking from experience, it's hard to get high schoolers out of bed that early

You don't need to get them out of bed if they were never asleep in the first place

A variety of caffeinated beverages can produce the desired result.

[MikLast]

Originally Posted by cadandcookies

You don't need to get them out of bed if they were never asleep in the first place

A variety of caffeinated beverages can produce the desired result.

Water works better, but, maybe spiking water with caffeine will help...

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by Jacob Bendicksen

We usually fly Southwest, so everyone gets two free checked bags. One of them is a personal bag, the other one is a team bag/toolbox/whatever.

If you send team equipment with individual team members, make sure that the person in whose name the bag is registered has personally packed the contents and understands what is not permitted on an aircraft (or across a border, as the case may be).

[nathannfm]

Originally Posted by fb39ca4

TIL you can bring screwdrivers less than seven inches in length on carry on bags on a plane.

My best memory of flying with the team was trying to get through security with a dial caliper I had in my backpack. They caught it on the x-ray and thought it was a pickaxe or something. They let me keep it, but only just. I would not recommend traveling with tools if you can help it. Even if it's allowed, it may cause delays if they can't tell on the x-ray. You also shouldn't keep calculators and spare laptop batteries in the same pocket, apparently that can look like one very not ok item on the x-ray...