Dolls on a plane?

I fly a lot. I've flown domestically and internationally with 62cm + dolls. Depending on the number of dolls, I may take my long doll bag or I will take a tote type bag if I'm taking multiple. About 50% of the time security pulls me aside to screen my doll and wipe down the bag. The screeners have always been respectful and use gloves. I do let them know that the item is fragile.

Given all of the changes airlines are making to baggage allowances, travel restrictions, etc.; my biggest recommendation would be to check the baggage allowances before flying. A lot of domestic US airlines are now offering 'basic economy" which may mean that you don't have access to overhead bins. Airlines are getting stricter on carry on size and policy. Many flights are fully booked and with people trying to avoid paying baggage fees so overhead bins are packed.

• Security is generally respectful, be prepared to let them do their job
• Check the airline baggage allowance before you pack, it's always changes
• Don't assume you'll have access to an overhead bin, flights can be full
• Check in online early to take advantage of early boarding groups when applicable
• Travel light in the event that the only space you'll have is beneath the seat

Personal Story:
I was on a flight that was fully booked. By the time I boarded, all bins were full, my only carry-on was my doll. I obviously I couldn't opt to check my doll bag, nor could it fit under the seat (I had my long bag). So I ended up, pulling my doll out of the bag, shoving the bag under the seat and holding my doll in my arms wrapped in his pillow. I was lucky the attendants didn't try to make me stow it during take off (they were telling other people to put their bags/items under the seat). I'm guessing because it looked like I was holding a pillow, they let me be.

Happy travels

 

OK, I'm back from my family vacation and figured I'd share my doll-toting experience:

We flew within the US, United. I brought one SD, my Dollzone Brant. Fortunately, I had a boxy shoulder bag as a carry-on that he fit in pretty well, sitting. His head poked out the top, so I wrapped him in a soft scarf to protect his face from the zipper (and the sun--it was sunny every day out west!). Totally forgot I could have used a face protector . I'll have to remember next time...
Going through security wasn't that bad. Both ways they ran my bag through the scanner a couple times; I could tell they were confused . But I got him back just fine. Once on the plane, I took him out of the bag, sat him on my lap, and stowed my bag under the seat. Nobody said a word, so I just held him the whole way, even through take off and landing. So, all in all, success!

I do finally have a doll bag that will fit more than one SD (in preparation for my flight to Japan), but maybe I should stay on the safe side and just unstring everybody. The main reason I'd keep them together is for pictures--but I may be too busy and anxious and pulled in too many directions to do that when I first arrive...

 

I traveled with my MSD girls to Japan when I moved there. It was a pain honestly. I put them in my carry on, bubble wrapped and in a nest of my clothes. TSA was fun and see the confused looks on their face LOL I also recently just traveled with two MSD's, a pullip AND a DZ Yuu (he was in pieces though) and that was also fun to see TSA expressions. I don't like traveling with dolls unless I'm moving, it's just so stressful ;;

 

I have brought both YoSDs and MSDs on planes with me just fine! I wrap them in pillows with face protectors and put them in my carry on. I've always taken them out for the scans, but I imagine it would be fine to leave them in a bag. Just lots of pillows or shirts around them. I've never had anyone damaged and I've flown with them 6-8 times now.

 

I've flown internationally 3 times with dolls. The largest I took was an MSD and I curled him up fetal-style in a shoe box and put that in a large "hobo" style purse (my "real" purse was in my checked bag). Most airlines don't count purses as carry-on so I could also have another bag with me, but check with the ones you're flying with as rules vary widely. I'd also suggest checking carefully about the size and weight of what your airline classifies as carry-on as that varies by airline as well.

The other times I've traveled with dolls on planes, they were tinies and I wrapped them in blankets I made specifically for travel and they went into my purse. I would not put dolls in the overhead bin unless they were safely packed in a hard-case suitcase as things tend to shift around in there. I most certainly would never put any in checked baggage as I don't trust that at all as far as loss/damage is concerned.

I've only gotten strange looks twice from the airport scanners with my dolls. The one was the MSD curled up fetal-like and the other was when I was coming home with a headless body I bought while on vacation. I'm assuming that at first glance the curled up doll looked like a baby and it's got to be a little surprising to see a headless body suddenly pop up on your monitor.

 

I don't know... To be honest, I'm a very insecure person. So, I would be worried about people seeing me with a doll. And also, I'd be afraid to carry them because I don't really trust people with my stuff. If I leave my luggage with them so that they can put it somewhere on the plane, I'm afraid of them putting other people's luggage on top of my bags and destroying my bjd. And if I put it in a bag that I'll keep with me throughout the ride, I would be worried about keeping it with me and fall asleep and someone takes it (Cause that's what happened when I was like 7 or 8.) or because I'm that type of person who loses things, forget my bag with the bjd.

 

i don't have any experience in this but i would suggest a smaller doll and a doll you can carry with you. that way you know it's safely been carried and not tossed around and it's with you at all times.

 

Really helpful thread, but just wondering if anyone has an IOS 70cm that they brought with them.

 

I once took 3 dolls to my parents' house on the plane. I kept them in my carry-on bag.

 

this is so scary! Try to image if that day of the flight the plane is full of people and they order people to put also the carry on handle bag in the hold of the plane >< This may happens with low cost companies.. so be careful and consider it! I saw many times in my low cost flights that they order to people to put in the back of airplane their hand-bag! If that happens (Overloaded airplane) they will permit you only to keep only 1 jacket with big pockets and you could put a tiny or max yosd size in that pocket... or 1 unbrella or a rolled poster. (if is winter) but in summer... we don't have jacket, so consider it too!

 

I am really curious about this. I have a 54-57cm doll I wish to carry on with me whenever I travel. I am seeing everyone talking about hard case, back packs and all - where do you get these? The nearest cases I could see are cases off Taobao that are similar to what Luts have to offer. But if there's those poly...carbonate? Cases like those you out violins in, I had prefer that or a backpack. Can anyone point me to the right direction?

 

My suggestion for carrying smaller dolls. Back in my "goth days", metal box-shaped purses were all the rage. You can find makeup cases that still look similar.

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I don't mean this exact case, but the metal box-style goth purses from back in the day all looked like this one, albeit in more classic goth colours. Get that and carry it as your "purse" and have your little'uns inside packed with little pillows, bits of foam, balled-up t-shirts or hand towels, or even cotton balls if nothing else. You can occasionally find these at Walmart or other discount retailers or look for them on eBay. They're not very expensive.

 

just hand-carry them. it's safer with doll's bag (or backpack but wrap them carefully with their mask) :3

 

I have flown with my 70cm guys on a number of occasions. Security is usually amusing more than anything. The look on their faces when the doll comes through the scanner is priceless. (I sneaked a peek at their monitor once while they were scanning Uriah--he looked super cool under the x-ray! Wish I could have taken a picture!) I've had them swab dolls, and once I was pulled aside for a few questions, which had me briefly like until this imposing security officer just went off all "Omg, where can I get one."

Normally, though, they don't care. It's obvious to them in a matter of seconds that despite being unusual, it's just a doll. I've had more hassle over flying with an 8-year-old laptop. (It's like they couldn't believe anyone would own such a piece of junk, it had to be a bomb!)

Typically, I just carried my doll in my arms the entire time as my 'personal item', and I never had a flight attendant ask me to put him under the seat, etc, but I can see why they would. My carry-on was typically a soft-sided zip-up tote bag or a backpack large enough to put my doll inside if I really had to. I do recall I once flew with a 60cm and 70cm sitting with knees and arms to their chests in a tote bag, facing each other, heads barely popping out the top, not really under the seat but just sitting in front of my feet and that was also fine. (I'm pretty small, though.)

I seem to have good luck with these sorts of things-- On several occasions I have sweet-talked a fight attendant into putting a guitar in the coat closet at the front of the plane.

There was one time where due to sudden additional baggage restrictions on an international flight, I was forced to combine a bunch of my luggage with a family member's and put a doll in a checked bag. I almost had an attack over that, but it came down to my doll or my DSLR, and in the end it was potential replacement cost over sentimental value and delicate electronics + lenses over resin. The doll in question had no protruding delicate parts and jointed hands, and was packed in the centre of all my clothes, however, so he was absolutely fine.

 

I've never taken my SDs on a flight but I've transported my tinies and MSDs many times. I usually wrap them in clothes or a bandanna before stowing them in a carry on suitcase or backpack. It did get awkward that one time I had three MSDs in my backpack. I don't recommend it if you still want to access stuff in the bag during the flight. I only did it as I had no room in my suitcase. ^_^;

 

When I moved to WA, I brought my then Dolkot Loon with me using a carrier. TSA manhandled him LOL but generally very careful... they made comments about it, but they were really nice and respectful regarding my belongings. I have also traveled with YoSD internationally, and TSA never stopped me for those. They just didn't care about the smaller dolls haha... Your mileage may vary, however.

 

Hm, I've brought different kind of dolls on plane. I had them either in my backpack or my cabin luggage, be it the tinies, minis or the hunk. And I never had a problem so far. Only 1 time though, the immigration staff asked me to take out my doll, so she could make sure that I truly brought a doll, not trying to smuggle a real human baby hahaha...

I wrapped them in bubble wrap & then a soft towel, before I put them in my bag. I never let them in my checked baggage though.

 

Another funny security scan story here: I recently came back from family vacation and had my doll (he was carefully packed in his doll box) going through the scanner for oversized and fragile items for checked baggages. The security scanner was amused xD He said: "There's a tiny man in there" with a slight smile and I replied: "Yes, yes there is" and just left xD

 

I am enjoying all of these doll TSA stories. Too funny! I have never travelled with a doll, in the past I have been too afraid of criticism, but hearing these has made me laugh. Maybe I will be brave enough next time!

 

I have since successfully brought three SDs with me overseas, from the US to Japan (flew Japan Airlines). Here is the bag I used to tote them. I sat my two 65cm boys facing each other like the dolls in the picture, and I had my girl kneeling between them, headless (because she was too tall, otherwise). Everyone was naked and wig-less, bubble-wrapped, and padded with a towel and extra clothes. TSA pulled my bag aside this time and had me wait with them while they looked inside. The lady was respectful and careful; she really didn't move them around too much and allowed me to reposition them afterwards.
Unfortunately, the bag was too big to fit under the seat, so I had to put it in the overhead compartment. I was lucky in that there was enough space up there to firmly keep the bag in place, so it didn't move around at all on the flight. If it had, though, I don't think I would have minded much. I wrapped them up well enough that scuffs and cracks were very unlikely.