Travelling with your dolls: issues/ideas/etc. Part I

Oh, I nearly died the last time I was at the airport.

At the Odessa Airport in Texas to the Huston Hobby airport I had no problem with security. My kid delf Bory was wrapped in his blanket inside my messanger bag. That, my shoes, and my various accesories I was wearing went through the machine without so much as a funny expression from the security people. I had him out on the plane and took some pics with him:



The trip was awesome, and I'm going through the security at Huston Hobby airport like normal. This time Nika's not in the messenger bag, just lossely wrapped in his blanket in the plastic tray next to everything else. This time, as I'm standing there waiting to get my shoes back, the security guy gets this funny look on his face and calls over 2 more security people, and they all look at the screen funny. I couldn't see the screen though like some of you could. T_T I wanted to see what he looked like in the X-ray.

So they pull my tray of stuff, and as the second guy reaches for the blanket, I blurt out, "Oh, please be careful with him!" THAT made things better. -_- The look on their faces said, "This MUST be a bomb then... wait, HIM???" X_X Oops. I didn't think of that at ALL. XD I was just worried they would man-handle my boy! So the guy, still wearing that face, said, "It's okay, we just need to scan it." So he carefully picks up the edges of the blanket like a hammock and carries Nika to a side table, and very slowly pulls away the blanket and for a second just stares at my doll.

I decided to ease their worry by telling them that he can break easily (to explain my outburst) and to please not touch his face since it's painted on, and I mentioned that he's coated with sealant and there's wire in his limbs. In hind sight, I should have told them that BEFORE he went through the machine. ^^; Finally the guy swabs Nika's arm, scans that, and then hands him back to me by cradling him like a baby in his hands with the blanket wrapped around him again. ^_^ It was a very odd sight of this guy in a uniform holding my doll like that. XDDD

And then sitting at my gate waiting for the plane to go home I set him down (with the blanket I've been talking about), and he fell into this pose:

XDDDD He was so traumatized by the airport security! On the plane back I couldn't get him to pose anymore! I just left him lying in my lap as I read a book. :p

 

Oh gosh these stories are amazing! I'm hoping when I get my doll that amusing encounters will happen.

However, maybe someone should write a guide about the "Dos and Don'ts" Of binging a doll on the airplane, Like the best way to store them and whatnot; and maybe little signs for their dolls to put next to them on the scanner. xD

 

I was taking six of my kids (two SDs, a Minifee, a yo, and two pukis in their boxes) to California. They were all in their blankets/boxes in two different bags, safely packed. It took me a while to do the night before so I was a little upset when the security made them go through a few times. It was funny to see their expressions. I also had a cat under each of my arms when the man goes,

'Are you trying to take babies on this flight or what?'

Just the way he said it was hilarious. But what tickled me even more was when they had to take one out to check for explosives on the resin. My doll, Damien, was bald and naked due to his suit not being very flexible like he was, and guess who was on top. XD So the man pulls out him out, staring at his...boy bits, with a confused look on his face. He places Damien gently down on his blanket he had unrolled him from and calls one of the ladies over to do it for him. She didn't even bat an eye, just asked me what they were, swiped his thigh, and sent me on my way. XD It was fantastic.

 

Hi
Going to portugal in October and I've heard that if you just explain what they are when hand luggage is checked at the airports, they get through with no problems. But how exactly do you go about a quick explanation?
Sorry if this seems a stupid question, I just see a few ways of going about it.. =/

Thanks in advance for any help y'all can give =D

 

I have personally never traveled in a plane whit my dolls, but I've heard from a reliable friend than the best way it's to put them in "fetal position" in the safest and smallest case you might have and take them whit you in to the plain, because if you put her in the package compartment they could easily being broken, or stolen...

 

Oh I forgot about this thread!!! I wanted to say, I traveled through and back through three countries this summer and I agree that the fetal position is best, wiht LOTS OF WRAPPING, and hand carrying can be good too. If you don't have a good sturdy case, it's best to just carry them. I got a yoga bag for my boy but it didn't work. He could still bend and stuff and I didnt like his joints getting messed up so the rest of the trip was either put him in my roll-on hard-top suitcase or in my arms :3

My mom tried to put him in the overhead compartment but I almost broke in to tears saying "NO!!" because I've heard they can break and stuff and sure enough, some stewardess came right along and shoved the case to the side to make room for someone else's bag O.O so I naturally freaked and grabbed him out of there. I put him under my seat XD
Oh, and facemasks are AWESOME. ;D

 

I was traveling with my two boys last weekend for the first time. They're rather new, not fully dressed, and while packed well for me to carry around, were not packed well to go through security. I knew there was going to be a head bonked in there. I watched as the TSA stared at my dolls, who were sort of jack hammered together and looked very much like a Greek pottery painting of sex, all stiff and awkward with their groins rubbing. They stopped the belt to stare at the boys for a bit before letting them through/ Thankfully, there were no problems, but young man sitting next to me, who must have been about my age, was very confused by the boys, who were bald to prevent wig loss and kind of looked like Voldemort.

 

I'd be way too scared to do this - they might think it's a doll-bomb, or something totally bad will happen. Plus, I doubt my parents would let me bring the doll at all.

But, just a quick question to those who have: any tips for taking your dolls along?

 

Mine was at the terminal for a ship/ferry ride. It was the most amusing thing that happened in my life that I'd like to do it again. LOL

I brought 2 SDs, 1 MSD and the Heliot option parts. I was actually visiting a friend and she wanted to see my illusive dolls.

So the guy handling my messenger bag wasn't being very careful, so I panicked a little and said "please be careful! I don't want you breaking the head and limbs..."

I realised what I said and tried to adjust my sentence...but they took it wrongly and thought I murdered someone and let it slip. So a lady held onto me while the guy opened my bag to see 3 dolls staring at him.

Guy: Huh???
Me: ...I actually meant my doll's head and limbs...I kinda forget I'm talking to a normal person...
Lady: Ohmigosh~ He's so cute~
Me: -stunned- How do you know he's a guy?
Lady: He doesn't have boobs...-said it as though it was such an obvious thing-

After the lady had snapped some photos and all, the guy got curious about their genders. And he flipped my MSD's yukata and saw that he was indeed a boy.

Guy: Oh...my...god...I don't know whether to say whoever made them is a genius or a pervert...
Me: Geniuses please...I don't think the doll companies would take it well if they're called perverts...
Lady: Okay...I'll escort you to the waiting area.

She escorted me because she wanted to peek at the other head and limbs. LOL.

 

i've had several weird expressions and issues with tsa, the worst was going to tahaiti. my dolls came up as a liquid according to the computer. so we had to open the bag, and dig out each doll and put them in their own bins to go through the machine. i got kinda mad though when they said i might have to throw them away if they came up as a liquid agian. i informed them no i wasn't and they'd be doing the other machine on them before i'd do that. been asked many times to open my bag and empty them.

the best/worse i got was from one either really stupid tsa guy or he had to be stonned, his face wasn't one to show he was joking. one guy said i think there's a baby in that bag. i just told him it was a doll. and looked at him like an idiot.

except for the people who get shown my id (if they even check it) i pass for really young usually between 12 and 16 is the normal guess for my age (23) so no one really goes aren't you a little old to have dolls?

 

That's so bizarre - that's not the first time I've heard somebody encountering "have you got a baby in that bag?" at an airport. Really, people, do you think we're THAT cheap as to dodge buying a second fare by carrying human infants wrapped in bubble-wrap in a carryon? Hoooo.

I must be in the lucky minority so far; hardly any TSA folk have ever raised more than an eyebrow before sending me on my way. They can see it's a doll in a bag, I guess, so nobody ever questioned me. One lady did say "wow, they're beautiful" as I gathered my stuff, which surprised me because dolls are so much LESS beautiful when seen on a scanner. It sees through clothes & hair, so they show up bald and naked. XD I guess a good sculpt shows through x-rays.

Where I got to see my doll on a scanner's screen was when I was flying out of Osaka. The arrangement of the security checkpoints meant I was facing the screen after I came through the detector, and the barrier to the inspector's station was low enough for me to see over.... So as I was putting my shoes on I couldn't resist a peek. There was my Arashi, bald, naked, and smiling away-- the only things visible on him were the metal bits-- his earring & the buckles on his shorts and boots

They were running him through a second time by himself, because they weren't sure what he was the first time through in my bag. I explained that he was fragile and expensive, so the agent held out her little gloved hands (like a child does when you agree to let them hold something Special) and let me place him there, and she carried him back to the scanner in that careful and reverent sort of posture. It was kinda cute.

 

I love all these stories. x3 I've only gone through security twice with my girl in my carry-on, and though they ran her through the machine a couple of times, they never said anything to me. Maybe they will if I ever bring my Monzo on a plane! xD

 

Oh just today, I was at Wendy's for lunch and I had brought Chase, and these two women commented on how realistic he was. At first they actually thought he was my kid... (Techinally they said she, but you just have to ignore it sometimes... -_-. Then later that day when I was at art camp, I was taking some shots of Chase and these other two women came up and took some pictures with him, it was really awesome. (They also called him a she, but I didn't want to be rude).

 

Would love to hear some more stories from the uk. And was wonderin hasn't anyone had any problem with eye putty?

 

I've brought various dolls on planes several times, and have never had anyone at the security check say anything. But on my most recent flight (moving from the U.S. to Japan) I was bringing my Dollshe Husky on the plane with me as my carry-on, and just before I was about the board the plane a security person came over to me and said that I would have to let her see what's in the carrying case. I very much expected something like this, since I'm only 4'9", which makes my Husky literally half my size. Obviously I probably looked a bit suspicious. .^^ So I happily unzipped the case and showed her, and she was just like "Woah... that's amazing!" *chuckle* And then the people in line behind me said that he was "very beautiful." Security lady thanked me, and we were on our way.

Though I never get bugged at all when I have my minis. .^^ Since they just get tossed in a normal tote bag that isn't half my size.

 

In Newark Airport my doll carry on was rescanned 3 times. The number of security guards gathering around the scan was growing when one security lady yelled out "Hey! you got a body in there?" They all laughed and handed me my bag having summarized on their own that is was just a doll.

Checking in through Montreal a guard looking VERY interested said I had to open the bag so he could check the item. As he was unzipping my perfectly packed bag I told him that my doll was going to a doll show in NY. At this point he started handling the bag even more carefully (he was already gentle). He began asking me about Hollow and wanting to know where I got my doll etc. When he looked down into the bag and saw how well wrapped she was he shook his head and said. "I am sorry to have bothered you miss, I am not going to ruffle up your doll, you take her and have a good time in NY" and let me go without checking her.

Dream_of_Isis!!! LOL about the exposed brushed breasts! hahahahah excellent!

 

Couldn't have encountered this thread at a better time, as I'm planning a jaunt to Kyoto with some friends, and of course the resin gang will be coming along!

I love the humor and decorum with which these unexpected encounters seem to be handled - it's quite reassuring.

~Bruce

 

Greatest story I had was way back when I only had one doll, Nashi (My BF Jerome). I had just gotten him, and was taking him home during my winter vacation from school. I packed him really carefully into my backpack, wrapping him up in scarves and padding him with the pillows from his original box.

So I get to the security checkpoint, and they scan my bag, and the lady behind the X-Ray gets this really serious look on her face. She grabs the bag and runs it again. Then she flags down one of the other security guy and asks him to open up the main pouch (where Nashi was) and run a bomb check! The guy carefully opens up my bag, pulls out the bundle of scarves, and finally unwraps Nashi's head. At this point, he just stops, staring at Nashi for a few seconds. Then he turns back to the first security person. The conversation between them went something like this:

Security Guard #1 - This is a doll

Security Guard #2 - Yes, it is.

#1 - You want me to bomb check the doll?

#2 - Yes, I do.

#1 - But it's a DOLL!!

Nashi did end up being swept down and tested to see if he was a bomb. It took me weeks to figure out what had caused that reaction - Nashi was wired. It was the only way I could pose him at the time. So I guess the combination of Resin, Metal, Elastic, and Electric Wires didn't look so good under an X-Ray

 

I took two of my SDs in my carry-on last year~ the TSA had really bewildered expressions too, but when they ran it through the X-Ray machine and then lifted up my hoodie and they were looking right at him.. that's when his expression became quite comical. XD! But I think the people around me also go through security were even more confused. But yeah, the TSA guy was this big burly lumberjack sort of fellow and just shook his head slowly and put my hoodie back on top and pushed the bin toward me silently. It was really amusing~!

On the way back, the lady was surprised but really interested and asked if that was any way to try and get your kids onto the plane for free. O__o LOL!