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

Just a small heads up for people who are traveling with their dolls:

I recently took a trip from Seattle WA to Denver CO. Going through security in Seattle was normal and nothing major, however when I went through the security (coming back from Denver to Seattle), their security seemed to be much higher (They have a new full body scanner rather than just a simple walk through scanner) and I was pulled aside with my carry on bag that had my doll in it. They wanted to look and see what it was, even when I told them it was a doll. (However the woman who handled by bag was very nice and did ask me if she was fragile. I told her yes and she was very very careful with her, and once she realized it really was just a doll she asked me about them and said she was very pretty.)

Just giving a heads up to those traveling through the Denver (DIA) security to be prepared

 

For whatever it's worth, I traveled to Japan just a few months ago, in March (I flew into Kansai international airport in Osaka) and customs did not give me any problem at all about the dolls. When I was leaving, though, I forgot that I had kept my hemostats/clamps in my carry-on bag so the security official asked to see them; they looked like scissors on xray. Once I took them out of the bag and showed them to the security official, though, he let me go with no problem and was very nice about it.

I'm not sure if it's any different post-earthquake or at other airports, but that's just my recent experience. Have a great trip!

 

My SDs? No. Just no. My tinies? Maybe one.
But non tinies I think it would just be too much of a klefuffle.

 

I Don't Think i would even bring a doll with me on a vacation since i once brought my fav stuffed animal with me to florida 2 years ago and i left in the the room i had to call and see if they found him and thank the gods and goddesses they did. but i might bring one of my dolls with me if i know someone who im going with will bring one of theres as well but i would also be worried about someone stealing it or loosing it or it breaking by accident. anything can happen

 

Because of my own hang-ups, I'd only feel good about taking my doll (soon to be dolls) on a vacation if we were traveling by car. I just don't feel comfortable going through TSA with a doll in my carry-on, and trying to tell them that they're dolls and not bombs (and being super scared that they'll not believe it), as well as worrying that they're going to make me check my luggage, risking it being lost, or the doll being damaged. I'd thought to take them apart, but then I'd worry that they'd think it was bomb-making supplies or something.

Second, I wouldn't want to do it unless another BJD-knowledgeable person was going with me on the trip, i.e., my BFF. We haven't talked in a good while, so I don't know if she cares about the dolls or gave up on them since we last talked, but at least she'd know I wasn't *completely* insane. Plus, I'd think that people versed in BJD stuff would be more tollerant when I stop every so often for doll pictures. I feel that someone who doesn't know about - or like - my dolls is going to probably resent me a little if they think I'm interrupting their time by stopping every so often to pose my doll here or there. If someone versed in BJD had their own doll, it would make things a lot less awkward if they brought their doll, too. And you can look crazy together, lol!

 

I just returned from Disney World with Zahra (MSD BBB Espree) No problems whatsoever. TSA never opened my bag. She was great company and I got some really fun pics with her!

 

Hey,
I know there was a topic like this but I couldn't find it and it is such an important question for me! If you want, please delete it or put it to the other topic.

In July I travel from Germany to France, and from France to Japan. I want to take Naoko, my MSD Doll, with me but I am scared that the security people say I cannot take her with me on the plane because of her S-type rings (http://www.iplehouse.net/shop/step1.php?number=1829) or other reasons.
Can you tell me from your experiences?
Is there a reason why they could say to me I am not allowed to bring her with me on the plane?

Thank you!

 

This is not my video but your question totally made me think of this:
BJD Cast - Travelling

 

thanks for posting it! Seems like bringing dolls with you on a plane is always a bit complicated >.<
I want to take Naoko in my carry-on baggage because I travel by myself but I don't want to be all alone on the plane

 

I have taken dolls through security checks before. The last person looking at it through the x-ray asked, "Doll???" I just said, "Yes!" and that was that!

More important to me is to have the doll well-protected with a face-protector and padding, and kept in a carry-on that will fit beneath the seat, so it won't be crushed by big bags in the overhead compartments, and you know where it is all the time. You can keep other things in there that you will need on the flight, plus things like wallet and passport, etc. Like a purse, you will always keep it by you and safe from being crushed or stolen. Make sure you have name and address/phone tags on the bag, just in case.

With MSD size, you should not have much problems. It is a good size for travel, I think.

--edit.-- I don't think it's a good idea to take dolls out during the flight. Maybe if you are in First or Business, but even then... it is too easy for dolls to be damaged in what is usually a small, tight area. And it is safer not to show your things in what is really a public area.

 

april, good to hear that
I don't have a carriage bag for my doll by now. And I guess it won't reach me before I will travel to Japan~ I try to find something else as a good bag for my doll, otherwise I will leave her here
My biggest nightmare would be if the custom or security guy say: "You have to leave the doll here!" AHHHH!!! OMG! I don't know what I would do

 

I would leave the doll assembled (in case you were debating) so the hooks' purpose is obvious - they hold her together. The S-hooks are pretty small, so in most cases you shouldn't have trouble. You may have to chat with security for a bit. Be polite of course, but don't act like you are doing anything wrong (mind the body language), because you aren't.

At worst you could disassemble the doll right at the checkpoint and surrender the hooks. Keep a clean empty pouch or something in easy access in your carry on just in case it degrades that far.

If you are extra paranoid or want to try something different, an idea that just struck me was to try replacing all the S-hooks with cable ties/zip ties. These are very strong, come in varying thicknesses, are cheap and most importantly are not metal. And after you return home, you can simply cut them with a nail clipper and replace the hooks.

Anyway, I hope you have a pleasant trip!

 

gaiaswill thanks for your answer!
i like the idea with the cable ties or zip ties. The metal hooks are really the thing that makes me worrying! >.<

I hope I don't have to disassemble her, I did it only one time and I am not good at disassemble/assemble her >.<°

Anybody around here has some more experiences?

 

I recently traveled from the US to Paris, France. I took two Pukifess with me, in my medium-sized backpack. I didn't have any trouble at all. No one commented, or seemed to even notice. Granted, they are small, but still - there was two of them.

You might even call TSA ahead of time. But nothing on their site says anything about carrying dolls or toys.

 

you could always try ringing the airport, i had to cos i was unsure if i could take my knitting needles on board ( hate flying and knitting calms me down lol)

they should be able to help you or maybe point you in the direction to getting a definite answer

 

I took my dolls with me on multiple flights within the US and from the US to Germany. I never ever had a problem with security. The most they ever did was to give me a funny look and take a peek inside my bag to check that it's really just dolls I have in there. That's it. Nothing about the metal hooks etc.
I also kept them assembled in my regular carry-on luggage (with a bunch of pillows for padding and some bubble wrap around the more delicate parts like hands and so on) on the plane. Either under my seat or on my lap. Good company indeed

 

I've taken dolls to and from Japan on multiple occasions. The most reaction I've ever gotten was the security guys talking to each other and being obviously a bit weirded out . I took one MSD, an SD, and a YoSD in a Dollmore carrier that fit under the seat. When I moved home, I had a wheeled carryon full of padded up MSDs, heads, and a YoSD, and my checked suitcases full of disassembled, heavily bubble-wrapped SDs . I wouldn't really recommend that method, although I got 10+ dolls home without a single bit of damage that way.

If you take some precautions, then it's really not a big deal. And I've never heard of security telling someone they couldn't bring a BJD on board, so I think you'll be fine. Personally, I preferred having them in the Dollmore carrier because I could unzip it and take paranoid little peeks all the time .

 

In theory, this is a good idea, but the truth is that the actual employees that process you at the airport have the final say. Unless you get assurance in writing - and sometimes even then - the promise of a voice on the phone matters little.

The best anyone can say is "probably nothing will happen" because you may just be that one unlucky person serviced by an unpleasant/disgruntled/poorly trained security crew.

That said, I really think you should have no problem.

 

thanks at all for the helpfull answers! I will fly in JUly to Japan! Let's see what happened then

 

Anyone have any issues with NYC airports?

Honestly, I don't see myself going anywhere with my dolls anytime soon, but I worry about that kind of thing, just the same. I think I'd rather check my luggage, because I've yet to have a missing luggage fiasco (knock on wood!) and I don't want to have a repeat of the hot sauce fiasco of 2009.

What was the hot sauce fiasco of 2009? In short, I took my first trip after 9/11 in the summer of 2009. We weren't thinking, and we put a 5oz bottle of hot sauce in our carry-on, and it had to be confiscated. Now, it didn't need to be confiscated, because we were told we could also check said bag; however, we had 2 checked bags already, and this bag was full of semi-fragile souvenirs. We could have also left it with someone not flying... but we were going home from vacation.

So, my issue isn't so much the going - it's the coming back. I don't want to have the OK on my side, but have some serious issues on the return side. That's why I'd just rather put them in a checked bag. Luggage can get lost, but that's a rare occurrence.