Does a lightsaber qualify as carry-on luggage?

Good day everyone! I'm going but I'm from Ann Arbor, Michigan so I gotta fly. I dress as a Jedi and will take my costume. Anyone know the answer to the above question? Will security (or the airline) have a problem with me brining an FX Master Replica or a Parksaber with me on the plane?

 

That is a very interesting question. ALl I can say is when we came back from C3, the flight attendents placed the lighsabers in a coat closet. I would call the airline thouh before you make any plans. I would also bring it packed in a box because it will more then likely get destroyed without it. Darth Tofu and I are disscussing the same thing.

 

I bought mine at C3 and shipped everything i bought at c3 home for like 20.00 fed ex all got to my house the day after i did.

 

On my way back from C3 they put my Lightsaber in a box and put it in a closet near our seats.

 

If you are taking a Parks (or anything with a removeable blade for that matter) you could just put your hilt in a bag, and then just let the airline mess with the blade. That way if you don't want to pack it in a box, theres less of a chance of your hilt getting scrateched up. Also if you aren't too worried about your luggage getting lost, you can stick your blade in the packed luggage. I'd much rathar lose a blade than a hilt.
If its a stock FX, I would put it in a box.

Definatly call the airline ahead of time though, and make sure they wont flip out if your stuff dosn't fit under the seat.

 

I bought an FX at C3 and took it home as checked luggage in its box. There was no problem with it all the way back to the UK. Came off the luggage carousel in great condition.

 

Heh, this reminds me of that old Jedi Power Battles commercial.

 

Most flights will let you take them on the plane with you. My buddy and I took ours. We got looks and of course they scanned them. The woman at the security desk even laughed and said they've been overwhelmed with those things. They barely fit in the over head so I'd highly recomend having the thing sent home or have it sent to the hotel if you really need it with you that badly.

 

At c3 i took my parks saber with me without the blade i just took the hilt and it went through the scanner and it was taken out of my carry-on bag. I immediatly said what it was and they continued to play with it for 10 minutes. It was no problem to just take the hilt on board.

 

Can't you just travel as refugees?

 

I used to work for the TSA, and I can tell you that you will not have any trouble bringing them on the plane. I suggest that you let them know when you get to the security checkpoint; just so you do not surprise them. The most they will do is just make you turn on the Forse FX; just to show that it does work. As for those of us who are just bringing hilts; again you should not run into any trouble with them either.

 

It's always a good idea to mention it. These guys are also warned ahead of time. They get briefings all the time and are shown pictures of what to look for. They will inspect it though. It's gotta go through the x-ray like everything else.

 

TSA might not have a problem with it, but specific airlines do have restrictions. I know Alaska Airlines is a real stickler about carry ons, especially ones that are bulky. It's good to check with the airline about the aircraft you will be flying in, and the size of it's overhead bins and the availability of a coat closet for lightsabers/garmet bags.

edit: also have the dimensions of your lightsaber or anything else that won't fit under the seat in front of you for the airlines when you call them. It makes it much easier.

I learned this the hard way travelling with a bass clarinet.

 

Thanks everyone for the excellent suggestions! I appreciate it. Hope to see you all there in one year!

 

I don't think you'll have a problem with lightsabers. But heres a new question...I'm doing an Aurra Sing costume for CIV and the pistols are sort of realistic, do you think they'd have a problem with that on the plane? (I have to fly all the way from Virginia Beach) I'm not even bothering with the rifle because theres no way I could find anywhere to put it and I wouldn't feel confortable shipping it all the way to LA.

 

Well, you can carry real guns on planes in your checked baggage - as long as they're declared ahead of time, unloaded and in an approved carrier, so a fake (even tho) realistic weapon should be fine as long as it's in the checked luggage. But every airline has their own policy (they may ask you to accompany the bag to the TSA x-ray machine, for instance), so you'll just have to check with the airline (ahead of time, please) that you're planning on flying with.