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Hello All,
While traveling from Portland, ME to Seattle, WA, my Poi (in my checked baggage) were flagged by the TSA as Hazardous Materials and taken by United Airlines. They were completely burned off according to the standards that Tedward, John Voldal, Donia Love, Q, and I tried to establish a number of years ago. I have all the contact information for the Manager of the TSA in Portland, ME and she is interested in learning more about who we are (fire performers), who we are working with at the TSA, who we are working with locally, How we can work together to make sure this does not happen again.
I can pass this information over to anyone who is willing to take this on in a very serious and professional manner. I have informed her of the Fire Arts Guild, NAFAA, those fire performers who initially trained the TSA checkers, and that we work with our local and national fire departments directly.
Unfortunately I do not have the brainwidth to pursue this myself.
Please pass this onto anyone not on these lists.
Thanks,
-chris
pyrosutra.com
staticfactory.org
redllamatech.com
While traveling from Portland, ME to Seattle, WA, my Poi (in my checked baggage) were flagged by the TSA as Hazardous Materials and taken by United Airlines. They were completely burned off according to the standards that Tedward, John Voldal, Donia Love, Q, and I tried to establish a number of years ago. I have all the contact information for the Manager of the TSA in Portland, ME and she is interested in learning more about who we are (fire performers), who we are working with at the TSA, who we are working with locally, How we can work together to make sure this does not happen again.
I can pass this information over to anyone who is willing to take this on in a very serious and professional manner. I have informed her of the Fire Arts Guild, NAFAA, those fire performers who initially trained the TSA checkers, and that we work with our local and national fire departments directly.
Unfortunately I do not have the brainwidth to pursue this myself.
Please pass this onto anyone not on these lists.
Thanks,
-chris
pyrosutra.com
staticfactory.org
redllamatech.com
posted by:
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Seattle
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Re: TSA, Airlines, and Tools
Mon, January 10, 2005 - 11:10 PMHi,
I recommend mailing your poi ahead to the place you're going whenever possible.
I've mailed mine to and from Hawai'i, Switzerland, and Nevada without a problem. The trick is to have them spun out completely and put them in big plastic zip lock bags. Pack them in the boxes before you get to the post office. Of course, you can't mail fuel since that's illegal, but you can always just buy fuel wherever it is that you're going.
Just a suggestion. I'm sorry that you had that experience. I've never tried to put poi in my luggage for that reason.
michael
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Re: TSA, Airlines, and Tools
Tue, January 11, 2005 - 8:47 AMI made it to Greece with poi and fire fingers in my luggage. I spun mine out completely, let them air out for an additional 24 hours before triple bagging them with plastic zip locks.
I have a friend who got flagged for having torches in his luggage which were stripped of wick but still had dirty carbon on the handles. Apparently they had a problem with that and confiscated them, and he wasn't even flying internationally.
Its so hit and miss sometimes. -
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Re: TSA, Airlines, and Tools
Tue, January 11, 2005 - 10:02 PMI have traveled all over the world with my fire gear so far no problems but for one time they took my practice poi cause of the beans in them but I was overseas ..This is the 1st time I have ever heard of anyone losing their gear in checked luggage ..
I make it very clear to them what is in my bag to start I have a big black bag that says "Pyro crew" on the side in red and black letters I always leave a bussiness card in my bag along with a press package which has pictures of me and my show .in the press package there is a copy of my insurance and contract if I am doing a show somewere..
It leaves no dout I am a professional fire performer..I have only been called to TSA once and that was just because someone there wanted to buy a set of Poi ..
But I agree it is hit and miss best way to not get hassled is to leave as much info in your gear bag as possiable so who ever opens it knows 120% what they are looking at .a Picture tells a 1000 words
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Re: TSA, Airlines, and Tools
Tue, January 11, 2005 - 11:15 PMHey All,
[[not trying to be too blunt, just short on time]] I too have traveled extensively with my tools, both shipping them before hand and packing them in my checked baggage. When traveling with them in my checked baggage (including this time) I always include a business card, picture of the tool being used and a text description of what the tool is.
In my experience most all TSA checkers are familiar with tools but those in some smaller towns are not, as was proved this time.
I am asking someone to take this on as a project to begin where the original ideas of the Fire Arts Guild and NAFAA started out. Informing all necessary government orgs and working with them to create standards that we can all live by to continue to do what we do around the world without hassle.
Anyone up for this?
please email me at my pyrosutra addy...
Thanks,
-chris
