No soccer ball
 

Last week I flew Grupo Taca's flight #441 DFW-GUA.

A gentleman wanted to bring a soccer ball with him. The check-in agent stated that the ball would need to stay in Dallas since it could explode mid-flight?

Does this make sense? Has anyone heard of similar stories?

The cabin may be pressurised up to an altitude of 2440 metres above sea level! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

Will it explode, or implode, or neither? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

The pressure inside the cabin is less than at sea level (or near sea level) when you board. The difference in pressure could make the soccer ball explode. However, I doubt it would happen, given that the ball is designed to withstand all of the forces of being kicked. Explosion is more likely with a balloon or something like that.

Does it matter if the soccer ball or baloon explodes?

It would seemingly take a rather sudden dramatic loss in cabin pressure to occur! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

If it did explode, it would scare the h--- out of a lot of people and might easily be mistaken for a gunshot. I would say that would not be a situation I would want to experience.

so deflate the ball before boarding

DUH!


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Not sure if Homer Simpson has joined us or if I've been insulted.

But the original post stated that the ball needed to stay in Dallas so obviously nothing was done to it.

SI Eng: You beat me to it! Literally my first thought upon reading the initial post.

As an aside, I've traveled with a basketball as a carryon a couple of times. Nobody tried to stop me and nothing happened to the rock during the flight.

No one raises an issue when I carry my basketball on board.

Soccer ball on the plane? What, just for kicks. He's must have a lot balls to bring one on board. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Just put a sticker on it, gate check it and get on board, we are worried about ontime departures to make our connections here! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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"Fly me to the moon and let me earn alot of miles."

Worldbanker, good 1 :
"...lot of balls...", HA LOL

Au contraire, siliconengineer -- my comment was meant to highlight the obvious beauty, simplicity and effectiveness of your solution! No offense was intended. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


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Hmmm, isn't there an American Airlines ad out there describing the benefits of MRTC by having the passengers in the cabin kicking a soccer ball around?

Maybe that guy should have brought that one up!