Carry-on a pumpkin?
 

No, the title is not a typo. Seriously. I grow pumpkins in my backyard. I'm flying to see family and want to take them one. I don't want to check it. Do you think there's any problem carrying a roughly 20lb squash onboard an airplane? My concern is not so much AA--the thing's gonna be in a large backpack--but more with security--does a pumpkin contain liquid? Could it be used as a weapon?

I know this is/may be serious, but that started my day off with a good laugh!

I honestly have no idea, but LOL

Wow, this is a new one... I can't tell you about pumpkins, but I can tell you that it's dicey carrying on bowling balls, which is about the closest thing I can relate to this. Sometimes TSA declares bowling balls must be checked, other times they let them go through. I think you have hit the nail on the head, though. The real question is does a pumpkin contain liquid and I think the answer is no. I'd say go for it.

Even if the TSA let it pass I'd have thought the carry-on size limits will be a risk too ...

Length shall not exceed 22in / 56cm, width shall not exceed 14in / 35cm and height shall not exceed 9in / 23cm

9in isn't much of a height for a 20lb pumpkin

What did the TSA website say on the matter?

Fair question. The only guidance I was able to find on TSA.gov was that "fruits" are ok to carry on, but they give, you know, a plum as an example. And I don't think I'm going to be able to point to my iphone in security, show them the language and say, "see, it says fruit is ok." And I suppose a pumpkin is a vegetable anyway.

As for the carryon size requirments: Well, first of all, we know those aren't enforced. Second, and more importantly, there is a lenght, width, and height requirement, but I've never seen any scientific proof for exactly how to apply those to a pumpkin. Meaning is the longest axis the lenght or the height? is a really "tall" pumpkin really tall, or is just being measured on the wrong axis. I'm not being funny--I'm dead serious. Height, width and length is just another way of saying it has three distinctly measurable sides, and each can be a certain length. Put another way, a 14 inch "tall" pumpkin which is 9 inches "wide" when placed on its side is 9 inches tall and 14 inches in length.

We experienced the TSA considering Peanut Butter in an unopened plastic jar as a liquid a few years ago. If it is important I'd box it very good and check it, or box it and FedEx it.

In pie form, it may be a gel, but I'd guess the whole gourd ought to be okay.

This should probably be moved to the TSS forum (kind and gentle subforum), that's where the experts are.

Just last week, I saw a guy have his jar of peanut butter confiscated by the TSA at LGA.



As the OP mentioned, the first hurdle the pumpkin has to clear is TSA, not AA, so the question here actually pertains more to airport security. As such, we'll soon shift this over to the new "Practical Travel Safety Issues" forum for the experts there to chime in.

Thanks! :) /JY1024, AA forum co-moderator

Many people have found to their cost that the wrong GA on the wrong day will absolutely enforce the rules as they are subject to personal penalty if they don't and you really don't want to think about what will happen if you gate-check a pumpkin, I guess 'Squash' will be an apt description.

You are over-thinking this one.

Is any dimension of your pumpkin less than 9" if not then game over.

If so then is the next largest dimension under 14" etc ...

:D

No, it is a fruit. I think the only potential problem will be wether it can be used as a weapon. This will probably come down to a discresionary call on the part of the TSA agents on duty. I think nine times out of ten it will be let through.

No, I think you're being silly. It should be rather straightforward. Does the pumpkin fit in a carry-on bag that is no larger than 22x14x9 inches or not?

For what its worth I take farm fresh eggs through all the time and never have an issue. They obviously contain liquid but I guess less than 3 oz. each! I would think the Pumpkin would be ok if the size works.

I had to laugh when I first saw the title. I thought you might be the person who was behind me at SFO Monday night!

I packed a 5 lb pumpkin in my carry-on and it caused some very minor issues with TSA. At first they were confused as to what it was and sent my bag thru the x-ray machine twice. It took me a second to realize what was going on so I told them it was a pumpkin. They then wanted to make sure it "was really a pumpkin" and swabbed it for explosives and searched the rest of my bag. Not a big deal since I was early, and we all had a pretty good laugh about it. I have a sneaking suspicion they thought I was nuts, though.

Only if you make it into a jack-o-lantern in the likeness of Big Sis ;)

But seriously, I have no idea tho the pumpkin might be an issue traveling to certain places which have agriculture restrictions so best to check


And the Secret Service wrestled the pumpkin to the ground.....

This gives me the strange urge to pack a pumpkin on my next flight, but my next flight is international so that's probably not a good idea. I don't think I can convince my wife to take a pumpkin on her domestic flight next week. :)

Somebody mentioned traveling with eggs, so I had to look up the volume of an egg. According to one site, an average egg had 1-3/4 oz inside it. (3/4 oz of yolk & 1 oz of white). That makes me want to travel with a carton of eggs. I was thinking about hard boiling some or all of them to have fun with the TSA if they try to confiscate them. :D

This does seem like the first question.
 

However (and I admit my knowledge of pumpkins is pretty sparse) isn't there a lot of seed stuff in the center that COULD be construed as liquidy...?

2 years ago I saw an older Hispanic man at IAH taking a watermelon through security. He had made a handle from some rope and used duct tape to hold it in place. Didn't seem to be an issue!

And about 8 years ago I saw a guy trying to check a weed eater as luggage but he got rejected! :rolleyes:

Many years ago (late 1980s) a relative of mine carried a Durian out of BKK. That being Thailand and before the security hysteria, wasn't a problem. :D

Now that OP has brought the topic up, I'm tempted to pack a pumpkin on my next trip. ;)

It should have been. Those things stink!

I have seen more than a few passengers carry pumpkins, watermelons, etc., through checkpoints. My only advice is to remove it from your carry-on luggage (if thats what you will carry it in) and submit it in a bin by itself. As another FT member noted, I too have seen passengers attach ropes/strings to their pumpkins/watermelons to better carry the item. Just don't drop it ;)

Please, oh please, next time you see somebody carrying a watermelon on a string, take a picture and post it. That would have to be hysterical.

OP, no pumpkin. It can be turned into pumpkin pie, which seems to pop up as a confiscated item every so often. ;)

Mike

I have carried some of those cute baby pumpkins in my carry-on with no problem.

I have had canned pumpkin confiscated by TSA.

Pumpkins are not fruit, they are vegetables (the squash family).

I saw a bunch of those two-pack tourist boxes of pineapples on the baggage carousel a few weeks ago at LAX coming in from HNL with gate-check tags, which suggests to me that TSA was OK with it but the gate agents weren't. Could have been space issues as the flight was full.

Personally I'd rather be attacked with a pumpkin than a pineapple. So I'd think you're OK, to a point.

The next thing you know, someone would post here about how evil it was that a TSO photographed them. :eek:

OP - I think SATTSO is absolutely correct here - I have never had a problem taking whole fruits/vegetables through security. Definitely take it out of your bag and put it in a separate bin - if they decide to do a secondary screening of the pumpkin, you don't really want them pawing through everything else in your carry-on.

As far as AA, I would say that if you are not on an Eagle flight, you will probably be OK. You should easily be able to fit the pumpkin under the seat in front of you. Tell them it's your 'personal item'. Or get a letter from a mental health professional saying it's an emotional support pumpkin. ;)

Out of an abundance of caution, I would mark it with a sharpie:

3.0 fl. oz.

Since when golden carriages (masked, but that's a minor issue) are allowed on flights :P ? Make sure it's not a redeye...

Um, I didn't see it as hysterical. String can be pretty tough, more so wrapped around something many times. But if I see it again, I'll try my best to honor your request! :p (and not all watermelons are huge, some are relatively small!)

And I have to be honest - I have often joked with passengers that I have to "confiscate" their pies when I see them during the holidays. Never have done it (I know it has happened), but the reactions of the passengers is sort of funny. No complaints yet. :)

(Aghast) You joked at the checkpoint? There are rules about those sorts of things, you know.

;)

Mike

Pumpkins are certainly fruit. Vegetable is such a vague/arbitrary word anyway.

They are classified as a type of berry, a pepo:

I have successfully carried pumpkins thru security
 

A couple of years ago, my husband and I were going on a cruise over Halloween. We love to decorate and we wanted some real pumpkins for our cabin and costume contest. We knew they would get destroyed in checked baggage so we decided we would take them as carryone in rollerboards. We were positive we would get the past TSA as they might define the guts of the pumpkin as liquid. When it comes our turn at x-ray, the bags get stopped and the agent gets a quizical look on his face and we say, "yes, they are pumpkins". He says "ok" and sends them on through. We did not have to open the bag to show that the pumpkins were intact.

BTW - these were a huge hit on our cruise and are now a great travel memory!

Ok. I am definitely going to do this. I'm still laughing from this one.

Thank you everyone for the thoughtful comments. I think we've decided that as long as I: mark it as 3 fl. oz., don't turn it into a pie, am prepared for quizzical looks at security, and can correctly identify its kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species, as well as be able to produce a doctor's note, I should be ok.

I'll post back to the board soon with the outcome of my travels with the pumpkin. Hopefully, they will be dull.

People often question if they can bring lobsters through the checkpoint. It, of course, depends on how they are kept cold.


Anyways...I usually tell them that as long as they have their.... crustacean exportation permit, which you need when bringing lobsters out of the state of Maine, you will be fine. :p

Usually gets a couple laughs.

Yes, you definitely can carry it on.
 

I routinely carry stuff from my garden in the summer when I visit my mother. I always carry it in my carry on. I have carried butternut squash, gourd, pumpkin, and watermelon. Whenever I do this, my luggage always gets pulled for a check. Sometimes they let it pass once they realize what it is and other times, they swab it for explosives. It averages 50/50 whether it gets swabbed, but my luggage always gets opened to see what it is. However, I have never had a problem getting past the checkpoint once they have examined it to their satisfaction. This included the time I hand carried 35 pounds of stuff from my garden in my carry on.

Note that this year's weird growing conditions in the NE US mean that there's likely to be a pumpkin shortage this year. Some pumpkins might arbitrarily be deemed dangerous...

Just mail it.

NEITHER RAIN, NOR SLEET . . . KEEPS MOM FROM MAILING PUMPKINS
Published: Thursday, Oct. 31, 1996 12:00 a.m. MST

Mary Busey doesn't just decorate Halloween pumpkins. She addresses them and mails them to her four grown children around the country.

She's done it for the past 25 years - 99 pumpkins in all, and all but three arrived intact. "They delivered those in plastic bags," Busey said this week.She likes to watch people's reactions as she waits in line at the post office with an armful of pumpkins.

"They just stand there and look at me out of the corner of their eyes," said Busey, who uses no boxes or wrapping.
© 2011 Deseret News Publishing Company | All rights reserved

Simpsons reference to follow:

Homer, you knuckle-beak, I told you a hundred times: you've got to sell your pumpkin futures before Hallowe'en! Before!

Mike

Thinking of my misspent youth here, I remember that it is quite possible to put quite a bit of non-watermelon liquid in a watermelon. Why would not a watermelon be as much a potential carrier of dangerous liquid as a sealed water bottle?

I'll tell ya what? Fill up a pumpkin or watermelon with some non-pumpkin or non-watermelon liquid and send it through the x-ray, and see what happens! ;)

However, to respond to your statement, it would appear on x-ray.