Will my 50 Chapsticks make it past TSA and int'l security in my carryon?
 

I will embark on a RTW journey in August, and will visit my great Aunt in Namibia along the way. She has requested that I bring along 50 sticks of chapstick with me (don't know why, but I assume it's because it's hard to come by and/or expensive in Namibia.

I am only traveling with carryon.

Before I arrive in Namibia, I will travel SMF-SEA-JFK-CDG-PRG, VIE-AMS-CPT.

Chapstick is a solid as far as I can tell, but I'm sure some overzealous security guard in the US or Europe might try to confiscate it.

Any tips on how I can avoid entanglements or confiscation of this one and only request of my 84 year old great aunt in Africa?

My thought is to make sure that it is in its original packaging, and keep them sort of separated from each other so they don't appear suspicious (just read about ice packs and cheese being suspected if terrorist dry runs).

:( What a world we live in when something as innocent and kind-hearted as taking 50 tubes of lip balm to a relative abroad comes into question in our minds.

In theory, you should have no trouble with this. Lip balm is not a prohibited item and it's none of the TSA's business what quantity you choose to carry on. That said, I hope you choose to go ahead with your gift. Please let us know how it goes. And good luck!

Good luck. This will greatly depend on the TSA staff you encounter. There are some power hungry staffers who will delight in prevent you from taking those onboard.

They might be solids but they are gels so therefore are travelling under the liquid ban. You're not allowed more than one freedom bag for liquids.

It is up to you if you want to travel with toiletries you need for your RTW or if you want to help your great aunt of 84.

I'd take the chapsticks to the nearest fedex office and ship them if it was me.

There is, of course, always the option of checking luggage in and putting your chapsticks in the checked bag.

Or are you planning to do an entire RTW with just carry-on luggage? That would be rather impressive if you pull it off without having a steamer trunk as your carryon.

Get an unmarked box (was going to say FedEx or USPS box, but that might throw the baggage handlers off), and put the ChapStick in there to check to Nambia.

Can't believe we have to worry about Chap Stick. Thanks Kip.

We are planning on doing the RTW with just carryon. This will limit the amount of useless stuff we need to carry and keep us mobile. We will take limited toiletries (with the exception of the chapstick) and buy what we need when we need it. We have a couple of tight connections in the itinerary and I am tall so it is hard for me to replace lost clothing and shoes.

I could check the chapstick in a box that is large enough not to get lost, but this presents a couple of problems:

1) On the outbound we are traveling on 4, yes 4 different airlines (AS,DL,AF,OK). While it is theoretically possible to interline with all of these airlines, there is a large chance of the box getting lost when switching terminals in SEA, JFK, and CDG. Add to this a 7 hour layover at CDG.

2) Travel will be in late August and early September, and there is the potential of the ChapStick melting while waiting on the hot tarmac.

You could always bring them along, using the Nigerian method. :D

If you're traveling with multiple companions, then just use your freedom baggie and stuff it full of these. Auntie might get less than 50, though.

Are you sure? I travel with my deodorant of a similar consistency regularly and it is larger than 100ml.

I would too, but they apparently only trust DHL to get it to them and I just priced a 1lb box with them at $186.

chapstick is not a kip-lock baggie item as it is a sold but lip balm is a kip-lock baggie item as it is a liquid. if the op is truly carrying "chapstick" then there should be no problem however n.b. "should" as where UALOneKPlus has posted you can have a "power hungry screener". personally, i carry a copy of the tsa's permitted/prohibitted items list with me every time i fly (it lives in my briefcase) and the only kip-lock baggie requirement that i see is:

Lip gels such as Carmex or Blistex: carry-on:yes - 3 oz. or smaller container

Liquid lip glosses or other liquids for lips: carry-on:yes - 3 oz. or smaller container.

in the above, a) it does not mention chaptsick (yes there is the "such as") and b) chapstick is a solid just like solid deodorant and i've never put that in my kip-lock baggie

I would also reccomend that when you buy the chapstick, you see if your local store will sell it to you in the pre-packed cellophane wrapper (master casepack), as opposed to individual tubes, this may help the security situation (too show it has not been tampered with).
I agree checking it in the hot weather will not give you a good outcome.
Good luck, have a great trip and enjoy Nambia!

From what I understand of your itinerary, it would not be such a problem if the box were delayed on this part of your itinerary.

If the box doesn't make it to PRG, you can always have them ship it to your hotel in VIE once it's found. Your flight to CPT is a fairly straightforward single-connection affair, the box should be able to make it.

Though the temperature issue is a good point.

Yes, I am still pricing it all out (who knew it would be hard to find a good deal on bulk chapstick when you only want the original black label flavor). I *think* that they are sealed individually, but I am also looking at these 3 packs that come with the cardboard backing and encased in plastic.

good point about the bulk box as i wonder what might happen if the screener saw 50 tubes of chapstick wrapped with rubber bands onthe x-ray screen.

possible outcomes:

a) nuttin' honey (as when they didn't notice my 25 cuban cigars in their original box when i had to re-clear security at ord)
b) "bag check"
c) terminal dump
d) <your choice here>

Do you have a local Goodwill or other thrift store? We've done this a couple of times: stop by and pick up a suitcase, nothing fancy, something cheap, check that bag and when you get to your final destination, either toss it or re-donate to a local thrift store.

Less of a chance of a suitcase getting lost than a small plain box. Plus I'm sure there would be someone in your aunt's town that could make use of a small suitcase.