What was the weirdest thing you took aboard as a carry-on?
Apr 28, 2013, 8:42 pm
#47
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
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Apr 28, 2013, 8:53 pm
#48
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
A Redding match grade powder thrower (for measuring/dispensing propellant powder into cartridge cases when handloading ammunition)...
Going through security they said they'd need to open the bag (no surprise).. they pulled it out and asked what it was.. I said "A powder thrower"... and a screener 2 machines away popped up, looked, and tried to tell them it was no problem (he must have been a reloader too!) but they swabbed and tested it... which I thought would set all the alarm bells ringing.. but not a peep from the machine.... must be the wrong sort of nitrates!
Going through security they said they'd need to open the bag (no surprise).. they pulled it out and asked what it was.. I said "A powder thrower"... and a screener 2 machines away popped up, looked, and tried to tell them it was no problem (he must have been a reloader too!) but they swabbed and tested it... which I thought would set all the alarm bells ringing.. but not a peep from the machine.... must be the wrong sort of nitrates!
Apr 28, 2013, 9:14 pm
#50
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
Apr 28, 2013, 9:26 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
Apr 28, 2013, 11:00 pm
#52
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LGA - JFK
Programs: UA, AA, DL, B6, CX, KE, Latitude, VIFP, Crown & Anchor, etc.
Posts: 2,589
Not the weirdest for sure - on a CX flight 2 years ago, non-stop HKG-JFK, our local host/friend gave us a whole roast suckling piglet, packaged for traveling as carryon, as there're 6 of us coming back flying Y.
It was divided into 6 plastic containers suitable for picnic, extra napkins & wet towelette, piglet was chopped up already, minus its heads & non-edible parts, and, scallions & white (mini-burger) buns with the hoisin/oyster sauce. It greatly enhanced the supper served in the main cabin. By the time we're approching Japan airspace, the piglet was "safely" disposed of
and we had nothing to declare upon arrival, as far as importing any meat or animal, etc. 
(cheerfully consumed onboard ....)
It was divided into 6 plastic containers suitable for picnic, extra napkins & wet towelette, piglet was chopped up already, minus its heads & non-edible parts, and, scallions & white (mini-burger) buns with the hoisin/oyster sauce. It greatly enhanced the supper served in the main cabin. By the time we're approching Japan airspace, the piglet was "safely" disposed of
and we had nothing to declare upon arrival, as far as importing any meat or animal, etc. (cheerfully consumed onboard ....)
Last edited by Letitride3c; Apr 28, 2013 at 11:58 pm
Apr 28, 2013, 11:34 pm
#53
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: BOS
Programs: BA GLD for LIfe, AA PLT 2 MM miler, B6 Mosaic, Star GLD; HH Diamond; Marriott PLT, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,368
What was the weirdest thing you took aboard as a carry-on?
A huge gong -- 3 or probably 4 feet in diameter -- from Bali to boston. Plus wooden stand. For a friend whose daughter fancied herself a gamelan all-star.
Apr 29, 2013, 1:35 am
#54
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: HEL
Posts: 51
A folding camping chair. I was going to a concert in another country, had a standing ticket, was planning to queue all day to get a good spot, and didn't want to go shopping for chairs in a strange city. Security seemed amused.
I queued from around 7 am and at 5 pm they announced the concert was cancelled...
I queued from around 7 am and at 5 pm they announced the concert was cancelled...
Apr 29, 2013, 4:32 am
#55
formerly mattking2000
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB
Programs: BA|AC|AZ|SPG|H|FPC
Posts: 1,187
I've got a few contenders, I think...
- ~2kg of Danish flour sealed in a ziploc bag. Security didn't even bat an eye at the ziploc bag full of white powder.
- 20 kg of fingerlings (mini potatoes)
- homemade cheesecake for my grandparents (as I was traveling in business, they put it in the galley's fridge for me!)
- 15 kg Singer sewing machine from 1912 (with a filled cast-iron arm!)
- ~18 kg of chocolate from Brussels
- ~40 cans of Mariage Freres tea (miraculously, only 3 were dented on arrival!)
- 144-piece silverware set + chest, all individually plastic-wrapped. I pulled out all the knives and put those in the check-in luggage, but security still raised a fuss about the forks.
- Salmon soup (before the liquid restrictions)
- prosthetic leg and cane that weren't for my use.
- my aunt also had to carry a medical fetal specimen for a conference, does that count? :P
- ~2kg of Danish flour sealed in a ziploc bag. Security didn't even bat an eye at the ziploc bag full of white powder.
- 20 kg of fingerlings (mini potatoes)
- homemade cheesecake for my grandparents (as I was traveling in business, they put it in the galley's fridge for me!)
- 15 kg Singer sewing machine from 1912 (with a filled cast-iron arm!)
- ~18 kg of chocolate from Brussels
- ~40 cans of Mariage Freres tea (miraculously, only 3 were dented on arrival!)
- 144-piece silverware set + chest, all individually plastic-wrapped. I pulled out all the knives and put those in the check-in luggage, but security still raised a fuss about the forks.
- Salmon soup (before the liquid restrictions)
- prosthetic leg and cane that weren't for my use.
- my aunt also had to carry a medical fetal specimen for a conference, does that count? :P
Apr 29, 2013, 6:38 am
#56
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
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Posts: 6,900
Apr 29, 2013, 7:22 am
#57
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Northwest NJ, USA
Programs: HHonors (Gold), One Pass (Peon)
Posts: 680
A six foot long fishing pole from PHX to EWR back in the 70's. It wouldn't fit in the overhead of the Boeing 727, so the FA's put it in the cockpit for me. As the plane exited from the rear ramp at that time, I had to wait until the whole plane disembarked before they brought the fishing pole back to me.
DD
DD
Apr 29, 2013, 7:34 am
#58
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Plat, SPG & Marriott Gold, CC Silver
Posts: 541
I accidentally smuggled illegal raw-milk Camembert cheese out of France. I bought it in the duty-free and so assumed it was legal. Got it all the way home (despite the stink, no one inspected my bag) to discover that raw-milk cheeses are not supposed to be imported into the US.
An ice cream maker. It was a Christmas gift from a friend and too large for my rollaboard, so I carried it in the Williams-Sonoma bag and box it came in. Nonetheless, I was questioned and it was swabbed extensively. Apparently it looked like a mini-reactor on the X-ray.
Empty Ball jars - my mom had saved them up over the year to return to me. Again, I was asked what they were and had to take them out of my rollaboard to prove they weren't bombs.
An ice cream maker. It was a Christmas gift from a friend and too large for my rollaboard, so I carried it in the Williams-Sonoma bag and box it came in. Nonetheless, I was questioned and it was swabbed extensively. Apparently it looked like a mini-reactor on the X-ray.
Empty Ball jars - my mom had saved them up over the year to return to me. Again, I was asked what they were and had to take them out of my rollaboard to prove they weren't bombs.