Flying with tools

[FigureItOut]

There are a few older threads, but I was wondering if anyone has flown with tools lately, and what your experience was. I'll check with the airline if course, but I'd like to hear some recent real world experience, tips etc.

I've got a large Veto bag, plus at least a good size suitcase worth that I need to bring, and a couple bins of small parts/connectors.

I'd surely be better off shipping all this, but this first trip is only going to be 3 days, so it's not really practical to wait for shipping. I'll have a longer trip to the same site early next year and will ship what I'll need.

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[dlwilson]

I flew in January 2020 with 49.5 lbs of hand automotive tools and parts in a checked bag (and nothing else, to stay below the 50 lb limit). I was going to Atlanta to work with my nephew to do the head gasket on his Jeep Liberty.

While I was waiting to board I got a call from TSA, who wanted to get into the bag. The latches can be tricky, and they thought it was locked. I talked them through how to open the bag, ended the call and boarded, and that was all.

 

[Roju1985]

Flew a few weeks ago with and checked 48lbs of technician tools like I have many many times in the past. Make sure you put your lithium batteries in your carry on if you have any and nothing to worry. I never lock them up TSA will cut the locks anyway, never had an issue.

 

[vavet]

Tools should go in checked bags if there is anyway they could used as a weapon. Screwdrivers, hammers, pry bars, etc could all be used offensively,

If you’re taking lithium ion cordless tool batteries, you’re limited on the total capacity (in watt*hours)and the quantity iirc that you can carry and those should go in your carry on bag. I thought this was odd at first, but then i think I figured out the logic. If there is a fire, you’ll know about it sooner if it’s in your carry on vs in the baggage compartment. The tools can and probably should be in your checked bag.

FWIW, I read an interesting article about checked bags several years ago. Firearms can be transported by regular commercial air travel, but they require special handling and there is a fee. A flare gun counts as a firearm. If you want to be absolutely certain your bag does not get lost, check it in with a flare gun (without the flares). You might even be able to get the same handling with a BB gun, not sure.

 

[Davefr]

If your trip is mission critical and you absolutely have to have the tools, then don't depend on the airlines/TSA. Even if they get on the plane, they may miss connections and it can be days before you're see them.

Ship the tools next day air with UPS/FedEx.

 

[jacked_72]

I'm flying today and looked at the TSA site. You can carry on a tool shorter than 6 inches. All else must be checked. You can check cordless tools, but have to carry on the batteries.

 

[mc4life27]

Another option that I have never tried but I ha e had friend do will good success. Go buy an at-15 lower receiver. They are cheap less then 40-50 bucks. It’s technically a fire arm but in reality it’s just a chunk of aluminum. Put that in your carry on and say you have a fire arm. It’s like what someone suggested with the flair gun but even better. That way you can secure your luggage and your hood to go


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[Downwindtracker 2]

Not current but 30 years ago I flew up north to small town. I was supposed to do a lot of welding. So I just packed my welding helmet , striker, chipping hammer, cutting goggles and a 12" crescent wrench to change bottles. I looked at the toolbox, it was heavy to pack around, so I left it behind. The company dispatcher got it wrong . I ended up assembling machinery, all with a 12" crescent wrench.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I've done it all ways. If you can ship, ship. Bill the cost to the job. Especially if they are your tools. Lost checked baggage has a very low monetary reimbursement limit. I've shipped to hotel, customer and UPS store. UPS store is the most secure.

If you must check it, it will rifled thru and scattered. And the batteries will be questioned like above mentioned. Plus you have to drag that stuff, pain in the rear. Company can pay up.

 

[Eric Essen]

You can check all the tools you want as long as they aren't hazardous.

Pre-covid I would fly all over the USA with a carry on suitcase crammed full of tools, mostly iFixit Pro Tech Toolkits and Jimmy pry tools. My bag always gets flagged by x-ray, but have never had to surrender any tools. My local TSA agents recognize me now and

We used to have a utility knife in one of our kits and we removed it due to TSA and educational institutions who don't want knives on campus either.

Many other countries do not allow any tools on carry-on, and arriving in Cuba they took me aside because on x-ray they thought my precision bits in my driver kits were bullets/maybe it was a pen-gun type device.

 

[Jbullfrog]

When did they change from "no tools carried on"? I had to give up a 4" adjustable wrench the last time I flew out of St. Louis.

 

[toplessHO]

If your trip is mission critical and you absolutely have to have the tools, then don't depend on the airlines/TSA. Even if they get on the plane, they may miss connections and it can be days before you're see them.

Ship the tools next day air with UPS/FedEx.

Ive had every kind of nightmare happen,including this one.
The crew had to share tools,and 2 days later the company tools that were separated from us showed up.

 

[toplessHO]

When did they change from "no tools carried on"? I had to give up a 4" adjustable wrench the last time I flew out of St. Louis.

One of our team had a SO 3/8" ratchet in his pocket that he had forgotten about. No go.... so TSA says to pitch it into the can. Guy says no way,takes off back to where bags were checked to put it in his checked bags.
Bad part is this is Atlanta and it was at least 1/2 mile apart.
Luckily he made it and caught the flight with the gates going up as he got on.

 

[tool_scrounge]

You can check all the tools you want as long as they aren't hazardous.

Pre-covid I would fly all over the USA with a carry on suitcase crammed full of tools, mostly iFixit Pro Tech Toolkits and Jimmy pry tools. My bag always gets flagged by x-ray, but have never had to surrender any tools. My local TSA agents recognize me now and

We used to have a utility knife in one of our kits and we removed it due to TSA and educational institutions who don't want knives on campus either.

Many other countries do not allow any tools on carry-on, and arriving in Cuba they took me aside because on x-ray they thought my precision bits in my driver kits were bullets/maybe it was a pen-gun type device.

It totally depends on the airport and who is manning the TSA inspection. I now always check my tools after TSA made a huge stink over allen wrenches.

 

[FigureItOut]

If your trip is mission critical and you absolutely have to have the tools, then don't depend on the airlines/TSA. Even if they get on the plane, they may miss connections and it can be days before you're see them.



Ship the tools next day air with UPS/FedEx.

I hadn't considered that. It's the first round of work for a lucrative contract I'm hoping to get, so it is %100 critical. I'll be in the LA area so I'm sure I could get what I need, but it sure would be a pain.

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[homebuilt burner]

In a normal year, I travel for work. I do carry some tools, but not a lot. I can count on our local people to have the basics. I do fly with some gauges and test equipment. Nothing big or impressive. I check my bag with the tools. The bag gets checked regularly, when I get home I find the TSA "we checked your bag" paper inside. I did have my bag lost one time but fortunately, it was the one time I didn't have any tools with me and only minimal stuff to do without. I did get paid but it was kind of a pain to replace the stuff and send in the receipts.

 

[RPH]

Ship to the hotel and have them hold it. I’ve done global travel for thirty years. Tools have always been suspicious. Some let little things by and others want. Every time I went through Philadelphia airport I would get a new fluke, the old one disappeared in inspection. In Milwaukee I was stopped for metric ignition wrench set. Yup, went to the whole 13 mm size. Was told I could take the plane alert from inside. Flew all over with my laser pointer. Had it taken in England and handed to pilot. Got it back after landing. Yes, I have had my tool box circle Detroit metro while I flew on. Never made it to my location. Other times it shows up a couple days later. Then there are times when you see tools scattered across the conveyors. Send them ahead if possible.

 

[BFBOB]

Yeah, I once got nailed for trying to carry on a stapler. A STAPLER!!!
And it was under 6". So, they jiggered the mesurement by running their tape measure diagonally - that got it up 6 1/8". I expect if that hadn't worked they'd have measured all the way around it. They were determined.
I was pretty upset - it's a fairly specialized cable stapler, and though not tremendously expensive, hard to find.
At least they didn't confiscate it, just took it and stashed it in my checked bag.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Some airports have serious thieving problems . Rome and Johannesburg are the worst in the world.

My son flew home from a job up the coast on a small airline. His tool box would have over loaded the plane. We got it next day, taxied$$$ from 50 miles the airport.