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Taking GPS on airplane


Aglaia

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Hello,

 

Maybe it's a little early to be asking this question, but as I will be flying from Canada to the US next week, I am wondering what the status is regarding taking a GPS as carry-on luggage. Has anyone here traveled today by any chance? Are GPSs now viewed as items that should not be carried on board? (And how would you insure it if you had to put it in chacked luggage? I couldn't find anything on nwa.com). I so want to take my new Garmin 60CS with me when I travel, but don'twant to risk losing it.

 

Aglaia

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Here is the current status of airport security checks in the US, in light of today's terrorist news. They haven't yet been bumped up to the level that the UK has raised them. Should that happen, no batteries of any kind (including watch batteries, and car alarm key fobs) would be allowed in the passenger cabin.

 

So if it reached that level, I suppose you could take the GPS, but you'd have to pack the batteries in your checked luggage.

 

The TSA - experts at closing the barn door after the horses have got out.

Edited by Prime Suspect
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American Airlines doesn't let you use a GPS on the flight. Southwest Airlines does, after the takeoff and they have indicated it is ok to use "approved" electronic devices. You need to be setting by the window for the GPS to work, if you're setting on the isle...forget it. As a previous post indicated, each airline has it's own policy.

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Thanks for your prompt replies. I understand that different airlines have different policies as to usage on airplanes; my concern was more as to whether or not one can bring a GPS (or digital cameras or laptops) onboard after today's events without it possibly being confiscated. A post above mentioned possibly not bringing batteries, which would make sense to me, but then again, airports have policies stating that electronic devices can be confiscated if you can't turn them on. But how do you turn them on if you can't have batteries.... and why do all our hobbies have to be so high-tech? :D

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I just got home from a business trip last night and I had my GPS in my carry on. No problems. However, I was forced to check my bag with my toiletries. The only other noticable change was the extra security. The police presence was up dramatically from my outbound flight on Monday.

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... my concern was more as to whether or not one can bring a GPS (or digital cameras or laptops) onboard after today's events without it possibly being confiscated. ...

When you get to the airport, ask the ticket agent or the TSA representative when you check you bags. That way, if you can't take it on the plane you can slide it into your checked luggage and won't have to deal with any drama when you go through security.

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Yesterday morning the news here was recommending that passengers put cell phones, PDAs, cameras, etc. into checked baggage. (I'd guess that would include GPSRs).

They didn't actually say they were prohibiting them in carry ons thouugh. Perhaps it was an attempt to speed up the very long lines they were experiecning at DIA, and just remove anything that might be questionable at all.

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According to this page, electronics are not allowed in Great Britain nor in flights goint to Great Britain. Since there seem to be two sets of restrictions confusion may well occur. The electronics ban is not a TSA ban and therefore would most likely not appear on their website. I think the reason for the electronics ban is that the group was going to use liquid explosives and detonate with common electronic devices. Since this took place in Great Britain their restrictions are greater than ours.

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According to today's Calgary Sun, "Airline passengers have been banned from taking any hand luggage - including liquids and electrical devices ...." (p. 3).

 

Just what is their definition of an electrical device? The same article continues on to say that "laptops and cellphones are still permitted".

 

I don't care if they want to be strict and get everything into checked luggage, but geez, can't they at least post thorough lists of what can and can't go into carry-ons? With all this in mind, though, I'll try to pack so that I could get all my electronics into my luggage, and only take disposable batteries onboard in case they want to take those. That also means I better check two bags because I'm not taking the risk of losing my laptop, GPS, digital camera, etc., all at once (for the last 6 times that I actually checked luggage, it was lost 4 times).

 

Getting a bit more back on topic, I just received my GPS a couple of weeks ago, but have been working so much and taking exams that I haven't had much of a chance to use it, so I was banking on going for some foreign caches

 

:o . A plane would sound great for that too.

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Are people still allowed on flights, or are they just selling tickets to sit in the terminal. :)

It is OK to fly, as long as you drain all your bodily fluids into a TSA approved container after the body cavity inspection, but prior to boarding the aircraft. :grin:

 

Seriously, almost all electronic devices can be used to trigger an explosion. Watches (even old mechanical windup alarm clocks), cellular telephones, weather widgets with barometers, laptops, PDAs, and certainly GPSrs, could all be readily used by someone with only mild skills in electronics to initiate a device. :P

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We were just on a United flight on Thursday the 10th. It didn't seem like many rules were being followed uniformly...our friends traveling with us had to put their camera batteries into their checked luggage, our camera batteries, GPS batteries and dvd batteries (that were in our carry on luggage) weren't even looked at. The guy next to me in the security line had his toothpaste taken, I guess mine was the wrong brand because they left it alone. Kind of a strange time to travel, you just can't be sure what to expect!

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There are 3 main phases of matter. The TSA has completely banned one of them. Seems perfectly reasonable to me. <_<

I get (kinda) that they won't let you take a liquid through security. What I don't understand is that after you go through security, you can buy a soda, but not take it onboard the aircraft. I naturally assumed that the sodas that are being sold on the concourse had been checked for explosives, but I guess not. :unsure:

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Electronic - OK

 

Media - Questionable

 

Here is info directly from the TSA site. FAQS

 

BTW - I used my GPS on a flight in May and freaked out the flight attendant. I was holding it near the window and telling my wife the speed and altitude. The attendant over heard me and in a very nervous voice asked if I was "tracking" the plane. I explained what I was doing and gave him a pamphlet on geo-caching (always carry one). He seemed to calm down.

Edited by geospyder
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There are 3 main phases of matter. The TSA has completely banned one of them. Seems perfectly reasonable to me. <_<

I get (kinda) that they won't let you take a liquid through security. What I don't understand is that after you go through security, you can buy a soda, but not take it onboard the aircraft. I naturally assumed that the sodas that are being sold on the concourse had been checked for explosives, but I guess not. :unsure:

Why can't you take a soda on board? Because you might be cahoots with someone who has a roll of Mentos in their pocket. :D

 

wondermarkliquidsonaaplanehm2.jpg

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electronics are not allowed in Great Britain nor in flights goint to Great Britain. Since there seem to be two sets of restrictions confusion may well occur. The electronics ban is not a TSA ban and therefore would most likely not appear on their website. I think the reason for the electronics ban is that the group was going to use liquid explosives and detonate with common electronic devices. Since this took place in Great Britain their restrictions are greater than ours.

 

Perhaps, as a flying Brit, I should clarify the current situation for British flights.

 

As of today, one single small bag is permitted as carryon. The dimensions are very strictly limited to maxima of 45cm wide x 35cm long x 16cm deep (17.7" wide × 13.7" long × 6.2" deep), including wheels, handles, side pockets - equivalent to a small laptop bag.

 

No fluids are allowed in carryon baggage.

 

Small electronic devices, including GPSrs are now allowed, but as before you should always ask the cabin crew before switching one on aboard the aircraft. Policy regarding GPSrs varies between airlines and sometimes within airlines, so always check with a flight attendant on your particular flight before even removing the thing from your bag.

 

The really important precaution to take at the moment is to expect the British Airports Authority to lose your hold baggage. Don't even expect them to forward your bags within several days. I know, I'm still waiting for bags lost last Friday morning by the chumps at Gatwick.

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I am traveling tomorrow, and I will be taking my GPSr, laptop, and digital camera as carry on.

 

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), has an updated list of permitted and prohibited items. About 2/3 down the page, personal electronic devices and batteries for them are listed as permitted on carry-on.

 

http://www.catsa.ca/english/travel_voyage/list.htm

 

Any more Canadian travelers with GPSrs here?

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