Totally aviation-related question!!

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vkhosid

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Ladies and Gentlemen....

I have a very serious and real question for you....there is some potential for embarrassment and/or idiocy, so I figure I'd make a fool of myself in front of you fine folks instead of the random punk that will pick up the phone for delta customer service...

Here's the sitch....A few friends and I are travelling from the bay area to Nashville in August for a friends bachelor party. I am planning on constructing a ball and chain (ya get it? well, do ya???) out of a bowling ball and some home depot chain so that we can strap it onto the bachelors leg during the shenanigans. I'm concerned, however, that delta wont let me bring it with me as a carry-on onto the plane. I don't plan on having any checked luggage, otherwise it wouldn't have been an issue.

What do you guys think?
 
Delta won't care.

TSA on the other hand may give you the probe.

tsa.gov will tell you all you need to know about prohibited items. Then, you can get to the airport, and in the inspection line, and find out they make up the rules as they go. I showed a TSA supe the exact regulation allowing CO2 cartridges attached to diving vests, and he still made me take it out and destroy it.
 
No one to fedex it to ahead of time......and besides, WTF is gonna be the cost of fedex-ing an 16lb bowling ball? That **** has GOT to be a pretty penny....
 
READ THIS:
great gag, Not a great gag if there will be drinking and a pool nearby.
Do not drown your friend.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
READ THIS:
great gag, Not a great gag if there will be drinking and a pool nearby.
Do not drown your friend.
Click to expand...

There will be no pool near by....and so far, we have a FANTASTIC safety record...last time we pulled this stunt was at a lake house...all survived and groom was present at the alter (albeit with a bit of a limp)...
 
Even without the pool, this sounds like an injury waiting to happen.

Alcohol and bowling balls don't sound like a good combination.

Why not use a lighter ball? Even a kids 8 lb ball, if it must be a bowling ball.
 
MAKG1 said:
Even without the pool, this sounds like an injury waiting to happen.

Alcohol and bowling balls don't sound like a good combination.

Why not use a lighter ball? Even a kids 8 lb ball, if it must be a bowling ball.
Click to expand...

Joking aside, the weight of the ball isn't the concern....I'm just going to go to a bowling alley and see if they have any junk bowling balls they are willing to give away for free...so I'll take whatever I can get.

My main concern is that TSA won't let me passed their checkpoint with a bowling ball and metal chain in a bag...
 
I really don't think a bowling ball, even with a chain attached, is going to be a big deal. Pro bowlers travel with their balls (pun unintended) all the time. You are putting it in checked luggage right?
 
MAKG1 said:
Even without the pool, this sounds like an injury waiting to happen.

Alcohol and bowling balls don't sound like a good combination.

Why not use a lighter ball? Even a kids 8 lb ball, if it must be a bowling ball.
Click to expand...

Nor does alcohol and rappelling gear. We REALLY wished we would have returned it all to the unit stockroom vs. holding on to it for the weekend. Same principle.
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
and if your luggage is over 50lbs.....there'll be an overage fee. :D
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ummm.....totally WORTH IT!!

Sac Arrow said:
I really don't think a bowling ball, even with a chain attached, is going to be a big deal. Pro bowlers travel with their balls (pun unintended) all the time. You are putting it in checked luggage right?
Click to expand...

nope, I'm trying to travel with carry-on only...otherwise I would just stuff it into a suitcase.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Yes he did.

OP: Plan on checking it in to baggage then. Shouldn't be a BFD.
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It would be a real PITA, then...as I'd like to not have checked luggage, if I can get away with it.
 
Ship it ahead to your hotel. Not that expensive, well worth the lack of hassle. And yeah, do be careful. That and lots of alcohol do sound like an incident waiting to happen. Then again, life without incidents is that much less memorable.
 
vkhosid said:
We got an air bnb thing going, so no one will be at the house prior to our arrival...
Click to expand...

Ship it Fedex or UPS and check the option to pick it up at the Fedex or UPS station. Lot's of UPS Stores and Kinkos around that you can choose from I bet.

Or, buy the parts after you land and simply make it up when you get there.
 
Since you won't be at a hotel: I don't know if you can ship from a UPS Store to another UPS Store and have them hold it for you.

For the cost of shipping, the extra $25 - $50 checked bag fee might be worth it.
 
Matthew said:
Since you won't be at a hotel: I don't know if you can ship from a UPS Store to another UPS Store and have them hold it for you.

For the cost of shipping, the extra $25 - $50 checked bag fee might be worth it.
Click to expand...

I can't imagine FedEx being less expensive than a checked bag fee from the airline...

But I totally didn't think of shipping it to a FedEx location in nashville...that could be an option, but I'd like to avoid it if I could. I also called TSA...and surprise, surprise, I cant reach anyone.
 
Doen't sound like you are looking for a solution. Anything other than you particular plan seems unacceptable. We aren't the right people to talk to about what TSA might do. Ask TSA.
 
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Graueradler said:
Doen't sound like you are looking for a solution. Anything other than you particular plan seems unacceptable. We qren't the right people to talk to about what TSA might do. Ask TSA.
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You would be incorrect.

1.Called TSA-there is no one to talk to...website doesn't address the issue.
2.Shipping to a hotel-not an option...we're not staying in a hotel.
3.Having it held in a fedex facility-fedex will not do this.

Getting another bag and checking it seems to be the only other viable alternative offered...

...or am I forgetting something?


EDIT: Constructing the ball and chain there is obviously not an option as well...as I would need tools to assemble
 
Even asking TSA is not always sufficient. I've had two cases where they went against their written procedure, and I'm not the only one. If they consider it a threat, then it doesn't go, no matter what the online statement says.
 
glue a fake fuse on the ball just for kicks. "no no, it's just a gag gift, nothing to see here....besides, you can't say 'bomb' on a plane! ha ha ha ha."

but seriously, go to Party City, they have tons of those, in plastic, and weigh like .5 pounds.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
Why not just check it? It isn't that big a deal to claim it at the other end.
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My guess is that he doesn't want his buddy to say, "Hey, what's the deal with the checked bag that looks like it's holding a bowling ball with a chain attached to it?"

Actually hand carrying it through security, and having TSA open it up, and rooting around inside while looking for the other adult toys probably won't be suspicious at all.
 
You could save by using a lighter ball and thinner gauge chain.

Not to mention your friend will be happier carrying a lighter load.
 
eman1200 said:
glue a fake fuse on the ball just for kicks. "no no, it's just a gag gift, nothing to see here....besides, you can't say 'bomb' on a plane! ha ha ha ha."

but seriously, go to Party City, they have tons of those, in plastic, and weigh like .5 pounds.
Click to expand...

We accept no substitute! :lol: Besides, having a light and comfortable ball and chain won't be an appropriate metaphor for the struggles of marriage...

Although, realistically, I think if no other viable options are presented, going the checked luggage route is the best choice.
 
docmirror said:
Even asking TSA is not always sufficient. I've had two cases where they went against their written procedure, and I'm not the only one. If they consider it a threat, then it doesn't go, no matter what the online statement says.
Click to expand...

I had a spare hour to dick around at BOS today, and decided to track down a TSA supervisor to ask about the OP's situation. She pretty much iterated exactly what's quoted above: "It just depends on who's working that day. Personally, I'd be fine with it, but I'm sure others might see a bowling ball on a chain as a weapon. Have him check it - that's the only safe bet."
 
Start a gofundme page and get the $25 to check it.
 
Subsea said:
Start a gofundme page and get the $25 to check it.
Click to expand...

:lol: There's 12 people going to this thing. If I can't squeeze out $3 per person for this gag, I'm not sure I'm hanging out with the right group of people...:rofl:
 
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