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Hi all!
I've been sewing like a madwoman!! Hubby's been gone but comes home tonight.. and this week he wants to paint :redface:
Anyways... my ? is for those who have flown to bear shows - and those whose bears would FIT in your carryon - do you pack your bears in your carryon? I don't fill with steel shot anymore - but of course they do have cotterpins or bolts inside.
Hugz,
Laura Lynn
Back Road BearsI have not flown with a large quantity in my carry on but rather in my suitcase, put in baggage. No problems and I fill with steel shot. I have taken two in a carry on, one had steel shot, and I had no problem with those. I was flying on a short flight within the US. I'm sure flight length and whether you go through customs or not makes a difference. And I'm going to venture to guess that it also depends on who is running the xray machine when you go through!
:wacko:
Edited to day that I would NOT put my bears in baggage if I had a plane change... too much of an opportunity for them to get LOST!
May I add to the question? Sorta...
When my boyfriend and I have flown to pool tournaments, we have usually shipped out our pool sticks before hand to the hotel we have stayed at. Either UPS, FedEx or USPS...
Has anyone done this with their bears?
Back Road BearsI don't mean to dominate the thread here.... not much activity on a Sunday afternoon (even I should be finishing a project!).
As a show participant I've sent my bears ahead to the hotel before a show. Some hotels require that you send them no more than 3 days prior to the show, address them a particular way, etc. so you'd want to contact that particular hotel.
As a show promoter I've also worked with hotels to have bears shipped ahead of time and I also allow participating artists to ship their bears directly to me and I will bring them to the show and put them right at the vendor's table for set up.
Yep, I've also heard others shipping their bears. Mine will fit into a carryon - and being the control freak that I am - am hoping to keep them with me 
I'm thinking of shipping my clothes and hand carrying my bears :crackup: :crackup:
Thanks for your experieces Daphne~~
Back Road BearsLaura, we could just take you to Good Will when you get here to buy some clothes! :crackup:
I love the way that your bears get priority over your clothes - true dedication!!!!
I've flown internationally (U.S and NZ from Aus) and domestically within Australia and the US (in and out of NYC, LA, SFO and Portland Maine) with bears in my carry on and suitcase, with steel and glass inside lol- always got thru ( Not to mention the time I also got through JFK and Sydney with my awl in my carry on accidentally!)
Also done the ship to the hotel thing (in the US) , many times- I'd say check with the hotel first before you do it- some charge you to receive and some don't like it but most are fine and dandy with it;)
Karen
Posts: 3,540I've flown from the US to the UK with my bears in luggage and one in carry on. For the luggage, the bears had plastic pellets, but the carry on bear had copper coated steel shot. I placed her in an open top, paper carry bag, so I could easily take her out for them to investigate. The lady running the xray machine looked from her screen to me, to the screen, and back again roughly three times. I was getting ready to explain, but I guess the security people thought I was totally harmless, and they waved me on my way.
If I did it all over again, I would consider how many/and how large the bears are. I felt pretty safe sending them through in baggage, as I didn't think anyone would bother to steal a teddy bear. Most people would never believe they are valuable. But Daphne's got a point with the changes of flight. Each time you change flights, there's a chance of your luggage taking a different destination than you'd intended.
Sunnie BearsI pack mine in the checked bags and haVen't had a problem. I always tell them what to expect before they go and get x-rayed. More than once my bag has been chosen for hand inspection, which I find out about when I open the bag again (they place a note inside)
I have carried a last minute bear in my carry one before, but the x-ray machine operator scanned and rescanned several times. I tried explaining what the bolts and locknuts were and I use glass beads. But I swear when they called over a superviser and started picking at the back seam I just about came unglued. Not only that, but they had also already read the hangtag that verifies what was inside. Finally, they rescanned it once again, then let me have it. Also when I went to Schaumburg, I shipped my bears to the hotel and it worked perfectly, but it was very costly for me because my bears are pretty big.
Sonya
Back Road BearsI also shipped my bears to Schaumburg via UPS..... there was hardly anything left to the box and the one breakable thing in it was shattered. Never mind it cost me $80 to ship it! I don't know if it was UPS or the 3 days they sat at the hotel. But I used one of the heavy duty boxes the movers use.
Haven't figured out how I'm getting them there this year! 
Thanks so much everyone!!! I think I'll probably take as carryon if they'll fit... and put in one unstuffed, but jointed bear so they can see the insides easily.
And Daphne.... "...just take you to Good Will ...." Ahhhh a Girl after my own heart!!! (we have an AWESome Good Will here :dance:
Chaska, MinnesotaA long time ago, way befor 911, I was working on a mini and the head was put on with a cotter pin. It was in my carryon. They stopped me pulled out my bear. I had to explain what it was. I was thankful they did not pull it apart....In this day and age, I would pack my bears in my suitcase. If they are minis, put them in a plastic tub in your suitcase....It is not worth having your bears pulled apart.....
WienLaura Lynn,
I´d do like you mentioned: teddies in carry on, because I know, how easily bags can be left behind.
BUT: I´d check with the airline/ airport authorities before hand, maybe by email, so in case of discussions, you have something to prove.
Bon voyage
Gaby 
