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Hello all,
This is perhaps a week old [1], but I couldn't believe just how stupid this airline worker has been. The article pretty much sums up my own feelings -- and I think "jobs worth" is the right term to use. Or, as I prefer to read it, "bloody idiot". Fancy denying a little girl her teddy bear. :(
It gets worse of course. I perhaps had no idea just how bad things are, since I have only flown once, but I did take two of my most prized teddies with me -- one of whom [2] has been a travelling companion with me for years, the other [3] likewise -- and whilst Stacey bear is subtle, I have no doubt in retrospect she could have been subject to confiscation. :(
So how do all you teddy bear artists and collectors handle the situation of transporting a teddy bear through airports? I've seen and read of many sites on the Internet where teddy bears have passports, etc., what the hell would happen if the poor teddy was defluffed. :(
This really worries me -- I know in the past teddy bears have had a reputation for concealing drugs because of their cute nature, but I would actually be really distraught if something like that were to happen to one of my teddies or one I had ordered who was travelling through the airport to reach his new home; my hug. :(
Are there any guarantees or assurances about teddy bears who have been mistreated by silly airport staff? I hope no one here has had any bad experiences as a result.
Hugs,
-- Thomas Adam
[1] http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott … -21335568/
[2] http://xteddy.org/teddies/xteddy.png
[3] http://xteddy.org/~n6tadam/carly_visit/stacey_teddy.jpg
EJ's CraftsThomas, it has been a couple of years since I traveled with one of my bears. I had made a bear for my grandson and I just carried it in my arms and it went through the xray machine and no one hassled me about it at all. Most people just wanted to know where I got it and I just handed them one of my business cards. I live in the states and I don't know how it works in England.
Thomas, it has been a couple of years since I traveled with one of my bears. I had made a bear for my grandson and I just carried it in my arms and it went through the xray machine and no one hassled me about it at all. Most people just wanted to know where I got it and I just handed them one of my business cards. I live in the states and I don't know how it works in England.
Hehe -- it's pretty uniform across all airports to be honest, where it varies the greatest happens to be whether a country's security alert is high (whose aren't these days?). or some individual creates a nusiance. I can't find it on the Internet, but I do recall reading an article where even though a teddy bear had been put through an x-ray machine, the poor teddy was gutted (literally) because the security guard there still thought there was the likelihood of drugs inside of it. :(
I know it's not in most people's understanding to care, but what the hell would you do if that happened to your teddy bear? You can't exactly ask the security guard to resew the teddy bear together again -- and if I were the security guard, I'd be embarrassed, too. Sigh. The more I read up on this on the Internet, the more sadened I get.
But at least you didn't get a problem, and your teddy made it to your Grandson. That's the main thing. ;)
-- Thomas Adam
TeenytinyteddybearsI travel a lot and often take bears but have to admit I am a chicken. I put them into my check in luggage. I had a regulation pair of scissors confiscated at Bangkok airport, after being through at least 7 other airports. I don't play anymore. The mini bears worry me cause they must look a bit odd on xray. All those cotter pins in such a small thing.....
I've been wondering about this as well. So far, I haven't had the security people ask questions about a bear in my carry-on bag, but between the airlines charging for checked bags and my concerns about a confiscated or ruined bear, I'm planning to mail two bears to my destination when I travel later this month.
Back Road BearsI've taken big bears full of steel shot and/or glass beads in my carry on, through security many times with no problem. One kid opened up my suitcase after it went through the xray machine, rummaged around and said "there's just teddy bears in here"... stuffed them back in and sent me on my way. That really freaked me out because if I can get through with at least 5 pounds of steel shot dispersed between bears... what could a terrorist get through with? Good grief!
I fly to shows with my bears quite often... most are in my checked luggage now... often its been opened but nothing taken away, ripped open (I've heard of security tearing bears apart) or other wise harmed. I've noticed that they've quit leaving a note in your suitcase telling you they've been in it like they use to. So maybe it wasn't security... maybe it was a collector wanting a sneak peak at the show's offerings!! LOL!
MerBear OriginalsI had a bit of a scare last week at the Toronto airport. I was bringing a bear to my daughter and there just wasn't any more room in my checked luggage and so was carrying him. He is 16" and had a goodly size bag of SS shot and sand in his rump. This was questioned and I explained it as SS pellets (not buckshot). They then used a little brush all over him and checked for explosives residue. Fortunately he passed!
Personally I think the main problem was he was dressed as a Montreal Canadians hockey bear and this was of course, Toronto!
I never had any trouble flying to a Sydney show ~ they just took a quick look in the suitcase and said that would be fine.
Hugs
Carolyn
Fulrfun BearsI recently flew to New Zealand with a bear stuffed with ss shot but they were fine with it. He was in the checked luggage going over and hand luggage coming back and yes he did enjoy his holiday! I will explain he travels in my husbands truck all year long so when we have holidays naturally Kenny comes with us!
