Oil pastels on a plane

itsanne

I would very much appreciate feedback from anyone who has take oil pastels on a flight. Did you have any problems with them in hold baggage? That's where I'd intended to put them until someone said that they can appear as explosives when x-rayed. (A friend's haggis was identified as explosive when screened, so I haven't discounted the suggestion!) Especially as there will be three flights, I'm reluctant to pack in a way that risks my case missing the first one because of extra screening.

When considering taking them in hand luggage instead, I seem to be going round in circles over whether or not they would be classed as 'liquids'- some information suggests they wouldn't, but other sources suggest they would.

Any experiences would be very helpful.
Thanks.

eDicky

Can you describe what they are and in what form?

worried_jim

If they class Vaseline (GF found out in June when stopped at Gatwick) as a liquid they are definitely going to class oil paint as a liquid so a hand luggage no no.

itsanne

eDicky wrote: »

Can you describe what they are and in what form?

worried_jim wrote: »

If they class Vaseline (GF found out in June when stopped at Gatwick) as a liquid they are definitely going to class oil paint as a liquid so a hand luggage no no.

Thanks for replying.


These are the ones I want to take. They're more solid than a lipstick, not like the consistency of vaseline.

worried_jim

itsanne wrote: »

Thanks for replying.


These are the ones I want to take. They're more solid than a lipstick, not like the consistency of vaseline.

Their phone number is on that web page, give them a call to see if they have knowledge of their customers taking them on flights, you can't be be the first. At worst you could simply put them in a see through bag like any other liquid as each is under 100ml and have them in your hand luggage. Good luck!

eDicky

itsanne wrote: »

These are the ones I want to take. They're more solid than a lipstick, not like the consistency of vaseline.

I'm pretty sure that there's no way such an item will be mistaken for explosives during the scan of checked-in luggage, modern equipment is quite sophisticated

For hand luggage, I'm almost as sure that it will not be regarded as liquid. Assuming they are of a size that can be used in the hand like a crayon, they would probably fit in a liquids bag that is not already too stuffed, in case of an overzealous operator.

badger09

I agree with worried jim & eDdicky

They look much the same as lipsticks and as the total weight of 12 (excluding packaging) is 160G, at the very worst, you can take them in a sealed 'liquids' bag in hand luggage.

gettingtheresometime

badger09 wrote: »

I agree with worried jim & eDdicky

They look much the same as lipsticks and as the total weight of 12 (excluding packaging) is 160G, at the very worst, you can take them in a sealed 'liquids' bag in hand luggage.

But bear in mind that the paints, if you can take them in hand luggage, will reduce the amount of other stuff that the OP can take that will have to be put into the bag.


The other thing to bear in mind is where the OP will be returning from - when I was wondering if I could knitting needles on a flight I looked to see if I could bring them back on the return flight as well.

Blue264

When I looked at the photo of your pastels, I instantly thought that they will look like bullets on an scanner.

Please see these two links from other artists who have gone through airport security with pastels. They have some good tips.

https://makingamark.blogspot.com/2011/08/top-tips-for-travelling-artists-pastels.html

http://kemstudios.blogspot.com/2014/02/read-this-before-traveling-with-pastels.html

As for explosives, marzipan in checked in luggage can still raise an eyebrow, and 2 weeks ago, I was stopped for having mini christmas puddings in my hand luggage because, apparently, they show up as yoghurt.

Nile

Blue264 wrote: »

When I looked at the photo of your pastels, I instantly thought that they will look like bullets on an scanner.

Please see these two links from other artists who have gone through airport security with pastels. They have some good tips.

https://makingamark.blogspot.com/2011/08/top-tips-for-travelling-artists-pastels.html

http://kemstudios.blogspot.com/2014/02/read-this-before-traveling-with-pastels.html

As for explosives, marzipan in checked in luggage can still raise an eyebrow, and 2 weeks ago, I was stopped for having mini christmas puddings in my hand luggage because, apparently, they show up as yoghurt.

My cabin bag was targeted for extra inspection in Seattle Tacoma airport recently because they suspected my (Minstrels) bag of chocolates was drugs. The officer interviewed me and satisfied himself that I'm not a drugs smuggler.

itsanne

Update in case of use for anyone else


Thanks to all who responded.
I ended up putting them in the liquids bag on the way out and in hold luggage coming home (when delayed luggage would be less of a problem). There were no problems.