Can I carry my heat exchanger through Gatwick security?

Southampton airport didn't want me to take some 38mm piping through for the heads. I told them it was used for toilets on boats and they could have it if they really wanted it.
It was used piping and I had learnt on the journey down it was no longer needed so actually quite keen to leave it with them.
 
Tricia said:
Blimey! I couldn't get a bloody jar of Branston pickle through security in my hand luggage at Gatwick. They took it off me because there was too much liquid in it. I pointed out it wasn't liquid it was lumpy, but they still took if off me.
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You can now buy Branston pickle (and Colemans mustard, and Marmite) at the newsagents (London News Company? ex W H Smiths, anyway) at lgw north terminal after security.

Cheers
Jimmy
 
There is no reason whatsoever for security to stop you carrying a heat exchanger. It does not feature in any of the lists of items banned in hand luggage which are easily found on the Internet. These people are poorly trained and all too often on a huge power trip. They seldom know their own rules, it is up to you to stand up for yourself. I have carried a cylinder head, an injection pump and a set of pistons in hand luggage. They asked questions, sure, but none of the items were banned so they had to let them through.
 
GrahamM376 said:
Had a good barny with security one year, they said I couldn't take an arc welder in hand baggage - must go in the hold sir. Had to call airline rep in the end who confirmed that electronic items should not be in hold baggage therefore OK in hand luggage.
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I have been influenced by the SSB threads so decided to take my SSB Marine set to the boat this Spring. Can anyone tell me why electronic items should not go in hold baggage. Actually I would prefer to take it hand baggage.

Some folk quote the rules, does anyone have a link to airport security site with an easy to understand what can and what can't be taken through airport security?

Thanks.
 
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BlueTwo said:
I have been influenced by the SSB threads so decided to take my SSB Marine set to the boat this Spring. Can anyone tell me why electronic items should not go in hold baggage. Actually I would prefer to take it hand baggage.

Some folk quote the rules, does anyone have a link to airport security site with an easy to understand what can and what can't be taken through airport security?

Thanks.
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The information is listed under "terms and conditions" on Easyjet site but other airlines may vary.

20.4.12 You should not include in Your Hold Baggage fragile or perishable items, money, jewellery, precious metals, silverware, computers, electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities or other valuables, business documents, passports and other identification documents or samples and we accept no liability for them save as stated in Article 16.5.3 (Baggage, Damage to Baggage).
 
GrahamM376 said:
The information is listed under "terms and conditions" on Easyjet site but other airlines may vary.

20.4.12 You should not include in Your Hold Baggage fragile or perishable items, money, jewellery, precious metals, silverware, computers, electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities or other valuables, business documents, passports and other identification documents or samples and we accept no liability for them save as stated in Article 16.5.3 (Baggage, Damage to Baggage).
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Thanks. However, isn't that an airline rule which varies depending on the airline? It would seem that the list in their rules are more concerned with the value of the item hence their liability.

I was wondering how you managed to convince airport security that the airline you were using were reluctant to carry electronic items in their hold. I would have thought that the airport security staff wouldn't give a hoot about a particular airline preference. Hence the reason you were challenged in the first place was because their rules apply and your item fell inside their list of items that should not be allowed in hand baggage. The manager you called had a brain and saw the your particular item was no danger to the aircraft.

My particular problem is that I need three aircraft flights to get to my boat in Preveza. To get through the first two then refused on the third means that I would have to dump a very expensive SSB set because my hold baggage is already on the conveyer by the time I hit airport security searches.
 
I have carried electronic equipment in hold baggage several times to Greece on BA, Olympic, Easyjet and various charter airlines with no problems except the odd occasion when the screening folks in Corfu have asked what the funny box is. Fine after opening and showing.
 
BlueTwo said:
Thanks. However, isn't that an airline rule which varies depending on the airline? It would seem that the list in their rules are more concerned with the value of the item hence their liability.
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It does read as though they're concerned about value/claims but, it's a useful paragraph to show security staff - most of whom just blindly follow what they think are the rules.

I've always found airlines to be very helpful in answering questions so suggest if you're worried, email all 3 of yours.
 
"You should not include in Your Hold Baggage fragile or perishable items, money, jewellery, precious metals, silverware, computers, electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities or other valuables"

Its pretty clear, isnt it? SHOULD NOT is totally different from "must not" so this is clearly as said above a liability thing. You pack it and its broken/nicked you'll get no compensation, obvious really! But if you wish put all the SSBs, computers and silverware you like in your hold baggage.

nb, Pack all hold baggage with the expectation of its falling THREE METRES onto concrete.
If you don't like that the remedy is in your hand (baggage).

All these regulations are published in plain English on every airlines website and are easy to find. Bear I mind there are two different regs at work, Dangerous Goods (pyros, flammables, corrosives, big batteries, gas bottles etc) which are pretty much common to all airlines and refer to what may/may not be carried, where it may be carried and whether the airline needs to be informed, and Security regs which is In the hands if the monkeys in their power uniforms and can vary in detail from airport to airport and refers ONLY to what can be carried in the cabin, ie potential weapons or materials "capable" of being used to hijack or damage a flight like Branston Pickle or 125ml of non liquid toothpaste...or indeed a box cutter, or whether 90ml is explosive on its own but miraculously becomes inert when packed in one of those explosion-proof ziplock bags (as long as the bag IS ziplock) -ordinary plastic bags do not have this extraordinary property, and is of course of the correct (and equally vital) size. Security are often pretty clueless about their own regulations and usually know next to nothing about Dangerous Goods regs so it is up to you to know what you can and can't take, and what they can and can't take off you. Unfair, unreasonable, unworkable and has nothing much to do with safety I'm afraid, it's a political exercise in ducking the blame if anything bad happens; "Look at all those draconian (ie pointless and useless) regulations we made, it wasn't our fault". At the order, Shoulders, SLOPE!

Security regs are published in the airports website but don't count on it being comprehensive or catering for the whims and fantasies of individual cretins on the scanner on the day.
 
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To Mash ... That''s pretty much how I understood it before reading this thread. It was the actual experiance of other posters that drew my attention to the assumptions that a fuel filter could bash someone on the head. OK back to square one.

I know about power hungry uniform fillers having met one in Athens about a sealed can of coke. I offered to drink it there and then rather than let them add it to their personal picnic basket. No, move on sir.

It would be nice to have a printed list though. I will google around the airport sites to see if I can find one.

Thanks
 
I've carried masses of boaty stuff in my hold luggage to various destinations over the years and never had a problem however with the prices the cheapo airlines charge nowadays for carrying checked in bags, I generally prefer to avoid the airport/airline hassles and ship via courier. I use www.parcels2go.com normally, they collect from the door the next day (sometimes the same day) and have always delivered on time with no breakages or shortfalls so far. Pretty much the same cost as an average checked in bag and you can pack anything you like (apart from obvious pyro and gassy stuff) in a blooming great box with no drudgery at either end of the journey. Only downside is you will require a destination address but that's usually easy enough to sort out.

Cheers, Brian.
 
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