I am flying from Stewart International in Newburgh, NY to Charleston, SC but connectors in Philly and Detroit. Are there smoking lounges in either of those?
Pipes and Tobacco On Planes?
- Thread starter mrgunnar177
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I would just play it safe and put your pipes, tobacco and sharps in your checked luggage. That's what I do. Even on my own plane!
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I hadn't flown since I retired a few years ago until the past 6 months. I was not looking forward to it. I have a man purse and in 8 passes through TSA in the states and 2 in Barcelona. I have never been looked at twice with 6 pipes, multiple tins, etc.. only bic lighters. The key IMO is be ready when you step up. pockets emptied, belt, shoes, whatever off, hats off, etc..
Last winter I flew to Mexico from Canada with 2 pipes, baggies, tool, and a wad of cleaners in a soft sided pipe case carried on. It was the first trip by air for me with pipes and I had concerns as well.
Stopped in Denver going one way, and Houston in the other. Customs and TSA inspections in both of those airports without issue. Customs and security inspections in Cancun and in Calgary as well on that trip, and it was problem free. I had concerned myself enough about it that I had tried to think of how I might explain things to a curious TSA agent that may be unfamiliar with the resurgence of pipe smoking, and was almost disappointed when no explanation was necessary.
One thing to be mindful of if you are crossing an international border though, is the amount of tobacco in your possession. Different countries have different allowances depending on the duration of your stay. Taking enough to smoke for a week's stay should be way under any imposed limit.
Stopped in Denver going one way, and Houston in the other. Customs and TSA inspections in both of those airports without issue. Customs and security inspections in Cancun and in Calgary as well on that trip, and it was problem free. I had concerned myself enough about it that I had tried to think of how I might explain things to a curious TSA agent that may be unfamiliar with the resurgence of pipe smoking, and was almost disappointed when no explanation was necessary.
One thing to be mindful of if you are crossing an international border though, is the amount of tobacco in your possession. Different countries have different allowances depending on the duration of your stay. Taking enough to smoke for a week's stay should be way under any imposed limit.
I am of middle eastern decent and have a beard. I get "randomly searched" multiple times for every flight I take. I have however had no problems with carrying on pipes or tobacco, although sometimes the tobacco gets sniffed/examined. I have had cheap lighters and cheap tampers taken away from me though. I just leave my good lighters/tampers at home if I am only carrying on or check them if I am checking a bag.
This doesn't help with you question, but is a pipe related story. My dad smoked a pipe back in the day. He told me he was on a plane and went to light his pipe(this was when you could smoke on planes), and the stewardess told him he couldn't smoke it, because it was an open ember. Like cigarettes and cigar were any safer.
Everyone's said it all already, so I'm just adding a little TGIF humor" answer here. :P
Just tell them that you want to fly "Commando Class" and ask for a seat out on the wing. Be sure to bring your Zippo and leave your Old Boy lighter home, because there may be a slight breeze.
Just tell them that you want to fly "Commando Class" and ask for a seat out on the wing. Be sure to bring your Zippo and leave your Old Boy lighter home, because there may be a slight breeze.
No idea if those airports have lounges. I have relocated to Myrtle Beach, flew from Anchorage to Atlanta then to Spartanburg SC and drove the rest of the way. I had all my pipes and some baccy in my carry-on along with tampers and my two lighters ( Dunhill Rollagas and a Vertigo Briar ) both emptied of fuel .... on a previous trip, TSA questioned whether my Rollagas was a torch lighter ( a no-no on planes ) and I just had to light it in front of the officer to prove it wasn't, without being a dickhead of course. My pipe knife, reamer, pipe stands and the main stash of baccy travelled safely in checked luggage.
Gunnar,
I have never had a problem flying with pipes and tobacco. You can fly with a lighter (in checked luggage only) with one of these cases: Colibri Lighter Case
I advise, however, to include the manual of the lighter in the case to prove it is a soft flame lighter. If you don't have documentation proving it is a soft flame lighter, they will confiscate it.
I have never had a problem flying with pipes and tobacco. You can fly with a lighter (in checked luggage only) with one of these cases: Colibri Lighter Case
I advise, however, to include the manual of the lighter in the case to prove it is a soft flame lighter. If you don't have documentation proving it is a soft flame lighter, they will confiscate it.
Cool deal. Thank you everyone. You've really put my mind at ease. I wasn't originally planning on checking a bag (I'm not a millionaire, after all) but if I am going for a week, I may have to. I have all weekend to plan though. I'm not flying international, just from New York to Charleston, SC and back again. I made a back-up tamper out of a polar dowel so I was planning on bringing that. I'll bring a Bic too and if that gets confiscated, oh well.
Thanks again, everyone I feel 100% better about this situation now!
Thanks again, everyone I feel 100% better about this situation now!
I've flown several times in the recent past with pipes, tobacco, pipe tool, pipe cleaners and small box matches in my carry-on
luggage with no problem. These are usually in a back-pack, in a toilet kit besides the one that I carry with my toilet gear and
prescription and other pills. No problem with the pipes or pipe kit. They are readily identifiable on x-ray as tobacco pipes, and the gear
that goes with them, logically, has not raised concern. I did get stopped once about my harmonica which, because of the
row of reed chambers, suggested a pistol clip. They saw the harmonica and no problem. I didn't threaten to play it.
luggage with no problem. These are usually in a back-pack, in a toilet kit besides the one that I carry with my toilet gear and
prescription and other pills. No problem with the pipes or pipe kit. They are readily identifiable on x-ray as tobacco pipes, and the gear
that goes with them, logically, has not raised concern. I did get stopped once about my harmonica which, because of the
row of reed chambers, suggested a pistol clip. They saw the harmonica and no problem. I didn't threaten to play it.
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