# Airport security



## crazycuber1 (Nov 13, 2013)

Planning to take a Dayan zhanchi over seas to practice cubing don't know if I am allowed to hand carry it.


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## pjk (Nov 13, 2013)

Yes, you are allowed to carryon a cube.


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## PianoCube (Nov 13, 2013)

The security wantet to take a look at my timer once, but nothing have ever been taken from me.

A cube won't be a problem.


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## Dene (Nov 13, 2013)

The only things you won't be allowed are flamables and sharp things. Google came up with this. Go down to the bottom where it has "What you should leave at home".

Just be careful with lube. If you use a silicon spray can, that won't be allowed.


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## TDM (Nov 13, 2013)

I took a 2x2, two 3x3s, a 4x4, a 5x5, a Megaminx and a Pyramorphix to Italy and back. Didn't have any problems.


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## kcl (Nov 13, 2013)

Just be careful about rounded puzzles. I've heard of people getting pulled aside for v cube 7s and stuff.


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## Username (Nov 13, 2013)

kclejeune said:


> Just be careful about rounded puzzles. I've heard of people getting pulled aside for v cube 7s and stuff.



Why would that make a difference? :O


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## TDM (Nov 13, 2013)

Username said:


> Why would that make a difference? :O


Most people haven't seen them before. They're a different shape, they could look like they have something inside them because they're bigger, so they could look suspicious.


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## kcl (Nov 13, 2013)

Username said:


> Why would that make a difference? :O



"Foreign object". Just because the shape looks.. Interesting on an X-ray.


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## mark49152 (Nov 13, 2013)

Username said:


> Why would that make a difference? :O


Looks like a hand grenade on x-ray...?


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## crazycuber1 (Nov 14, 2013)

Thanks everyone!!!


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## shelley (Nov 16, 2013)

Cubes do look suspicious on x-rays because the six screws in the axis show up prominently. However, I remember a trip through airport security when I noticed an agent looking confusedly at an image of my bag. He pointed it out to a colleague, who immediately said "Oh those are Rubik's cubes!"


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## kcl (Nov 16, 2013)

shelley said:


> Cubes do look suspicious on x-rays because the six screws in the axis show up prominently. However, I remember a trip through airport security when I noticed an agent looking confusedly at an image of my bag. He pointed it out to a colleague, who immediately said "Oh those are Rubik's cubes!"



Yeah, they generally figure out what they are very quickly. I usually have a minimum 5 yoyos (aluminum.. Round.. ) and I've never had a problem. Overall airport security isn't bad.


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## rj (Nov 17, 2013)

kclejeune said:


> Yeah, they generally figure out what they are very quickly. I usually have a minimum 5 yoyos (aluminum.. Round.. ) and I've never had a problem. Overall airport security isn't bad.



I've never flown, but my dad carried on a stickerless GuHong with no problems.


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## 78BFE (Nov 19, 2013)

I'm fairly certain you can take a 3x3 on a plane but I'm not too sure about other larger puzzles.


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## Rubiks560 (Nov 19, 2013)

I've brought a full backpack full of every WCA puzzle.


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## 78BFE (Nov 19, 2013)

Rubiks560 said:


> I've brought a full backpack full of every WCA puzzle.



Well then, there you have it; you can bring any puzzle with not much complications.


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## tx789 (Nov 19, 2013)

I brought nearly my entire cube collection on a plane as hand luggage. It was a Wellington-Auckland flight. For NZ Nations 2013. No problems.


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## uyneb2000 (Nov 19, 2013)

I remember once at the US-Canada border, an officer noticed I had a cube in my hand. He asked me to solve, so I did. Just a funny experience I had.


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## brian724080 (Nov 19, 2013)

I brought a whole pack of cubes and another cube on my hand in and out of Canada and Taiwan, no problem


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## Anthony (Nov 19, 2013)

I was able to get through security at the Chicago O'Hare airport today in part because I solved a cube for the agent. I lost my license and the only form of ID I had on me was my school's student ID... They let me through after I answered a few questions and solved a cube they found in my bag.


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## TMOY (Nov 19, 2013)

Once in a Parisian airport (don't remember which one), security pulled my bag aside because the V7 in it looked suspicious to them. When they realized it was nothing more dangerous than a plastic toy, they became much nicer and even asked me to do a cubing demo to them.


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## brian724080 (Nov 19, 2013)

TMOY said:


> When they realized it was nothing more dangerous than a plastic toy



Plastic toys are very dangerous


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## Alexisa (Nov 19, 2013)

I think Crazycuber1 is referring to whether he can take it over seas with him because of the dayan and 7towns dispute?


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## TMOY (Nov 19, 2013)

Then the issue may be with customs, not with security. Airport security cares only about the dangerosity of the items you are carrying, not about their copyright status.
Practiaclly speaking I've never had any problem with customs when I was carrying all my competition cubes with me.


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## BillyRain (Nov 19, 2013)

Be sure to take a look on the monitor when your bag goes through. They look beautiful on x-ray. 

When I went to NIOpen, I had all my cubes in a silver flight case and it looked awesome.

I thought I'd definately get called up but the guy looked away as it went through haha!


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## TimMc (Nov 19, 2013)

I wouldn't recommend taking a syringe of Lubix to Thailand =.=

Tim.


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## Deleted member 19792 (Nov 19, 2013)

I brought like 40 puzzles with me to Tree Town when I was visiting U of M and my Aunt. It was really really early in the morning. So they probably let it go by.


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## yoinneroid (Nov 19, 2013)

TimMc said:


> I wouldn't recommend taking a syringe of Lubix to Thailand =.=
> 
> Tim.



umm, what happened?


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## Daniel Wu (Nov 19, 2013)

I get stopped at airport security every single time. Probably because I have my cubes in this and combined with wires from cell changes and laptop chargers, it probably looks pretty sketchy.


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## andojay (Nov 19, 2013)

don't' carry a screwdriver or a flathead
if you do, throw it in the check-in baggage


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## Farorian (Nov 19, 2013)

mark49152 said:


> Looks like a hand grenade on x-ray...?



I have been stopped 4 times for pretty much that exact reason.. funny when they tell you to open the bag though.. facepalms galore


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## AirbusCube (Jan 19, 2015)

What happen if I take cubes in the check in baggage?


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## AlphaSheep (Jan 19, 2015)

AirbusCube said:


> What happen if I take cubes in the check in baggage?



Two possibilities:
1) Nothing.
2) They look at them, figure out they're harmless and they let them through.


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## Stefan (Jan 19, 2015)

Years ago I was asked like two times to show them, but not anymore. Disappointing.


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## AlexMaass (Jan 19, 2015)

I solved one in the line of airport security, they were interested in a good way.


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## Dene (Jan 19, 2015)

AirbusCube said:


> What happen if I take cubes in the check in baggage?



They will confiscate all your cubes on suspicion that they're bombs.


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## Seanliu (Jan 20, 2015)

brian724080 said:


> I brought a whole pack of cubes and another cube on my hand in and out of Canada and Taiwan, no problem



I brought one into TW. No problems. You in TW as well? Where


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## qqwref (Jan 20, 2015)

A few years ago I used to get stopped regularly (apparently all those screws pointing towards the center look mighty suspicious), although all they'd do was take a look in the bag and swab around. Nowadays they usually let me through without incident - maybe their equipment has improved.


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## brian724080 (Jan 20, 2015)

Seanliu said:


> I brought one into TW. No problems. You in TW as well? Where



I live in the Shilin District of Taipei


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## Erik (Jan 20, 2015)

Stefan said:


> Years ago I was asked like two times to show them, but not anymore. Disappointing.



I guess you were hoping for some more drama? 

Maybe something like this?

One time when Sébastien and me were flying to a comp. It was early morning and the security staff didn't have much on their hands. They looked at our cubes in the x-ray machine and decided to take a look. After some chit chat about the comp we were going to, the security guy did an explosives test on a cube and a stackmat timer for fun. They passed with flying colours of course ^^ It was kinda interesting to see they actually have a device which non-destructively tests for explosives in stuff.


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## Sin-H (Jan 20, 2015)

I usually always have one or two cubes in my carry-on baggage (often I travel only with carry-on baggage within Europe), and I've never had problems.

Once, when traveling to Wroclaw for Euro 2012, a security guard got confused when looking at the x-rays of my backpack, but his colleague immediately said "oh, these are Rubik's Cubes" in a likeable swiss german dialect. I gotta admit, my backpack then was full of cubes.

Nothing happened to the other competition I flew to, Worlds 2013, although I would have expected intercontinental security to be a bit less relaxed than the ones within EU+Switzerland.


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