Gear and Airport Security

**sidetrakd** · 05-11-2011, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by sobi

Keep in mind not to say its for DJing. Tell them it's all for personal music mixing, or music production. If you mention it is for DJing, certain countries may give you trouble and require a work visa. It rarely happens, but it does.

I would definitely think about this one.Get your story straight and make it fool proof as the whole work/holiday visa thing can be quite tough in some places!

**josh@firestorm** · 05-12-2011, 01:43 AM

something to think about..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf-DGKUNffI

at the end of the day, if you're weighing up the risks of taking all this with you amd worrying about possible implications etc - maybe you shouldn't take it.

**Nales** · 05-12-2011, 02:07 AM

I don't look threatening at all but I got some trouble when I took my BCD3000 with me. The only advice I can offer is that you should take all your gear out to be scanned individually. ... X1 never gave me trouble though

**Lysgaard** · 05-12-2011, 02:21 AM

my best piece of advice is to stash your electronic gear in your carry-on bag in such a way so that it's very easy for you to take it out and back in. TSA always asks me to remove laptops and anything electronic from the bag, and send it through the machine again. A pain in the ass if it's all in the bottom of the bag.

**Coldfuzion** · 05-12-2011, 12:59 PM

So I decided i'm going to be carrying the gear on me!

Thank you all for your input

!

**photojojo** · 05-12-2011, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Coldfuzion

So I decided i'm going to be carrying the gear on me!

Thank you all for your input

!

Don't forget an extra bottle of lube in case the TSA agent runs out.

**padi_04** · 05-12-2011, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by photojojo

Don't forget an extra bottle of lube in case the TSA agent runs out.

So that means he was already carrying one?

**djproben** · 05-12-2011, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by sobi

Keep in mind not to say its for DJing. Tell them it's all for personal music mixing, or music production. If you mention it is for DJing, certain countries may give you trouble and require a work visa. It rarely happens, but it does.

This! I had a friend who was part of a show get sent home from Heathrow (back to Miami) because they found a flyer for the show in her stuff and there was a fee for entrance to the show. She wasn't even getting paid to be in the show but they wouldn't let her set foot in Europe anyway.

As for traveling with gear, I do it in the states all the time with no problems. VCI-100 has been checked out once by a bored TSA person; he seemed satisfied when I said it was for music and put it through the xray on its own and that was that. Believe it or not most of the time they haven't even asked about it. Same for the midifighter and Audio8.

My skin is "olive" for what it's worth (though I don't get in the sun much lately so a lot closer to "white") - I'm middle eastern, and I have been hassled by airport security a number of times (even to the point of having US Marshalls visit my home after a flight because the flight attendants caught me reading about terrorism; long story....) But the equipment never presented a problem for some reason. I wouldn't have stuff with wires all over the place like the picture someone else posted above, and it would be best to avoid anything with a clock face counting down and some ticking noises, but mostly it's been no problem.

Can't speak for other countries though (although I did take some equipment to Japan a couple years ago with no problems). My guess is your skin will be more of an issue when you return to the US than it will in other countries. Mostly though I think the rules are the same everywhere -- play nice with the cops, don't be a smartass, and don't question their authority. Not saying it will keep you out of trouble but it will make a difference.

**jakeintox** · 05-12-2011, 03:06 PM

The couple times I've flown with my gear I took out my controller and ran it through the xray by itself, just like a laptop. Got pulled aside to explain what it was but other than that had no problems. I'm pretty darn white, though.