International Flights with ARC AAA

In a few weeks I have to fly for a business
trip from Germany to Norway.

Do anybody know if there is a problem
carrying a ARC AAA as an EDC on board
of a plane?

Cheers Ralf

Merri and I carried a bunch of AAAs and LSs with us to St. Martin in the Caribbean. We put them in our luggage and got through customs fine.

Peter Gransee

No problem carrying the Arc AAA on board; I've done it on tons of flights both international and domestic. It doesn't even set off the metal scanner when you leave it in your pocket.

I've often used it in a dark airplane cabin. Comes in handy!

Enjoy your trip.

Should be no problem. Went to Vancover last week with ARC, Infinity and Opalec in my carrying on shoulder bag.. Going over, the guy just asked to turn the lights and my cell phone on, just to see if they were what they were supposed to be. No sweat. Coming back, they just glanced at them and that was that. Going over seems to be harder than coming back.

Another note. I'll be going to London later this month on United. I'm more worried about that airline than any lights I bring over with me.

I carried mine too and on many flights within China this summer. No problems at all. And as others report - I even made it through the metal detectors when I forgot to remove it.

I've carried my infinity ultra, I also have arc ls and AAA, in my carry on from LAX to LAPAZ, BAJA CALIFORNIA. I had the battery inside. Nobody has said anything three times.

I think the reason nobody has said anything is that they don't care. The lady behind the scanner and the three other people behind the hidden wall watching their scanners obviously saw the battery.
They know it's not a weapon. And lets face it, today, most Americans and ESPECIALLY AMERICAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS are CORRUPT. They give empty fancy speeches that are meaningless. What it boils down to is the ARC and Infinity are not worth it to them to STEAL from you.

I have heard of customs at the airport seizing guns and rifles used on SAFARI that were worth a lot to STEAL not to destroy. The list goes on and on, seized cars, seized anything. Not to mention CASH. If you carry a wad through the airport, you'd better be ready to part with it. Some smart *** crooked cop will probably try and intimidate you and make you feel like you're a drug dealer and try and wear a straight intimidating face till you part with it. He'll spend it all.

I had this happen to me with the Tijuana cops 5 years ago. I went down while in college with a korean classmate to the bars in Tijuana. About 5 am waiting in the line of cars at the border to come back to the US, one of three Tijuana cops standing by their patrol car in the center divider between incoming and exiting traffic from Mexico, walked up to my drivers window and stuck his revolver in my face infront of all the other drivers and asked me how much my friend and I had on us. He made us give it all to him to avoid going to prison. We didn't smoke anything or do any drugs at all. We did chase women and drink. I do feel bad for whoremongling; I won't do it again. Honest, that was all. We were down and out robbed. America seems to be going the same way as the Mexican authorities. Mexican cops make $200 a month or so. They'll stick you up for very little or just out of jealousy and hatred.

The American cops get $42000 starting right out of the academy which is paid for buy the government. Police for the airport get paid a little more. Your arc isn't worth getting fired for stealing. A lambourghini is worth it. If you're taking something politically incorrect yet legal, a savy cop might figure out you couldn't win against him and the courts would allow him to steal it from you, ie. an expensive safari rifle.

We're not lucky, just small fish.

ledfanfromjuno - You must live in a rich part of CA, the police officers here in UT start at around $22,000.

Oh ya, I was once rousted by the Federales in Mazatlan for everything I had in my pocket.......

Ralf - I don't think you'll have any problems.

Ledfan
I am appalled by your statement that most Americans and cops are corrupt! What basis do you have for making such an all encompassing statement?

I am British but know loads of people from the US and can say with complete honesty that I'd trust them with my last penny and perhaps more importantly with my life of my family's life.

There are many bad people in the world and I'm sure that you have obviously met some of them but to make such a broad statement as you have must be really offensive to some people in the states especially those in Law enforcement!

Doug

One thing to remember in the US is if you are asked for permission to search to never ever give it. When you do you waive many of your rights. If they have probable cause or the legal right to search they don't need your permission and if they don't have probable cause they have no business going through your stuff. Just don't forget to be polite and VERY respectful and don't physically resist.

edit: of course you may get searched going through a security checkpoint in an airport but thats a different situation.

THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IS ETERNAL VIGILANCE

thx for all the replies. I think
there will be no problem. I flew a lot
in the last years from germany to the
uk and I met always very nice persons
as police officers. There will be always
corrupt people in all jobs, but I think
thats not the normal situation.

Cheers Ralf

YEah well I went to school at SDSU and went to Tijuana many times and more than a dozen I came back stumbling through the border at 5am. Even though I speak spanish, I've never ever been hassled by the cops either here in the USA or in Tijuana. I even helped throw an underground at a bar in Mexico and the local cops were fine with me (lucky for me). One big thing is that if you look like a victim the thieves will see this and spring on you.

You sound like a victim saying "And lets face it, today, most Americans and ESPECIALLY AMERICAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS are CORRUPT." You sound clueless, try getting into politics and try actually changing the system from within intead of spewing pathetic rhetoric like this.

Anyways, in the same vein... if you go to an airport and try to play "stump the expert" and act like a shady character with something to hide, don't be surprised if you get your flashlight swiped and get stripsearched. A lot of what happens to you in life, you bring on yourself by your demeanor.

You have it way better here in the US than you realize.

Try carrying it in your shoe. They'll never find it there.

Originally posted by ledfanfromjuno:

... most Americans and ESPECIALLY AMERICAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS are CORRUPT. They give empty fancy speeches that are meaningless...

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">What category are you in?
Nice overgeneralization.

I'd get on the soap box, but it'll be "meaningless."

Back on topic please.

I was flying through Rome back in '89 and found out that they don't like Fluke miltimeters! They spied the meter going through the x-ray and next thing I know two cops are sticking Uzis in my face and forcing me on the floor! They thought it was a bomb, I showed them what it does and they said to put it in my luggage.

Needless to say, I generally don't carry anything with me through the airport these days. I think an Arc AAA should be fine though, they can see what it does, you can take it apart etc. The Leatherman Micra? Would not try that one any more

Most in American government corrupt? no. Inept? yes. The Mexican police does have the reputation for being the most corrupt in the world, but that doesn't mean that every country has that.