On the subject of traveling by air with your jewelry . . . I had a
long talk with a reservation agent at United Airlines today. She
confirmed that we are not technically allowed to travel with brooches
because of the pin stems. She also acknowledged that some security
officers are more diligent than others about checking such items but,
she said, if you are stopped with them - and you should be - you
have no recourse and will have to either check the items or arrange
for other transport.
Because of this conversation, I have decided against taking my
chances in regard to flying to Baltimore. Instead, and because I
don’t want to ship my pins, I am going to remove all the pin stems
(as Lisa from Byzantia suggested), check the pin stems, and carry on
the stem-less brooches along with the rest of the jewelry. I used to
think that I really ought to be riveting my pin stems on (though I’ve
never had a problem with the clamp on types), but now I’m glad I
don’t! I understand the necessity for such strict security measures
but, oh, what a pain!
Anyway, I hope to see all of you who are coming to ACC in Baltimore,
so stop by booth #320 to say hello. And travel safe and secure!
On the assumption that I won’t be biting off more than I can chew
here – I live in Baltimore and if there are some of you who have
brooches and might ship them if there was an alternative to the
convention center, I would be happy to hold them here for you until
you come to town. I have a station wagon and can get a fair amount in
it. If you are interested in 'discussing ’ this, please reply to me
offline.
This isn’t so much about flying with jewelry, as it is about flying
with jewelry tools - I bought a hammer handpiece at Tucson, and even
tho I remembered to pack other “weapon-like” tools in my suitcase, I
forgot the hammer handpiece. They made me go back to the counter and
check it through. Thanks to all the people who let me jump back up
the Verrrry long line so I could make my flight!
Ivy in Oakland - wishing for those incredible blue Tucson skies!
A propos of flying with high profile goods, I returned from Arizona
last weekend with numerous jewelry tools and four kilos of facet
topaz. My bag went through the x-ray unopened , but I was personaly
practically strip searched ! The check-in line line was an hour long
and the security line took nearly as much time. To hell with flying
! Cheerfully yours and…thankful for having a nice new truck…
Ron at Mills Gem, Los Osos, CA.
To hell with flying! Cheerfully yours and...thankful for having
a nice new truck....
Not so fast, Ron! I just drove back to Colorado from Tucson, and was
stopped by INS on I-25, about halfway between Hatch and Socorro.
About an hour later, I was back on the road, having had the car
searched and relieved of the half bottle of Absolut that was packed
in the back. Oddly, they never noticed I was carrying several
thousand dollars worth of gems and platinum. Go figure.