Balisong and the Airlines.... Help!!!

S

sn7

Joined
Sep 25, 2000
Messages
291
Im flying back on Sunday (I hope) from Florida to Los Angeles. I am going to have a BM-43 in my checked luggage, do you think it will be alright? What should I do.... Help:confused:
 
I would call around the different shippers to find out what they are doing to ship these items.

I spoke with one dealer tonight who is very concerned that all that has happened will hurt his ability to ship knives. The US Mail is inspecting Priority Mail packages - and don't know when this will end, and they US Mail is backed up right now. Also, there is talk that the US Mail will not be able to fly on airlines anymore - we will have to wait to see what happens there.

Find who can give you the best guarantee that they will handle your shipment carefully and quickly - remembering that if anything else happens before you get it, it could be delayed alot. If you send it by mail, insure it and get delivery confirmation so you can track it online at least (sometimes you get updates along the way). Do not take no on the DC from a postal employee if they say you don't need it because you are also insuring it. Many postal clerks believe that the more expensive blue and white insurance slip is trackable online - IT IS NOT!! So insist on DC too!!

You may also call the airline and explain your situation - insist on speaking to a supervisor at the terminal you will be using if at all possible and find out what their policy is now. I know you don't want to have it confiscated, and even before this incident, I have heard of balisongs being confiscated at airports just because someone was carrying it in their pocket. So be careful!
 
Call the airline and explain to them that you want to carry a knife in your CHECKED baggage. Confirm with them that that will be ok. Right now, of course, everything is quite dynamic. As I understand it, knives will still be permitted in checked baggage. And, of course, there's no reason not to. A knife in your checked baggage is not "useful" to you in flight.

Under the circumstances, I'd suggest putting the knife into your bag before you go into the terminal and not removing it from the bag at your destination until after you are outside the terminal.

Again, the best thing you can do is call the airline and ask.

"Welcome aboard flight 123. After we reach our cruising altitude, we will begin our dinner service which will be served with only straws. Today, we are featuring consume', tomato soup, creamed corn, and pudding."
 
The US Mail is inspecting Priority Mail packages
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Except in cases of obvious risk (smoking packages, etc.) only US Postal Inspectors are legally allowed to open US Mail in-transit and then only with a court order (essentially a search warrent). Courts issue those orders only when there is reason to believe that the package violates federal law or postal regulations. Balisongs violate neither.
 
Chuck my understanding in talking to people who ship through the USPS regularily is that now, when they present their packages at the counter, they are being opened and inspected there - on the spot. This may not be happening everywhere, but in some places. I have personally seen this happen at UPS before as well.
 
if nothing else, why not ship it via UPS, though i dont think ya would have probs on checked luggage - if ya are worried, ship it UPS insured, and i dont think ya would have anything to worry about.....


sifu
 
If the U.S. mail cannot be on airliners could this be the deathblow to the USPS? Will all of our mail be shipped with UPS or FEDX?

Who cares about the mail…..Who will sponsor Lance and the boys?!?
 
I'm not sure where you live. but I can legally ship a balisong to my home in Ohio from another state that balisongs are legal.
 
in talking to people who ship through the USPS regularily
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That's UPS, United Parcel Service (also known as Unrepentant Package Smashers). They've been doing this for years. When someone posted about this, I couldn't believe it, so I e-mailed them and asked. They said that yes, their goal is to inspect all packages received from individual shippers.

USPS, the United States Postal Service, to my knowledge, is still bound by US law and by Postal Service regulations.

I know that with their similar names, it's easy to confuse UPS And USPS.
 
Hi again Chuck,

LOL no - I wasn't refering to UPS by mistake. I was referring to the USPS (United States Postal Service) correctly. :) I know people can commonly mistake one for the other when typing.

The Postal clerks can open packages to inspect them before accepting them - there is nothing in the regs that I know to stop them from doing so . . . for instance, when sending via media mail, they can - and do - open packages to make sure the contents are what you say they are and you are not trying to ship something cheaply that is not allowed to go that way. I personally have not had this happen to me, thought I have been quized at times about what was in the package - but I have seen and do know of others who have been forced to open their packages and have the contents inspected before they were allowed to mail them using Media Mail. This happens before the package goes into the possession of the USPS - postage has not been paid for, neither has the package been accepted for delivery yet by the USPS - so I don't believe their regulations as to who can open and inspect package in route would apply. However, that part is speculation on my part, as PostMasters are known to do what they want at times . . .the reg books are so big that I don't know if any Post Master knows them all - and when talking to any clerk worth their salt, they tell me it is up to how the particular Post Master interprets the regs . . . .
 
To any who are interested, here is a quote from someone letting a group know what is happening (this was on the 12th):

I just received an email from a buyer, in which he says (this is from a small town in New Mexico):

"I just returned from the post office after mailing you a money order for the
amount of $XXX. HOWEVER----I talked to the
postmaster of our small town and he said it could take up to two weeks for the letter to reach you. He said that the post office will not fly mail for another two days. And after they resume air service the post office will be backed up tremedously. He also informed me that until notified at a later time the post office must carefully inspect every mailed package. He said this additional security will also slow down deliveries--not only packages, but letters as well."
Click to expand...

That was just one person's experience - if you read the thread, you will see that it is not others . . it appears that this type of activity may vary from place to place . . .

http://community.otwa.com/3/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=386293084&f=200299906&m=9812960312
 
Yeah I'd just mail it to yourself. You could always call the airline and ask if they think it'll be a prob. But just to be safe I'd mail to myself.
 
Random

If the U.S. mail cannot be on airliners could this be the deathblow to the USPS? Will all of our mail be shipped with UPS or FEDX?
Click to expand...

At the very least, rates will probably go up. They put in for a rate increase on the 11th.
 
I think I might have lost a knife through all of this. I had won an auction, and the guy mailed the knife to me last Tuesday. He mailed it regular USPS, and I still haven't got it. I only hope that it's been delayed and not intercepted somewhere.

TJ
 
I happen to know a postal inspector. He's working at LAX right now, but should have the info for you guys within a couple of days.;)
 
tj_dude

don't panic yet - lots of people are being told to expect delays of one to 2 weeks :)
 
I made it back:D

They did not check my checked baggage, but they did check the guys before me. Im real lucky I and my 43 made it back to LA today.
 
sn7:

Did anyone whose baggage was examined before you have any knives or sharp objects confiscated?

This is of interest to me because I was planning to buy a couple of knives in the US when I visit in a few weeks time.

I've seen signs OUTSIDE airports on the news saying "No knives beyond this point" (even before check-in). MSNBC said the FAA banned all knives in airports (including, I imagine, in food prep areas) and a BF member who's a firefighter said he couldn't carry his knife on the job (in another thread).

The upshot of this is that while, in terms of restricting passenger access to knives, the old standard of allowing them to be carried in checked luggage was adequate, knives in luggage could still accessible to handling and other staff, who could potentially act as accomplices in future hijackings. For this reason, I wouldn't take it as certain that knives are ok in checked luggage and would like to know if anyone has further info or experiences.
 
Here's an Editorial done on sending packages via USPS. They tested things from bricks to dollar bills in clear plastic envelopes to deer tibia. Very interesting.
 
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