TSA and Weighted Stuffed Animals?
Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone had experience bringing “home made” weighted stuffed animals on planes? I get horribly anxious flying, but I’m going to fly across the states on Wednesday for a family members wedding. I have a BAB frog that I added a nylon sock filled with 2lb dollar tree decorative sand. The stitches aren’t noticeable where I sewed him up, the only off thing is how much he weighs, but I’m scared they’ll throw him away, or cut him open thinking that I’m trying to smuggle something. Will the sand even show up through the X-ray? My family thinks I shouldn’t risk bringing him, but that doesn’t sound very favorable to me… I emailed TSA but have yet to hear back. Thank you all for your replies. (Sorry this is in the wrong section, I couldn’t figure out how to post in not “Current events” )
It's going to arouse suspicion if the agent is even half awake. Unpredictable how any one agent will respond. You could consider handing it to the agent with an explanation, but they may want to see the sand to verify its sand and not drugs. Perhaps bringing it with the sewing undone so it is easily inspected?
I once packed my alarm clock inside socks inside a souvenir cookie tin in my luggage. No shock to say that looked very suspicious and they went through my luggage.
But, again, different agents have different personalities and its hard to know what any particular one will do.
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Mom to an amazing young adult AS son, plus an also amazing non-AS daughter. Most likely part of the "Broader Autism Phenotype" (some traits).
Even the old x ray scanners would pick it up easily. The new MRIs or whatever that they use would definitely pick it up. I do not advice risking it. Best case scenario, they do a thorough examination and swab it, but they could easily end up confiscating it and destroying it.