Beware the TSA when traveling with your books on flights 1 1

[Anfield Fox]

https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-future/new-tsa-policy-may-lead-increased-scrutiny-reading-material

Edited June 25, 2017 by Anfield Fox

[CAHokie]

Last time a flew my check in bag was TSA inspected each time because I had 2  huge omnibus in them.  

[wombat]

All they will find in my bag is por............I mean nothing. They will find nothing. 

[kav]

DO NOT travel with Liefeld books if they see no feet and pouches they might think its some kind of threat

Edited June 25, 2017 by kav

[FlyingDonut]

A friend of mine posted on Facebook that he will be now traveling with copies of the Koran and Das Kapital on every flight just as SOP.

[shadroch]

Buy him an Anarchist Cookbook so he has the trilogy.

[Anfield Fox]

My worry wouldn't be the choice of reading material but how they would handle said books.

[october]

7 hours ago, Anfield Fox said:

My worry wouldn't be the choice of reading material but how they would handle said books.

This. I don't feel like watching some dolt paw through the high grade comics I just bought at an out of town con. 

Edited June 26, 2017 by october

[Ken Aldred]

2 hours ago, october said:

This. I don't feel like watching some dolt paw through the high grade comics I just bought at an out of town con. 

Being OCD I'd find that sense of powerlessness very, very difficult to handle.

Edited June 26, 2017 by Ken Aldred

[Robot Man]

5 hours ago, october said:

This. I don't feel like watching some dolt paw through the high grade comics I just bought at an out of town con. 

I have transported all manner of valuble comics and collectibles in my carry on bag. I have found it very much in my favor if I point it out, explain it and be as friendly as possible. I have never had a problem because of it. 

[Yoshi]

I'm currently getting ready for Emerald City Comic Con 2019 and wanted to share my TSA horror story.

Last year on my way to a Transformers convention in Chicago, my computer bag was pulled aside for additional screening. I had removed my laptop from the bag before it was X-Rayed so I wondered what was in my bag would require additional screening. My bag still held a comic book folio with 5 comics and plastic box off cards for the newly released Transformers: Trading Card Game. 75 cards maybe?

TSA Agent: Sir, is this your bag?

Me: Yes

TSA Agent: I have to do additional screening with it.

Me: I want to be present before you start.

TSA Agent: Absolutely

To her credit, the TSA agent waited until I had the remainder of my items and was present before going through my computer bag. She pulled out the plastic transparent box containing the Transformers card game and imminently struggled with opening it.

Me: Excuse me! Could you please be more gentle with that. Some of those cards actually are valuable.

TSA Agent: Don't worry. They'll be okay.

She no sooner finished that sentence when her struggling with the card case resulted in her removing the top with such force that the entire 75 cards flung out of the holder and fluttered all around her. Several on the ground.

Me: Are you ting me right now?

All I got in response was an ugly look from the agent.

After witnessing her struggles to put my cards away, and action that resulted in my repeating several times to please treat these valuable cards gently, she moved on to my comic book folio. 

Me: Stop what you're doing!

TSA Agent: Sir you need to step back and let me conduct my search.

Me: And that box contains a comic that is worth more than our lives put together. I want you to get a supervisor or a nerd if for some insane reason they need to be removed.

TSA Agent: Sir I need to finish my search.

Me: I don't want you to finish your search. You do not know how to handle collectibles!

TSA AGent: Sir, I think I have done a good job handling your valuables.

Me: Are you kidding me right now? You just spent ten minutes picking my playing cards off the floor!

The TSA agent then opened my comic book folio and looked inside. Saw that they were comics and closed it up and put it back in the computer bag.

My take away from this is... I have a couple of comics in my collection that if I ever do want them at a convention with me I will still take them on my carry on. I'll look to see if there are better protection options in that case. But most of the books I take or buy from a convention I can spend a little to have them mailed with insurance to and from the venue.

 

 

[BlowUpTheMoon]

1 hour ago, Yoshi said:

Me: And that box contains a comic that is worth more than our lives put together.

What was the book? 

[NoMan]

On 6/26/2017 at 12:55 PM, Robot Man said:

I have transported all manner of valuble comics and collectibles in my carry on bag. I have found it very much in my favor if I point it out, explain it and be as friendly as possible. I have never had a problem because of it. 

Amazing. Treat people with respect and receive respect. Shocking!

[kav]

1 hour ago, Yoshi said:

I'm currently getting ready for Emerald City Comic Con 2019 and wanted to share my TSA horror story.

Last year on my way to a Transformers convention in Chicago, my computer bag was pulled aside for additional screening. I had removed my laptop from the bag before it was X-Rayed so I wondered what was in my bag would require additional screening. My bag still held a comic book folio with 5 comics and plastic box off cards for the newly released Transformers: Trading Card Game. 75 cards maybe?

TSA Agent: Sir, is this your bag?

Me: Yes

TSA Agent: I have to do additional screening with it.

Me: I want to be present before you start.

TSA Agent: Absolutely

To her credit, the TSA agent waited until I had the remainder of my items and was present before going through my computer bag. She pulled out the plastic transparent box containing the Transformers card game and imminently struggled with opening it.

Me: Excuse me! Could you please be more gentle with that. Some of those cards actually are valuable.

TSA Agent: Don't worry. They'll be okay.

She no sooner finished that sentence when her struggling with the card case resulted in her removing the top with such force that the entire 75 cards flung out of the holder and fluttered all around her. Several on the ground.

Me: Are you ting me right now?

All I got in response was an ugly look from the agent.

After witnessing her struggles to put my cards away, and action that resulted in my repeating several times to please treat these valuable cards gently, she moved on to my comic book folio. 

Me: Stop what you're doing!

TSA Agent: Sir you need to step back and let me conduct my search.

Me: And that box contains a comic that is worth more than our lives put together. I want you to get a supervisor or a nerd if for some insane reason they need to be removed.

TSA Agent: Sir I need to finish my search.

Me: I don't want you to finish your search. You do not know how to handle collectibles!

TSA AGent: Sir, I think I have done a good job handling your valuables.

Me: Are you kidding me right now? You just spent ten minutes picking my playing cards off the floor!

The TSA agent then opened my comic book folio and looked inside. Saw that they were comics and closed it up and put it back in the computer bag.

My take away from this is... I have a couple of comics in my collection that if I ever do want them at a convention with me I will still take them on my carry on. I'll look to see if there are better protection options in that case. But most of the books I take or buy from a convention I can spend a little to have them mailed with insurance to and from the venue.

 

 

"Sir! I know what I am doing!"
"No, you dont.  Not even close"

Remember you can file a complaint which goes in their personnel file.  Too many complaints and its later dude.  You are not powerless.

The more well written the complaint, the more impact it has.  Thats why one former supermarket manager is now working as a clerk over here.

Edited March 2, 2019 by kav

[shortboxed]

I regularly fly with an entire shortbox full of expensive comics to and from cons. A couple times the TSA agents have asked me about them and I kindly explain (with a huge smile on my face) that they're collectible comics and are very fragile and valuable, which is why I carry them on with me. Thankfully I haven't had any issues so far.

[newshane]

I wouldn't take any chances. I'd just mail them to myself. 

....

maybe I should say, LESS of a chance?  

 

[newshane]

Don't know if everyone read far enough but:

"Of course if there is an anomaly on an x-ray of a sleeve holding books, the TSA is going to want to open such a package or sleeve to make sure there is nothing that poses a threat to aviation therein, just as with a backpack or any other carry-on item."

Can you imagine a TSA agent cracking out all those sig label books? 

 

 

[kav]

8 minutes ago, newshane said:

Don't know if everyone read far enough but:

"Of course if there is an anomaly on an x-ray of a sleeve holding books, the TSA is going to want to open such a package or sleeve to make sure there is nothing that poses a threat to aviation therein, just as with a backpack or any other carry-on item."

Can you imagine a TSA agent cracking out all those sig label books? 

 

 

If CGC could keep photos of all sig books they could confirm same book even if removed from slab!!  Since no 2 books are the same and no 2 sigs the same it would be like a fingerprint!  They could claim deslabbing confirmation!  What a huge marketing bonus.

"You can crack your slabs and still have the confidence of post slab verification"

They could even start a raw sig series.  Books get photographed and given a serial number.   

Edited March 3, 2019 by kav

[Cat]

6 hours ago, Yoshi said:

I wanyou to get a supervisor or a nerd if for some insane reason they need to be removed.

 

I demand to speak to a supervisor... or a nerd! 

[kav]

3 minutes ago, Mecha_Fantastic said:

I demand to speak to a supervisor... or a nerd! 

This lady would have gotten a supervisor.