Battlefoam vs Baggage Handlers

[Schno]

Battlefoam vs Baggage Handlers. This must be the ultimate contest, right? Honestly, I suspect that the odds are weighed on the side of the baggage gorillas.

I'm booking my flights for GenCon, and in the midst of lamenting the extra $55 tacked on to the ticket price for my two Battlefoam bags, I paused to consider what kind of treatment that money is going to buy me. Let's rate my confidence as 'low'.

Obviously, plenty of people have had to deal with this kind of thing, so I put it to the veterans of convention travel: How bad is it, really? What can be done to mitigate the damage?

Thanks!

[Greggle]

I've flown internationally and domestically, and both times I took it carryon and I haven't been asked about the bag, as odd as that seems.

[zorrax]

I would find a way to carry it on.

[jandrese]

Carry on is the only way unless you're willing to reinforce the sides of your bag with steel plates or something.

First thing to ask: Do you need two full battlefoam bags? Can't you just consolidate down to a single bag by dumping all of the models that won't be in any of your lists?

[PG_thegreatblah]

I wouldn't check your bag of figs, not ever. They will not be gentle.

[x3tsniper]

I have heard some horror stories about the evil airport people cracking open models after it goes under the scanner. I refuse to fly with my models.

[PG_Endgame]

I was FORCED to check my minis returning from gen con one year due to the shoe bomber incident. I had a big rolling suite case that I was able to stuff my army transport into and it still wrecked nearly every mini in the case. Even if you pluck foam fit your minis, or have custom cut outs, I suspect there is still much too much movement inside the trays for the minis to survive. Personally, i would condense the minis into a single WM shoulder bag -- without any books in it, its small enough to fit under a seat (barely) or in the overhead. The rolling bag is not small enough to fit under the seat, but it will also fit in the overhead on the planes i've flown on.

[PG_dungeongod]

I have heard of people with expensive camera equipment putting a starter pistol in their luggage (since they have to check it) and then doing the whole "weapon declaration" of their stuff. That way, it has to be watched, and treated in a specific way, and cannot be ignored by the baggage handlers. (This is obviously something that works in the US for travelling nationally - I cannot speak for other countries). That said, if I had to transport my minis by plane, if I couldn't do it as a carry on, I would make a point of packing each mini individually in the foam (with rag/cloths or something similar) to make sure they didn't move.

Also, you can demand that you be there when they screen your bags, to help verify that they don't mess it up.

[OniBeowulf]

Last year I drove to LnL and didn't bring my army but I really wanted to bring my army this year which I did and I was posed with the same question. My Cygnar takes up 2 bags and I hate leaving things behind (I love my options) so instead I just brought a small bag with my pigs. I had no problem taking it as a carry on. No one even asked about it during security. The last thing I wanted was to check my bags unless they have some policy about fragile bags or insurance.

[HeadHunter]

No matter how poorly your baggage may be treated on a domestic flight, it's still not treated as badly as a passenger.

[scout's honor]

Baggage handlers are one thing. Fly into the States with your models checked in and I dare you to get even a minute of peace of mind on the flight while you ponder customs and security officials rifling through them with the singleminded focus and determination of a drugs sniffing bloodhound who knows he'll be put down if he doesn't find something soon, without you there to explain about the emotional value and fragility of your little metal menz.

[zor]

I always carry on my bag of figures. And it almost always gets to the point where I have a fun conversation with the security people about the game I play.

[Po the Barbarian]

You can fit a small army (e.g., my rhul force) in a pluck foam pelican case (the 1500 size is like a large briefcase; I recommend the bright yellow color). If you packed your minis in to the pluck foam slots with tissue paper or something the rigid case would give them a fighting chance. But... I'd never check anything that costs over a thousand dollars (like a battle foam bag of minis) especially if it is fragile. The chances for survival are super low - all the suitcases are just thrown in the belly of the plane.

[PG_Devilsquid]

Never check your models. Never.

[PG_Neldar]

I regularly travel for work and most of the time I take my minis in my Battlefoam.

NEVER LET IT BE CHECKED.

I once had a very quick trip in a tiny plane. The attendant assured me my bag wouldn't fit in the cabin and forced me to check it at the gate. When I got it back plane side, my metal harrower was off the base with its right arm askew. I bent it back, but now it's permanently weakened and waiting to fail. I also had multiple Satyxis raiders lose whips, nearly broke two metal nightwretches at the knees, took the standard off my bane thrall UA, broken hip on the scavenger, arm off Darragh Wrathe and arm off a siren. Nothing major thankfully, but lots of little things.

The next day I got on the same model plane but didn't check my bag. I slid it under the seat without much difficulty. Next time I'll empty the two smaller pockets and the big pocket on the front into my checked bag to make sure it will fit without question.

Larger planes won't have a problem with the bag in the overhead. It will fit under the seat in front of you, but the fit under the seat of a tiny commuter plane is much better than the fit under the seat of a transcontinental plane.

Anyone traveling with minis should stock up on plucked foam. Fit small pieces around and on top of your minis so they can't wiggle, flip, slip, rattle, bump, hop, or skip around in the bag. It'll protect them much better in the event you have to check it.

[juckto]

Flew NZ to Auz with 3500 points of space marines, in a combination of GW carry case and 2 shoeboxes (I custom cut foam around everything in the shoeboxes). The shoeboxes were checked and models were fine.

[Crayven]

I brought my Pack 432 as a carry on for flight to Adepticon this year. I put the bag in the overhead bin. No problems at all.

[MagnustheJust]

THINGS TO NEVER DO WITH MINIS WHEN FLYING :

1) Check your game bag as luggage!! They are carry on ONLY!!

2) Do not tell the Security Personnel that any of your figures are hollow!! Your meticulously painted and converted works of art will be torn asunder in the name of air travel safety...

3) Above all else - do not be rude to the Security Personnel - they can and will make your life a living hell if you give them a reason to!!



ALTERNATE OPTIONS :

A) Contact the hotel you are staying at first, and inform them that you are going to be shipping a parcel to the hotel in preparation for the convention.

B) Label as fragile and insure the hell out of the package!! Granted this adds to the cost of your trip, but it gives solace where your army is concerned...

[PG_Agamemnon]

I was sure to tell the lady plane side that the two bags I had as carry on where filled with about $8,000 worth of custom minatures. They kinda get scared when you give them a $ value and will try and get your stuff in the cabin with you. It also helps to be really nice to anyone you talk to.

I took quite a few of my models to LNL this last year... not nearly what I wanted to but there was no way on earth I was going to check them.

One other thing... if possible pay the extra money to get express/early seating on the plane. If the flight is full and you are not on the plane early enough all the overhead spots will be filled.... and they will force you to check the bag to your final destination.

Take if from me... I have a lot of stuff and love my options more than anything. With that said a lot of stuff stayed home. Now when Warmachine weekend rolls around nothing will stay home... even if I have to rent a trailer for the drive up.

[Autumn Stone]

I had to post my collection from one side of the earth to the other when I moved. Travelling with me not an option. They were more than packed and padded to the best of my ability.

My trolls failed their tough check.

But one thing I noticed was that it was the ones in the edge foam cells that broke. my guess is that rattling loose completely surrounded in giving foam is less damaging than if a sudden jolt will manage to strike them against the rigid walls of the case.

Try to place minis without protruding weapons or limbs in the edge cells. Wrapping in tissues or foam within the individual cells to limit the amount they rattle around may also help.

Cheers and good luck
A.S.

[PG_Menite Messenger]

I feel I should point something out.

I work in an airport as a maintenance technician (including the conveyor lines that transport baggage from check in to handling stations) and, whilst i will never defend the baggage monkeys crude handling of luggege, i should mention that what you "the passenger" observes in terms of the treatment of your bags pales into insignificance in comparison to the way the mechanical "sorters" and pushers" on the conveyor line move and distribute bags.

I would suggest that even if the human part of the system was completed by pillow fisted people with the highest respect for personal property, you would still find a huge percentage of your models are damaged in transit due to the automated baggage sorting techniques employed at most large airports.

Having seen the mechanisms involved in this highly efficiant, but not hugely gentle system, I would stress that I for one, will never, ever put a fragile item in "checked in" luggage. If you take this risk with anything, including bottles of alcohol or holiday souvineers, and it arrives in one piece, consider yourself fortunate.

MM

[PG_Mr. Mayhem]

I wouldn't check your bag of figs, not ever.

This. 10char

[PG_gabbadj]

As mentioned above, the combination of automated machines/baggage handlers depending on the city can be horribad. I have friends who are baggage handlers as well.

Never check in your figures and the battlefoam bag does fit "exactly" under your front seat if all the pockets are empty in most planes.

[Shonkhor]

I've just moved my entire collection internationally in checked luggage. I was sweating it would be in tatters after reading threads like this but there was not 1 single bit of damage. It was packed well (no spare space in case) into hard KR multicases, in a rigid suitcases, padded with clothing. I might have been lucky but I think if you are careful then you can be reasonably confident all will be OK. That said, if you have the option carry on is I guess safer - though I would sweat about going through security with warpwolf stalker swords and a sock full of mechanithralls.

Seeing how some people store their minis in a case I'm surprised they survive the walk between the flgs and the car.

[MagnustheJust]

At this point in time, the security people know the game bags, and mostly just want to admire the shinies...

[Pixelcycle]

I just take Amtrak. You can carryon pretty much everything and there's plenty of space.

If I absolutely needed to fly I'd just ship the models to my destination with insurance. I simply don't trust airlines at all with luggage, carryon or not.

[Overread]

A few tips approaching the transport of delicate items:

1) Post. As said before simply mail your packages to your destination. This might come with cost, but you can slap insurance on it and the postage system generally seems to treat baggage and parcels with a much more careful hand than the airport staff/sorting machines

2) Insurance - however you're transporting them if you're carrying a large sum in models get it insured. Damage, theft, loss etc... Yes it will cost you a bit, but it will give you a peace of mind and covers you if any thing should go wrong. Ps careful with adding them as riders to your household insurance policy, since claims made are still claims and you don't want to be claiming and risking your household insurance costs skyrocketing up - independent might be a little more in cost, but has the bonus that if you have to claim it wont' impact other things you've insured (ie your house).

3) Pelican Cases - http://pelican.com/
If photographers are willing to put £1000s worth of camera gear into holds in pelican bags then your minis should be just as safe. Granted you will want to add additional foam to ensure that they will not rock around as much when transported (as opposed to the amount you need just to carry them from your room to the local gaming club). But they should protect them against most airport damage. Costly, but worth it if you want to protect your items and are forced to put them in the hold and can't post them.

[HeadHunter]

I just take Amtrak. You can carryon pretty much everything and there's plenty of space.

If I absolutely needed to fly I'd just ship the models to my destination with insurance. I simply don't trust airlines at all with luggage, carryon or not.

Same here - with all the crazy behavior I've heard from air travellers, I'd rather not fly if I can take another method of travel.

[PG_Harliquine]

IF and only if you need to put models in a checked bag:
The one piece models like winter guard and long gunners and simple models like metal warjacks without spikey bits hanging off the can be put into egg crate foam. I used a pistol case and put a small cygnar army into it with a defender, cyclone, trenchers, gunmage, squire, reinholt, and Kara Sloan. I then put the whole pistol case into my large luggage bag. This made it to Madison, WI and back to Augusta for me twice last year. It's a viable way to transport those extra models that won't fit in the Battlefoam case. I'll post a pic of my pistol case in the luggage bag and you can make your own call.

Its still hazard but it can work if you need it. Mind you that your models might be fine but end up in a different state than where you arrive.