Can I get on the plane with my Casio Pathfinder watch?

September 6, 2008 1:23 AM

Will they take my watch away at the airport? It is digital Casio Pathfinder with a barometer, thermometer, compass, and altimeter. I'm flying in about 6 hours, and I really don't want to lose my watch, but I want to take it with me.
posted by The World Famous to travel & transportation (15 comments total)

...why?

I mean, it's clearly a watch, right? What's the basis of this question?
posted by Su at 1:27 AM on September 6, 2008

A few years ago, I heard that some airports were confiscating Casio watches with an altimeter function. There is no rational reason for them to do so, but I like my watch, it wasn't cheap, and I'd rather get to my destination with a watch on my wrist.

Anyway, does an AskMeFi question have to have a "basis?"
posted by The World Famous at 1:30 AM on September 6, 2008

This is the basis of the question, which I discovered as the first link on Googling 'airports were confiscating Casio watches with an altimeter function'.

This blog post, also located in a few seconds' googling, says:

"Watches with built-in cigarette lighters and Casio Pathfinders and ProTreks are not banned from planes, so they cannot be confiscated, however screeners have been told to watch for these suspicious watches so that the passengers attached to them can undergo additional screening. If you're a Casio fan, I therefore recommend going with a nice G-Shock or Edifice during your next flight."

That was three years ago. They might have lightened up, or they might not. Are you at all funny-looking? Weird name? Swarthy skin? Beard? Sounds like you might get a hard time.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 1:39 AM on September 6, 2008

Erm, calm down. Replace "basis" with "context." Better? Your question made no obvious sense and there was clearly something more behind it that you hadn't brought up.

Anyway.
I fixated, and all I seem to find is this from Bruce Schneier, his source article at MSNBC, and a couple other items all around the same time. All of them suggest only that they were keeping an eye out for them and/or having people run the watches through the scanners, not confiscating.

The TSA's guidelines make no mention of watches(if it comes up and you feel like arguing), and elsewhere only to avoid wearing heavy jewelry/watches, presumably because you'd have to take some off to jam in your bag for scanning. A search for "altimeter" turns up nothing at all.

If you're still seriously concerned, maybe allow some extra time, go straight to the security people and check with them? Some airports have post offices in them(you'll have to check whichever you're going to), and you might be able to arrange to ship the thing to yourself.
posted by Su at 1:44 AM on September 6, 2008

Thanks -- I saw those two links before posting, but they're old enough that I thought maybe someone had better info or an anecdote. I guess I have to ask my self if I'm feeling lucky.
posted by The World Famous at 1:46 AM on September 6, 2008

I've noticed a lot of airports have shipping areas now, so if you're not permitted to bring something aboard, you can ship it back to your home. If worse comes to worse, maybe you can mail the watch ahead to yourself, to say, a friend or the hotel you're staying at?
posted by polyester.lumberjack at 2:25 AM on September 6, 2008

I've got to think that TSA agents are looking for far too many important things that checking an individual watch TYPE ranks at all. I have a large, black watch that actually has bluetooth in it and a lithium ion battery and no one has even looked at it. Remember, your watch goes through the x-ray machine... where it's very difficult/impossible for them to "type" it.
posted by disillusioned at 5:09 AM on September 6, 2008

I've got to think that TSA agents are looking for far too many important things that checking an individual watch TYPE ranks at all.

You overestimate. During a recent secondary screening, I was asked to throw out an empty Ziploc bag because it did not contain any liquids and thus did not meet the "3-1-1" policy. It's easier to comply -- and not point out the backup Ziplocs in my shaving kit -- than to argue.

OP, there is a low but non-zero probability that the TSA will have a problem with your watch significant enough that it will mean choosing between the watch and flying. Most would consider it worth the risk, but, if the watch is irreplaceable, don't take it with you.
posted by backupjesus at 6:04 AM on September 6, 2008

I've been flying with a Casio Protrek with the same sensor as your watch for years - in the last three months I have been through 8 different US airports with it on. The only issue it has ever caused was setting off an over sensitive metal detector arch once, which resulted in a pat down search. Nobody has ever even glanced at it.

Incidentally the altimeter won't work very well inside an aircraft cabin as it is pressurized.
posted by samj at 6:42 AM on September 6, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Um, Wouldn't the altimeter in the watch be useless. The cabin is pressurized, and I would think that the watch uses pressure differential to estimate altitude. Am I wrong?
posted by Gungho at 6:59 AM on September 6, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Play some social engineering. When you take all the crap out of your pockets to put through the xray, put your watch in there face down, possibly under whatever other cruft you have. Then, no one gets a good look at your watch, and it just looks like a watch under the xray. Put it on after the metal detector, and everyone is happy. You can even put your watch in your carry on. I guarantee they will never notice. I've gotten many a lighter on a plane when I smoked, using that tactic. I also got full bottles of shampoo through multiple times. Remember to act bored when you are doing all this.

Disclaimer: I'm a pasty white geeky male. That probably matters.
posted by Mach5 at 7:13 AM on September 6, 2008

Success!
Thanks, all.
posted by The World Famous at 7:37 AM on September 6, 2008

For a little more information, the Casio F91W has been 'linked' to terrorists (also, people who like a cheap digital watch, but that's neither here nor there). Perhaps you saw a story about this, but there's nothing that will automatically cause you to be pulled out of a line. It just seems like a convenient piece of evidence if you do happen to blow up the plane.
posted by pupdog at 9:35 AM on September 6, 2008

If you're worried, why not just put it in your checked bag?
posted by genghis at 10:25 AM on September 6, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

genghis writes "If you're worried, why not just put it in your checked bag?"

Portable items of value are known to regularly be pilfered from checked luggage.
posted by Mitheral at 6:23 PM on September 7, 2008