Will an internal frame pack get me kicked off a flight?

January 10, 2006 1:21 AM

Will I be able to get thru airport security with an internal frame daypack?

I have a Dueter AC Lite 20 which is my new travel buddy. The unfortunate part is that it has a metal internal frame that will show up as big, shiny, fuck-off pieces of possible doom on an airport X-ray machine.

Do I have anything to worry about when I attempt to carry this pack on? It seems to me that the security people will
have enough common sense, but I've heard horror stories.

posted by bryanzera to Travel & Transportation (11 answers total)

I wouldn't anticipate any problems, but maybe if you brought along the original product tag which I'm assuming comes attached to the zipper or something and features a precise cross-section diagram of the *amazing* virtues of the bag, metallic doom device included, you might more comfortable.

Besides, it's not like you've got knitting needles or tweezers.
posted by mdonley at 1:29 AM on January 10, 2006

er, you might feel more comfortable.
posted by mdonley at 1:29 AM on January 10, 2006

Probably not, as most pack frames are aluminium, which I don't think shows up on x-rays (not sure on this).
posted by Happy Dave at 2:03 AM on January 10, 2006

Sorry, that was the most non-specific answer ever - here's the current TSA guidelines - nothing in there about backpack frames, but they might ask you to remove it so they can check it's not a sniper rifle or something (they check umbrellas and walking sticks to make sure they're not Avengers styles sword dealies, so it might happen), so make sure it's removable.
posted by Happy Dave at 2:16 AM on January 10, 2006

Should be fine. I recently walked through security at Manchester, Frankfurt, and JFK with an internal frame pack loaded with computer gear and cables (including a Virgin Boomtube, which must look like a crazy pipe bomb on x-ray). Not so much as a sneeze from anyone.
posted by milquetoast at 3:47 AM on January 10, 2006

Should be fine. Almost all of those flight carry-ons with the rollers have metal for the extendable handle bits, mine does.
posted by Mitheral at 6:23 AM on January 10, 2006

Normal carry-on luggage has a metal frame too.
posted by smackfu at 6:24 AM on January 10, 2006

You'll be fine.

In the US, they just relaxed the regulations because, much to the TSAs surprise, it was taking a long time to confiscate every single fucking pair of scissors I've ever owned and a bunch of letherman Micros as well, and that hey, I probably wouldn't get far trying to hijack a plane with a flathead screwdriver. Or at least that I would get about as far with a ball-point pen.
posted by zpousman at 6:28 AM on January 10, 2006

I have an almost identical Deuter backpack and took it along as a carry-on on flights from Frankfurt to London to Denver, CO and back the same way this summer without having any problems whatsoever. (The thought that the metal frame would pose a problem didn't even occur to me until now...)
posted by amf at 6:44 AM on January 10, 2006

don't worry
posted by matteo at 8:00 AM on January 10, 2006

You are fine. TSA agents know the difference in a backpack frame and a knife even if they don't know how to spell TSA.
posted by Pollomacho at 9:29 AM on January 10, 2006