for those of you who have flown before how do you get your gear there, ship it ups/fed ex or let TSA play with it and pay the extra baggage fees?
Registered User
for those of you who have flown before how do you get your gear there, ship it ups/fed ex or let TSA play with it and pay the extra baggage fees?
Hebrews 13:8
I shipped everything in a box to Topgun UPS (set it up with them ahead of time).
While I was at UPS I paid for a return shipping label and stuck it inside the box.
It was more expensive then If I'd just paid the airline, and the box almost didnt hold together on the return trip.
If I can make it this year I'm paying the airline.
Nobody's Perfect
Where are you coming from Vintage?
I have driven to and flown to events. Its all a matter of the time more than anything(unless you don't trust your vehicle, though you can always rent a cheap vehicle). You can ship your stuff to one of us locals or even the field.
Registered User
Wagoner Oklahoma, its a 2 day drive which by myself is a bit less than desirable and makes for a 7 day trip.
Nobody's Perfect
Oklahoma, send your stuff a head of you and fly out.Originally Posted by vintage
You have a couple choices on where to fly into. Atlantic City, Newark, Philly, Delaware to name a few. The real key to flying in is if you want to rent a car. Ask Alan, he has done it before. Look at coming in early Friday but leave on Monday. Staying over but cleaning up before leaving will be worth the extra day. But if no car, it will be slightly harder to get you ariund, but you can see who else is coming and possibly buddy up with them, if flights coincide with each other.
www.BigEvilOnline.com
keep in mind you will ABSOLUTELY need a vehicle in NJ.
Hebrews 13:8
Car rental was only like $60 which I thought was reasonable.
We flew into Allentown PA and drove over to Cream Ridge.
Registered User
if just going back and forth in the States and not driving, I ship tanks and carry markers. The tanks are the real issue that gets TSA in a tizzy. I break my markers down, pack them in their own case clearly marked "paintball markers", and put that case in another piece of luggage. I haven't had any problems doing it this way.
Hebrews 13:8
You dismantle the markers ?
Nobody's Perfect
You do not have to disassemble guns, but you would need to have the reg off the bottle so that the agents may look in and examine the bottle. You can not have the gun nor the bottle in carry on baggage.
To save time, hassle and questions; it's just best to ship ahead of you and insure the **** out of it. I would keep all spares and tools to a minimum. BigEvil and Tuna will have mag spares and tools will be plentiful.
Registered User
I do. I know it's not absolutely necessary, but I fly quite a bit and have learned a bit about what gets my stuff to its destination unmolested by TSA and what always gets junk searched. I do what I deem necessary to give myself the best chance of TSA not touching my stuff.
Registered User
what is the best airport to fly into?
Nobody's Perfect
You would want to avoid the major hubs like LaGuardia or Philly, just because. Look at the costs of flights for a couple different airports and rental cars for that and judge off that. AC is still roughly a hour drive away from the field, but relatively easy to drive to and from. I don't know about any others. going_home can comment on Allentown. If you make nice, and coordinate flights, might even get a chance to split some costs of rental vehicles.
www.BigEvilOnline.com
Newark or Philly. I'd say Newark would be easier
Hebrews 13:8
Check Spirit or Allegiance, if they have a flight to an airport within a couple hours of Cream Ridge they will be the cheapest.
We flew into Allentown Pa last time and rented a car, it was about a 90 minute drive.
Registered User
ok, so who local wants to be the shipping point for my air tanks?
www.BigEvilOnline.com
Send them to me or to TopGUn. They will hold them for you.
Hebrews 13:8
I called Carl jr he said send them on no problem.
What I do is go with my case filled and ready to ship to UPS, but leave the case open/unlocked.
I pay for a shipping label to Topgun and stick it on the case, and pay for a return label from Topgun to home, and put it inside the case.
Then lock it and give it to them to ship.
At the end of the weekend slap the return label on it and give it back to Carl jr and in his travels the following week he will drop it off at UPS.
All my guns, tanks, etc go that way.
Done and done.
Registered User
I have flown all over with guns and tanks.
LL6 & 7
Hell for 7 i had the tanks in my carry on.
I had the regs removed.
I can however say do not put your tanks, packs of batteries and a 1 pound bag of peanut M&Ms together in your carry on. That will get you to a separate room while the fo over your bag.
That said i still made the flight and people around me had a worried look on there face.
Nobody's Perfect
That is becuase you wanted the special search from the TSA. Don't lie...
Hebrews 13:8
Just UPS'd most of my paintball stuff.
Saved $30 from what the airline would have charged.
And its in a padlocked Pelican case, no danger of theft.
Registered User
any thoughts on padding a mask so it doesn't get crushed?
Hebrews 13:8
I'd say shove the tshirts socks and underwear in it ?
Nobody's Perfect
Take it apart enough to limit the cross-section of it. Ears, face, etc.
Registered User
so, 3 markers, 2 hoppers(one for warp feed) 2 masks, small parts kit, barrels, pod pack and pods, small items weighs in at 28.4 lbs, add that to the bag and its 44 lbs.
Hebrews 13:8
Thats why I UPS'd most of the heavy stuff.
Cant be over 40lbs on the plane or its an extra $100
Registered User
I wish I was driving as I have 2 micro mags that I need looked at.
Hebrews 13:8
Not me, its 18+ hours each way.
Probably cost close to what the plane fair was in gas.
Nobody's Perfect
Send them ahead of you to me, or BigEvil or even the Field. Have them there, get them looked at and worked on. Use them on Sunday, then ship them back. Problem solved.
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