I am going to a tournament next month in Minnesota and I have to fly to get there. We all know how the airports handle our cues and cases since we can't have them as a carry-on anymore. Is it better to ship my cues to the hotel room in advance or what? Let me know something people!
Cue handling in airport
- Thread starter traa89
- Start date
Sweet Marissa
www.Bella-Muse.com
..................................
Last edited:
Shipping
Let me ask you this question. How do you think it is going to get there if you ship it UPS, Fedex, etc?
It is going to get kicked around and tossed around just like in the airport terminal.
Your best bet in my opinion is to get a travel bag, and an approved lock and take it with you on the plane.
Either way they are going to get handled the same, and you don't have to pay the extra in order to ship it to your hotel.
Let me ask you this question. How do you think it is going to get there if you ship it UPS, Fedex, etc?
It is going to get kicked around and tossed around just like in the airport terminal.
Your best bet in my opinion is to get a travel bag, and an approved lock and take it with you on the plane.
Either way they are going to get handled the same, and you don't have to pay the extra in order to ship it to your hotel.
Pack it...
I pack my 2X4, hard leather case inside of a large, hard sided suitcase. It fits diagonaally in the suitcase and I pack clothes all around it so it doesn't move around when they throw it from one cart to the next. Have not incurred any damage when taking cues with me this way. My one of a kind Scrugg's only goes with me when I travel by car, no baggage handler will ever get the chance to touch that one!
I pack my 2X4, hard leather case inside of a large, hard sided suitcase. It fits diagonaally in the suitcase and I pack clothes all around it so it doesn't move around when they throw it from one cart to the next. Have not incurred any damage when taking cues with me this way. My one of a kind Scrugg's only goes with me when I travel by car, no baggage handler will ever get the chance to touch that one!
Another option is to wrapp just your cues in bubble wrap and put in your suitcase to be checked. You can carry on your empty case. Be sure to remove your other case items, like tip piks that might not pass inspection.
Or your can buy a porper travel case, which is well padded and check it all.
Or your can buy a porper travel case, which is well padded and check it all.
The concern as I am aware about taking it onto a plane is not so much the bumping around, but the value that you can claim for lost luggage.
With Fedex, you can insure the actual value (especially with high end cues), but I think there is a max on luggage that would not be enough to cover the loss of mid-high end cues.
With Fedex, you can insure the actual value (especially with high end cues), but I think there is a max on luggage that would not be enough to cover the loss of mid-high end cues.
When all is said and done, I believe the best way to travel with your cue is to check it in as baggage. I use an inexpensive Porper travel case with a sturdy TSA approved lock (the TSA inspectors can open them) with my Justis case inside it. I took it all through China and many other places. When you check in, be sure that the airline tags put on your case show your flight number and destination (yes, they can hand out the wrong ones at the airport).
Cues get lost in shipping and can get stolen at your hotel too. The amount of airline baggage that's permanently lost is miniscule. Depending on the airline, your baggage is covered for up to about $1500 if lost or stolen while in the airline's possession.
Chris
Cues get lost in shipping and can get stolen at your hotel too. The amount of airline baggage that's permanently lost is miniscule. Depending on the airline, your baggage is covered for up to about $1500 if lost or stolen while in the airline's possession.
Chris
Um, that's not entirely accurate. All checked baggage is subject to being opened and searched by baggage handlers, the airline, and especially the TSA.
Do you really want a TSA baggage inspector looking at your cue? It is their legal right to do so.
Not so with a FedEx or UPS. Provided your cue is worth more than the airlines tiny reimbursement amount for lost/damaged luggage, then it is highly recommended that your ship your cue Next Day Air (or 2nd day) via FedEx or UPS.
As Marissa wrote, do a search and you'll find gobs of info on this subject.
-von
Do you really want a TSA baggage inspector looking at your cue? It is their legal right to do so.
Not so with a FedEx or UPS. Provided your cue is worth more than the airlines tiny reimbursement amount for lost/damaged luggage, then it is highly recommended that your ship your cue Next Day Air (or 2nd day) via FedEx or UPS.
As Marissa wrote, do a search and you'll find gobs of info on this subject.
-von
txplshrk said:
VonRhett said:
Yea I know they can inspect it, but they do that at random, and only if it looks suspicious through the xray. Cues don't really look too suspicious do they? Besides the TSA locks tell you if they have been opened.
You can ship yours overnight if you want, but you can insure them on the airlines too. All you have to do is ask.
I have seen the way they handle stuff at UPS, FedEx, etc. Trust me when I say you don't want those people handling your cues!
I know they don't get handled the best on the airlines either, but at least they are with me.
Like I said, you do what you want, but I have traveled with mine several times, and I don't see me changing my mind on it.
A novel idea
Here's a novel idea. It just might get you on the news too.
Take a set of joint protectors, and drill a hole through them near the end. Put a loop through
them, and make them into a set of earrings. Then attach them to each piece of the cue so the
cue itself becomes a set of long earrings. If anyone complains, tell them it's just body jewelery.
Here's a novel idea. It just might get you on the news too.
Take a set of joint protectors, and drill a hole through them near the end. Put a loop through
them, and make them into a set of earrings. Then attach them to each piece of the cue so the
cue itself becomes a set of long earrings. If anyone complains, tell them it's just body jewelery.
txplshrk said:
What in particular way does Fedex handle cues? I just wanna know from your experience since I'm also a regular client of Fedex. an info would be greatly appreciated.
For what it's worth, here's the advice that the APA gives for it's folks traveling to the National tournaments in Vegas.
Pool Cues & Cases are not allowed as a carry-on item.
They must be checked-in, as luggage, prior to boarding your flight.
Here are some suggestions for traveling with your cue(s):
• Bubble-wrap your case(s) with cue(s) enclosed in a box that
you can check through as luggage. Sealed boxes that are
checked-in are not required to be opened. They will be
screened prior to being placed on the airplane.
• Check-in your cue case(s) as luggage, but bubble-wrap cue(s)
separately in your clothing luggage.
• Bubble-wrap your case(s) and cue(s) in your clothing luggage.
The first suggestion sounded interesting to me, but I have a lightweight hard shell golf club travel case and I just put all my clothes, shoes and cue case in that. A little clumsy, but I have my name and info well marked in several different places in case it wound up on the wrong flight. Plus, I can overnight a new Predator SPW4 314-2 for $300 plus shipping just about anywhere in the country, worse case scenario.
Enjoy your trip!
Pool Cues & Cases are not allowed as a carry-on item.
They must be checked-in, as luggage, prior to boarding your flight.
Here are some suggestions for traveling with your cue(s):
• Bubble-wrap your case(s) with cue(s) enclosed in a box that
you can check through as luggage. Sealed boxes that are
checked-in are not required to be opened. They will be
screened prior to being placed on the airplane.
• Check-in your cue case(s) as luggage, but bubble-wrap cue(s)
separately in your clothing luggage.
• Bubble-wrap your case(s) and cue(s) in your clothing luggage.
The first suggestion sounded interesting to me, but I have a lightweight hard shell golf club travel case and I just put all my clothes, shoes and cue case in that. A little clumsy, but I have my name and info well marked in several different places in case it wound up on the wrong flight. Plus, I can overnight a new Predator SPW4 314-2 for $300 plus shipping just about anywhere in the country, worse case scenario.
Enjoy your trip!
I was really worried in traveling to the BCA in Vegas as I was taking several expensive cues. Several airlines have a maximum limit on the amount of additional insurance you can purchase - in my case the limit was $ 5000 and that didn't cover even half the value. Turns out my homeowner's insurance covers lost property and that was a very pleasant surprise.
I have a Haliburton aluminum 4x8 travel case. It is very similar to metal gun cases and provides great protection for the cues. The problem is that my Instroke case does fit into it without removing the foam interior. I solved that by removing the foam, putting in the Instroke, and wrapping the other cues I was taking in bubble wrap. The result was nine cues and the Instroke case all in one well protected, well padded piece of luggage.
I have to tell you though I was one nervous camper at every stop waiting for this package to come out on the luggage carousel!!! You can generally find the Haliburton case on the internet for about $ 300.
I have a Haliburton aluminum 4x8 travel case. It is very similar to metal gun cases and provides great protection for the cues. The problem is that my Instroke case does fit into it without removing the foam interior. I solved that by removing the foam, putting in the Instroke, and wrapping the other cues I was taking in bubble wrap. The result was nine cues and the Instroke case all in one well protected, well padded piece of luggage.
I have to tell you though I was one nervous camper at every stop waiting for this package to come out on the luggage carousel!!! You can generally find the Haliburton case on the internet for about $ 300.
Flex said:
If you check in late that is your fault. Every flight I have ever been on in my life, the luggage rides with you. Unless, you get put on a different flight. Then they won't switch the luggage over.
Easy way to solve that? Don't be late! Get to the airport way early and be very careful about checking the luggage tags.
Hail Mary Shot said:
My wife works for UPS, and my buddy worked for FedEx up in Ohio. They worked in the warehouse loading and unloading trucks. Both have told me how packages get handled. In other words they are rushed to get everything unloaded and loaded. They don't care how they do it, and they don't look at every box to see if it is fragile or needs to be placed right side up, etc, etc.
In short they both told me about stuff getting broken, and stuff actually getting repacked because the box came apart.
In other words if the box comes apart they repack it and send it anyway. So your items might not be in the same box, or they might not even all be in the box.
So for all of you that think these shipping companies handle your stuff with care, think again!
I just heard of a story at UPS where a guy got fired for opening packages and taking items out. It was jewelery or perfume or something like that. He was only taking one out of every box, but all they could do was fire him. The merchandise wasn't returned.
In other words anything that can happen on a plane, can happen with UPS or FedEX, etc.
I would much rather take them with me on the plane cause I already paid for it anyway.
Just insure it through the airline, and be smart enough to have a packing list and pictures of everything you are taking with you. That way when you are fighting with the airlines you have proof. Like someone else said your home owners insurance will pay you for it with the right proof.
If you are taking more that $5000 worth of cues with you then in my opinion you are insane! I understand liking good cues, and having them with you, but I don't think I will ever travel with $5000 or more worth of cues. (I will probably get a lot of flack for that one!)
Besides how many have actually lost things on the airlines in here? I have only had one instance in my whole life that something was sent to the wrong airport, but I got it back with everything in tact. The reason it was sent to the wrong airport is because I had to change my flight, so I wound up going to a different airport. I have been at airports where you can see them loading and unloading the planes, and to tell you the truth they don't handle it all that rough in my opinion. Not compared to the shipping companies.
Last edited: