Forums > Help! > Taking Fire poi on a plane in Oz

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BatwalkerBRONZE Member
journeyman
50 posts
Location: Malvern, UK


Posted:
Hi, can anyone help, I was thinking of Flying from Melbourne to Sydney (so I don't have to take the bus), does anyone know if they will let me take my fire poi on the plane? weavesmiley

I am a EVIL Giraffe.....


DoktorSkellSILVER Member
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia


Posted:


As long as they are not in your on-board luggage they are quite welcome on an aircraft.

Although if your fire heads still have traces of Kerosene on them......
You might get taken to "The Room" for a little chat.
i would suggest buying new fire heads before you come

Fair luna bright, fair luna moon
it shines at night but fades too soon
fair luna moon, fair luna bright
forever we dance
we dance under starlight


ValuraSILVER Member
Mumma Hen
6,391 posts
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Posted:
I have flown from brisbane to melbourne with my fire gear. Put the poi in a ziplock bag and then put them into an airtight container and stuff em into your luggage and you will be fine. biggrin

TAJ "boat mummy." VALURA "yes sweetie you went on a boat, was daddy there with you?" TAJ "no, but monkey on boat" VALURA "well then sweetie, Daddy WAS there with you"


Sakura_MoonHop's Kitten Jester.
1,803 posts
Location: Wonderland igloo, Vic, Australia


Posted:
Yeah i ahd a similar exeperience and ended up not taking them for fear of getting in trouble.
Zip lock back with instructions to as what they're for, NO KERO TRACES!!!!! You should be fine!

.:Pink Exocutioner:.

I am Jack's Raging Bile Duct...

Loving you from the deepest part of my loins.



DoktorSkellSILVER Member
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia


Posted:
Written by: Sakura_moon


NO KERO TRACES!!!!! You should be fine!




I think thats the key to it all. if they have a sniffer dog examine your bagpack and he smells carcinogens "fuel of any kind"

You might have a delayed flight

Fair luna bright, fair luna moon
it shines at night but fades too soon
fair luna moon, fair luna bright
forever we dance
we dance under starlight


GnorBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
5,814 posts
Location: Perth, Australia


Posted:
Ow used to unwrap his kevlar and wash it before each plane trip but that seems a pain. If you declare them you prob wont be allowed to take them unless they can get the explosives guys in. Thats what happened to a german girl and so I got to keep her poi. It says no firesticks on the flights I have been on but so far I havent had any problems flying Sydney to Perth but always take the heads off my chains, ziplock then tupperware the heads and have a screwdriver packed with them so I can take the kevlar off and not loose the whole head. I usually take unburnt kevlar in case I need to throw the old stuff.

I have been questioned on them coming into Australia as they check baggage quite carefully but no real problems.

Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?

Im in a lonely battle with the world with a fish to match the chip on my shoulder. Gnu in Binnu in a cnu


BatwalkerBRONZE Member
journeyman
50 posts
Location: Malvern, UK


Posted:
Thanks everyone for your help. hug

Still not sure if I'm flying at the mo, but if I do I will have a go at taking the wicks off, doing the zip - lock bag etc.

I do have to fly to New Zealand but think it would probably be best to just take the wicks off completely, hopefully I'll find somewhere cheap to buy wicks in Christchurch ubbrollsmile

I am a EVIL Giraffe.....


newgabeSILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia


Posted:
A friend of mine has taken fire sticks and other toys overseas a few times now. We wash them thoroughly, in washing up liquid and water, dry them in the sun, wrap them in glad wrap (or as an English friend calls it, happy plastic....) The bag needs to be cleaned too. It attracts extra attention as it is larger than usual, to fit the sticks, like a ski or boogie board bag, and has to go through the oversize luggage section. The airport guys wave their 'explosive residue ' testing wands over the bag ) but it has passed every time. We still get a bit paranoid at the airport though!

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....


BatwalkerBRONZE Member
journeyman
50 posts
Location: Malvern, UK


Posted:
Thanks sweety. I took my poi to New Zealand no problems at all Well apart from assembling them the other end.

I just took off the wicks and washed them.

I am a EVIL Giraffe.....


newgabeSILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia


Posted:
Cool glad it worked for you. We don't unwrap cos there's so much gear. I'm alsways a bit surprised when the residue sniffing wand doesn't go off! Feel like we got away with something!

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....


BatwalkerBRONZE Member
journeyman
50 posts
Location: Malvern, UK


Posted:
You don't unwrap. Doh!

Would have been so much simpler, because it was so much work to get them back on.

Oh well, at least now I can spin smile

I am a EVIL Giraffe.....


DoktorSkellSILVER Member
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia


Posted:
Yay! Have fun spinning in a different country.

Dont forget to sample our country's womens either.

Fair luna bright, fair luna moon
it shines at night but fades too soon
fair luna moon, fair luna bright
forever we dance
we dance under starlight


Hairy TaitBRONZE Member
member
109 posts
Location: Back in the Future, United Kingdom


Posted:
Aw man....... Was gonna take my Fire Poi down to Glastonbury on the Plane..... ( It's my only real available mode of Transport...) but can't afford new heads....might have to bit of Jiggery pokery and cleaning.....


Good advice though Cheers....

It's a very interesting story, Future Boy....!


newgabeSILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia


Posted:
Seriously, the washing thing (and wrapping in Happy Plastic) works fine. Mind you we get to dry them out in the sun...not had actually wet stuff to pack. If you're only talking a set of poi it should be easy. We've been doing a whole ski bag size of stuff and have been fine. I would suggest though don't tell them that you've packed used gear cos then they may feel obliged to make a fuss. And put stuff in your checked in luggage rather than hand luggage cos if they see something they don't like in the scanner ( metal bits or whatever) they can take it straight off you and you can't really argue without missing the plane. (That's in Oz anyway, don';t know what sort of security UK domestic airports have)

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....


VixenSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,276 posts
Location: Oxfordshire/Wiltshire, United Kingdom


Posted:
Im going to France on the plane next month... im not taking fire poi... just my practise ones.... my socks have got juggling balls in... that wont be allowed will it??

My fluffy poi... well im not quite sure whats in the middle... would it be safer not to take them? xxx

tHeReS gOoD aNd EvIl iN EaCh InDiViDuAl fIrE, iDeNtIfIeS nEeDs AnD fEeDs OuR dEsIrEs.


funkwaxpuppyBRONZE Member
Member
40 posts
Location: Crane City (Brisbane), Australia


Posted:
We too have had no issues taking bucket loads of used gear on planes, though when it really matters we don't take chances and always make new gear to take with us, as each experience is slightly different and it's usually up to a whim or the wheather as to weather airport security will make a fuss about such things.

I think most of it's been said, but again, kero traces are a bad, bad thing. The argument here is that if a fire were to break out, fuel residues act as an accellerant. I don't think they actually expect it to combust by itself (well, most don't anyway).

We use only "odourless" fuels, which I think helps in the first place. Secondly, our fuel is classed as a "non flammable" and "non dangerous good" by Airport DGM (dangerous goods management). We have our MSDS on hand. This helps a lot.

We have even been cleared to take 20L of performance fuel in jerricans in our checked luggage overseas -- twice!!

With used gear, we always wash the wicks as best we can, to clean off soot and as much fuel residue as possible. We use whatever detergent we can (washing detergent, shampoo, etc!) We don't unwrap our wicks. After washing them (usually in a bathtub!) we wrap all wicked ends of our equipment with clingwrap, then fasten with packing tape. We usually don't have time to dry them out, so just pack them wet.

Staffs are usually wrapped in towels or clothes and packed in long postpacks and checked as oversized luggage. Poi and other odds and ends can be wrapped up in whatever and checked in regular luggage.

Having said this, I know of people who have had unused equipment confiscated at the airport!!! Don't make a fuss, and if you can, have someone come to the airport with you. That way, at least they can take it for you and it won't get thrown into the airport bin of no-return...

PyroWillGOLD Member
HoP's Barman. Trapped aged 6 months
4,437 posts
Location: Staines, United Kingdom


Posted:
You could always try doing what I do, if they give you any hassle just try saying 'do you know who i am'? then its up to luck if they go yes sorry go on your way sir, or they'll get angry and you'll go see the man!

Written by: Vixen


Im going to France on the plane next month... im not taking fire poi... just my practise ones.... my socks have got juggling balls in... that wont be allowed will it??

My fluffy poi... well im not quite sure whats in the middle... would it be safer not to take them? xxx




I cant see why you cant take juggling balls and socks hun, maybe separate them, but cant see any reason why you couldnt, and you fluffy poi should ebc ool, unless they think your smuggling coke in them or something

An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind

Give a man a fish and he'll eat 4 a day hit a man with a brick and you can have all his fish and his wife

"Will's to pretty for prison" - Simian


marcoenthusiast
328 posts
Location: uk


Posted:

Recent experience of taking the following through two lots of airport security, that would be london heathrow then to athens onto salmos (olympic airways) for the student cultural week for which I was invited to perform,

all new kit build, mind you fully assembled

fire fingers
stilts
staff five foot
three sets of fire poi
rope dart,
several fire breathing stick sets
several contact fire sets
and fire nun chucks (ok these got stopped)

the obligatory sock poi and stuff


There was no problem with any of the kit, although I did have a load of related paperwork to go with the kit, msds sheets, risk assesment stuff, site inspection, and control of risk(s) for the performances I was involved in setting up,

All the performance kit was installed in a metal flight case, i was simply asked to hand over the fire nunchucks and everything else went on it's merry way, the staff was packed in a plastic drain pipe tube, sealed at both ends,

As for returning, the fire poi, staff, rope dart and fingers were given over to the salmos univeristy fire arts club, so I wouldn't really know about that, but the fire breathing sticks and contact fire stuff came back with me.

treatments as follows

Fuel thouroughly burnt off,
Once extinguished, wicks doused with running water
Wicks shaken off thouroughly
Wicks loaded with washing up liquid
Wicks thouroughly shaken off

tested for combustion

Double sealed and packed,

No difficulties, there wouldn't have been a problem getting the rest of the kit back, though.

maybe olympic airways are just more broad minded, wouldn't know about others

mark

IcerSILVER Member
just a shadow of my former self...
205 posts
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand


Posted:
flying round new zealand is no problem at all, i just wrapped my poi up in some old towels and into plastic bag they went, but then, our domestic airport security is virtually non-existent. going international might be more of a problem tho, would suggest being pretty thorough.

It took a while, but once their numbers dropped from 50 down to 8, the other dwarves started to suspect Hungry.


FIRE_SPINNERBRONZE Member
member
87 posts
Location: New South Wales


Posted:
i have flown from sydney into lax (los angeles international) with juggling torches fire staff (three piece) and fire poi and there new terrorism laws and all i did was dip the wicks into kero burn them then dip into water spin off excess water and let dry in airtight container with a couple of air fresheners then put into ziplock bags and into airtight container and into underdeck luggage did not even stop me about them


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