TSA updates list, sex toys allowed in carry-on luggage

Published On: Friday, July 01, 2011

AMERICA'S Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has updated the list of items allowed in carry-on luggage - with some of the additions set to create a stir.

The security agency announced that sex toys, including vibrators, are now safe to pack in carry-ons. So are whips, chains, leashes, restraints and handcuffs.

An article on AOL's travel site Gadling.com notes that not everyone should pack their 'goodies' in their overnight bag.

It advises that if you are shy and discreet, you should pack them in your checked luggage because you will be flagged when the items are spotted and they will be taken out and inspected in full view.

The TSA also reminds travellers that any item that is "club-like" or objects that are "anatomically correct cylinders of roughly a foot or so in length" are still prohibited. In other words, size matters, keep it under seven inches and you should be fine, says the travel site.

The TSA also recommended these travel tips for more discreet flying:

* Remove the batteries. It will prevent your travel companion from going off unexpectedly and in inopportune places - like the security line and overhead bin.

* Make sure all liquids and gels are 3-1-1 compliant. You may want to transfer that KY into an unmarked container as well.

* Handcuffs are legally allowed, but you may want to check them ... or opt for a less conspicuous silk or cotton variety.

* Whips and leather floggers are legal. Do not back down

* Be careful where you are travelling - foreign countries may have different restrictions.

In Saudi Arabia, the article notes, alcohol, weapons, pork and pornography are not permitted.

Screwdrivers, wrenches and other "hand tools" may also be brought aboard in carry-on luggage if they are less than seven inches in length.

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Unify carry-on cabin luggage size - open letter to the EU ...

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I travel and fly quite a lot. Especially inside of the European Union. Traveling should be fun, but can also be a painful experience... and unfortunately many airlines just add their own touch of bitterness to it all. I've been through most of the European airlines and most of the aircraft that fly here. Now it's time for me to speak up and finally ask the EU Commission to regulate the size of the carry-on cabin luggage. Well, apparently I wasn't all that set. Today I'm flying to Tokyo with Lufthansa... and my connecting flight (through their Star Alliance group) is with Spanair. Now this is crazy - these two airlines are in the same group yet my carry-on, perfectly OK for Lufthansa (they have the same dimensions as Ryanair), didn't fit the Spanair's standards (because it's 55cm long instead of 50cm - yet it's 20cm thin instead of their 25cm allowance). You see? Even in the same group they sell you the ticket and can't standardize the carry-on luggage size! Mobile phone industry democratized connecting people yet the operators in Europe were charging outrageous roaming fees if you travelled from one country to another. They still do, but not in Europe (if you have a sim-card with an European carrier). It's still not cheap to call from abroad but it's not prohibitively expensive. EU Commission stepped up and imposed on the mobile operators new tariffs. To be constructive about all this let me propose this unified size for all airlines - it's what fits all of the popular aircraft (Boeing, Airbus and others) and it's what lets passengers travel lightly without checking-in the luggage. I'd recommend 12kg instead of Ryanair's 10kg because 2kg is what the lightest bags weight and then there is still room for 10kg of stuff which, experience taught me, is about all you may ever need (even for 2-week long holiday).

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