Airlines....

[+Pacar]

Hi there!

has anyone ever had a problem carrying a GPS unit onto an aircraft in hand luggage? I'm heading overseas next month for a long trip and don't want to put my GPS into my suitcase and plan to grab some caches when I'm abroad.

 

Cheers,

Pacar

[+Misty and Minou]

I spent a large chunk of my last transatlantic flight tracking it with my GPS, the only time I need to have it turned off was take off and landing.

 

So no problem in your hand luggage.

 

http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm

[+Bhob]

I am not aware of any prohibition on having a GPSr in your carry-on luggage

 

but, just to be on the safe side, I would recommend checking with the airline(s) in question, and researching the rules at your destination, if it is another country

 

rules can vary by country, airline, and sometimes even a particular flight crew

 

interestingly, as a "safety precaution", cellphone use is banned on all US flights

(you can have a cellphone with you, but you are not allowed to turn it on)

but there is no such restriction on Air Force One

the reporters and politicians onboard are free to use their cellphones whenever they like

 

as for countries, I recall that Russia once forbade the possession of GPS receivers

(they may still do so, or my informatiom may be stale)

I have heard tales of people being arrested for having a unit in their luggage

[+NickandAliandEliza]

Mine's always carried in hand luggage. Signals are usually pretty good as well. If you fly over any caches, they won't let you get off to find them. That's the only problem.

[+Matthew 7:7 Too]

Like Misty & Minou, I took mine in my camera bag when I flew to Spain 2 years ago, and as I had a window seat was able to track the plane's flight. They didn't allow electronic devices to be used on take-offs or landings, but otherwise there were no restrictions.

 

Chris

[+Original A1]

No problems.

[+Moote]

I believe they are fine to carry in hand luggage, as long as you do not stuff the battery compartment with Semtex

[+Gushoneybun]

We have flown to (and back ) the US on a number of times, with Virgin and Monarch and never had an issue. Always carry it on as hand luggage. We did get stopped once as we were about to board at Manchester and had to show that everything worked.

 

From memory we had 3 mobiles, 2 laptops, 4 Ipods, 3 Nintendo DS's, 2 cameras, a GPS and a Tomtom. They stopped us for one of the laptops and you should have seen the faces on the two guards drop when me, my wife and three kids started producing electronics from everywhere. Never been asked again.

 

The GPSr was great as we flew over and then down the east coast of Canada and the US we knew exactly where we were and the towns/cities that were below. I had set the GPSr to a cache near the airport so we knew how far it was as well.

[+thehoomer]

An unmissable opportunity to wind the window down and throw a few micro's out. The co ordinates should be accurate enough and you can adopt the ever popular...... 'wherever they land' style of hiding.

 

Edited to add the actual useful bit....

 

Dave has been on several trips abroad with the GPS and its always been in his pocket or hand luggage. Its never posed a problem.

Edited February 4, 2012 by thehoomer

[+Simply Paul]

As others say, you shouldn't have any problems. When I've asked aircrew if I could use it after take-off, it's never been refused. Hit over 1000Kph on the way back from the States last December. Weeee!

[+drsolly]

Mine's always carried in hand luggage. Signals are usually pretty good as well. If you fly over any caches, they won't let you get off to find them. That's the only problem.

 

That's what your parachute is for.

[+Mark+Karen]

Usually there is no problem. However if a member of the aircrew tells you to turn it off then do it, no arguments.

[team tisri]

When I flew back from the US in 2005 the flight crew seemed concerned about me using a GPS so I turned it off while they checked with the captain, who gave the go-ahead.

 

When I flew in 2008 the flight crew said using a GPS wasn't allowed so I left it switched off. Since the route I fly is much the same every time I don't feel any great urge to track the plane so it's not a problem for me to switch it off.

 

As a matter of routine when I fly I've got at least one handheld GPS, plus the GPS in my cellphone (which stays switched off), plus a bluetooth GPS dongle. All of it goes in my hand luggage and I've never had any trouble with any of it. I usually fly to and from the US at least once a year.

[+Pacar]

Thank you all so much for the many replies

The GPS will be travelling in my hand luggage.