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Comic-Con International => SDCC Housing, Parking, and Transportation => Topic started by: marcia29 on July 26, 2018, 05:03:09 AM

Title: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: marcia29 on July 26, 2018, 05:03:09 AM
As we were checking into our flights on Southwest, I noticed a sign on the counter:

"To expedite the check in process, please keep your event programs with your carry-on items.  Thank you!"


Huh? I asked the desk assistant what that meant and at first he had no idea.  Then he checked and said that the ink on the program books was setting off the alarms and could cause delays when bags were checked, or even get them pulled.   What?! Of course I had checked all my program guides, and wondered if I needed to dig in and get them out. I asked if anyone had gotten stopped that he had seen and, so far he hadn't, so I took the chance.  Well....my sister's luggage ended up getting pulled and searched (they left the little 'love note' in her bag).  And she got pulled for extra attention.  I have also seen notices that other folk had issues.

It would have been nice to know about this before coming to the airport, so I am posting here for possible future use.  I also wonder if this happened on other airlines.

Weirdness.

Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: Transmute Jun on July 26, 2018, 07:14:58 AM
That is so weird! I wonder what it was in the guides that caused this?
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: marcia29 on July 26, 2018, 07:43:34 AM
Here is a pic of the actual sign at the Southwest check in counter.  Each counter had a sign like this.

(https://i.imgur.com/7296ttg.jpg)
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: TardisMom on July 26, 2018, 08:25:47 AM
Super weird!  I wonder what's in the ink?
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: SteveD on July 26, 2018, 08:41:46 AM
Same type of issue last year with United Airlines, but not about the ink...
https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/24/16021026/united-airlines-sdcc-comic-con-airport-comic-book-ban-tsa (https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/24/16021026/united-airlines-sdcc-comic-con-airport-comic-book-ban-tsa)
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: mark on July 26, 2018, 08:57:48 AM
When did you fly out? We left on Monday and didn't notice any signs.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: marcia29 on July 26, 2018, 09:01:32 AM
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When did you fly out? We left on Monday and didn't notice any signs.

We left on Monday, too--- at about 11:30am, we were at the counters.  That is odd.  I looked up and down, and every Southwest counter had a desk sign at the inside check in desks.  I don't know about the outside ones, though. I almost didn't notice it.  Our check in was taking some extra time, so I began to look around.  I might not even have noticed it otherwise. :-X
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: marcia29 on July 26, 2018, 09:03:17 AM
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Same type of issue last year with United Airlines, but not about the ink...
https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/24/16021026/united-airlines-sdcc-comic-con-airport-comic-book-ban-tsa (https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/24/16021026/united-airlines-sdcc-comic-con-airport-comic-book-ban-tsa)

Well that was an interesting article...again, weird.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: mark on July 26, 2018, 09:16:47 AM
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We left on Monday, too--- at about 11:30am, we were at the counters.  That is odd.  I looked up and down, and every Southwest counter had a desk sign at the inside check in desks.  I don't know about the outside ones, though. I almost didn't notice it.  Our check in was taking some extra time, so I began to look around.  I might not even have noticed it otherwise. :-X

We were there pretty much exactly the same time :) But I didn't notice the signs I guess. We used the self-service kiosks and it was pretty chaotic.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: marcia29 on July 26, 2018, 10:03:44 AM
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We were there pretty much exactly the same time :) But I didn't notice the signs I guess. We used the self-service kiosks and it was pretty chaotic.

[member=4270]mark[/member] - For me, that makes it more strange.  Why didn't the Southwest folk point it out?  I probably would rather have taken them out than have my things rifled-through.  Oh well, I have posted this to the official CCI FB page too.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: Transmute Jun on July 26, 2018, 10:26:00 AM
Maybe the density of the books causes problems with the scanning?
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: chocolateshake on July 26, 2018, 10:30:17 AM
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Maybe the density of the books causes problems with the scanning?

I was thinking it had something to do with the ink they use but the density of the books makes a lot of sense.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: DaveG on July 26, 2018, 10:39:43 AM
That's really strange.  I flew Southwest, but used self-service and never saw the signs.  Guides were in my luggage, but looks like everything made it through ok.  Odd.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: marcia29 on July 26, 2018, 10:51:39 AM
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I was thinking it had something to do with the ink they use but the density of the books makes a lot of sense.

Density makes sense, but...hey...don't other people fly with thick books?

The counter person told me it was the ink.  Ah...but what about the ink? I am intrigued.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: SteveD on July 26, 2018, 10:56:52 AM
My guess it is the density also, but to be safe, I'm going out to buy a larger carry on bag today for my trip home tomorrow.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: mark on July 26, 2018, 11:00:21 AM
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That's really strange.  I flew Southwest, but used self-service and never saw the signs.  Guides were in my luggage, but looks like everything made it through ok.  Odd.

Same. I was actually surprised that there were no little notes saying that our bags had been opened up and inspected.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: chocolateshake on July 26, 2018, 11:06:39 AM
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The counter person told me it was the ink.  Ah...but what about the ink? I am intrigued.

Ink is just particles in a suspension.  Inorganic inks can use metals.  It can be that some of those metals look like substances that they are on the alert for.  Or maybe even a circuit for a device.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: marcia29 on July 26, 2018, 12:57:28 PM
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Ink is just particles in a suspension.  Inorganic inks can use metals.  It can be that some of those metals look like substances that they are on the alert for.  Or maybe even a circuit for a device.

Nice... a circuit for a device.  I spy. :blank:
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: jamiesugah on July 27, 2018, 08:03:48 AM
Similar- When I was at BookExpo I got an 800-page ARC. I'm local so I didn't have issues, but basically everyone who got it had issues with security because of this massive 800-page book in their luggage. So it may be something like that?
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: mark on July 27, 2018, 09:56:06 AM
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Similar- When I was at BookExpo I got an 800-page ARC. I'm local so I didn't have issues, but basically everyone who got it had issues with security because of this massive 800-page book in their luggage. So it may be something like that?

Good point. iirc the issue with international travelers last year was something like that, lots of people with stacks of books.
Title: Re: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest
Post by: PurpleCalico on July 27, 2018, 07:46:27 PM
Didn’t fly Southwest but I’m an international attendee. I had 2 thick comics, plus the SDCC souvenir book, quick guide, and the programs guide in my check in luggage. Had no issues and no one opened my bag. I didn’t stack all of them together though, had them separated in different parts of my luggage because experience taught me to never concentrate all the heavy weight on one section of the bag.