Advice on packing for flying.

[SandyR]

Girls,

Planning my first ever, ever trip flying. Any tips on how to pack your female cloths, stuff, etc.

Any advice?

Hugs!

SandyR

[girl_in_pantyhose]

I need these tips too!

[Caitlintgsd]

I don't think that your suitcase would be the first one that they'd have seen with lingerie or dresses in it. Homeland Security isn't looking for crossdressers. Unless your packing some kind of device that goes *BANG*in those breast forms. If your worried about it or shy, and staying at a hotel at the other end of the plane ride you could just ship your stuff ahead via Fedex or UPS (What can Brown do for You!!!).

[Nicki B]

If you were travelling with your SO and sharing luggage, would it have even crossed your mind? How many bags do you think the airport staff see every day which have both male and female items in.... Why should they think anything of it? :)

[WildLotus29]

If your worried about it or shy, and staying at a hotel at the other end of the plane ride you could just ship your stuff ahead via Fedex or UPS (What can Brown do for You!!!).

I would do this. Ship your stuff to your destination ahead of time via FedEx or UPS. This allows you to insure it and if it's lost you can get some financial reimbursement. Good luck getting that done with an airline if they lose your things. Also, TSA is bad for stealing things from baggage checks.

:2c:

[Kendra (Tx)]

Sandy...Pack just as you would with any other clothing..Keep it from wrinkling and messed up...Ok..I know that's a given...But here's one of my past experiences...A few years ago I used to take bi yearly vacations to Richmond Virginia..( lovely place )..And that was my time to let Kendra "be" basically 24/7 :battingeyelashes:...Ok..."He" had an overnight bag with a couple pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, and some underwear as well as toiletries ( male and female ) as carry on...Mean while, Kendra..had two ( yes that's 2 large suitcases full of "her" things..) :eek: On a side note..I'll never complain about a woman packing enough for a year's trip when she's only staying a few days.. Ok, no problem...Check in at the curb and since I already had my boarding pass...I went right through security..Now...I was flying into Dulles airport...Mind you this was "pre-911" so security wasn't all that strict...But on my trip coming back...no checking in at the curb...Ticket counter for me...Again..No problem...UNTIL, they pulled my bags for a "random"...Still ok...They pulled me and my bags aside...and proceeded to send my bags through this "new" x ray machine...Only it didn't look "through" things...it actually saw what was in the bags...Ok...I was getting a little nervous :nailbiting: ...She manipulated the image...Rotating it and looking from all different angles...Then she came upon these "Two gelatneous blobs" in my bag.... Yep...My forms...She lingered and maniplated the image trying to figure out if they were of any danger...( not to her, but I was about to have a heart attack :worried: )..Short of it..She sent me through and nothing happened ( except nerves being frazzled )...All you can do is pack like any other person and TRY not to be nervous...Cause they are watching you as well as looking at your bags..If they ask you about anything in the bag...Remember..it may not be as embarassing to tell them "They are my clothes" then the possible hassles that may arrise if you lie about the clothes in there and have to explain in the security office...And as a post script to this event..My friend Emmy...was standing there next to me about to bust up laughing while this was going on..."Yeah I love you too Em"..:rasp:
Of course you can do like Kimberly Tx does...Fly enfemme...Goodness I'm sooooo jealous of her...

http://kendra954.com

[angelfire]

A while back my mom flew to England from Canada, and on the way back, she got stopped at security when they scanned her bag. They didn't want to let her on the plane. Know why?

She had a curling iron, that they thought was a dis-assembled firearm. Seriously.

Anyway, a very good point was made, they check bags all day and see clothes with men's and women's stuff in it all the time, like on a family vacation. Just be careful if you bring a firearm...I mean curling iron.

[SandyR]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies ladies. Great advice, I feel alot more comfortable now. I'll pack like I would for a road trip, hope for the best, and just be me.

Big hugs to you all!

SandyR

[pinkeverything]

whatever you do, do NOT let a guitar, or any other serious instrument, be taken from your possession.

I'm pretty sure that the baggage handlers see them as lawn darts.

[steftoday]

paging TXKimberly!!! TXKimberly, please report to this post!! :o

[SoJill]

my, what I have seen in those bags.... Guess what? Those that do this job of going through stuff have seen it all. By knowledge, they don't care what you have packed, as long as it is within the guidelines of what is permitted on board. Had an interesting conversation with a crossdresser the other day. Here is the story. If a person shows up looking different than his/her drivers liscense or passport depicts, a closer look may be needed. People grow beards, shave, color hair, lose weight, gain weight, etc...Worse case scenario is an additional look at you and your items. If you are presented as a female and need a further look, you will be looked at by a female in most cases. Just be yourself and all will be well, look real nervous and you may just get that additional look. Don't sweat the small stuff. You paid for your ticket and will/should be treated respectfully.

For carryon bags: all liquid, gels and aerosols must be 3.4 oz or smaller, no more than what can fit in a 1 qt baggie, limit 1 qt bag. Has to be removed from your carryon and sent seperately through x-ray. ie: shampoo, toothpaste, liquid makeup, nail polish, lip gloss, perfume. (unlimited in checked baggage) No drinks through the area, its a liquid.
If you have a laptop or lg electronic (PS2, Wii, DVD player) take it out of its bag/case and send it seperately through x-ray.
Remove all metal: belt buckle, large metal jewelry (earrings, bracelets, necklaces) money clips. bobby pins can set those things off.....
Do what you can not to draw attention to yourself and all will be well. I hope that this helped.....

[bridget thronton]

I fly all the time for work. I always carry on my suitcase (since my trips are short) and my clothes are always mixed. No comments even when the Canadian Customs officer hand inspected my clothing items one at a time.

[joann07]

I flew in femme for Be-All back in May and, even though it was a week, I ended up packing two weeks worth of clothes. You can read all about it if you go to this link Be-All: Chicago (http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83670).
98% of what I packed was femme clothes and I checked-in a big suitcase and a garment bag.
I wasn't worried about anything since the baggage screeners don't know me.
It was a piece of cake.
Like what Kendra said, pack as you would normally do and don't make a big deal out of it.

Hugs!

[Karren H]

Yeah... bring two suitcases... and be prepared to pay extra for being overweight on both... I always am... ohhh and throw in a couple male things too, just incase!!! hahaha

[KimberlyS]

Only one important comment. If you are bringing breast forms pack in there original box or a proper carrying case. Other wise just pack the TSA or other staff do not care. And besides they make a mess of it anyway. Often they just stuff things back in which is the reason to have forms in a proper container. I actually have found the packing bags work well. The ones you either suck or squeeze the air out of. I have yet to have one of them broken open.

[sandra-leigh]

I had just glanced at one of the Transmasculine postings, so when I read the title of this thread, "packing for flying" had a very different meaning! :D

[CaptLex]

I had just glanced at one of the Transmasculine postings, so when I read the title of this thread, "packing for flying" had a very different meaning! :D

:lol2:

Touche, T-L :^5:

I don't see why packing anything would be a big deal to baggage handlers and airlines, as long as it's legal. You know, no weapons, explosives, etc. It's nobody's business what you have in your suitcase and whether it's yours or someone else's clothes. I have a friend who had to fly back from North Africa (conservative muslim territory) with his wife's clothes in his suitcase - nobody cared. I have another friend (male) who, though not a crossdresser, wears makeup (though not noticeably) and travels with it in carryon bags. He's had these bags opened and the items examined publicy, and nobody bats an eye. In fact, he's happy to volunteer, "oh that's just my mascara".

So what's the big deal? :idontknow:

[Natalia]

My wife and I flew to Puerto Rico for a week and packed ... lets see...

- Latex outfits in large and smaller sizes
- Breast forms
- 5 different sized vibrators and D****'s
- Straps and hooks
- Several tubes of lube
- Nasty leather bustiers and such...

The TSA wrapped a nice little sticker around the handle to tell up that they had opened and searched that bag:D

I can only imagine that it made a remarkable Xray image and required closer evaluation:heehee:

[DonnaT]

Really, the only thing you need worry about is weight and number of checked bags, as either could result in increased cost. If not worried about cost, no worries.

To reduce weight and luggage space, always pack with mix and match in mind. One can get quite a number of ensembles out of a just a few mix&match items.

I always include two copies of my flight info in each bag. One loose copy in a zip-lock bag on top, and one secured to the luggage in a zip-lock bag.

So far, no luggage lost.

[Joanne f]

:D Once i let my wife pack all her clothes in first and just left mine in a pile to pack latter, unknown to me her sister came around and said that she would help and pack my clothes to save my wife doing it , my wife had completely forgotten that i only wear fem undies, her sister did not mention anything about it :o

so i would not worry to much about it as i am sure they have seen it all before.





joanne

[Shadeauxmarie]

I remember the first cruise I took. The couple in front of me were newlyweds. They were taken aside after the X-ray of their carry-on revealed HANDCUFFS!:o

What a way to start your marriage!

[samantha48328]

My biggest problem packing is leaving room for some guy cloths.:) :battingeyelashes: :heehee:

[debbeelee1]

American Express, don't leave home without it! Just pack as you normally would, I"m sure TSA has seen it all, just don't take something you're not supposed to. My SO and I just got back from a SCUBA diving trip and flew to Ft. Lauderdale. You can always tell divers, we each have a big, 49.5 pound rolling suitcase each with 3 grand worth of diving gear and huge, but legal size carry ons. If you check more that one bag or if a bag is over 50 pounds, you'll have to pay extra. At least they inspect the bags behind the scenes now and not in plain sight of everyone! I'm sure things will be just fine.

[Cristi]

I've flown a lot with femme things. The only thing I usually don't take along is my forms :sad: I'm worried about how they may show up on the scanner and flagged as a problem.

Other than that, I've never had a problem with my carry on bag stuffed with lingere, pantyhose, makeup, jewelry, shoes and a nightgown. The bag has been opened several times for inspection, but the only consequence has been the one time the inspector took my lacy nightgown out of the bag and set it aside on the table so he could get to the things below it. I'm glad I wasn't traveling with work mates THAT day!

I'm flying again next week, but won't have any time to dress at my destination but I'll still be packing some basics (panties, bras, nightgown, some hose) in with my 'guy' stuff.

[SandyR]

Ok,

So hear is what I am hearing. Pack 2 bags......pay for it, its worth it! Put your breast forms in bags. Try to control the wrinkles. But most of all have fun!


Thanks for the wonderful advice, I do appreciate it!

Will be sure to post pics from the trip latter this month.

Hugs!

Sandy

[joann07]

I wish you luck.
Have fun girl!

Hugs!

[TxKimberly]

paging TXKimberly!!! TXKimberly, please report to this post!! :o

Huh? What? Someone call my name? :)
Simple girls, you put everything in your checked baggage and then don't worry about it. Some TSA individual quite probably WILL go through your bag but why should you care about that? Your bag will be one of hundreds he goes through that day, he has no idea who you are, and he will be inspecting it somewhere far from you so you don't have to worry about other folks seeing what your carrying. In all likely hood, it's never gonna cross his mind that those dresses and shoes don't belong to a woman.

When it comes to the small bag you are allowed to carry on with you, don't put anything in it that you aren't willing to have everyone in line see. In other words, if your shy about being a cross dresser, you don't want any female things in your carry on bag.

A few other odds and ends I've learned about packing.

Put your makeup remover, nail polish remover, nail polish, and any other liquids in zip lock bags or other sealed container. That way when the over worked and tired guy putting your bag on the plane gets angry and throws it because you made him lift a heavy bag, if those items break, they don't ruin your clothes and makeup.
I use a Tupperware style container to carry my hair. This keeps it from getting smashed and flattened by every other thing in my suitcase and so it is not too hard to make it presentable when I get there.
Take one of those tape like roller lint removers with you. They do remove lint and other junk from your clothes but even better, they can take makeup off your clothes, or at least most of the makeup if you get some on your blouse.
Be honest with yourself - don't take a bunch of clothes, makeup, and jewelry you know your not going to wear. (I talk a good game but still don't practice this one myself!
As far as I know, all airlines have a 50 lb limit to bags. They will let you check a bag up to 75lbs but they will charge you for it (a LOT!)
Until very recently, most airlines allowed you to check two bags for free and then charged you for the third. A lot of airlines have changed that in the last week or two so be sure you go on the internet and find your limits before you go.


If you want a good laugh, go to the photo section and look at my recent post about the wedding dress. The last pic is of my checked bag! :heehee:

Welcome to the wonderful world of airline travel!

[SandyR]

Ok,

So Use something to put my hair in, try to keep things orginized, and wrinkle free, and "its ok" to pay for extra Travel Bags.

I think I got it!

For real girls, thanks so much, got way more responses then I could have expected.

I so appreciate it. This Girl is Las Vegas bound. Look for some pics.


Hugs!

Ssndy

[Katheryn]

If your worried about it or shy, and staying at a hotel at the other end of the plane ride you could just ship your stuff ahead via Fedex or UPS (What can Brown do for You!!!).

With airlines charging for extra bags, this would be cost effective also.

K

[Paola Lobos]

Hi,
I recently flew with a pair of breast forms in my luggage. I did it by mistake (a long story) and didn't realize until I got home. There was no indication that TSA went through my bag or cared. I have tried not to fly with them for fear they would show up on the x-ray as something dangerous. That's probably not the case.
Paola

[Paola Lobos]

I found this on the TSA website:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

It says that "Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic breasts, bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids" can be brought in carry on-luggage but must be shown to the security officer at the checkpoint before boarding the airplane.

Paola

[SandyR]

Girls thanks for the replies! After a rough couple weeks (wifes father passed) I (We) are really looking forward to this trip, found some cool shoes in Denver last week, so looking forward to some Vegas fun!


Big Hugs!

Sandy

[Jonianne]

A little off topic, but speaking of checked baggage, once when I was waiting at an airport, I was in an area with a large window and could watch the baggage handlers. One guy would pick up luggage from off the car and lift it over his head and delibertly drop it from over his head onto the conveyer belt going up to the plane, and then look around to see if anybody was watching and then do it again. Totaly unbeliveable! This was in the days before digital cameras. I wish I had one.

[suzy]

I have done considerable traveling internationally as well as domestically over the last 4 years and I have to say, I have NEVER had anyone question any feminine item that I have packed, either carry on or checked in. It just has never been a problem. They did take my nail clippers once though!:Angry3:

I think they are interested in large quantities of liquids and more suspicious items. Girly items are just not suspicious.:love:

Don't worry and enjoy your trip and time afterwards. It is your life...enjoy!:hugs:

[Pamela Julie]

You can just pack clothes, femme and drab, together without any problems. The only special thing you need to be careful about is breastforms, pack them so they can not be punctured by anything in your luggage, as the bags are literally thrown around by gorilla baggage handlers. Also any liquids need their caps extra snug, and put in zip lock bags for extra protection from possible leaks, some baggage holds are not pressurized and a leak could mess up your clothes. Also read the TSA web site for what you can check in and carry on the plane. Nobody cares what you wear or the clothes you pack. They see thousands of people in a day and forget you five seconds after you pass through security screening. Have a nice flight.

Pamela:)

[michellebesweet]

I have gone on many trips and taken tons of my girl clothes with me. I really don't think if matters. As long as you are not traveling with anything dangerous. I have clothes like anyother GG, bras, panties, hose, makeup, shoes, skirts, tops. Any many couple travel together, you can have clothes in the same bag. But if you want to carry to bags, use one for you guy clothes, and one for your girl clothes. Its really no big deal. I did one time ship some clothes to a location I was going to be at but it was a pain because I had to ship them back, it was just a pain to do that. I would suggest just two smaller suitcases. I also put somethings in my laptop bag when I travel, I have a large laptop bag with alot of room and its on wheels. Just another idea for you. Good luck with your travels.

[Michelly]

Don't worry about anything! Be yourself make it interesting and wear nice clothes of good taste. Be prepared when the attendants ask for photo I.D. but don't worry they are all suppose to be gender friendly. Yes you might get a smart-alecky remark but expect it and be prepared to smile a lot. Always give a kindly answer in return. Remember your just not representing yourself your representing all cross-dressers.

Have fun!!!

[SANDRA MICHELLE]

My wife and I just did a trip to Orlando and we both had our own make-up baggies and carryon luggage. We both also had purses and no body said anything. I went in drab mode but who relally cares if I had my own purse and make-up kit, it would be easy to explain that it was my wifes and since you can only have one carry on and one baggie of make-up per person that I was helping her out. Of course than again if someone questioned me I would gladly offer that it was my make-up. I always carry more fem clothes than male clothes and never have any male under things, no body has ever commented that I can remember. I do not use breast forms any longer but when I did I would ussually wear them on the plane and who is going to really want to check out me wearing a bra, no one I'd guess!!!