Weirdest item you've seen taken as carry-on?

[k_sheep]

Hmm I took a sleeping bag once. Pretty regularly have a fishing rod. I'm not that out there I guess.

Certainly haven't taken a pig!

 

[Forg]

I heard there was an incident on a plane this occurred and it needed to descend quickly. The pilot asked that anything heavy be thrown out of the plane.

A farmer on the ground watched the parts land on the ground and remarked to his friend "look it's raining Datsun cogs."

That’s worth an extended groan, at the very least …


[aside: they were actually all Nissan fiends at the time, so very accurate!]

 

[Stealthflyer]

I was on an Air New Zealand domestic flight today and one of the passengers brought on a large pot plant. They tried to put it in the overhead locker but the cabin crew were worried it would fall over and spill soil over the bags sharing the locker, so they stored it up the front.

I've never thought to take a plant as carry-on, but I suppose there aren't any rules against it.

What you have brought on (or seen brought on) as carryon?

Only biosecurity rules. You wouldn’t be allowed to take a pot plant into Tassie.

 

[Stealthflyer]

a friend has taken a lobster in a tiny esky to Singapore.

Krispy Kremes were very common ex SYD back in the day

A friend took a frozen leg of lamb from SYD to LHR many years ago.

Krispy Kremes are sadly still very common on flights to HBA. More so on JQ than VA

 

[Bluewave]

Post Sept 11th my mother was visiting me from the US, flying back alone. She was worried how she'd while away the time on the long flight home since she was an avid knitter and wouldn't be allowed her needles in the cabin. So she just "McGyvered" a set of circular needles by packing two Bic Kilometrico ballpoint pens, with the nibs coated in clear nail polish, and a length of small diameter, clear flexible tubing, along with some wool. Once the first meal was cleared she proceeded to assemble the "rig", cast on, and knit away. During the flight the FA walked past a did a double-take, stopping to inspect what mom had gotten through Security. "Are those pens?!" she asked in surprise. My mother was rather proud to confirm that yes they were, and that they were definitely NOT not knitting needles! My niece appreciated the warm scarf in Boston that winter.

 

[UP4014]

Egypt Air, Eritrea to Cairo. Down the back several passengers cooking meals with little butane camping stoves on the floor they had as hand luggage. Not an airline I'd fly these days.

 

[offshore171]

If you travelled PER - PHE late in the last century (!), it was common to see pax bringing multiple buckets of KFC onboard, for delivery to deprived locals who didn't have a local outlet.

This remains a common thing for flights from Auckland to the pacific islands.

 

[MichaelD]

During the great toilet paper crisis of early 2020, I took a large packet of 18 toilet rolls as carry on. Easily sourced at my rural location, there was none to be had in Melbourne at the time. Got many chuckles and knowing nods.

 

[NM]

During the great toilet paper crisis of early 2020, I took a large packet of 18 toilet rolls as carry on. Easily sourced at my rural location, there was none to be had in Melbourne at the time. Got many chuckles and knowing nods.

Prepared for all "outcomes", apparently.

 

[Katie]

Probably a hide-covered footstool on a LRE-SYD flight.

(QF fundraising flight for Rural Aid in 2018 or 19, and there were some stalls with local vendors at the Qantas Founders Museum)

 

[BCons]

On behalf of a friend in Syd, we bought 2 frozen Hares from our butcher in Hobart and took them onboard to Syd in a thermal shopping bag. Lots of looks and laughs at security scanning. What are they, dogs? - had to reassure they weren’t…

 

[thedrivesman]

In 2018, I took my (18kg) suitcase on as "hand-luggage" on a Shanghai Airlines flight from AOG (Anshan) to PVG. They hoped that by bypassing the luggage system, I would get to the QF check-in desk before it closed. Sadly, I was 10 minutes late and had to get the next day's QF130 home to SYD. That case was a tight fit in the overhead Locker!

Strangest thing a passenger next to me had as hand luggage was a silver canister containing wild animal tissue specimens - on a flight from Maun, Botswana to JNB. He would not let go of it, as it was too valuable and had to have help with fastening his seat belt!

 

[offshore171]

Human organ being carried by a physician for transplant

 

[tdimdad]

The annoying thing about the Krispy Kreme brigade is that they seem to think they can take over the overhead locker with them.

I've done several donut runs SYD-BNE, too. But the boxes were sitting on top of my trolley in the bin (or under the seat in front). Some FA's kindly arranged the boxes better before closing the bin, making sure that the kids receive the goodies in a better shape...

 

[jastel]

Someone needs to explain to me what is so much better about these damm donuts.....

Dont get me wrong I like donuts but dont think KK are any better than any other types...

 

[Forg]

Someone needs to explain to me what is so much better about these damm donuts.....

Dont get me wrong I like donuts but dont think KK are any better than any other types...

Taking them anywhere is a little pointless IMHO, as they’re really at their best when still warm.

But when they‘re still fresh, they’re extra sugary & extra buttery & extra fatty which just tastes better, plus they’ve got the sweet glazes & fillings & soft icings. I’d agree they’re no better than good doughnuts elsewhere, but finding good doughnuts elsewhere is a bit of a challenge; the likes of Donut King seem to be disappearing, and they tend not to be fresh either.

Another thing I’ve found works well with Krispy Kreme is that you can buy a ‘special treat’ morning tea for a reasonable number of people all in one hit. Grab 3 assorted boxes and you can feed up to about 50-ish people in the office for a bit of a surprise.

 

[jastel]

I must be easily satisfied by bad donuts...
I guess its like coffee, wine, beer etc...people like it a certain way.

Any alcohol will get you drunk...any donut will make you fat.
To me it just food.

 

[Forg]

I’d prefer a cupcake anyway, particularly the ones which are twice the size at 5x the price so they call them a ‘muffin’ (when it’s not really a muffin as a muffin is a savoury sourdough-consistency roll about the same size as a crumpet) (no not that meaning of crumpet you bunch of degenerates! ).

And … just food? Just?!?!

I eat & drink for the flavours, the textures, admittedly there’s some primal satisfaction in just the chewing & the swallowing but still - I do like my food & drink. And while I’ll consume anything to some degree I do know what I prefer.

 

[JohnK]

Myself....

 

[Duffa]