Can you take magnetic toys on a plane? Do they interfere with the workings of the airplane’s radio communications just like mobile phones? Read on to find out.
Flying with young kids is a nightmare for most parents. It is really hard to get them to sit silently throughout the plane ride. Kids have short attention spans, and keeping them busy with something is necessary if you want them to behave.
Often, parents bring toys and games for their kids to keep them entertained throughout the flight or at least when they are awake. There are a lot of varieties of toys available that you can buy, but since you have to carry them on a plane, you need to make sure they are compact and have few pieces, and are self-contained.
Magnetic toys are one of the best options for toys for the next time you are traveling with your kid. The best part about them is that the parts of a magnetic game are primarily held together by the magnetic power, and it is hard to lose them.
However, since it is a known fact that magnetic fields cause interference to the plane navigation system, the question that many parents ask is: can you take magnetic toys on a plane? No one would want to buy a brand new toy for their kids and have it confiscated even before boarding the plane.
Let’s understand whether you can take magnetic toys on a plane or not in detail in the article below.
Can You Take Magnetic Toys On a Plane?
A simple answer to this question is yes. You can take magnetic toys on a plane. Now, you might think that magnets are dangerous for airplanes, and you would be right about that. Let’s see why magnetic toys are not a problem.
Magnets can certainly cause interference with the airplane’s navigation system, but unless you are carrying a powerful magnet with a large magnetic field, magnets are allowed.
Since magnetic toys have a really small range of magnetic fields, they will not cause any issues, and that is why airlines allow you to take them on a plane.
According to guidelines from the TSA, magnets are on the list of allowed items that you can carry on a plane. However, the final decision whether the toy you are carrying with you will be permitted or not will depend on the TSA officer inspecting your baggage.
Can You Carry Magnetic Toys In Your Carry On Bags?
Yes, you can carry magnetic toys in your carry-on bags. Magnets are safe to carry in your hand baggage, as long as they are small and will not cause any potential harm to anyone.
The magnets in magnetic toys are harmless as they have a very small magnetic field that can range over a few meters at most.
A magnet that you can carry in your bag has to be in the cockpit to cause any potential trouble. Thus it is allowed on a plane.
Can You Carry Magnetic Toys In Your Checked Baggage?
Yes, you can carry magnetic toys in your checked baggage. According to the TSA, magnets are allowed to be taken in your checked baggage. The kid’s magnetic toys contain a small magnet that does not have a strong magnetic field, and the range is also really low.
Small magnets are not harmful and do not cause any interference with the plane’s navigation system, and thus are allowed on a plane.
Can You Take A Toy With Batteries On A Plane?
Yes, you can take a battery-operated toy on a plane. Toys that children play with are small and have
What Can You Bring On A Plane For Your Kids
Traveling with toys is a compulsion for every parent. As a parent, you must have wondered what toys you can bring on a plane without raising any security concerns or what you can bring in your carry-on luggage?
While most of the planes have built-in screens that can keep your child occupied for some time with plenty of animated movies and shows to watch. However, as we have mentioned earlier, kids have a really short attention span, and they get bored of things quickly.
On a long flight, watching a movie or a show won’t keep them occupied for a long enough time, and they will soon start creating a fuss. Watching a screen up close is also not suitable as it can cause health issues in the long run. After a show or two, most of the kids would demand something new or different, and that is where the toys come in handy.
Let us discuss some of the best options of entertainment for your kids you can bring on a plane.
Ask Your Kid Before Packing
One of the best options for toys that you can bring would be the toys that your child likes. Well, that seems simple right, but we as a parent often choose things that we think our child would like and not something that they actually like. Avoid doing this if you want your child to spend some time playing it.
Let your kids select the toys they want to bring with them, and you will notice the difference in time that they spend playing with the toys of their preference is more than the toy you choose.
Compact Toys
There is a weight limit on the things that you can carry in the hand baggage with you on a plane. Packing smaller and compact items is necessary. If you are packing toys with you, make sure that the toys are compact and lightweight.
Since just one bag is allowed per passenger, you need to make sure that there is enough space left in the bag to keep your own stuff.
Toys that do not make noise
Traveling with someone who is making unnecessary sounds while you are trying to sleep or watch a movie is frustrating. You would not want to be the reason behind someone else’s frustration. While your kids are your topmost priority, you need to care about other passengers too.
Choose toys that are not noisy. Toys like board games, puzzles are some of the great options for keeping your kids busy. Avoid choosing remote control toys or toys with motors as they will make noise.
Simpler Toys
It is common for kids to lose some of their toys while playing, and that can make them cranky. A toy with too many separate pieces is not ideal for planes as few of them can roll down and get lost under the seat.
Try choosing toys with fewer components. Magnetic toys would be a better option as the pieces are attached to a single board with magnetic force.
Books
If your kids love to read, getting them a new set of books would be a brilliant idea. A new book would keep them occupied for much longer rather than a book they have already read.
People Also Ask
Are magnetic toys allowed on planes?
The most common thought process any traveler goes through while traveling via a plane is what things or items they can or can not carry on a plane. Often, a parent traveling with kids or someone returning home after a work trip would like to bring toys on a plane for their kids.
They often wonder whether magnetic toys are allowed on planes. Yes, they are. Toys of any kind, be it magnetic, metal, remote-controlled, are allowed on planes. Toys are small in size, and the magnet they have is also really small without a significant magnetic field. Thus they are deemed safe to carry on a plane.
Why are magnets not allowed on planes?
Shipping magnets through airplanes is not that easy, and there are a lot of rules and regulations involved.
Magnets have a magnetic force around them, which tends to interfere with the plane’s electronic equipment and navigation system. It is not deemed safe to be carried on a plane.
Small magnets have a negligible magnetic field and do not cause any interference. However, strong and powerful magnets like rare earth magnets and industrial magnets, and magnetic assemblies are not allowed on a plane.
Packing a magnet for shipping via air requires extra layers of unique materials that can effectively block the magnetic field. Covering the magnet in a box lined with steel helps a lot. Adding cardboard shredding and paddings also blocks the magnetic fields. However, all this packing is time-consuming and makes the shipping costlier.
It is better to ship magnets using ground transport, as if not packed properly, magnets will come under the dangerous goods category. Several airlines prohibit even properly packed magnets on a plane.
If you want to ship a magnet via a plane, there are some guidelines that you must follow to avoid any trouble.
The package containing the magnet should not have a magnetic strength of more than 0.00525 gausses at a distance of 15 feet from the package. The compass deflection should be two degrees or less. If both these criteria are met, only then will the magnet be allowed on a plane.
Can you bring a magnetic chessboard on a plane?
Even though the general misconception is that magnets are banned on a plane. Magnetic toys have a smaller radius of the magnetic field that does not cause any harm to a plane navigation system. There is no harm in carrying a magnetic chessboard on a plane.
If you are fond of playing chess and would like to carry a game of chess set for your next plane ride, a magnetic chess board is a great option.
A magnetic chess game with a lid would save the chess position to continue from where you left it, and the compact size of the chessboard easily fits into your bag.
Can you take metal toys on a plane?
As long as it can fit into your hand baggage or the check-in baggage, most toys are allowed on a plane, even the metal ones. However, there are some exceptions in every category.
If you have a toy that can resemble a weapon or is battery-operated, there are different sets of guidelines for these toy categories. Some of the toys categories that are prone to heavy scrutiny are:
Battery-Operated Toys Or Transportation
Kids these days own battery-operated hoverboards as toys. The battery in these toys can overheat because of the low quality of manufacturing.
And there have been many cases where the batteries have exploded due to this. Thus airlines prohibit them on a plane. You can not bring them with you either in your hand baggage or the check-in baggage.
Battery-operated toys are generally allowed on a plane if the TSA officer doesn’t suspect anything foul. However, you must expect a thorough screening of a battery-operated toy, which can cause delay at the security check.
Remote-controlled toys are often used in terrorist activities, and that is the reason behind a thorough checking.
Toys Imitating Weapons
This one is obvious. When passing through the baggage check, a toy weapon can look like a real weapon, which is enough for a security officer to hold you for thorough checking.
Toys like water guns, swords, and other weapons are look-alikes of the real weapons, and if the security personnel is not satisfied, you can be prohibited from boarding the plane with the toy.
You can carry these toys in your checked baggage. Carrying them in hand baggage is asking for delays in checking. However, other toys which imitate explosives are prohibited altogether.
Magnetic Toys Are Safe For Airplanes And Are Not Restricted For Flights.
Imagine traveling with fussy kids on a plane filled with passengers. It is a nightmare no parents want to live. Carrying toys for your kids becomes the only solution as the toys would keep the kids busy.
One of the best toys you can carry on a plane is magnetic toys.
You can carry magnetic toys on a plane without any worry. But, considering the nature of magnets and their tendency to interfere with the compass, it makes you wonder- can you take magnetic toys on a plane? The answer to this question is yes.