Mumbai Airport, a word to the wise

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Flying out of Mumbai recently, my carry-on contained laptops, a power-bank and assorted electronica.  When asked what THIS was (Etrex 30x), I replied “Just a GPS”.

Wrong answer! This response triggered their security to follow the procedure listed under ‘Satellite Phones” which requires government approval to bring into the country. Apparently they would compromise with me placing the GPS sans batteries into my checked luggage. Unfortunately I had already checked in my baggage (obviously, I was being security—checked after the check-in desk) and it couldn’t be retrieved. I had to go back to the check in desk but my GPS had to be in a bag. After purchasing an overpriced bumbag-sized padded bag, the check-in staff next complained that the bag was too small (they never specified a minimum bag size) but eventually gave way and checked it in as a free second bag (I was only allowed 1 checked bag on my ticket).

After that, time was so tight that I basically strode to the front of any queues to show my boarding time and kept moving. I virtually didn’t break stride until I was on the airplane itself.

At the other end, my second bag negotiated the transfer at Singapore and amusingly appeared at the Oversize Baggage counter in Oz. More stressful than I really wanted but it all eventually worked out.

What is the right answer to the security bloke’s question? Next time I will stick with ‘bike computer’ or just pack my Etrex (sans batteries) into my checked luggage at Mumbai. All very silly.

[Pingu]

I didn't take my eTtrex to Cuba 'cos of the fear it might've been confiscated on arrival. Instead I had a cheap watch with GPS and all the other holiday peeps had phones with GPS which passed through customs without a bat of an eyelid.

I suspect my eTrex would've made it through in checked-in baggage, but hey-ho.

[toontra]

India is certainly the place for silly regulations.  I had a fantastic cycle tour in the south but my enjoyment was tempered by:

1) Trying to buy a SIM card

2) Getting my bike on a train from Kochin to Chenai

Filling out of forms in triplicate and providing several random proofs of identity, including witnessed passport photographs and covering letters from your current accommodation (tricky if you're touring) seem to be the norm.

I'd love to go back but this nonsense has put me off sadly.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Smartphones with GPS are specifically allowed in the guidance that the security staff were showing me. I believe that controlling satellite phones (communications not controllable by the Indian government) was the issue. Mobile phone networks can be switched off locally. I suspect that the guidance writer intended to control GPS devices that could send and receive messages (SPOT trackers perhaps?) but knuckle-headed security staff were triggered by the term GPS in the Satellite Phone section of their guidance.

[Lightning Phil]

Years ago I got stopped when the case for my etrex appeared like a knife on their X-ray machine.  I knew what it was, but they wouldn’t let me near by bag to show them. I think bike computer would be the easiest.

[Pedal Castro]

I didn't take my eTtrex to Cuba 'cos of the fear it might've been confiscated on arrival. Instead I had a cheap watch with GPS and all the other holiday peeps had phones with GPS which passed through customs without a bat of an eyelid.

I suspect my eTrex would've made it through in checked-in baggage, but hey-ho.

Yep, I've taken my etrex to Cuba in checked in bike box twice (along with GPS watch and smaller garmin as backup), if asked the answer is bike computer. I had a roll of gaffer tape not let through the transfer airport at Charles de Gaul though. Also had a single Allen key refused through on a Chinese internal flight.

[Cudzoziemiec]

My knowledge is over a decade old, but at that time India was very nervous about terrorism, which led to all sorts of restrictions, from metal detectors outside shopping centres to proof-of-address requirements when buying a SIM card. They definitely wouldn't like something such as a Garmin InReach and presumably that's what they thought it could have been. I never tried to put my bike on a train (though putting it on a plane was easy).

[grams]

iPhones 14 and 15 have satellite messaging built in*. Surely they can’t be confiscating those?

(* currently restricted to various emergency uses)

[Kim]

iPhones 14 and 15 have satellite messaging built in*. Surely they can’t be confiscating those?

(* currently restricted to various emergency uses)

Indeed, Musk et al are trying to do some form of communications (I'm not sure of bandwidth, but certainly enough for text messaging, and probably voice calls, if not much else) with normal cellphones from LEO satellites, so the whole thing will soon be A Rubbish.

But ultimately airport security is like horses: The job's not so much about applying intelligence, as spotting anything out of the ordinary as early as possible and overreacting to it.  The only way to win is to be as normal as possible.

[toontra]

I never tried to put my bike on a train ...

You haven't lived    The regulations stated the frame must be wrapped in "strong brown paper".  Knowing how fastidious they are I spent literally a whole day trudging Kochin looking for strong brown paper (I guess what they mean is what we'd call brown parcel paper).  Absolutely no luck!  I tried stationers, paper manufacturers, supermarkets and just about every other place you'd possibly find "strong brown paper".  In the end I wrapped it in polystyrene packing foam and no-one batted an eyelid.

The best bit was at Kochin station.  I arrived 2 hours early as proscribed and went to the clerk's office.  Straight out of the colonial era.  A guy with epaulets and braided cap sat in the wooden-paneled office and started filling out the required forms in triplicate (yes - using carbon paper).  All was going well until the large fan rotated towards his desk and blew all his paperwork onto the floor.  A lot of scrambling and 20 minutes later I had the required documentation.

When the train finally arrived I had to run to the front carriage (the trains are VERY long - 2-3 times the length of UK inter-cities).  For some reason the guard couldn't get my foam-wrapped bike through the door so it had to be lifted through a window.  That's the last I saw of it for 12 hours.

Arriving at Chennai I went to collect my bike from the front but was told I couldn't just ride off - I had to take it to an office and have it signed off (to say I'd received it).  Another 40 minutes queue in the baking heat.  As I was waiting I thought I'd unwrap it.  Big mistake!  Someone saw me and started shouting not to damage it.  So I re-wrapped it for the final inspection.

And so on.