For many people, the best part of traveling is simply getting to their destination. Navigating airports and airport security is a hassle many people wish they could do without. Is anyone working on that teleportation device yet? Since we can’t live out our best “Back to the Future” fantasies yet, you might benefit from some tips to help make your airport experience a little easier, especially when traveling with your favorite vibrator.
A vibrator is pretty harmless, so we understand why you might think you could throw it into any bag while traveling. However, some airports and countries have restrictions on traveling with a vibrator. So, here are seven tips to help you check pleasure through to your final destination.
Know your rights
Good news! All types of vibrators and sex toys are allowed on flights within the United States. So, you are free to travel with your favorite sex toys from remote control vibrator to vibrating cock rings everywhere in the United States....except Alabama. Under the 1998 Anti-Obscenity Enforcement Act, sex toys are prohibited to bring into Alabama and subject to penalty. However, for the rest of the United States, if you are quizzed about your vibrator by airport security, it’s most likely because they are unsure it’s a sex toy. If you want to cross your t’s and dot your i’s, you can run your sex toys through their handy ‘what can I bring?’ tool.
Flying internationally? Do your research on the laws
While vibrators are approved in the domestic United States, not every country takes so kindly to vibrators and sex toys. Researching the laws of a country you are traveling to when traveling internationally is crucial. Although the list is short, vibrators and sex toys are illegal in certain countries, which means you may be penalized if caught red-handed. Some countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and Malaysia prohibit you from entering the country with a vibrator, which means your beloved companion might be confiscated, and you may incur legal ramifications. In Malaysia, the penalty for having a vibrator is as much as a three-year jail term. Yes, we know imprisonment is a pretty steep price to pay for some orgasms so pack wisely.
Don’t hide your vibrator
For many people, it can feel instinctive to hide your vibrator between layers of clothes right at the bottom of your suitcase. First, you should know that owning a vibrator is nothing to be ashamed of, and anyone who gives you a hard time about it might need some good vibes in their life too.
However, your vibrator may be made out of a material that gets flagged by airport security, or it could be the case of mistaken identity. If you are one of the lucky few asked to remove the ‘suspicious’ item from your luggage, be prepared to remove it in a way that doesn’t completely disorganize your perfectly packed suitcase. Instead, put your vibrator in a clear plastic bag; that way, if it gets flagged by security, they can immediately see what it is. Bagging it also keeps your vibrator sanitary if it needs to be inspected. Hiding your vibrator also makes you look suspicious if it gets flagged, so instead of hiding it – own it!
When in doubt, check it in your luggage
Airport security rules are much stricter for items in your carry-on bags than in your checked bags. If you want to avoid the hassle of what-ifs, it might be a safe bet to put your vibrator in your checked bag. Although vibrators are technically allowed, airport authorities are given the discretionary powers to confiscate any items that seem like they could be used as a weapon. And to be fair to them, some larger vibrators do look intimidating! But we’ve also come a long way in sexual technology, so airport security may not be in the know. If you’d prefer them not to know what you’re packing, put your vibrator in your checked luggage.
Take the batteries out
If your vibrator is battery-powered, take the batteries out when packing it. While this may seem like an unlikely event, your vibrator could suddenly go off in your bag. Which, understandably, will attract a lot of attention from airport security or your flight mates. Once you remove batteries, remember to pack them too. Getting to your destination and realizing you’re stuck with a dead vibrator the whole trip can be quite a bummer.
Lock Your Vibrator’s Settings
For those with more high-tech vibrators, there is likely a locking feature that ensures the aircraft cabin won’t be surprised by your buzzing stowaway. Just lock your vibrator before packing it away to avoid any buzzing surprises.
Invest in a travel vibrator
Buying a travel vibrator is always a great idea, especially if you are always on the go and would like to bring your it along for the ride. Travel vibrators are small and unassuming and, in many cases, may not even be picked up by the security monitor the way a larger vibrator would. It is also unlikely for a travel vibrator to be mistaken as a weapon, which means you can pack it in your carry-on bag if you are not checking any bags in. Just as technology has given us airplanes, it’s also given us portable pleasure options for everybody, like the male travel vibrator Tenuto Mini, and the compact female vibrator, Poco.
Traveling with a vibrator doesn’t have to be a big ordeal, especially if you’ve done your research, prepare and know your rights, especially when traveling internationally.
Sure, it’s annoying if your vibrator gets flagged by security, but if this does happen, remember that you are not the only one taking your pleasure into your hands – quite literally. Surveys show that 80% of Americans own at least one sex toy. So, while airport security personnel might have a stern look while quizzing you about your vibrator, remember there’s an 80% chance they have sex toy too.
