Flying with lava lamps

[Autumn]

I'm traveling to Europe for work and will be spending some time in London. I plan on going to the Mathmos store in Poole and buying a lamp. I'm worried customs may try to deny me from flying with a lava lamp or two. Has anyone brought lamps back in their luggage?

[Kempton]

I haven't done it myself, but i remember reading about people who have. The baggage is thrown on the plane very rough so be sire to wrap the lamp and surround it in clothing. I brought back some glass form germany a month ago and it survived, but there was a good chance it would be destroyed. You won't be able to carry it on due to the liquid

[Tim Gill]

Customs wont deny you of bringing back a lamp but you can't take the globe on as hand luggage due the liquid volume restrictions. I would say take simmiler packaging measures as sending lamps in the post. I.e. wrap in bubble wrap, in a secure box and also with the cloths packed with it, it should be ok.

[andy ross]

Please can I ask a slightly off-topic question from England? (Though it might help Autumn too)

Tim G says you can post lamps (carefully wrapped) - but can you post them from abroad to the US? I've heard Homeland Security and US Customs pretty much prohibit sending filled globes through the post, but if I'm wrong (and I usually am....), maybe Autumn could post the lamps, or just the filled globes, back to herself in the States?

[Autumn]

Good to hear. I didn't think they would deny it, but I couldn't find a solid answer online. Now to see how many lamps I can fit in the suitcase.

Andy,

I have bought several lamps and had them shipped to the USA from Europe. You shouldn't run in to any issues, but it will cost about 60USD per lamp. That is about what I had to pay about 5 years ago when I was buying them overseas.

[Michael]

I brought an entire (full) Telstar lamp back from my study abroad time in London in 2011. Was a poor college student at the time and couldn't afford to ship it home so I wrapped it carefully in bubble wrap and clothing in my checked luggage and had no issues coming back into the US with it.

[andy ross]

Hi Autumn, thanks for the reply.

As you can guess, things have tightened up a lot for obvious reasons over the last few years.

To save you going through the hoops I've been navigating recently, FedEx are the only major carrier I could find who will accept liquids these days.

And for shipping a Lunar globe to the States from the UK?

Over £100...

Ouch!

Autumn said:

Good to hear. I didn't think they would deny it, but I couldn't find a solid answer online. Now to see how many lamps I can fit in the suitcase.

Andy,

I have bought several lamps and had them shipped to the USA from Europe. You shouldn't run in to any issues, but it will cost about 60USD per lamp. That is about what I had to pay about 5 years ago when I was buying them overseas.

[Tim Gill]

I don't think there would be a issue taking lamps back in check in luggage, I have shipped lamps over to the us via fed ex it's not cheap but an option though