Toy guns in luggage ‘shouldn’t be a problem’

Q: My sons, 11 and 13, and I will be traveling to visit friends in Europe this summer with boys the same ages. My sons are very excited and want to take some things to enjoy with their new friends. We were considering taking Nerf guns that shoot soft Nerf darts. Alternatively, Hammacher Schlemmer makes a “gun” that shoots ping-pong balls. Would we be able to pack these in our luggage without a problem?

A: Nico Melendez, spokesman for the Transportaton Security Administration, said the toys “shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Nerf guns aren’t the problem. Real guns aren’t the problem, if they’re transported properly,” he addded – which means, among other things, declaring them to the airline, making sure they’re unloaded and carrying them in the proper locked case.

Note that the rules for carry-on and checked baggage vary from country to country, so what passes muster in the U.S. might not be OK abroad. Also, some European airlines have strict baggage-weight limitations, so the less you take, the better.