Flying with Fire & LED Props — The Complete Guide
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Worried about bringing your fire props and LED gear on a plane? Don’t be. 🔥✈️
We’ve travelled the world many times with our performance equipment and have rarely encountered significant issues. The truth is, most of the time flying with your fire and LED props is completely hassle-free — as long as you know a few simple tricks.
This guide covers everything: how to pack fire props, what to say at security, how to handle oversized staffs, and the rules around lithium batteries in LED equipment. Follow these tips and you’ll breeze through the airport like a pro. 🎪
When preparing your props for travel — especially items with wicks — the goal is simple: no fuel, no smell, no alarm bells. Here’s how to make your equipment airport-ready:
This is the most important step. Your wicks must be completely fuel-free before packing.
- 🔥 Burn them off completely — Let all remaining fuel burn out until the wicks produce no more flame
- ☀️ Leave them outside in the sun — UV light and heat will evaporate any remaining fumes and fuel residue much faster than storing them indoors
- 🧴 Soak in rubbing alcohol, then burn off — Rubbing alcohol (available at any pharmacy) dissolves fuel residue. Soak, then burn off the alcohol for a deep clean
- 🧼 Wash with warm water and soap — This removes most of the black soot and smell. Important: let them dry completely before packing!
Even after cleaning, a little strategic packaging goes a long way:
- 🛍️ Ziplock bags for poi and small props — seals in any residual smell
- 🎁 Plastic wrap for staffs and larger props — contains odour and protects the equipment
- 🧦 The “pink fluffy” technique — Wrap your equipment in socks, colourful fabric, or add staff covers. The goal? Make it look less intimidating and more like… well, circus gear! The friendlier it looks, the less scrutiny it attracts
- 💨 Deodorant spray as a final touch — If there’s still a faint smell after all the above, a quick spray covers it nicely
- 🔗 Detach chains from poi heads — If your poi have detachable heads, separate the chains and store them in different bags for extra discretion
We strongly recommend putting all fire equipment in your checked luggage, not carry-on.
- 🔓 Don’t lock your bag — If security needs to inspect it, they may break the lock. Save yourself the hassle and leave it unlocked
- 📝 Include a friendly note — Place a note on top of your equipment that says something like: “This is juggling/circus equipment used for artistic performances. For questions, please call [your phone number].” This helps enormously if your bag is opened without you present
Long performance staffs can sometimes trigger oversized luggage fees — but with a bit of knowledge, you can usually avoid them.
- 📐 The magic number: 152–158 cm — Most airlines set their maximum bag length somewhere in this range before oversized charges kick in. After years of flying, many performers adjust their staff length to stay just under these limits
- ⚠️ There’s no universal rule — Every airline has different size limits and fee structures. Always check your airline’s baggage policy before booking!
- ✈️ Budget airline warning — Many budget carriers (especially in Europe) may charge a fee for any bag that doesn’t look like a standard suitcase — regardless of its length. Generally, the more premium the airline, the more lenient they are with unusual baggage
- 🎒 Use a thick staff bag — This provides excellent protection during transit and makes your equipment look less conspicuous
- 🎣 Fishing rod cases or ski bags work brilliantly — They’re designed for long, narrow items and most airport staff won’t look twice at them
- 📊 Check baggage fee charts — FareCompare’s Worldwide Baggage Fee Chart is a helpful resource for comparing airline policies
Expect questions — especially if you have larger or unusual-looking bags. But don’t worry! With the right approach, these conversations go smoothly every time.
- 🚫 NEVER use the word “fire” — This is the #1 rule. Don’t say fire, flames, burn, or anything remotely related. Also avoid words like “swords” or “martial arts”
- 🎪 Speak the language of art — Say you’re a circus artist who does object manipulation or juggling. Describe your props as “batons” and talk about “dance” and “performance art”
- 😊 Be friendly and enthusiastic — A positive conversation about circus and art can work wonders. Share your passion! Most airport staff find it genuinely interesting
- 💰 The charm factor — Many airlines charge extra for “sports bags” (like golf or kitesurf bags). A warm conversation about being a performing artist might help you avoid those fees — though it’s not guaranteed every time!
💡 Pro tip: Having a few photos or a short video of your performances on your phone can be a great conversation piece if you need to explain what your equipment is for. Nothing defuses tension like showing someone a beautiful spinning and dancing video, no fire! 🎥
Fire props: checked luggage only.
We don’t recommend travelling with fire equipment in your carry-on. Even if your wicks are perfectly clean, the X-ray appearance and potential smell can trigger questions that are much easier to handle at the check-in counter than at the security gate. Although many people took their fire poi without any problem, we still don’t recommend it.
Contact poi and LED poi in carry-on? Generally fine! These don’t contain wicks or fuel, so they rarely raise any concerns. That said, if you encounter a particularly cautious security officer, there’s always a slim chance of being questioned.
The bottom line:
- 🔥 Fire props → checked luggage
- 💡 LED props → carry-on (actually preferred — see below!)
- ⚽ Contact poi → carry-on is fine
LED props come with their own set of rules — and this is one area where carry-on is actually better than checked luggage!
Since 2014, airlines have specific rules about lithium batteries in checked luggage. The limits are based on watt-hours (Wh) and voltage:
- ⚡ Most LED props run on 3.7V / 700mAh batteries — well below airline limits
- ⚠️ However — the voltage is often not printed on the props themselves. This means security staff might not be able to verify compliance, and there’s a risk of confiscation in checked luggage
- ✅ These strict rules don’t apply to carry-on luggage — which is why carry-on is the better choice for LED gear
Travel with all your LED/light dance props in your carry-on luggage. ✅
We’ve done this many times without any issues. LED props are small, lightweight, and easily recognisable as electronic gadgets when they go through the X-ray machine.
- 🎒 Pack LED poi, glow balls, pixel whips, and similar props in your carry-on
- 🔋 Keep spare batteries in carry-on too (airlines actually require this for loose lithium batteries)
- 📄 If questioned, explain they’re LED dance/performance props — most security staff see them as harmless electronic toys
💡 Stay informed: For detailed rules on lithium batteries, check your airline’s guidelines before flying. IATA’s Lithium Battery Guidelines are the international standard that all airlines follow.
Before you pack:
- ☐ Wicks burned off completely — no fuel residue
- ☐ Left in the sun or soaked in rubbing alcohol + burned off
- ☐ Optionally washed with soap and water (dried completely!)
- ☐ Sealed in ziplock bags or wrapped in plastic wrap
- ☐ Wrapped in socks/covers for a friendly appearance
- ☐ Deodorant spray if any smell remains
At the airport:
- ☐ Fire props in checked luggage (bag unlocked)
- ☐ LED props in carry-on luggage
- ☐ Spare lithium batteries in carry-on (not checked!)
- ☐ Staff length under 158 cm if possible
- ☐ Vocabulary ready: “circus artist,” “juggling,” “batons,” “dance”
- ☐ Performance photos/videos on your phone without fire (great conversation starter!)