Disney's Star Wars Cola bottles get banned from flights

NZ Herald

28 Aug, 2019 09:00 PM2 mins to read

Negotiations have failed: Star Wars fans are being told not to board planes with sourvenir bottles. Photo / Supplied

Is that a bomb? Disney's Star-Wars themed cola bottles have been banned from US airlines due to their resemblance to real explosives.

There is no doubt that Disneyland's $1billion Star Wars attraction has been an astronomic success.

In spite of what Disney boss Bob Iger admitting that attendance was "slightly lower than usual", those die hard Disney fans who have turned up have been paying though the nose.

With entry to the park costing visitors from $107, and for the first two months admission to the Galaxy's Edge attraction only reserved for those staying at the park's $770-a-night hotels, visiting the Star Wars land is almost as expensive a proposition as space tourism.
Then there is the matter of souvenirs.

Flight security: The TSA has said it will not carry the Star Wars souvenirs. Photo / Supplied

The first wave of guests were all amazed by the Sci-fi merchandise, particularly the price. Build your own lightsaber kits are being sold for NZ$305 and robotic droids for NZ$105.

If the Ebay auction websites are to be believed, some park visitors are taking matters into their own hands, and lifting anything that isn't bolted down in an effort to offset exorbitant entry prices.

However, one more modest souvenir has gained appeal: the $5 Star Wars themed drinks bottles, shaped to resemble 'thermal detonators'.

Disneyland has been selling $300 lightsabers and droids to visitors. Photo / The New York Times

The palm sized grenades modelled after props from the film have become a popular keepsake. Filled with soft drinks Coca-Cola and Sprite, the labels and words have been redesigned in the sci-fi language of Aurebesh.

But recognisably weapon-like.

One Star Wars fan tweeted his airline pictures of the bottles to say "I know these look dodgy, but can they be packed in a suitcase?"

To which Air Alaska's answer was a resounding "No."

"Replica and intern explosives aren't allowed in either carry-on or checked bags," they replied.

Thanks for asking! Replica and inert explosives aren't allowed in either carry-on or checked bags.
— AskTSA (@AskTSA) August 13, 2019

When asked for a statement, a TSA spokesperson told the Daily Mail that the bottles would not be allowed to travel.

The objection was that "packing inert, replicas or toy explosives in luggage has the potential to impact travellers."

Fortunately, as of today Disneyland has opened their second Star Wars attraction in the Florida Disney World Resort, a replica of the Anaheim attraction.