25 year flight attendant - you will need to put any scissors with more than a 2 1/2" blade, rotary blades, etc. in your checked baggage. You can carry your machine on board as long as it is in a bag small enough to either fit under your seat or in the overhead bin. If on a large aircraft, once you board, ask the crew if there is a closet in which you can put the machine. If you are flying on a Regional Jet as opposed to a large aircraft, you will need to check your machine at the gate to be retrieved at the gate in your arrival city. This isn't a big deal! Make sure it is packed well and has a tag on it that says sewing machine. Hope this helps. My mom and I travel with our stuff quite a bit and have never had problem.