Flying with gear?

[sdenney]

So, has anyone flown recently with their cave gear, and if so how has the TSA been? I know there were terrible reports for a few years post-9/11. What gear would you check and what would you carry-on? Further, what would you simply leave behind?

I'll be flying out Thursday from LaGuardia to Ft. Laud.

[chimie007]

There has been a few threads on here and TDS about this.

Usually not problem for HID, regs, computer. Only new things could be Lithion batteries. There is a maximum amount allowed. If I'm not mistaken its not a problem for the battery size of dive light.

[sskasser]

I flew domestically a couple of times this year with full OC gear (helmet, lights, chargers, DS, regs, computers, SM harness, reels, etc). Lights, computers, and regs went with me in carry-on. It got some "looks" and got swabbed a couple of times, but I didn't have any problems.

[whodunit68]

I fly ALL the time with my cave gear. I travel an insane amount and hop to FL regularly. I happen to be flying out of Newark to Jacksonville this Thursday.

Are you concerned with checked bagged or your carry-ons? I could go on for a while. Basically I carry on my regs (TSA has fits usually over my regs), any weights (if I'm sidemounting Alums for example), computers, log books, can light(s), and cards. Everything else gets checked. I've not really had any problems. Leave extra time. they're really interested in can lights and batteries.
I pack the way I do because I can. I'm a very frequent flier and don't pay for excess bags or weight so keep that in mind when you pack. What gear are you talking about? If you can, bring as little as possible. I carry a lot because I can and they don't charge me.
if you have specific questions, this is one area I know well and will be happy to help.
Steve

[alias]

What gear would you check and what would you carry-on?

When flying to cave country from NY, our carry-ons include regs, computers and can lights (plus my Rx mask always) plus any paper work. Can lights have LiOn batts, and as a rule either the batts or the regs will get people nervous, and bags will be opened (funny enough more so the reg bag will be the culprit, lights have come through unopened too).

When flying outside US, I might reconsider carry-on items depending on weight limits, and the level of trust in both the carrier and the country traveled to (how hard to get replacements/rentals, how pissed I would be to miss the diving).

[sdenney]

Mainly I was wondering how people split up their gear between carry-on and checked. I may not even bring my light as I can borrow one once I get down there.

[whodunit68]

Mainly I was wondering how people split up their gear between carry-on and checked. I may not even bring my light as I can borrow one once I get down there.

carry-on: regs, light, cards, log
check: everything else.

[Slüdge]

When you see me, ask to hear about the Chef Boyardee shuffle. :clapper

[sdenney]

Thanks all... and wish me luck ;-) I figure if I leave S.I. at noon I'll get to LaGuardia by 1:30/2pm. That leaves me 1.5hrs to get through all the BS and boarding.

[LCF]

I have always brought my light heads in carry-on, but when we came back from the Red Sea, the TSA-equivalents in Amsterdam decided the light heads were big enough that we could hit someone with them. (That's what they said!) We had to gate check the carry-on bags, because they wouldn't allow the lights through.

I just got back from MX, and going down, I had the light head in carry-on with no problem. Coming back, I wrapped it in a bunch of t-shirts and put it in the checked baggage.

Nobody has ever had a problem with our batteries, but we do have the Airspeed Press labels on them. Our checked bags are ALWAYS searched, but I think that's the backplates.

[WEPIV]

Have a safe flight Sean and I hope it goes easy for you.
I thought you were driving...?
See you around Jan. 4th if not before.

Gene

[FW]

I only carry on my computers, and paperwork. I wrap my mask, and regs in my wetsuit. My light is an LED, and pretty tough :-)

[Oister]

Space Bag your dry suit it takes up way less room.

[JeremyWitt]

A few months ago I flew to Ecuador and then to the Galapagos Islands with all of my OW gear... I checked everything except my regs and computers, which I carried in a reg bag; I had no problems at all.

I CAN recommend against bringing all of your gear to a place wherein you're going to repack and hop from island to island :smt100

If I did it again I'd probably just bring regs, mask, computers, etc and leave the other stuff.

[sdenney]

Well, everything went smoothly for the trip to Ft. Laud. The TSA didn't ask to inspect anything and didn't open my checked bag (at least there was no note in the bag). I carried on my regs and computer and checked the rest.

I'll let you all know how the return trip goes in Jan.