GOING OCT. 4th--AIRLINE RESTRICTIONS

[Damselfish]

I think you just have to be prepared to be flexible. No matter what the rules are, they may change at any time or more likely get interpreted differently by different people. I flew to Curacao a couple days after the no liquids thing started, I had a few tubes of both prescription and non-prescription creams in my carry on and if they noticed they didn't say anything. But a gate attendent on the way home made me throw away an empty plastic bottle (which had been fine through many checkpoints before and she wouldn't have even known about if I had put it inside my bag, instead of being open about it ("see, I have an empty plastic bottle!")

We checked (for the first time ever) our regs with attached compasses and computers. Was going to just take off the compasses, but didn't know when opinions would change on SPGs, computers, or whatever. Carried on all the camera gear and backup wrist computers though no problem.

 

[jmps]

I lost a few batteries from a dive light exactly this way in February. They counted the rechargeble batteries in my camera in the count and it put me over the limit at the gate itself. I believe this is some sort of payback for our regulations or hassles in some way. Either that or it is a way to get batteries for the workers.

When leaving Cozumel just pack any batteries in your checked bags. If they are low throw them out. They WILL NOT warn you until it is too late to switch them even though they could. This is odd for an island that should have trouble with dealing with old batteries. It also hassles tourists just as they leave which doesn't make for very good tourism PR.

I was in Cozumel in late Aug. No problems with TSA in the US, as I had remembered to deal with all the little things properly (like take the bottle of de-fog out solution out of my wife's prescription mask case in the carry-on). However, when departing Coz, a curious thing happened. We checked our bags, then were handed (by the check-in clerk) a printed list and asked if any of these items were in carry-on luggage. The list included about 15 or so items I had never seen on a TSA list, such as duct tape, hair curlers and batteries. We basically ignored the list as it looked only semi-official--no letterhead or other symbols of authority. We went through baggage security check and the security officer scanned my carry-on bag that contained camera, binoculars, 2 regs, mask, steel signalling devices, 6 dive lights plus a clear plastic cylinder enclosing all the batteries for the dive lights (separate plastic bags of batteries for each light). The officer rightfully wanted to visually check that bag and he did so in a pleasant fashion. He looked at every item, placed it back, said thank you and taught my wife some new Spanish vocabulary (for "battery" and "flashlight"). However, when it was time to board, the check-in clerks "manned" a table at the departure gate and went through every item of hand luggage being carried on by all passengers. When my bag was opened, now for the second time, the batteries were right on top. The clerk took the top off the cylinder, poured out the batteries, and said I couldn't take them aboard. I said nothing at the time. Who wants to make a fuss when boarding? At the plane change in Dallas, I described the situation to the TSA officer who was inspecting my bag. He turned out to be a diver and had been to Cozumel many times. He said I had done nothing wrong and the batteries should not have been taken away. I have written both the TSA and American Airlines (it seemed that the clerks were their personnel) and complained, but nothing has happened. It seems like a scam to me. Duct tape? Hair curlers? The other thing that was odd was that all our bags weighed about 4-5 lbs more than at home or when we checked our bags originally. And, everything was dry with no additional stuff. My LDS believes has seen the scale problem also and believes it is being used as a way to generate revenue. You are at the mercy of the airline/local airport when returning.

 

[Tobagoman]

When my wife and I flew in to and from the Netherland Antilles last week we had no problems what so ever. We carried on computers, cameras and dive lights.

Last year at this time when we flew out of Honduras we had the same type of battery issues that the other poster had. Thing was, it was my large battery pack from my cannister light that they said I couldn't carry on and also all my smaller rechargeable batteries. I made them go and find my check in bag and bring it back out so that I could pack them. I wasn't about to loose that much money worth of batteries!

 

[Christi]

I lost a few batteries from a dive light exactly this way in February. They counted the rechargeble batteries in my camera in the count and it put me over the limit at the gate itself. I believe this is some sort of payback for our regulations or hassles in some way. Either that or it is a way to get batteries for the workers.

When leaving Cozumel just pack any batteries in your checked bags. If they are low throw them out. They WILL NOT warn you until it is too late to switch them even though they could. This is odd for an island that should have trouble with dealing with old batteries. It also hassles tourists just as they leave which doesn't make for very good tourism PR.

I'm not defending the weight limit, because I am always pushing it when I travel, so trust me...I feel your pain. However, a weight limit is a weight limit. Batteries (or anything else) are not exempt from the weight limits. It could have just as easily been your shoes or something else in your bag that put you over the weight limit.

These are airline restrictions and not exclusive to Cozumel, so blaming it on bad tourism PR is not fair, nor is it accurate. The airport security employees are only doing their job, and it is not their job to warn you of the weight limits. As a traveler, this is something you should already know. If you are going to be upset with someone for not warning you, then blame your travel agent.

I do know for a fact that there are signs that are clearly visible while standing in line to check in for your flight, before you get to the ticket agent and before you get to the 1st luggage screening that shows what items are prohibited in carry-on and checked bags. They also ask you to look at a letter sized sheet to verify that you don't have any of these items...at least the last 5 or 6 times I have flown from Coz I've seen it.

FYI, batteries should be taken OUT of your flashlight if being checked. This is a documented fire hazard.

Finally, Cozumel does have a battery disposal program. You can take your old batteries to the customer service desk at Chedraui, or leave old batteries with your dive op or hotel and they can take them.

 

[Christi]

...We checked our bags, then were handed (by the check-in clerk) a printed list and asked if any of these items were in carry-on luggage. The list included about 15 or so items I had never seen on a TSA list, such as duct tape, hair curlers and batteries.

That is odd...especially the hair curlers (but why do you have those in Cozumel anyway I can't speak for American airlines, but my bags have always weighed the same at home before I go to the airport as the continental scales...as I said in my post above, I am always pushing the limits. When I have had to pay overweight luggage fees it was correct, and I knew I was going to have to pay.

I can't explain the inconsistency with the batteries, that's the first tiime I have heard of something like that...especially since the batteries were not in your flashlights.

 

[KBeck]

I just flew to Aruba and back on American Airlines. I went on the TSA website, printed out the list of ALLOWED scuba items (they have a whole page dedicated to that issue) and placed it in my carry-on.
TSA Scuba Page

Additionally, I printed out all the pertinent regulations from American's website as well. I figured if that didn't explain it, nothing would.
Since I was flying out of a SCUBA familiar airport (Miami), the TSA people knew exactly what everything was without even opening the bag. (I got lucky with a really pleasant guy). However, I did somehow miss a one-pound weight pouch (soft) that he made me search for...I swore there wasn't one in there, but he knew from the x-ray....and he was right. I offered to pitch it on the spot, but again, he nicely let me keep it; just wanted to verify it wasn't something useable as a weapon.

I had to go through security no less than twice coming out of Aruba, and they didn't even blink. (Actually, I think they couldn't have cared less, including the customs people...but that's another story).

So, to summarize , I definitely felt a little extra secure having the TSA's own documentation saying scuba gear would be allowed as carry-on.

 

[Damselfish]

I lost a few batteries from a dive light exactly this way in February. They counted the rechargeble batteries in my camera in the count and it put me over the limit at the gate itself.

I'm not defending the weight limit, because I am always pushing it when I travel, so trust me...I feel your pain. However, a weight limit is a weight limit. Batteries (or anything else) are not exempt from the weight limits. It could have just as easily been your shoes or something else in your bag that put you over the weight limit.

curious, was this a matter of weight limit, or a matter of how many - number - of batteries were allowed?

 

[Diver Dennis]

I flew Cathay here to Manila 2 days ago with lots of batteries in my carry on. I was at the Singapore Airlines office this morning and apart from the 20kg weight limit, they have no problems with scuba gear or batteries.

 

[montanagal]

Thank you all for your time in replying. I have found your info helpful. My husband is getting so excited about going. Each day he is checking the weather down in Cozumel and telling me what it is. He already has brought some of the suitcases in out of the garage so the packing can start.

 

[tboxcar]

We are flying out to Cozumel on Continental of Oct.14 out of SFO to Houston. If you get time please IM me about the restrictions. Also very curious about weight restrictions with Continental as everytime I call their story is different.