Hawaiian Air and scuba baggage

[kenlt]

I found a thread on this but it's a year and a half old, so I'm gonna ask again.

We're going to Hawaii next week on Hawaiian Air, and we just found a page on their site that says they charge $80 (each way) for scuba gear. They also go into great detail on how the tank has to be empty and no valve. We don't have tanks (or spear guns, the other thing they mention).

The old thread had a lot of people respond that they weren't asked, or sometimes were and yet weren't charged anyway. I'm wondering if this is still true. If I have to pay $160 to get my gear there and back, it's gonna suck.

For what it's worth, most of my gear will be checked. The reg and computer will be in my backpack for carry on.

Thanks!

 

[Matteo]

I can't say for sure, but I suspect that this is for inter-island travel on the smaller planes...I can't imagine they would charge this for a flight from the mainland...none of the other major carriers have such restrictions, only restrictions on total weight, regardless of what the item/s are...try posting in the Hawaii O'Hana forum and you might get some better responses....I hope this all works out in your favor

 

[kenlt]

I can't say for sure, but I suspect that this is for inter-island travel on the smaller planes...try posting in the Hawaii O'Hana forum and you might get some better responses....I hope this all works out in your favor

It's $40 inter-island, $80 from the mainland. $100 international.

I will hit the Hawaii O'Hana forum, though, thanks.

 

[dannobee]

I used Hawaiian Air in January. The restriction was 50 lbs for each bag, and they didn't really care what was in there. Don't bother bringing tanks or weights, just rent them when you get there. One way around this, unless they recently changed it, is have the porter check in your bags at the sidewalk (and tip him well). They seem to always get through, regardless of weight

 

[Diver Dennis]

dannobee is right, just don't tell them it's scuba gear. They won't ask.

 

[kenlt]

Great, thanks a lot. I appreciate the quick responses.

 

[friscuba]

We haven't flown Hawaiian recently, but scuba gear used to be no extra charge. they may be concerned about tanks and that's understandable. I'd never been hassled for inter-island in the past by Hawaiin or any of the other airlines. The worst troubles I had was with our sonicare toothbrush... looks like an icepick on X-rays.

You might want to ask this question on the Hawaii Ohana forum as you'll have a bunch of locals with likely recent travels who might respond.

 

[RICHinNC]

Actually about every airlines discrimates against divers. You can carry golf clubs, skate boards even hang gliders and there is no mention of a fee....but dive gear for some reason has fees attached.

I never declare I have dive gear....and I wait to put on my dive t shirt after I have checked in....before I get to TSA and have to deal with those untrained types.

 

[DiveMaven]

We fly Hawaiian when we go to Hawaii (once or twice a year) and have NEVER been charged for our dive gear (we just went in April). We don't tell them what's in our bags, but both of our dive bags have fin pockets on the sides, so it's fairly obvious, and they simply don't seem to care (we also don't carry tanks, spearguns, etc). Don't worry about it, just check your luggage and keep your mouth shut and you'll be more than fine.

 

[Scottri]

I've never been charged to take dive gear on a Hawaiin Air flight. I go every year and as long as my bag weighs 50 pounds or less they don't care.