packing regulators in hold luggage

[TMHeimer]

Swim suit, mask, regs, and dive computer in carryon, a large hard sided suitcase with BCD's, wet suits, fins, lights, etc., along with everything else to get it to 49 pounds gets checked. I could rent the equipment in the suitcase if necessary, but mask and regs I consider essential. My face is really hard to fit with a mask and while I trust my dive operator....I trust my regs/computer more. I read somewhere that dive computers in the unpressurized cargo hold could be a bad thing under certain conditions but have no idea if that is true or not.

I'm amazed at the "carry on" variations on the airlines. On our last flight back on American, there were people carrying on full sized luggage and cramming it in the overhead bin. You might check with the particular airline to see if a larger carry on might be allowed. With my travel luck, I'd get charged to $50-$100 oversize charge.

safe travels.

jay

Yeah. Though I have had items broken in checked bags when they toss them around, I think it may be more likely for something fragile (like a reg, computer, camera) to be broken when people cram those overheads full (especially in winter when coats are jammed in too). It is amazing the size of carry-ons allowed--yet they have that "size" thing ("it must fit in here") by the gate. Not a problem before everyone started the checked baggage fees. Now people jam stuff in huge carry-ons to escape extra checked bags fees.

 

[RJP]

TSA agents definitely can be jerks. I was passing through security in Miami when one of them at the entrance to the body scanner reminded me to kindly remove my belt and then get back in line and wait until it was again my turn. Okay, I can accept that. So I removed the belt and put it through x-ray, but I had to keep a grip on my pants to keep them from slipping embarrassingly. As I entered the body scanner, they reminded me to lift my arms, which I did, and while my hands were above my head and my pants started slipping they barked at me "PULL YOUR PANTS UP!" They looked like they were enjoying my dilemma. Jerks. Until then, I had thought they were reasonably professional. That incident changed my opinion. Jerks.

 

[Scared Silly]

FWIW Folks mention wrapping their regs in something and putting them in their checked baggage. One thing I have learned in dealing with the TSA and other airport insecurity is that they can not repack worth a damn. As such, if you place your gear into stuff sacs it has a better chance of being repacked and getting back into your bag. Even my wet suit goes into a stuff sack.

 

[t4e]

Yeah. Though I have had items broken in checked bags when they toss them around, I think it may be more likely for something fragile (like a reg, computer, camera) to be broken when people cram those overheads full (especially in winter when coats are jammed in too). It is amazing the size of carry-ons allowed--yet they have that "size" thing ("it must fit in here") by the gate. Not a problem before everyone started the checked baggage fees. Now people jam stuff in huge carry-ons to escape extra checked bags fees.

Try Sunwing, their carryon allowance is 5KG's, my carryon alone is 2KG's lol...and they actually weigh them!
I always take the regulators in the carryon, when we flew Sunwing we had the regulators in a jacket with very generous pockets, my husband looked like humpty dumpty but hey, we made it through.

 

[Centrals]

Good question. Many US-based airlines will tolerate carrying aboard a heavy bag of dive gear so long as it is under the size limit. However, Asian airlines seem to be getting wise to this attempt to flout the carry-on weight limit and will refuse you at the gate.

I have seen scale being placed right by the gate and large number of bags were removed and placed on cargo hold. Well at least the passengers did not have to pay for the excess luggage!!!!!

 

[hroark2112]

How much would that weight, may I ask?
Have you ever been refused at the gate?

The rebreather weighs in at 21 lbs., so that bag is probably close to 40 lbs. carried weight.

I've never been turned away. The bag is within the size requirements.

The funny thing is that the TSA has never given me trouble when looking at the unit on the X-ray. I've seen them back it up & put it through 4 or 5 times, but they've never asked to see the rebreather. The only time I've been given any trouble was in Newark, when they wanted to see my crescent wrench.

 

[Centrals]

The rebreather weighs in at 21 lbs., so that bag is probably close to 40 lbs. carried weight.

I've never been turned away. The bag is within the size requirements.

The funny thing is that the TSA has never given me trouble when looking at the unit on the X-ray. I've seen them back it up & put it through 4 or 5 times, but they've never asked to see the rebreather. The only time I've been given any trouble was in Newark, when they wanted to see my crescent wrench.

You were allowed to pack a wrench in your hand carry!!!!!! Not a chance in HK and Philippines.
Once I had to remove the HID light head from the hand carry because of the cable!!!! Luckily the bulb survived during the transit in the cargo hold.
Cable ties were also confiscated once in Philippines.

 

[Steve A]

So worse case scenario is they scan your suitcase and unpack it. What do they do if its locked? I have seen a lot of people shrink wrapping their cases?

 

[Centrals]

So worse case scenario is they scan your suitcase and unpack it. What do they do if its locked? I have seen a lot of people shrink wrapping their cases?

They will open it one way or another and then place a notice inside your bag explaining what had happened. BTW, they have keys to open certain locks but figure out how do they open others. Combination lock is definitely....... I never lock my bag if it is going/transit in USA.

 

[dberry]

Others mentioned it, and I agree that my biggest concern is "misplaced" checked luggage. It may show up eventually, but how's that going to impact your expensive trip? I've spent 3 days out of 8 on holiday without any of our checked luggage. Sure, the airlines may reimburse you to buy some underwear, but good luck getting a regulator or even equipment rental out of them. Mine wasn't a diving trip, but it would have been nice to have more than my toiletry kit, laptop, and pair of slippers for those 3 days. Not to mention the wife and 2 daughters without their stuff. I'd hate to partially spoil an exotic dive trip because of lost / delayed luggage.

OBTW, if at all possible, get TSA pre-check. Doesn't work at all airports or all airlines, and you need something different outside the U.S. but it's nice zipping past long lines and not having to take off shoes, belts, etc. Even if they don't have separate lines set up for TSA pre-check, it's automatically marked on your boarding pass and I haven't been frisked or had my bag searched since.