Regs in checked airline luggage

[Diver0001]

Hello, I am new to ScubaBoard and this is my first post. My wife and I have made an annual dive trip to the Carib for the past eleven years. We have always hand carried our regs. Question: I recently won a Pelican dive case. Is there any reason that the regs could not be placed in the case with the checked luggage?

Theft.

Assume that every bit of scuba gear you put in checked luggage will eventually be stolen. Get good insurance and keep good records because the airlines don't give a rat's asss who is rummaging through your stuff once you put it on the conveyor and they'll treat you like *you* are the problem if something goes missing.

R..

 

[herman]

Greetings and welcome to the board, Masterdon!

I'm glad you asked this question, since I'm heading down there in Nov. Do the TSA give you any problems carrying a reg and computer? Those idiots hassle you for anything as it is.....

Jack

So far, so good for me. About 1/2 of the time I get a look and a question from the xray operator- "Dive Gear"? I answer yes and the biggest part of the time I don't get a second look. The times I have been searched, it has been no problem.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Theft.

Assume that every bit of scuba gear you put in checked luggage will eventually be stolen. Get good insurance and keep good records because the airlines don't give a rat's asss who is rummaging through your stuff once you put it on the conveyor and they'll treat you like *you* are the problem if something goes missing.

R..

You betcha, Red Ryder! You are right about that one.

Rob

 

[murphdivers286]

Welcome to the board. Also, Don't think locks will help because they can cut any lock any time,,,,, no reason needed......

 

[RonFrank]

Welcome to the board. Also, Don't think locks will help because they can cut any lock any time,,,,, no reason needed......

I just purchased a few of these things. They should NOT get cut, and only TSA should mess with them.

I say *should* cause I realize that theft is possible, but I doubt it would be the TSA folks responsible NOT because I believe they are fine upstanding people to the employee, but because I've never seen the TSA folks in numbers less then two, and generally more than that.

 

[StSomewhere]

If the TSA can open the TSA-approved locks, then so can the thieves. My regs and dive computer are carried on.

You may get some questions from the TSA at your local airport, but TSA at Florida airports and security elsewhere in the Caribbean will know exactly what they are.

Edit: Oh, and welcome to SB!

 

[Matt the Aquaman]

Hi There masterdon,
Welcome to Scuba Board –One of the most informative and dedicated boards on the net. You can meet a lot of helpful people here and it’s an awesome place to get answers to your questions regarding scuba diving. If you ever want to chat feel free to PM me. Take care and safe diving

-Matt- almtree::sunny

Click here to greet a new member! :happywave
No experience needed and it feels great!​

 

[RonFrank]

Hello, I am new to ScubaBoard and this is my first post. My wife and I have made an annual dive trip to the Carib for the past eleven years. We have always hand carried our regs. Question: I recently won a Pelican dive case. Is there any reason that the regs could not be placed in the case with the checked luggage?

I have been traveling for years with expensive camera equipment (newer to diving). I generally carry on most everything of value, but not everything. My tripod and ballhead alone would run about $800 to replace, and I can NOT carry it on.. So here is what I do.

1. Do NOT put expensive stuff in expensive looking speciality bags. I shove my tripod in my big duffel bag, surround it with STUFF (clothing/shoes/feminine products), and zip tie the zippers shut. I'm planning on adding the TSA locks next trip.. we shall see. I may zip tie as well.

2. INSURE EVERYTHING with a normal insurance company. Dive insurance generally covers dive related problems (and not all of those, like loss). Airline insurance covers airline related problems. For about $50 a year you can insure your dive gear/camera gear up to about 5K (more for more stuff) via the homeowners policy. That covers theft, loss, flooding, breakage, and generally is MUCH more comprehensive vs. speciality insurance like DAN. Nothing wrong with DAN, but IMO for gear there are options that provide broader coverage.

IMO carry on everything you can of value, but I recognize that is not always possible.

 

[dlndavid]

Just got back from Cancun, I always carry my BC, Dive Comp and regs as carry-on.
Sometimes I get searched, this time not a bat of an eye about my dive gear both ways, except a carry-on with no dive gear, just toiletries and a small pair of scissors, they took the scissors.

 

[Charlie99]

Question: I recently won a Pelican dive case. Is there any reason that the regs could not be placed in the case with the checked luggage?

Unlike many of the others that have posted, I more often check my regulators than hand carry them. I've probably checked them about 50 times in the last 5 years without any trouble. I just put them inside a wetsuit, which then has the BCD wrapped around it. The only special precaution I take is a little chunk of carboard rubber banded over the top of my Oceanic hockey puck computer in my console. The cardboard has cutouts for the buttons and keeps them from being inadvertantly pressed while in transit.

As others have posted, don't check anything you absolutely gotta have. I just don't have same level of fear about using rental regs that others seem to have. I alway carry on cash, passport, a cert card, and a credit card. Not much else is truly essential.

I figure the worst that can happen is that the regs can get stolen or the bag can disappear, but in 25 years of pretty extensive business travel, only one bag of mine has ever been permanently lost. (My bags have been delayed a dozen or so times, but most of the time that gets sorted out in 24-48 hours.)