RICHinNC
Contributor
I just thought I would share a positive experience I had last week. It kind of brings back my faith in individuals that work for government agencies
.even though I do too. (not sure what I mean by that
..but what the heck)
I am going to go to Barbados in September and I normally dive with a pony bottle when I dive in the states. Needless to say, 9/11 has caused a number of changes in our life styles. We lost so much that day other than two buildings and so many people, but I dont want to go there.
Anyway, here I have this trip coming up to Barbados and I really want to take my pony bottle with me. I have traveled since that fateful day with my pony bottle, but there are new travel alerts about terrorists looking at more airline incidents. Needless to say that means travel restrictions will be much worse than normal, whatever normal means at this point.
I wrote an email message to both Delta and US Air. I travel Delta a lot and I will be traveling US Air to Barbados. Delta was really quick to respond to my email. It took some time, a couple more emails, and a few phone calls to get US Air to respond in writing. But, I now have (in writing) what these two airline policies are regarding traveling with all sorts of dive gear, to include, a pony bottle.
Simply put, both airlines allow you to travel with one dive tank. It doesnt specify whether it is a pony bottle size tank or a larger standard tank. I chalk that up to the fact that those who write the rules know very little to nothing about diving gear. While I have taken my pony bottle on board in a carry on size suit case along with my regs, computer, dive log and cameras; but, most airlines prefer you to put the tank in your check in baggage. They are afraid (or so I was told) that you would take it out and bang someone on the head. And, that was a quote from an airlines representative. Also, Delta says the tank can have up to, but not exceed 41 lbs of pressure, however, there is absolutely no way to prove what kind of pressure is in the tank to their satisfaction. So, if you drain the tank completely, take off the valve, and plug the bottle with a plug, you will have no problems.
Ok, doing all this research was only the start. Why you ask go ahead ask . Because no matter what the airlines say you still have to get by TSA.
So I called TSA HQ and you would not believe what I was told. Long story short, TSA has a web site where you can go and see what you can and can not take on board an airplane. Is dive gear listed and kept up to date you ask???? No way. Dive gear is not the least bit addressed. And to make matters worse, I was told when I called TSA HQ that the last TSA representative you run into at the xray machine has the final authority to make the decision you can not take your tank, regs or whatever on board. What that means to me is that the TSA website is absolutely worthless to anyone going there for guidance. And, the TSA lady I talked to reluctantly agreed with me.
Jokingly, I asked the lady I talked to at TSA HQ, so if the last guy I meet headed to the airplane has a hangover, or his wife (girlfriend or her husband) gave him (her) a hard time last night and the decision is to take it out on me .there isnt jack I can do about it???? Absolutely right responds the lady at TSA HQ. What a way for an organization to run huh??? What she did tell me that worth while was that at every airport there is a TSA customer rep and I could call and get whatever information I needed.
Now you just try and call an airport and get a particular airlines or TSA. My god I have been in major battles that were easier than that.
But I finally got hold on the TSA customer rep guy. I am flying out of Harrisburg airport in Harrisburg Pa and I have to tell you it is the worse airport for customer service in the whole United States. If it were used as a nuclear testing ground I would not miss it one nanosecond.
Anyway, I finally got a human being not a dang computer .to answer a phone at the airport and I finally got transferred to the TSA office .yes, it took three days to accomplish this .but I finally got hold of a TSA person. Was it the customer rep??????? No, but the person said the rep would call me back. Yea right. Well, I will be hornswaggled the guy actually called me back.
Yep, I was amazed there must be a God. He not only called me back, but he was polite and concerned about my question. Now, I wasnt surprised that he had no idea what the answer to the question was (about carrying my pony bottle with me to Barbados) but he said he would research it and call me back. Yeah right again.
It took three days, but dang if he didnt call me back. He said it was ok to take all my gear with me and if it were up to him (which we know it is ) he would recommend putting the pony bottle in my check in .but it would be up to the airline whether or not I actually carried it on board. He had no problems at all with my regs and other small gear in a carry on bag.
The guy actually called me two times, he was polite, he didnt know jack about dive gear, but did his homework ..and was pretty decent about the whole thing. I would love to give his name so he could get his credit due but I dont want to get sued or whatever. Point is, he was a cool dude.
So, I will be traveling to Barbados ..and yes I will doing a trip report ..and I will be taking my pony bottle with me. It will be wrapped like crazy in foam rubber so it wont destroy my suitcase but I will have it with me.
Actually, this brings up a thought. LDSs rent regular tanks .and with the way travel restrictions are now a days .they ought to look at renting pony bottles as well. Just a thought.
Sorry I raved a bit probably, but I hate bureaucracy. And I think I will just stop here. Later all.
I am going to go to Barbados in September and I normally dive with a pony bottle when I dive in the states. Needless to say, 9/11 has caused a number of changes in our life styles. We lost so much that day other than two buildings and so many people, but I dont want to go there.
Anyway, here I have this trip coming up to Barbados and I really want to take my pony bottle with me. I have traveled since that fateful day with my pony bottle, but there are new travel alerts about terrorists looking at more airline incidents. Needless to say that means travel restrictions will be much worse than normal, whatever normal means at this point.
I wrote an email message to both Delta and US Air. I travel Delta a lot and I will be traveling US Air to Barbados. Delta was really quick to respond to my email. It took some time, a couple more emails, and a few phone calls to get US Air to respond in writing. But, I now have (in writing) what these two airline policies are regarding traveling with all sorts of dive gear, to include, a pony bottle.
Simply put, both airlines allow you to travel with one dive tank. It doesnt specify whether it is a pony bottle size tank or a larger standard tank. I chalk that up to the fact that those who write the rules know very little to nothing about diving gear. While I have taken my pony bottle on board in a carry on size suit case along with my regs, computer, dive log and cameras; but, most airlines prefer you to put the tank in your check in baggage. They are afraid (or so I was told) that you would take it out and bang someone on the head. And, that was a quote from an airlines representative. Also, Delta says the tank can have up to, but not exceed 41 lbs of pressure, however, there is absolutely no way to prove what kind of pressure is in the tank to their satisfaction. So, if you drain the tank completely, take off the valve, and plug the bottle with a plug, you will have no problems.
Ok, doing all this research was only the start. Why you ask go ahead ask . Because no matter what the airlines say you still have to get by TSA.
So I called TSA HQ and you would not believe what I was told. Long story short, TSA has a web site where you can go and see what you can and can not take on board an airplane. Is dive gear listed and kept up to date you ask???? No way. Dive gear is not the least bit addressed. And to make matters worse, I was told when I called TSA HQ that the last TSA representative you run into at the xray machine has the final authority to make the decision you can not take your tank, regs or whatever on board. What that means to me is that the TSA website is absolutely worthless to anyone going there for guidance. And, the TSA lady I talked to reluctantly agreed with me.
Jokingly, I asked the lady I talked to at TSA HQ, so if the last guy I meet headed to the airplane has a hangover, or his wife (girlfriend or her husband) gave him (her) a hard time last night and the decision is to take it out on me .there isnt jack I can do about it???? Absolutely right responds the lady at TSA HQ. What a way for an organization to run huh??? What she did tell me that worth while was that at every airport there is a TSA customer rep and I could call and get whatever information I needed.
Now you just try and call an airport and get a particular airlines or TSA. My god I have been in major battles that were easier than that.
But I finally got hold on the TSA customer rep guy. I am flying out of Harrisburg airport in Harrisburg Pa and I have to tell you it is the worse airport for customer service in the whole United States. If it were used as a nuclear testing ground I would not miss it one nanosecond.
Anyway, I finally got a human being not a dang computer .to answer a phone at the airport and I finally got transferred to the TSA office .yes, it took three days to accomplish this .but I finally got hold of a TSA person. Was it the customer rep??????? No, but the person said the rep would call me back. Yea right. Well, I will be hornswaggled the guy actually called me back.
Yep, I was amazed there must be a God. He not only called me back, but he was polite and concerned about my question. Now, I wasnt surprised that he had no idea what the answer to the question was (about carrying my pony bottle with me to Barbados) but he said he would research it and call me back. Yeah right again.
It took three days, but dang if he didnt call me back. He said it was ok to take all my gear with me and if it were up to him (which we know it is ) he would recommend putting the pony bottle in my check in .but it would be up to the airline whether or not I actually carried it on board. He had no problems at all with my regs and other small gear in a carry on bag.
The guy actually called me two times, he was polite, he didnt know jack about dive gear, but did his homework ..and was pretty decent about the whole thing. I would love to give his name so he could get his credit due but I dont want to get sued or whatever. Point is, he was a cool dude.
So, I will be traveling to Barbados ..and yes I will doing a trip report ..and I will be taking my pony bottle with me. It will be wrapped like crazy in foam rubber so it wont destroy my suitcase but I will have it with me.
Actually, this brings up a thought. LDSs rent regular tanks .and with the way travel restrictions are now a days .they ought to look at renting pony bottles as well. Just a thought.
Sorry I raved a bit probably, but I hate bureaucracy. And I think I will just stop here. Later all.