Taking knives in airplanes

[SeaHound]

I know taking a knife in carry on would pose serious issues but has anyone ever had problems taking diving knives in check in gear?

Thanks

[BubblesUp]

I've checked a knife along with my other dive gear many times and have never encountered a problem.

[diver 85]

I know taking a knife in carry on would pose serious issues but has anyone ever had problems taking diving knives in check in gear?

Thanks


none...

[fppf]

Per the TSA having a knife in your checked baggage is not an issue, you do not need to declare it.

However they do request that it be kept in a sheath to protect agents that may need to randomly search your bags.

Oh, and yes your bag will get "ramdonly" searched almost ever time. At least mine does.

[AlaskaDiver]

Never had any encounters with a knife in checked baggage. Since you are carrying dive gear with you, you more than likely will have the TSA folks inspect your bag.

[RJP]

Oh, and yes your bag will get "ramdonly" searched almost ever time. At least mine does.

Yeah, I've noted that the likelihood of a bag that weighs 75lb, containing a backplate, a knife, a can light, etc, etc, being "randomly" searched is approximately 100%.

In fact I've finally smartened up a bit. Instead of packing it "perfectly" the first time I now pack it so that someone who doesn't know how to pack scuba can easily RE-PACK it.

[ItMustBeJames]

In fact I've finally smartened up a bit. Instead of packing it "perfectly" the first time I now pack it so that it's someone who doesn't know how to pack scuba care easily RE-PACK it.

That sounds pretty cool. Care to elaborate?

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I have never had a problem with a knife in checked baggage. There are a few things about scuba gear that tend to raise red flags and get TSA to open. Thick metal objects block the xray images, such as back plates. Batteries in a flashlight (especially a 6 or 8 cell job) can look like explosives. Lots of metallic gear jumbed together also confuses them. The operator is not only looking fo bad things, but if he/sher cannot ID objects in the bag, the bag will be opened and manually checked. So far, other than things bein moved and a love note from TSA, no problems.

[Gilldiver]

Never had a problem with a checked knife. But if I can I will hang around the TSA area to make sure the bag gets through, but at some airports you can't do this.

I also only use zip ties (wire ties) to lock my bags and will put a few taped to a piece of paper on top of my stuff with a request that TSA use them if they had to cut my original ones off.

But, if I can get my stuff shipped ahead of time to a destination by FedEx or one of the other shipping companies, I will. On my last trip to the West coast it ran about $45 each way and when compared to the extra bag/over weight charge of $70 a bag is a deal. You also have much better tracking then the Airlines and much faster resolution if the box gets lost. Once the airlines check in your bag they don't know where it is and can not track it. With a shipper I can watch it move across country and know who signed for it.

I am still working with DELTA on a lost bag from January that had one of my primary regs, intergrated computer, and a friends 10 watt HID Greenforce light. The airlines say they do not cover electronics and computers and look to be wainting to pay me about $400 for $3,000 worth of gear and maybe $200 against the costs of the bag and clothing that was in it.

[fppf]

Ah you used the wrong words.
You should have said "Dive Watch" or "Depth Gauge" then "Flash Light"

I have our gear on a home owners rider. If the airline monkey's loose it or break it I just call my insurance company. They send me a check and then they fight with the air monkey's to resolve who should pay for it.

[aquaman_06]

I just returned from a Bonaire trip last week. Amazingly my dive knife (which is installed on my regulator hoses) made it from BWI to Montego Bay to Bonaire in my carry on luggage. Even more surprising is that the airport attendant in Montego Bay actually lifted the regulators out of my carry on bag to inspect them, put them back in and said "have a nice flight mon."

That said I wouldn't recommend keeping a knife in your carry on baggage and it was just luck that mine didn't get noticed and chucked on the spot. Though if you pack it in your checked gear it should be fine.

[fppf]

Ah yes I feel so safe with the wonderful well trained TSA!!