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In a couple of weeks I'll be flying on a commercial airplane with dive gear for the first time. In the past, I have either driven with my own gear or rented gear at my destination. This time I am flying and intend to take my own equipment.
I'm looking for any advice or thoughts on this. I have not yet purchased a travel gear bag so I'd be interested in hearing thoughts on that, as well.
Some background...
I'll be traveling in the US, so there are no international considerations. However, I plan to make some trips outside of the US in the near future, so that is worth factoring in.
I won't be taking tanks of course, although I would love to take my pony and spare regulator. I will be taking a 7mm wetsuit, ScubaPro Knighthawk BCD, fins, mask, gloves, booties, dive tools, a couple of lights, etc. I have a mesh bag or the boat. And I will take camera gear, an Ikelite housing and Canon G1 camera with external strobe light.
The only things I will rent are tanks and weights.
I already plan to carry the regulator(s) in carry on...but the rest is going to be checked.
A final point, while in Florida, I will be taking my stress/rescue diver course.
So, any thoughts, advice, cautions, considerations?
As always, I am grateful for your thoughts and experience.
Jeff
Pack the fragile stuff inside your wetsuit. My dive buddy and I both had brand new roll on gear bags broken and torn by the luggage monkeys! Watch your weight or you will get overcharged. You get a lower weight requirement on domestic versus international flights so call your airline and check the limit.
i do plan to take my camera and digicam with me on my backpack, does this mean i have to remove them batteries also?
I never take them out of cameras, in fact - sometimes you have to turn things on to show they're really cameras, cell phones, laptops, etc. I haven't lately, but at times.
Originally Posted by rapidiver
I've never removed batteries from anything.
I actually bring my gear (Rapid Diver) with my carry on. If am taking several units I throw them in a pelican case.(obviously not carry on)
Uh, you may want to start on dive lights. I took them out originally so the heavy batteries wouldn't break the lights when the bags were "handled," but since - have heard stories of travelers having problems, and seen a Roatan security agent slow a line up horribly as she removed batteries from light after light, bag after bag. Some agents just keep the light. At best, a US agent will see them on X-ray and be more likely to enter your bag.
And there is a fire risk. Dive light with hot bulb gets turned on inside luggage on a plane. :11:
Ditto with the baggage handlers. I used to refuel planes at an international airport.
Watched them for months. Most baggage handlers are unhappy campers. Same kind of folks that spit in your burgers at mickeydees.
I have no desire to see my computer and regs shotput through the air, bounced on the ramp, or run over, stolen, rifled through etc.
To what forces would one have to subject a reg to cause it to be destroyed? It's just not happening during baggage handling.
I got two for you. My buddy and I went to Belize this past August. He packs his regs in a hard plastic box that use to hold an electric drill within his checked bag. Very nice box with a handle and latch.
TSA opened the box, obviously moved around the regs while inspecting, and then forced the box shut. They forced the lid shut with the second stage on top of the first stage and cracked his reg's faceplate to the point the reg was useless as is. Lucky for us, we're cave divers, and have parts for everything in our dive kit.
Second, my brother and his buddy were flying to Miami on their way to the Keys. Buddy had a fancy dive manufacturer bag, brother had an olive drab duffle. Buddy saw his bag hit the conveyor, but while he was grabbing his clothing bag, someone picked up his fancy dive bag and was in the huge crowd and gone. Brother's ugly olive drab was there no problem. So...it's not necessarily the handlers you have to worry about. That's always been my concern....other passengers or loiterers. You don't have to clear security to get to an airport's baggage claim!!
I strongly advise a scuba bag with wheels. As for avoiding a bag with scuba logos, I've never had a problem and my bag is obviously a scuba bag. I wrap my masks and lights within my suit. I carry one reg and my computer on board in my reg bag, and my camera equipment in my backpack. My clothes go into my dive bag as well. This way my carry on luggage is very minimal and light. I use zip ties to close my dive bag. Make sure you have your equpiment insured and relax.
heck, i hate to check *anything*! carry-on was so wonderful. i'm sure i'm going to be a raving mess when i have to check scuba gear. i'm not a control freak about much, but my luggage - yep!
...and the days go by, water flowing under ground, into the blue again, into the silent water, under the rocks and stones, there is water underground... - talking heads
I got two for you. My buddy and I went to Belize this past August. He packs his regs in a hard plastic box that use to hold an electric drill within his checked bag. Very nice box with a handle and latch.
TSA opened the box, obviously moved around the regs while inspecting, and then forced the box shut. They forced the lid shut with the second stage on top of the first stage and cracked his reg's faceplate to the point the reg was useless as is. Lucky for us, we're cave divers, and have parts for everything in our dive kit.
Second, my brother and his buddy were flying to Miami on their way to the Keys. Buddy had a fancy dive manufacturer bag, brother had an olive drab duffle. Buddy saw his bag hit the conveyor, but while he was grabbing his clothing bag, someone picked up his fancy dive bag and was in the huge crowd and gone. Brother's ugly olive drab was there no problem. So...it's not necessarily the handlers you have to worry about. That's always been my concern....other passengers or loiterers. You don't have to clear security to get to an airport's baggage claim!!
I agree with having generic looking luggage but for a completely different reason. Bags made by the scuba equipment mfg's are a complete rip off. I got a nice rugged duffel bag from a sporting goods store for 30 dollars and it holds all my gear with room to spare. The same bag from a dive company would at least cost over a hundred dollars easy. As for carrying on gear I carry on my reg, cpu, ,mask and one days worth of clothes(in addition to all the stuff I carry on to entertain myself during the flight iebooks ipod magazines).
Camera, computer and regs always in the carry on, along with my log book. Passport c card and credit cards on my person,,, guarantees I'll get to dive,,, barring an act of God.
I only carry on my reg & mask on the outbound flight. I want to make sure I have it when I get there. Too many things can & do happen to luggage. On the return flight I pack it in the checked luggage. It is no longer urgently needed & can be replaced.
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Originally Posted by jtoorish
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I got a Nikon camera
