Problems flying with regulator in your carry-on?

[globalbabe]

Hi all - As I pack and prepare to travel on my next diving trip tomorrow night - Mafia & Zanzibar, off Tanzania - yay! - I am reminded of the problems I've been having with getting my regulator in my carry-on through the immigration/security check at the airport here in Islamabad.

Every trip I have done with it in my carry-on out of Pakistan in the last six months - to Thailand, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Australia - has meant I have had the security officers at Islamabad airport insist on opening my bag after it goes through the x-ray machine (twice here), briefly attempt to state that it is dangerous equipment to carry on board (they seem to act as if I have a tank of compressed air attached to it which might explode mid-air), concede that they don't know what it is after a conference with their supervisors, and then finally let me take it through. However, on my last trip in June, the security supervisor insisted it was WAY too dangerous to take on board, claiming the hose might be used to strangle someone (yes, really!), and demanded I check it through. Fortunately it's a small airport, so they quickly retrieved my checked bag and let me put it in there before rechecking it. He also said that there is no way I would ever be able to take it in my carry on again (I think that was just bluff and bravado though - you see that a lot here).

So, I'm curious - is this just a local problem I'm having at a small airport in the developing world where they don't see a lot of diving equipment and therefore don't know what is dangerous and what isn't or do others have problems getting their regs through security scans? I might add that I have had no problems whatsoever when departing the countries I've been visiting while carrying my reg.

I was considering contacting one of the local dive centres in Karachi to see how their staff divers handle this problem and whether there are (un)official channels through which I can get a letter of some kind stating the equipment is safe to fly within my carry-on?? Just a thought. I really would prefer to carry it as you never know who gets their hands on/into your baggage in this part of the world. Plus I can't get decent, high-value travel insurance from here that would cover me adequately for theft of high- or medium-value items (over $500).

[Tigerman]

Haha, it does sound like a local problem, but then again Pakistan probably do have "more than average" nutcases to deal with, given the fact that theire a bit prone to be used for terrorists to hide out..

[DA Aquamaster]

I usually have a cannister light or two in a carry on when I fly to a wreck or cave diving destination.

Going through security with a cylindrical object with cord sticking out of it pretty much guarentees the bag will be hand searched. Most of the time they just swab all the openings and joints in the cannister to ensure there is no residue from explosives, but at one point I had someone express concern over the battery chemistry of a light. In anticipation of that I had with me documentation of the battery type as well as a notice from the TSA website advising that this type of battery was not allowed in checked baggage (where a fire would not be noticed) but instead must be taken as a carry on, and that pretty much ended the discussion as well as any looming thoughts he may have had that I should put it in a checked bag.

In comparison the regs in the bag are pretty boring so they slide right through.

[Cave Diver]

However, on my last trip in June, the security supervisor insisted it was WAY too dangerous to take on board, claiming the hose might be used to strangle someone (yes, really!), and demanded I check it through.

So could a belt or shoe laces. Do they make you check those items as well?

[FWADIVER]

Small airport here (4 gates) they usually make me take the regs out, and then run them thru the x-ray machine by themselves. After that i've never had a problem with the security goons.

[globalbabe]

Going through security with a cylindrical object with cord sticking out of it pretty much guarentees the bag will be hand searched. Most of the time they just swab all the openings and joints in the cannister to ensure there is no residue from explosives, but at one point I had someone express concern over the battery chemistry of a light.

They don't swab for explosive residue here, but the women travellers are 'lucky' enough to get a very intimate pat-down in a curtained cubicle - no such luck for the men! This has been the custom since before it became a public issue in the US. Apparently no one seems to complain about it here though.

So could a belt or shoe laces. Do they make you check those items as well?

My point exactly! So could the cord on a set of headphones or the lanyard on an ID card, for that matter. Their security claim clearly defies logic.

[WOODMAN]

Their security claim clearly defies logic.

What has logic got to do with this? Clearly a case of an official trying to push his weight around and show you who's boss. As you said, a lot of that going around over there (from what I can tell.) You have my sympathies.

[awap]

However, on my last trip in June, the security supervisor insisted it was WAY too dangerous to take on board, claiming the hose might be used to strangle someone (yes, really!), and demanded I check it through.

Does that mean all Pagadi must be in checked baggage?

[floridanewbe]

Pakistan enough said

[globalbabe]

[Oops, mis-post]