Air Travel With Scuba Gear

[mainedvr]

Ok doing our first trip by Air (domestic) with some of our gear. I have read some threads but wanted to ask myself. Canister lights and batteries in carry on? Regulators, computers? What is required to be where in our baggage and anything to watch out for. Of course not taking tanks or weights

Thanks

 

[Saniflush]

I believe that you will have to look at the regulations pertaining to your specific destination but in general most people I have spoken with and myself put 1st/2nd stages and computers in carry on baggage and check the rest.

 

[seeker242]

Canister lights and batteries in carry on?

Different airlines have slightly different rules about batteries. Depends on the type and size of the battery. Packing the battery separately, like in a zip lock bag by itself, and carry-on pretty much covers all of them.

 

[BertStevens]

I always carryon my regs, computer, prescription mask and batteries. Everything else goes in gear bag and gets checked. Never had an issue.

 

[WillHartNZ]

For me I put my regs, computer, torches, cameras, and mask in my carry on. I don’t have to worry about batteries as all my lights use standard batteries which I just buy when I get there. I figure everything else is either not going to break in checked luggage or can easily be hired.

 

[Tool Belt]

We carry on everything, no checked bags. Makes coming back through customs a breeze not having to wait for your bags.

 

[CT Sean]

Like many here, my wife and I carry-on regs and my photo gear. If I had a can light, I'd carry that on as well. basically anything we'd prefer the baggage handlers not get a chance to toss around.

A word of warning though - based on recent flights, it seems very common that carry-ons (roller bags, not personal items) are regularly gate checked. if you've got anything you deem particularly fragile, you might want to opt for whatever your airline's version of priority check-in is. We just flew United to Bonaire and EVERYONE in the later boarding groups were required to gate-check carry-ons. Made for an awful lot of grumbling given that 90% of thepeople boarding were likely divers.

 

[Snoweman]

We carry on everything, no checked bags. Makes coming back through customs a breeze not having to wait for your bags.

If I carried everything on, I wouldn't have room for a pair of swim trunks.

I feel good getting my mask, reg, BCD, Nautilus Radio, dive computer and maybe one or two other things in my carry-on and personal bag (backpack). Fins, spool, safety sausage and the rest go into my checked bag.

 

[Hoag]

We carry on everything, no checked bags. Makes coming back through customs a breeze not having to wait for your bags.

Given that the OP specifically said that the flight was domestic, customs shouldn't be a factor.

 

[Outbound]

I believe TSA now requires you to pack uninstalled lithium and lithium ion batteries in a ziplock inside your carry-on. I don't think it matters with alkaline batteries. As for your other gear, pack as much of it as you can in your carry-on, provided it can fit in a compliant-size bag. Definitely pack your computer and regs in your carry-on.