divinh
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Cool, thanks!
Air Travel With Scuba Gear
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Cool, thanks!
Personal experience.
Disclaimer: I travel allot for work, and never had an issue. I know this was stupid but planes got like buses to me, so I got complacent.
Last year I flew to Truk lagoon. I was lazy and only took a small carry on bag with dive computers, camera (no housing), batteries and laptop.
I arrived in Truk..... no luggage. Next plane 4 days. I had no dive gear, no clothes, no toiletries. Fortunately I had my Shearwater.
I dived Truk with crappy rental gear, no camera ,a leaky mask and sling tank not twins.
My Camera Housing, twin tank regs, deco regs, Backplate, Wing and Mask were all in Port Moresby with my less critical items like wetsuit, fins, wetnotes, DSMB etc.
Lesson. ALWAYS carry on the items you need for your mission. Regs, Mask, DC, Camera Gear, Wetnotes, Torch, BP&W.
You can buy a toothbrush even in the farthest reaches of the world, you can wear your underpants 4 ways. But do not get caught without your life support equipment.
Mike
Disclaimer: I travel allot for work, and never had an issue. I know this was stupid but planes got like buses to me, so I got complacent.
Last year I flew to Truk lagoon. I was lazy and only took a small carry on bag with dive computers, camera (no housing), batteries and laptop.
I arrived in Truk..... no luggage. Next plane 4 days. I had no dive gear, no clothes, no toiletries. Fortunately I had my Shearwater.
I dived Truk with crappy rental gear, no camera ,a leaky mask and sling tank not twins.
My Camera Housing, twin tank regs, deco regs, Backplate, Wing and Mask were all in Port Moresby with my less critical items like wetsuit, fins, wetnotes, DSMB etc.
Lesson. ALWAYS carry on the items you need for your mission. Regs, Mask, DC, Camera Gear, Wetnotes, Torch, BP&W.
You can buy a toothbrush even in the farthest reaches of the world, you can wear your underpants 4 ways. But do not get caught without your life support equipment.
Mike
Diver-Drex
Contributor
If your taking them Jacket BCDs can be worn as clothing. I’ve done this with a soft back plate too. Make sure you remove any cutting devices.
I put regs and computers in a reg bag that counts as a personal item. This way if you have to gate check a roller you still get keep them with you. Masks and safety items go in the carry on.
Everything else gets checked, For us that is usually just cutting tools and a save a dive kit. We rent suits and fins.
I put regs and computers in a reg bag that counts as a personal item. This way if you have to gate check a roller you still get keep them with you. Masks and safety items go in the carry on.
Everything else gets checked, For us that is usually just cutting tools and a save a dive kit. We rent suits and fins.
divinh
Contributor
I bought a 24" x 15" x 10" (40L) duffel (slightly larger than airline carry-on size but definitely squeezable into 22" x 14" x 9" if not overstuffed) that's designed similarly to dry bags, in that it has a roll top that clips down. It'll keep the contents dry but not if submersed, but the main point was to keep any wet content from leaking into the overhead compartment:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075QMKRRX
$55 USD
Once I stuffed it with my dive gear (fins, boots, regs, gloves, DC, wetsuit, etc.), it became quite heavy. I decided that I might add a compact luggage dolly:
www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Luggage-Cart-Black/dp/B004MNRX7
$20-30 USD
But then I stumbled upon this duffel with wheels while looking for the luggage cart:
www.macys.com/shop/product/high-sierra-22-wheeled-drop-bottom-duffel-bag?ID=5796722
$50 USD on-sale currently, normally $100 USD
It's 22" x 13" x 12", so only one dimension exceeds carry-on size. Again, without overstuffing, it could fit in the 9" limit. What's nice about it is that it has integrated wheels, pull-out handle, and /two/ compartments. The lower compartment is thinner and perfect for fins, boots and wetsuit (or regs). The upper is roomier, for BC, regs (or wetsuit) and everything else. The main downside is that it's not very water tight, which means wet gear would probably need to be put in bags to keep from leaking.
Also, being that the handle is built into the duffel, it's much more rigid and solves the problem of twisting that would occur with the duffel and luggage cart solution above.
My question... are people carrying gear in normal rolling suitcases/duffels instead of luggage designed for wet environments? After transport, gear is moved to a mesh bag for use anyway, right?
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075QMKRRX
$55 USD
Once I stuffed it with my dive gear (fins, boots, regs, gloves, DC, wetsuit, etc.), it became quite heavy. I decided that I might add a compact luggage dolly:
www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Luggage-Cart-Black/dp/B004MNRX7
$20-30 USD
But then I stumbled upon this duffel with wheels while looking for the luggage cart:
www.macys.com/shop/product/high-sierra-22-wheeled-drop-bottom-duffel-bag?ID=5796722
$50 USD on-sale currently, normally $100 USD
It's 22" x 13" x 12", so only one dimension exceeds carry-on size. Again, without overstuffing, it could fit in the 9" limit. What's nice about it is that it has integrated wheels, pull-out handle, and /two/ compartments. The lower compartment is thinner and perfect for fins, boots and wetsuit (or regs). The upper is roomier, for BC, regs (or wetsuit) and everything else. The main downside is that it's not very water tight, which means wet gear would probably need to be put in bags to keep from leaking.
Also, being that the handle is built into the duffel, it's much more rigid and solves the problem of twisting that would occur with the duffel and luggage cart solution above.
My question... are people carrying gear in normal rolling suitcases/duffels instead of luggage designed for wet environments? After transport, gear is moved to a mesh bag for use anyway, right?
These days I usually pack almost everything in my checked bags.
We had an interesting experience flying back from Palau. On two of our legs (Guam and Honolulu), we had to go through immigration, exit the secure area, and go back through security. In Guam, our stopover was extremely brief because of a late start from Palau, and we had to hustle to make our connection. Everyone in our group was TSA Prechecked, but that did not help. Our two travelling companions had most of their expensive dive gear in their carryons, and that caused a real problem. Both bags were hand inspected after going through the Xray machine. What were those strange devices? Why were they carrying them? They were swabbed for bomb-making residue. By the time they were released from this thorough exam, we had to run to get on a plane that was mostly boarded when we arrived.
Something similar happened to me a number of years ago leaving LAX. My dive computer floored an inspector who had never seen anything like it and figured it had to be illegal for some reason, if only he could figure out what that reason might be.
We had an interesting experience flying back from Palau. On two of our legs (Guam and Honolulu), we had to go through immigration, exit the secure area, and go back through security. In Guam, our stopover was extremely brief because of a late start from Palau, and we had to hustle to make our connection. Everyone in our group was TSA Prechecked, but that did not help. Our two travelling companions had most of their expensive dive gear in their carryons, and that caused a real problem. Both bags were hand inspected after going through the Xray machine. What were those strange devices? Why were they carrying them? They were swabbed for bomb-making residue. By the time they were released from this thorough exam, we had to run to get on a plane that was mostly boarded when we arrived.
Something similar happened to me a number of years ago leaving LAX. My dive computer floored an inspector who had never seen anything like it and figured it had to be illegal for some reason, if only he could figure out what that reason might be.
divinh
Contributor
This is what I've packed for carry-on. It doesn't include everything, but what I consider essential (or I could add easily without over-stuffing the bag), so that it would fit in the 22" x 14" x 9" allowance. The bag itself is 22" x 13" x 12".
The bottom compartment. The extension handles indent inward into the storage space, but the slots on the sides of the handle work well for flashlights.
Sopras Tek/Sub Compact Lite BC (face-down) and snorkel as the next layer...
Xcel 3/2mm full wetsuit on top...
Now, the top compartment... 21" Deep6 small fins with 5mm boots stuffed into the foot pockets. I also put a SensorCon CO tester and lithium battery charger into the foot pockets, but may need to relocate if things are wet.
Aqua Lung reg travel bag with Deep6 reg set, gallon plastic bag full of lithium batteries, mask case with (mask, surface-only SMB, light beacon, and whistle), Mares round case with two Cressi dive computers, and hidden underneath the top, a Nautilus Lifeline in case.
If, for some reason, the airline rejects my carry-on, or if I need to gate check, I will pull the reg bag, computers in holder, mask case and contents, and all lithium items into a dry bag, which I'll be putting on top of all this.
My cameras will be a personal item. The underwater housing, however, will be checked-in inside the backpack with clothes, along with all the other accessories, like DSMB, spool, save-a-dive-kit, compact tool, reef hook, etc.
The bottom compartment. The extension handles indent inward into the storage space, but the slots on the sides of the handle work well for flashlights.
Sopras Tek/Sub Compact Lite BC (face-down) and snorkel as the next layer...
Xcel 3/2mm full wetsuit on top...
Now, the top compartment... 21" Deep6 small fins with 5mm boots stuffed into the foot pockets. I also put a SensorCon CO tester and lithium battery charger into the foot pockets, but may need to relocate if things are wet.
Aqua Lung reg travel bag with Deep6 reg set, gallon plastic bag full of lithium batteries, mask case with (mask, surface-only SMB, light beacon, and whistle), Mares round case with two Cressi dive computers, and hidden underneath the top, a Nautilus Lifeline in case.
If, for some reason, the airline rejects my carry-on, or if I need to gate check, I will pull the reg bag, computers in holder, mask case and contents, and all lithium items into a dry bag, which I'll be putting on top of all this.
My cameras will be a personal item. The underwater housing, however, will be checked-in inside the backpack with clothes, along with all the other accessories, like DSMB, spool, save-a-dive-kit, compact tool, reef hook, etc.
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I don't think water will hurt the unit, but I think we overlooked flow rate pressure affecting the Sensorcon readings. If you drop the unit into a gallon ziplock, then fill the bag from the tank, you should get a good reading. However directing tank gas into the unit seems to give false positive readings. Still a good, economical choice, but not under any pressure.
divinh
Contributor
This is a follow-up to what I wrote...
For the San Francisco to Newark, then Newark to London on United, I was able to carry on without getting questioned.
For London to Bangkok, then Bangkok to Bali on Thai Airways, I got flagged for too much weight in the carry on, which admittedly was 16kg, about double their limit. In the midst of getting this sorted out, I got flagged for the number of lithium batteries I had for my flashlights. In the end, the twelve batteries were fine to have, but I had to reduce the carry-on weight. I put into a dry bag: regulator, dive computers, Nautilus Lifeline, mask, batteries, dive logs and cards, swim trunks and a single set of clothes. I checked in the flashlights, BC, wetsuit, fins and boots. My allowance allowed for two free check-ins.
For Bali to Labuan Bajo and back on Garuda, I had to separate out with a dry bag again. The plane was a puddle jumper, which has very small overhead bins. I had no trouble with having a second check-in bag with dive gear. No extra fees.
For Bali to Singapore, Singapore to Fukuoka on Singapore Airlines, then Fukuoka to Ishigaki on ANA, I still had to separate but still had two free check-ins.
For Ishigaki to Tokyo on ANA (booked separately as a domestic flight), I had to pay 2500 JPY (about 25 USD) for the second bag even though I pointed out that it was dive gear. ANA's policy is that sports equipment is allowed but must fit within the 20kg limit already allocated. I already had 20kg in my first check-in bag. The pared down carry-on, which became the second check-in bag, was 10kg, which invoked the 2500 JPY fee. The diving essentials still had to be separated into a dry bag.
For Tokyo to San Francisco on United, I had been separating and kept it that way.
-----
Before reaching the check-in counter, I would separate out the essentials, when needed.
At baggage pick-up, I would put all the contents of the dry bag back into the second check-in bag, the bag I had intended to be the carry-on.
For the San Francisco to Newark, then Newark to London on United, I was able to carry on without getting questioned.
For London to Bangkok, then Bangkok to Bali on Thai Airways, I got flagged for too much weight in the carry on, which admittedly was 16kg, about double their limit. In the midst of getting this sorted out, I got flagged for the number of lithium batteries I had for my flashlights. In the end, the twelve batteries were fine to have, but I had to reduce the carry-on weight. I put into a dry bag: regulator, dive computers, Nautilus Lifeline, mask, batteries, dive logs and cards, swim trunks and a single set of clothes. I checked in the flashlights, BC, wetsuit, fins and boots. My allowance allowed for two free check-ins.
For Bali to Labuan Bajo and back on Garuda, I had to separate out with a dry bag again. The plane was a puddle jumper, which has very small overhead bins. I had no trouble with having a second check-in bag with dive gear. No extra fees.
For Bali to Singapore, Singapore to Fukuoka on Singapore Airlines, then Fukuoka to Ishigaki on ANA, I still had to separate but still had two free check-ins.
For Ishigaki to Tokyo on ANA (booked separately as a domestic flight), I had to pay 2500 JPY (about 25 USD) for the second bag even though I pointed out that it was dive gear. ANA's policy is that sports equipment is allowed but must fit within the 20kg limit already allocated. I already had 20kg in my first check-in bag. The pared down carry-on, which became the second check-in bag, was 10kg, which invoked the 2500 JPY fee. The diving essentials still had to be separated into a dry bag.
For Tokyo to San Francisco on United, I had been separating and kept it that way.
-----
Before reaching the check-in counter, I would separate out the essentials, when needed.
At baggage pick-up, I would put all the contents of the dry bag back into the second check-in bag, the bag I had intended to be the carry-on.
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