Cozumel Airport Security WARNING

[muzikbiz22]

What happens when your carry-on won't fit in the overhead and they have to gate check it?

My carry on has always fit. Never had to gate check it, so far. And let me clarify, I do bring a small back pack, as well, as my "personal". Laptop usually goes in there, along with magazines and aspirin n stuff. For what it's worth, my current "carry on roller" is the Aqualung Departure bag. Fit's great on every plane so far. Prior to, was a TravelPro carry on. No issues with that one either.

 

[weaver9710]

I noticed in an earlier post where a bag had to be checked because of a backplate. I was in Cozumel 2 weeks ago and had no problem with my backplate in my carry-on. My carry-on was checked by an agent before boarding the plane home from CZM. The agent took everything out and put everything back in without a problem. My backplate and wing and all straps were assembled so not sure if it would have been different if my backplate was separated from my wing.

Mossman - I was the one sitting across from you on the Living Underwater boat on your last day (my first day).

 

[Mossman]

That's why cameras and laptops never go in roll-on. They go in personal bag. The photographers fought hard for that extra.

What about the reg? What about the housing? I suppose these could go in a rolling pelican case, if they can fit. Otherwise, I hope there's lots and lots of padding since I've seen how bags are gate checked and they're not exactly handled with kid gloves.

For a serious photo trip, I've managed to squeeze laptop and reg along with various sundry items inside my backpack ("personal bag") that fits under the seat in front of me, a "fanny pack" camera bag with camera body, three lenses, batteries, charger, memory cards, and card reader around my waist, and a redundant/land camera/lens around my neck. In a pinch I can get the camera and fanny pack also stuffed under my seat, somehow, but there's usually enough room in overheads for the little stuff (I just have to watch that another passengers doesn't accidentally knock it out onto the floor). This is from my experience seeing many carry-on bags involuntarily gate checked because there's no more bin space, large carry-ons weighed and refused as carry-ons, and my own pride in not being the guy who's taking up all the space in the overhead bins that other passengers might need because he insists on carrying on too much crap. Besides, there's no way my housing, ports, arms, strobes, chargers, and strobe batteries would fit in a small Pelican - they get checked inside a larger case that weighs 65 lbs. Those little point-and-shoot cameras with their tiny housings and strobes sometimes seem very appealing.

 

[Mossman]

I noticed in an earlier post where a bag had to be checked because of a backplate. I was in Cozumel 2 weeks ago and had no problem with my backplate in my carry-on. My carry-on was checked by an agent before boarding the plane home from CZM. The agent took everything out and put everything back in without a problem. My backplate and wing and all straps were assembled so not sure if it would have been different if my backplate was separated from my wing.

Mossman - I was the one sitting across from you on the Living Underwater boat on your last day (my first day).

I was trying to remember, then thought "doh!" you were the guy with the backplate & wings. Got it.

Nice to "meet" you again here. How was the rest of your trip?

 

[weaver9710]

The rest of our trip was great! The weather cleared up and was beautiful until the day we left when it was raining again. As the week went on the visibility got better and better. I've never had a bad experience diving with Jeremy. The food, drinks and accomodations at the Palace were great. We ventured over to the bars on the East side a few times and always have a great time there. We also went downtown 2 nights and had a great time at Wet Wendy's. We have a trip planned to Grand Cayman in September that we almost cancelled to re-book at the Cozumel Palace and with Living Underwater. I finally decided to keep the GC trip (since we've never been there) and to head back to Cozumel in the spring.

 

[ggunn]

...This is from my experience seeing many carry-on bags involuntarily gate checked because there's no more bin space...

There's a reason to sit in the high numbered rows. Plenty of bin space if you get on early.

 

[Mossman]

There's a reason to sit in the high numbered rows. Plenty of bin space if you get on early.

I know. You're also closer to the bathrooms which is good if you have to go, but bad if there's a line and you're in the aisle seat, or if there's a foul odor. Also, last-minute assignments, i.e. middle seats, go front to back, so you have a better chance of scoring an empty middle in the back rows.

But the overheads also fill up first in the back, so if you're running late for whatever reason and can't make the first call, you're screwed. Heck, on our last trip we almost got screwed on our Houston-Phoenix US Air leg and we were sitting in the very front, i.e. first, where there's normally plenty of overhead space. Unfortunately the C terminal Fuddrucker's was particularly slow and we hadn't allotted enough time (or rather allotted too much time enjoying free drinks and wifi at the PC), so by the time we ran to the gate, they were already boarding the last of coach and had started gate-checking all carry-on bags too big for the underseat. Fortunately there's a bit more room under the first class seats and I know better than to book bulkhead, so we were able to squeeze my backpack and small roller and Janna's backpack and purse all under the seats in front of us.

OK, that's user error, but there are times when a flight delay means late boarding and potential gate-checking of delicate items, which I've literally seen kicked and run into by carts and tossed 6 feet up to the baggage door only to miss and fall back on the tarmac. What that would do to a laptop, or housing, or camera strobe, or even a regulator, I shudder to think.

 

[Rhino434]

A small, Xuacan security guard (female) took my strobe batteries when we were leaving Cabo last October. I got very mad and insisted they had no right to do so. A supervisor, who spoke English, came and told me I could not have batteries on the flight (they did NOT take my camera battery thank God). He told me I could go back and check it but considering the flight was leaving I just let them trash them. THEN the little guard turned me around and gave me a thorough body search!!!!
SO, if you travel to Mexico, check those batteries!!!!!

 

[Rhino434]

Just a heads up about driving vehicle in Mexico. The reason you will be detained until you pay up after an accident (if you do NOT have Mexican insurance) is because it is illegal to be involved in an accident per their law. You purchase insurance because it is your bail bond. With insurance, you still go to the station, but your insurance agent is called and he comes and handles the $$ details. We live full time in Baja, and we do have insurance. I am sure you can buy it as a rider on rental cars. This has been a law for oh, about 30 years. FYI

 

[staffybull]

Just got back from my first trip to Coz. I felt the security was pretty relaxed. I had two cameras, two spare batteries(recharge) and two 4 packs of AA in my back pack. Also had regs and computers along with a laptop. I put my bag through the scanner, walked through and picked it up. I never even had to open it. The crappiest part was standing in line for them to stamp passport. It was about a 45min wait.