Flying with pony bottles or spare air

[RMHSCUBA]

I read an article in undercurrents about TSA inspectors not allowing pressure cylinders on board flights, even empty bottles with valves removed. My last flight with a pony bottle was in April of this year and I had no problems, but supposedly now some things have changed. Anybody been flying lately with a pony or spare air and have some info?

 

[jagfish]

Welcome to the board.
There is an excellent search functoin. When I first joined, I noticed that most of the topics I was curious about had already been posted in one form or another.

There's been a lot of posting regarding your question, I was also curious. The general answer seems to be yes, you can carry a pony bottle in checked baggage as long as the valve is removed. Here are a couple threads that discuss the topic...

http://scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=33508&page=2&pp=10

http://scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=56186&page=1&pp=10&highlight=pony+bottle+flying

Be sure to read the entire threads because the early posts are not always accurate in regards to this topic...

JAG

 

[CelticRavenVA]

RMH,

A friend of mine had to mail his pony home from dullas just recently. They said NO WAY.... then gave him the option of lose it or mail it home to the tune of $60 bucks.

 

[roakey]

SCUBA cylinders are now prohibited from both carry-on and checked-in baggage by the TSA:

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1190.xml

"Dive tanks or any compressed gas cylinders are prohibited from carry-on and checked luggage."

Doesn't mean you won't slip by someone that doesn't know the TSA regulations, but it'll be a bummer if they refuse it when it's time to go home...

Note people have called TSA and have been told that it's OK. Look at my surprise: a government agency giving out bad information. Bottom line is it's in the regs, and if it's in print versus you stating "but I called and they said it was OK!" which position do you think is going to win?

Roak

 

[ChrisA]

Let's say I take the valve off my tank and fill the tank with jelly beans.
Then I make a hand made lable that reads "jelly beans". Then I no
longer have a pony bottle but a really cool looking jelly bean bottle.
Can Jelly beans be taken on airplanes?

I 'm pretty shur there is a way to ship firearms on an airplane if
that, then way not a 2 litter bottle of candy?

I don't think I really want jelly beans in my tank. I wonder what
else I could fill it with theat could do no hard to the bottle.?

About the guy who had to mail his pony bottle. Most mail is
moved in airliners under contract. I'll bet that bottle went on
an airplane as USPS mail.

The problem is these people who work for government agencys are
not accountable to anyone. They have a job for life and no matter how stupid they are we can't vote them out of office.

 

[jagfish]

Let's say I take the valve off my tank and fill the tank with jelly beans.
Then I make a hand made lable that reads "jelly beans". Then I no
longer have a pony bottle but a really cool looking jelly bean bottle.
Can Jelly beans be taken on airplanes?

I 'm pretty shur there is a way to ship firearms on an airplane if
that, then way not a 2 litter bottle of candy?

I don't think I really want jelly beans in my tank. I wonder what
else I could fill it with theat could do no hard to the bottle.?

About the guy who had to mail his pony bottle. Most mail is
moved in airliners under contract. I'll bet that bottle went on
an airplane as USPS mail.

The problem is these people who work for government agencys are
not accountable to anyone. They have a job for life and no matter how stupid they are we can't vote them out of office.

Totally agree!

JAG

 

[KrisB]

well, if you're near the Can/US border, drive up here before flying, if it's somewhere like Hawaii or another continent. TSA doesn't give a rip about Canadian planes (though they try to make it look like they do in the "random" boarding-line screening.)

 

[KrisB]

forgot to mention. Air Canada specifically states this with regards to scuba gear (which is permitted as a checked item):

Scuba diving equipment
A set is considered to be one each of the following: empty scuba tank, air supply, regulator, pressure gauge, tank harness, face mask, pair of diving fins, snorkel, knife, spear gun, air pistol and safety vest. All equipment (excluding the tank which can be carried separately) must be securely packed in a rigid and/or hard shell container specifically designed for shipping. If otherwise packaged, the item(s) will only be accepted with a limited release form (to be signed at check-in), releasing Air Canada of liability.

 

[roakey]

Let's say I take the valve off my tank and fill the tank with jelly beans.
Then I make a hand made lable that reads "jelly beans". Then I no longer have a pony bottle but a really cool looking jelly bean bottle.
Can Jelly beans be taken on airplanes?

Let's say I plug the bottom of the barrel of my Colt .45 with wax and fill the barrel with water and flowers.
Then I make a hand made label that reads "flower pot". Then I no longer have a firearm but a really cool looking flowerpot.
Can flower pots be carried aboard airplanes?

What you'll have in your example is a compressed gas cylinder full of jelly beans. Problem is, it's still a compressed gas cylinder which is a prohibited item.

Just like my .45...

Look, I know it doesn't make any sense, but you have absolutely nothing to fall back on if the TSA agent says "no way."

Roak

 

[KrisB]

Let's say I plug the bottom of the barrel of my Colt .45 with wax and fill the barrel with water and flowers.
Then I make a hand made label that reads "flower pot". Then I no longer have a firearm but a really cool looking flowerpot.
Can flower pots be carried aboard airplanes?

What you'll have in your example is a compressed gas cylinder full of jelly beans. Problem is, it's still a compressed gas cylinder which is a prohibited item.

Just like my .45...

Look, I know it doesn't make any sense, but you have absolutely nothing to fall back on if the TSA agent says "no way."

Roak

If you also remove the firing pin, you're right. You do actually have a flower pot.

Or, alternatively, fill the barrel with brass. Then you have a flower pot