Problem flying w/ dive lights?

[String]

Al you need to do is carry them on. You are not required to remove or dissassemble anything.

Not strictly true, if its a big heavy light in post 11/9 paranoia it can be classed as a weapon and refused.

Plus the weight of my dive light takes up more than 50% of my already tiny baggage allowance. All ive ever been asked was to ensure it cant turn on in flight - i do this by reversing the battery and have had no problems in any of the countries after doing that.

 

[anemone]

Al you need to do is carry them on. You are not required to remove or dissassemble anything.

Yes...the link says it IS for carry-on baggage..not checked into the cargo hold.

 

[TwoTanks]

No problem with the pressure. Coming back from my last trip to Cozumel, the Mexican Custom agent confiscated the "C" cell batteries from my UK C-8 lights. He stated that I was only allowed 4 batteries per person. Why come home with one half of your used batteries?, so I left the rest of the batteries with him.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Last year, six of us were in cozumel and when we were leaving the took all of the batteries out of the flashlights from four of us (in checked luggage). the other two had a different inspector.

I think that they just wanted the batteries.

The first time I was in cozumel, a security guard took a deck of cards from me as we were boarding the plane. He saw us playing in the lobby and decided that he wanted them. It wasn't worth making a scene and maybe missing my plane for a deck of cards. He gave me some nonsense about airport regulations. This was pre 9/11.

TT

 

[El Tiburon]

No problem with the pressure. Coming back from my last trip to Cozumel, the Mexican Custom agent confiscated the "C" cell batteries from my UK C-8 lights. He stated that I was only allowed 4 batteries per person. Why come home with one half of your used batteries?, so I left the rest of the batteries with him.

Has this happened to anyone else?

He must have needed batteries for his own C-cell flashlight.

 

[Talon]

Thanks everyone for your responses! Think I will play it safe and take out the batteries and slighty unscrew the cap.

 

[Giggi]

The best way to avoid hand inspection of your checked luggage in a Mexican airport is to make sure you're at the end of a long line of divers - and be sure they all have unwashed dive gear in their checked baggage (an extra day won't make a difference, will it?). By the time the inspectors get to the 4th or 5th person, they will probably start waving the divers through because they can't stand the smell. That happened to us in Cancun.

 

[DandyDon]

i came across aviation safety regulations from ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)..reason that you have to dismantle the dive lights is not because of the pressure, but because if accidentally activated, it could lead to fire (heat producing device) and it's the regulation for the aviation.at least in my part of the world.

http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=830&pagetype=90&pageid=4796
--->check clause 'O'.

A very good point, I think, as dive lights can certainly produce a lot of heat out of the water.
I always remove my batteries for flights. I figure it's safer for the light as the bag is tossed on the cement, and it doesn't look as dangerous in X-rays.

The best way to avoid hand inspection of your checked luggage in a Mexican airport is to make sure you're at the end of a long line of divers - and be sure they all have unwashed dive gear in their checked baggage (an extra day won't make a difference, will it?). By the time the inspectors get to the 4th or 5th person, they will probably start waving the divers through because they can't stand the smell. That happened to us in Cancun.

Ah yes - Reality. Love it. :laugh:

 

[Charlie99]

I check my bags with a 6AA cell Ikelite PCa light that will overheat and destroy itself in about 10 minutes if left when not underwater. I reverse 1/2 of the cells, insert a piece of paper between the battery holder and the lighthead, lock the switch and have a little piece of masking tape with a note along the lines of "batteries reversed and disconnected". On my UK Q40 I just insert a bit of paper between the battery and lighthead, and attach a little note.

Many times when TSA has inspected my bags it's obvious that they rooted around and found the lights, but they have never removed batteries so the notes seem to be working.

OTOH, a couple years ago in Cozumel the guy going through my bags insisted on opening up the lights and dumping the batteries loose into my suitcase --- probably more dangerous than how I had them, but that was their procedure.

 

[Mverick]

In St. Louis I was told by the inspectors to put my 3 c cell lights in checked baggage next time. They had some issue with 3 cell lights. Other then that he said no problem. He wouldn't elaborate on what the issue was.... I asked...

 

[Charlie99]

They had some issue with 3 cell lights. Other then that he said no problem. He wouldn't elaborate on what the issue was.... I asked...

Some police and security guards have 6 cell flashlights that work nicely as a billy club