TSA Miami......

[jbm]

I will be flying into and out of Miami in March to do a Blackbeard's trip. My usual practice is to carry my regs and computer in my carry-on. Has anyone experienced or heard of any problems with this in Miami?

regards; jbm

 

[Spectre]

I've not been through Miami with gear, but I've found that the florida airports I've been in have been very easy when it came to coming through with dive gear. They always want to search the bag, and that's cool. I actually give it to them and tell them they'll want to search it, so we don't have to go through the whole 'whos bag is this' game. Next time, if I have time, I'm going to ask them if it'd be easier to just pull everything out into a container and run it through.

Now canister light batteries are the ones that tend to turn a few extra heads

 

[caymaniac]

I will be flying into and out of Miami in March to do a Blackbeard's trip. My usual practice is to carry my regs and computer in my carry-on. Has anyone experienced or heard of any problems with this in Miami?

regards; jbm

These two things are scary! Miami airport is really it's own country (third world airport)! TSA combined with this third world airport is not a good thing. We traveled through Miami two summers ago and the TSA had the lines longer than we could see. We have a new rule at our house: Avoid Miami Airport if at all possible.
Maybe it will be better for you, let us know!

 

[Wristshot]

I flew into and out of Miami less than two weeks ago, and I didn't have any problems with Reg and computers (2) in my carry-on bag. The x-ray guy was dwelling on one of my bags for a few seconds, so I said "Scuba dive gear" and he rolled everything on through after a few more seconds. I don't know if I influenced him positively or negatively or even at all.

Lines were not bad, but it was January 1, so YMMV.

I had a small problem at San Jose airport in October, but that seemed to be the one and only bag checker that didn't recognize a Reg. The Supervisor was called, and cleared it immediately.

My two cents, but only because you asked.

Wristshot

 

[Spectre]

I had a small problem at San Jose airport in October, but that seemed to be the one and only bag checker that didn't recognize a Reg. The Supervisor was called, and cleared it immediately.

My last time out of Manchester NH before christmas, I had a doubles set, a deco bottle reg, and 2 other single regs, plus my camera housing. The pattern matching on the display freaked, as it came up with a bunch of zip guns and 2 38 specials. It was kinda funny

 

[fins]

We went through Miami in October. Now we weren't carrying dive gear (other than mask, fins, snorkel) but did have golf clubs. It took so long to get our bags and clear customs that we missed our connecting flight to Detroit, resulting in a stay in Miami overnight.

So the next morning it was back to the airport for a flight out to Detroit. It took nearly 3 hours to get checked in, through TSA and to our gate. Good thing we got to the airport REAL early. TSA went through both our suitcases, one of our carry on's and both golf bags. They went as far as taking headcovers off clubs and rapping their knuckes on the club heads...somehow in an attempt to see if the clubs were real.

Safety is one thing, but what a pain.......

 

[munkispank]

hey jbm, you will have no problems with regs through Miami. I do it often and although they may search your carry on as indicated above, they are fairly used to scuba gear. I usually tell the screener as the bag is going through.

You will need to prepare for longer security lines though as TSA has been rammed everywhere. An additional note is to make sure you are prepared for long immigration lines on your way back in- Miami is having fun with the new photo fingerprint stuff, so as long as you are prepared, it shouldnt be a shock.( although citizens have a different line, it is all a little slower right now)

J

 

[jbm]

[Thanks for the replies. Appreciate it!

jbm