Soft Weights Confiscated by Airline?

[Garrobo]

I never take weights or tanks on an airplane primarily because the dive ops supply them at no extra charge where I do most of my diving which is SE Florida and the Upper Keys. Other than that I wouldn't take them anyway because of the added weight for lead and the cost of flying with tanks. Delta quoted me $400 extra for a round-trip for the tanks and an additional baggage charge of $100 if I remember correctly. That is pretty much self-explanatory. If I insisted on using my tanks I'd send them ahead by UPS or USPS.

 

[Thiad]

I've had my regulator pulled because it looks unusual when x-ray'd. Last month, my BIL had his mask pulled and spent about 15 minutes explaining what it was and where he was going. Not sure what that was about. I think as many of us have learned, it's random.

 

[nomro]

I had to check in the regulator bag rather than having it as a carry on in Hurghada airport in Egypt because it had an Allen key (Hex key) that I use to remove the INT (Yoke ) adapter from the tank for my DIN reg. I tried to explain to the guy that the tool does not have any sharp edges so it can't be used as a weapon but with no joy !!!!

 

[knotical]

If I insisted on using my tanks I'd send them ahead by UPS or USPS.

Good approach.

If you really like soft weights (and we do): - I just sent 60 pounds of soft weights and a weight bag via USPS priority mail flat rate box to Hawaii for 11 bucks. I'd guess you can get around 15 pounds in the small flat rate box (about 5 bucks).

But caution, there are weight limits internationally – 4 pounds for the small box, 20 for the medium and large. Within the US you can go up to 70 pounds.

 

[TSandM]

We had American TSA in Amsterdam pitch a fit about the light heads for our canister lights. Their explanation is that we could hit someone with them. We were forced to gate-check our carryons. Five minutes later, our two friends who had been on the same trip went through security WITH THE EXACT SAME LIGHTHEADS IN THEIR CARRY-ONS and were permitted to board with them.

I have taken two pound weights in carry-on without issue. But that doesn't mean that tomorrow, the guy with the migraine headache isn't going to insist they are dangerous.

TSA has no published rules and there is no appeal at all from the arbitrary decisions that they make. I really hate traveling by air nowadays.

 

[knotical]

...TSA has no published rules...

Well, they do have things like this:
TSA: Prohibited Items

But a basic principal of security is to not be predictable. Perhaps what appears capricious to us is actually good practices. Or that's what I sometimes tell myself while trying to roll with the punches and maintain my vacation mellow.

 

[TMHeimer]

I had some hard belt weights pulled once. I stuck a couple in my carry-on as the checked luggage was maxed out weight-wise. They told me that they could be used as a weapon. I guess the rest of the scuba gear in my checked luggage and my laptop could NOT be used as a weapon...

They looked at my 2 pound bullet wts. and made an arm motion as if it could be a weapon. Let them pass. I can see they may think lead shot could be something else. But hard wts. would seem not to be a weapon of choice. If it was apparent this was your only tool, you'd be swarmed by angry passengers.

 

[charlesml3]

They told me that they could be used as a weapon. I guess the rest of the scuba gear in my checked luggage and my laptop could NOT be used as a weapon

But the lady sitting beside me from Hong Kong to JFK with two 8 inch knitting needles was fine. No chance those could be come a "weapon." Certainly those knitting needles aren't NEARLY as dangerous as a pair of nail clippers....

 

[nelsonrl]

So my favorite thing with TSA now is the agents at my local airport taking my drivers license and boarding pass, looking at me and asking me what my name is.

Gee, if I had known there was going to be quiz I would have studied the night before.

 

[Laurie S.]

I've had them question the two 1-pound soft weights I always take on a trip (need for my trim and often shops haven't had the one-pounders), question and open up the little scuba tank key ring with o-rings inside that I have on my reg bag, and the last time was the topper. They must have had a newbie on the scanner because she kept seeing a metal object and couldn't figure it out. They pretty much emptied my rollaboard and finally it was determined it was three flat, thin weights on the bottom of my underwater camera case. I think the agent who was having to take the stuff out of my case was about to ready to clobber the scanning agent. When it was all over, she was very apologetic and offered to repack my suitcase. Oh, no thanks.....