airline travel problems

[JamesBon92007]

I'm curious about what is considered "scuba gear" and "banned". I carry on my data mask, Gecko, regulator and camera. If it's considered banned in the Philippines I wonder if it will soon be banned elsewhere. Or did you just run into an over-zealous agent who didn't know what they were talking about (as we did on our way home from Kona, where they confiscated lead weights, claiming they are clearly on the list of banned items - they're not!). I don't want to pack my regulator because I don't want it dinged up en route. As long as it's with me I take care to baby it.

At least on SouthWest Airlines dive weights are included in their allowed sports equipment, however they may have been referring to having them in a checked bag. On my first trip to Maui the airport security had me in the little booth at the airport with my arms held high and were going over me with a metal detector--all because I had my weights in my luggage (carry-on). Apparently they didn't like them because they couldn't see through them. I figure I saved about $80 because I did a lot of shore diving and didn't need to rent a weight belt.

 

[2airishuman]

I have always carried my Regs in hand luggage given their monetary value and wanting to assure they would arrive at holiday destination undamaged. A recent visit to Phillipines created major problem at security checks to leave Manilla, all scuba gear are banned items according to them and are not allowed into cabin.

This is exceptional. People travel with regs all the time in their carry on.

The luggage was fine passing through Manilla onwards to IloIlo and Cebu on arrival but not when leaving the Phillipines for Europe. My bag is commonly searched to verify it is just a Reg set without any problem but faced with loosing the set or not flying I was obviously not happy

You couldn't check it?

Do others carry Regs in hand luggage or is it just me??

I carry mine in my carry on, along with my BC (which is BP&W).

Has anyone else had similar problems? Is this just a Phillipine interpretation of the rules pertaining to dangerous items in the cabin or is it widespread?

I suspect it was just the individual screener. There's nothing dangerous about regs.

I've had port security ask about my scuba gear when I was boarding a cruise ship, but they ultimately let it through once they understood what it was. The only other time I had a problem was when I left a folding knife in my carry on by mistake, which they saw and made me check (Miami).

 

[Trace Malinowski]

The owners of a nearby dive shop (Like da' Fish) have a nice PDF tutorial of how to pack recreational equipment for the dive boat. Thought some might also find their info useful for packing gear into luggage.

http://www.like-da-fish.com/Letters & Documents/packing for 'da boat.pdf

I used a Kelty summit pack as a carry-on for years throughout my 20's. I could fit 100% of my recreational gear onboard as a carry-on including fins and wetsuit. I started using the Action Packer for drysuit diving.

 

[TMHeimer]

Ahem... Southwest. Just sayin'.

I always carry my regs, mask, and computer in a backpack that stays with me at my seat (not in the overhead bin) and I've never had a problem. But I've only traveled around the US and Caribbean.

Right, Southwest...I knew that. Wish I had easy access to them.

 

[pinshootr]

I suspect it was just the individual screener. There's nothing dangerous about regs.

I've had port security ask about my scuba gear when I was boarding a cruise ship, but they ultimately let it through once they understood what it was. The only other time I had a problem was when I left a folding knife in my carry on by mistake, which they saw and made me check (Miami).[/QUOTE]

No, this is a rule in the Philippine's

 

[gcarter]

I'm curious about what is considered "scuba gear" and "banned". I carry on my data mask, Gecko, regulator and camera. If it's considered banned in the Philippines I wonder if it will soon be banned elsewhere. Or did you just run into an over-zealous agent who didn't know what they were talking about (as we did on our way home from Kona, where they confiscated lead weights, claiming they are clearly on the list of banned items - they're not!).

I don't want to pack my regulator because I don't want it dinged up en route. As long as it's with me I take care to baby it.

Why were you traveling with lead weights?

 

[2airishuman]

Why were you traveling with lead weights?

I don't know about Kimela but I sometimes travel with a few small lead weights that are useful for trim adjustments, and which I am unlikely to find on a dive boat.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I suspect it was just the individual screener.

I had one TSA security agent question me about what kind of liquid was in my gauges and why was it there so I had to briefly explain the physics of water pressure and all that. Until very recently my checked bag was always taken out of the line and opened and inspected mainly because of my regulator and gauges but certainly nobody ever suggested that they were somehow not allowed but I've only flown to North and Central America (so far).

 

[Centrals]

I travel to Philippines several times a year for diving.
Reg is NOT a good idea to pack as hand carry when leaving the country over last few yrs. I have had unused cable ties confiscated by those monkeys before!!! I had also seen empty aluminium water bottle taken away as well.

www.philippineairlines.com
Baggage information:
You will find right at the bottom: All sports equipment are not allowed to be handcarried and must be checked in.

 

[Damselfish]

Yes, regs not allowed in carryon in the Philippines is an actual thing that started a few years ago. I think they consider it a potential weapon. Yeah, it's a pain and seems silly, but whatever. I have still carried on mask and dive computer. Computers and cameras are, last I knew, things they say they do NOT want checked.

Many US airlines have or had rules saying dive gear can't go here or there or would cost extra (even apparently if it was just in your regular bag within your regular weight limit) - when in reality it didn't work that way, it seemed the rules were written mostly about tanks, and by someone who didn't really know what they were talking about. And oh yeah there was no problem taking your golf bag... maybe a reference to "all sports equipment" is similar? It gives them something to point to when they don't want you to carry on your tennis racket or whatever. I doubt they would use it to ban your breakable prescription mask.

I usually put my reg in carryon when traveling someplace like the Caribbean where carry on restrictions are loose. To other parts of the world where they are much stricter on carryon size and weight, regs go in checked. (I still carry mask, and wrist computer which lives in my mask box anyway.) We have different carryons and packing routines we use for different sorts of trips. You just need to learn the latest rules (written and unwritten) for your itinerary and destination and accept it. Regs are not really that delicate. Pack carefully and they should be fine in checked baggage. Dive gear is generally pretty tough.

I think the biggest nuisance is not goofy rules, but when different legs of your trip have different rules that conflict.