bailout bottle and airport security?

[Rred]

Delta?
I had to fly Delta pre-9/11 and I had booked a flight with a six hour layover in Atlanta to visit someone there. I asked the Delta clerks if I could book my duffle straight through to my destination, even if that meant bringing it to the airport ahead of time, so I wouldn't have to either babysit it or drag it all over the Atlanta terminal.
"No sir, the big absolutely must fly with you."
I get off at my end destination at the end of the day, never having seen or touched my allegedly checked bag, and when the carousel stops, my bag still hasn't appeared. I got into the baggage room to report my bag is missing....and there it is, sitting on the floor, magically having been flown ahead on the first flight and left unattended without me.

Delta are not in the security business. Don't place any bets based on what they may or may not have done at any one time, they're not as precise as Swiss watchmakers. FWIW. The corporate culture is not very impressive there.

On Mexican ferries...after the backpack bombing last year? I can see that it makes a very simple and sensible security precaution to just say "NO!" to what could easily be Boston-marathon style "pressure cooker" bombs. Why bother allowing them on board, when you have a local industry at the other side that can make money renting tanks? Strictly a win-win security decision.

 

[ljpm]

Hi, all,

I dive with a small bailout bottle (a 6, twice as big as a Spare Air, still pretty small). When I fly I have to list it as a "special item" of checked baggage and pay a big fee for it. It's occurred to me that this bottle is small enough to carry aboard comfortably, but I don't know if security would let me through with it (obviously the valve would be off so they could see inside it). I'm off to the TSA website shortly to see what I can find, but I was wondering if anyone here has ever done this or has any information. Thanks for any input!

Find a screw cap that fits and call it a water bottle. lol

 

[Fastmarc]

Find a screw cap that fits and call it a water bottle. lol

LOL, that's actually a great idea!

 

[Manatee Diver]

On Mexican ferries...after the backpack bombing last year? I can see that it makes a very simple and sensible security precaution to just say "NO!" to what could easily be Boston-marathon style "pressure cooker" bombs. Why bother allowing them on board, when you have a local industry at the other side that can make money renting tanks? Strictly a win-win security decision.

When I went to COZ earlier this year the security equipment sat unused.

 

[gert7to3]

Does anyone have the TSA webpage with their gas cylinder regulations that can printed out? I have a copy, but it is worn. I can't find that page on TSA's website any longer.

Hoping those poor schlubs don't walk off the job in disgust over the shutdown before next Thursday.

Back before 9/11 and TSA, there was an airline regulation that a battery operated screwdriver could not be taken onboard in carry-on baggage. I glued a short cord with a plug onto my battery powered screw driver and they passed it when I showed them the plug. Don't try this now.

 

[CWK]

Foreign countries may not follow TSA regulations in relation to allowing pony bottles in carry on baggage. I was required to put my hand carried pony into checked baggage by airport security in Bali. My pony now travels baggage class every time. Sometimes I buy extra luggage allowance for sports equipment and keep one bag only for scuba gear.

Does anyone use a fibreglass ccr bottle as a pony? I believe that they are lighter.

 

[tursiops]

Does anyone have the TSA webpage with their gas cylinder regulations that can printed out? I have a copy, but it is worn. I can't find that page on TSA's website any longer.

Hoping those poor schlubs don't walk off the job in disgust over the shutdown before next Thursday.

Back before 9/11 and TSA, there was an airline regulation that a battery operated screwdriver could not be taken onboard in carry-on baggage. I glued a short cord with a plug onto my battery powered screw driver and they passed it when I showed them the plug. Don't try this now.

The following is from this web page: What Can I Bring?

LOL. The problem then was the battery. The problem now is the screwdriver.

 

[Rred]

The TSA web page? Was it in "Little Big Man" that someone refers to "Great Chief with Forked Tongue who sits in Washington" ?

From Fire Extinguishers and Other Compressed Gas Cylinders
"Fire Extinguishers and Other Compressed Gas Cylinders
Carry On Bags:
No
Checked Bags:
No
For more prohibited items, please go to the 'What Can I Bring?' page.


The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint."

So it would appear that although elsewhere, as confirmed by passenger experience, the TSA does allow compressed gas tanks (SCUBA bottles) to be carried or shipped, as long as the valve is out, that they do in fact have a post online, current as of today, stating unequivocally that compressed gas cylinders are not allowed.

As to whether it can be carried on in the carry-on bag in the cabin? Apparently they are getting on, but as a matter of common sense, a pony bottle IS A CUDGEL and as such it must be banned from the cabin. No discretion allowed in that. Anyone who thinks it is not a cudgel, respectfully needs to be whacked on the head with one, to make the definition of "cudgel" painfully clear.

Best of contact your carrier and get their policy--which can override the TSA agents--and if you can, a written/email response from the TSA, unless we get lucky and their budget is terminated so the dog and pony show can be ended.

 

[tursiops]

So it would appear that although elsewhere, as confirmed by passenger experience, the TSA does allow compressed gas tanks (SCUBA bottles) to be carried or shipped, as long as the valve is out, that they do in fact have a post online, current as of today, stating unequivocally that compressed gas cylinders are not allowed.

This is, I suggest, a misinterpretation. They disallow compressed gas cylinders...with the gas compressed inside them. Otherwise, it is just a metal tank that is full of nothing, as evidenced by there being no valve to hold anything in. Empty tanks with no valve can be checked. The language used by TSA reserves "compressed gas cylinder" for cylinders with compressed gas in them.

 

[Rred]

tursiops-
I hear what you are saying. That TSA page, in typical bureaucratic imprecision, fails to say what kind of gas cylinders it is talking about. And by failing to say "sealed or otherwise inaccessible", it goes to strict legal construction of the regulation, which simply bans all compressed gas cylinders.
I suppose you could say, if you have removed the valve, it is no longer a compressed gas cylinder at all, it is merely a cudgel. It isn't a compressed gas cylinder until there's compressed gas in it. Oh wait, that's no good, there's air at 14.7 PSI still crammed in there...might have to put a hard vacuum on the cylinder in order to make it legal. (sigh)
And this is the stuff that they expect the soda-fountain jerks to interpret on the spot to pass or reject objects, yeah.

I actually flew with not just one, but TWO small fingernail clippers in a belt pouch once, while they were still specifically banned objects. I'm a hardcore felon, I suppose. Then again, there was the day I missed a penny in the lining of my pocket and damned near caused all of SeaTac to be shut down while they anxiously tried to find the contraband I was carrying....

Hard enough to follow the rules, when someone obviously needs to hire some English Lit majors(G)