Canister lights & TSA

[MXGratefulDiver]

I always bring my canister light as carry-on. Mostly I travel with my Terkel light, which has a battery that looks just like three sticks of dynamite shrink-wrapped together with two wires sticking out ... can't understand why TSA would get alarmed about that ... :browsmile

So far, they just unpack everything, look at it, shove it back to me, and let me repack it while they move on to the next victim ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[fins]

I've flown with my cannister light as a carry on a number of times (US, Curacao, Turks & Caicos) without experiencing any problems.

However, on a return trip from Cozumel to the US this past spring the Mexican security folks insisted that I put the cannister light in my checked luggage.

 

[scubamickey]

Hello Scubamickey,

All of these recommendations are great, but also keep in mind why the Airlines are very touchy about batteries of any kind.

The baggage checkers will want to be sure that your battery pack won’t leak and that your light can NOT be turned on. So always have you battery pack disconnected from the light and if possible in a different bag or section of your carry-on luggage. Having one person carry the light heads and another the battery packs is a good idea, it also assures airport personnel that the light won’t accidentally get turned on and over heat causing a fire, or short circuit and leak flammable gas or acid.

Good luck and have a safe trip.

P.S. What do you do in the Military? I was an Army 12B Combat Engineer in the Berlin Brigade.

AF officer. Intel. No jokes please, we're the smart branch of mil intel.

 

[Web Monkey]

They don't like things that contain potential energy (batteries, compressed gasses, fuel, etc.).

I never have problems with any equipment, as long as I remove the batteries and pack them seperately. For stuff that takes non-rechargables, I don't bring them at all and buy them at my destination.

Terry

I tried searching for this subject since I know that I've read posts related to this. No luck. The search comes up nothing using just TSA. I gave up. So here goes.

I haven't found the TSA folks to be particularly bright (they really have no clue what they are looking for) and I'm concerned that they will do something stupid if they find my canister light in checked baggage. Like turn it on (it's an HID that is not recommended to be turned on if not in water) and leave it on. or worse.

I'm thinking that carry on is the better way to go. One of us takes the regs bag and the other takes the light. What do you all do and what has been your experience lately?

 

[2Dive4fun]

I just returned from an Alaska dive trip to SEA. I had my regs and two battery packs along with power chargers and misc. items. It was all packed in a plastic tool box I carried on. I thought there is no way they will let me get on the plane. I told them in advance, as I placed the tool box down, what it contained. No problems at all on the flight into AK. They did not even open the box. They did a chemical wipe on the return flight, and looked into the box, then let me on through. I think it is all in how you respect their job and cooperate. I was told by other divers not to place batteries in checked luggage due to fire hazzard.

 

[2Dive4fun]

I just returned from an Alaska dive trip to SEA. I had my regs and two battery packs along with power chargers and misc. items. It was all packed in a plastic tool box I carried on. I thought there is no way they will let me get on the plane. I told them in advance as I placed the tool box down what it contained. No problems at all on the flight into AK. They did a chemical wipe on the return flight and let me on through. I think it is all in how you respect their job and cooperate.

 

[Daylonious]

2Dive4Fun - Man! If that doesn't look fishy (to the untrained eye) I don't know what does..

TSA = Thousands Standing Around

D.