First time traveler - airline rules

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Appears no one has asked yet, but why do you feel compelled to carry on all your gear? Some people talk about this but few actually do it - and depending where and what you're flying the rules can make it not an option.

If you're worried about lost or delayed luggage, it really does not happen much and there are ways to minimize this possibility further. If you're just trying to save a checked bag fee, it's really not worth it in the grand scheme of a dive trip.


I carry most of my stuff in hand luggage, but that's primarily because either:
1) i'm taking more than one plane that increases the chance of loss/delay
2) I'm getting on a liveaboard and therefore a 1 day luggage delay can be a disaster
3) I don't feel comfortable putting nauicam housings etc in checked luggage.

That being said, when diving i have never had checked luggage lost, but my mother will never live down the time when i was 18 and she forced me to move my playstation 2 and all games from handluggae to checked....only for it to never be seen again after going through Schipol...

As i always say 'do you have any idea how many times i have lost my regs in checked luggage?? ...the answer is none...but i ain't starting now!'
 
For what it is worth, I sent a website link for a trilobite on the TSA contact us form. Here is the response from TSA within a week or two.

Thank you for contacting the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Contact Center.

After reviewing your inquiry, the item in question should be placed in checked baggage. It is not permitted through the passenger screening checkpoint. The item could pose a potential threat to other passengers and flight crew.

For travel tips and information about our screening procedures and what you can bring, please visit www.tsa.gov/travel.

I have also traveled with someone who had a utility knife in his carry on for about 6 trips before a small airport noticed and made him give it up so YMMV.
 
Maybe we've been lucky, but we've dove all over the world for 30 years and had bags delayed exactly twice. (And it's never one plane for us.) Once on a stopover in Barbados en route to St Vincent when the airport was under construction and all screwed up, plus it was LIAT - pretty much saw it coming. (Solution to that is to not fly LIAT, and carryon would not have been an option anyway with small planes.) The other time was on the way home from Curacao, when American deliberately decided to leave half the checked luggage in lieu of some profitable cargo. :facepalm:(Probably the person who admitted this was not supposed to...)

Sure we don't check camera gear, masks, computers. (I don't even see how to get away with carrying on major camera gear AND all ones dive gear.) But as far as other dive gear, unless you have something very specialized, there's always rentals in the unlikely possibility you need something.

The real disaster with a liveaboard is you being late, your gear not quite as much. Get there early.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Yes - no checked baggage, just a carry-on and under-seat bag. Delta says on their site that they have no weight limit for carry-on so I'm not worried about that.

I was looking for info on the cutter and didn't realize that a few tools would be a problem.

I am carrying all my stuff with me because:

A) I am working at being increasingly self-reliant, streamlined, and efficient in all aspects of my life.

B) If I don't need it I don't want to spend my resources (time, $$, etc) carrying it around the world.

C) This approach has worked very well for me in other aspects of my life so I intend to learn to apply it to dive travel.I am finding that the more minimalist I can be the more I am able to enjoy what I do have.

Instead of spending $50 checking a bag I then have to go retrieve and drag around later I will leave my cutter at home and buy one on Bonaire just to be sure I have it in the unlikely event I need to cut out (or be cut out) of my harness. For that safety factor I do consider it essential kit.
 
For what it is worth, I sent a website link for a trilobite on the TSA contact us form. Here is the response from TSA within a week or two.

Thank you for contacting the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Contact Center.

After reviewing your inquiry, the item in question should be placed in checked baggage. It is not permitted through the passenger screening checkpoint. The item could pose a potential threat to other passengers and flight crew.

For travel tips and information about our screening procedures and what you can bring, please visit www.tsa.gov/travel.

I have also traveled with someone who had a utility knife in his carry on for about 6 trips before a small airport noticed and made him give it up so YMMV.


Thank you. I was planning on submitting to the link also but have read that even with prior approval some people have had issues. I don't want to spend my time trying to educate a low level screener andd would rather just skate through to more enjoyable use of my time.
 
First time traveler

Funny, when I first read your thread title, I thought maybe you had a time machine, that would really be great for scuba diving:)

Sorry, back to the program...
 
The rules going out of the US and those coming back can be different. Cozumel for instance likes to take allen wrenches and they have issues with some batteries. I have not had a problem with batteries. I carry on those allowed by TSA and Mex did not seem to have issues. Other items I pack in checked bags - nail clippers, certain batteries, shears, and other pointy metal things. I carry on my reg.
 
If you have a small plane on your trip, you'll be checking that carryon even if not prepared to. If you travel further than the Caribbean, your carry on limit will often be 15#. The Philippines does not allow regulators in carry-on. Every place has it's own quirks. There is no one size fits all situations solution.

I get minimalism. But some would argue checking a bag is minimalist in a different way. Letting others do the hauling frees you from having to cart around all your stuff for much of your travel - getting on and off planes, getting something to eat, using the restroom, while passing through (or running through!) stopover airports. Makes things easier at security checkpoints. A checked bag does not mean you have to bring more stuff. Just requires discipline. :wink:
 
First time traveler

Funny, when I first read your thread title, I thought maybe you had a time machine, that would really be great for scuba diving:)

Sorry, back to the program...


that would be awesome!
 
I also have a little low profile adjustable wrench in my save a dive kit but...not little enough. I'll fix that prior to going.
From the TSA website:

Wrenches/Pliers

Carry On Bags:
Yes (Special Instructions)
Checked Bags:
Yes
Tools longer than 7 inches (measured from end to end when assembled) are prohibited in carry-on baggage; these items must be packed in your checked bags.
 

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