flying with scuba gear..

[bubblemonkey]

hopefully this is the right section....

i know alot of airlines allow golf clubs onto flights not as part of your 20-25 kg weight allowance, but what about scuba?

me and my Mrs will be going away this time next year for roughly a 2 year dive trip, obviously this includes all warm water dive gear plus all the usual gumpf you carry when travelling (me personally not alot, her quite alot LOL) so i am a bit concerned.

what do you guys do?

 

[Diver Dennis]

I just got back from Micronesia and Continental have no scuba allowance anymore. We were gone for a month and we took a lot of photo gear so I had 1 extra housing case and 2 bags, both of which were over 50 lbs. and less than 70lbs. We paid extra on all flights. There are plans to further reduce baggage but I'm not sure when. I'll be packing differently next time but the stuff you need is the stuff you need...

 

[MoonWrasse]

I've heard US Air doesn't treat divers well in that manner.

I've not had a problem thus far with JAL - which gives me a formidable 70kg allowance.
Also some regional carriers actually wave excess bagage charges if you claim to be a diver.

 

[chewie]

you have to check with your preferred airline carrier. some have allowances for sporting equipment if you opt-in in their membership program.

 

[skippy77]

i travel a lot with my dive gear and i have found many airlines that allow u to put it through as specilized equipment and i have never had a problem with the weight best thing to do is phone the airline that u are going to fly with and ask them(remeber a lot of airlines will still not take tanks so if u are taking your tank 1 make sure it is empty and 2 u will have to take the valve off of the bottle )again ask the airline on there policy happy diving

 

[terrasmak]

Just get a hard club case and pack you scuba gear in it. LOL . This may actually work.

 

[skippy77]

please dont tell all your friends that are not divers to say they are divers at the airpot other wise every 1 will start doing it and then we will loose this privalige

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

We flew US Air to Cozumel. (Unfortunately, they decided to leave us stranded after Wilma, the rotten jerks!) But for international flights, you are allowed to check two bags, each weighing less than 70 lbs., plus a carry-on. Nobody in my dive group had a problem or had to pay extra. (This is current as of Oct. 2005)

 

[bubblemonkey]

please dont tell all your friends that are not divers to say they are divers at the airpot other wise every 1 will start doing it and then we will loose this privalige

?????????????????????????????????????????? eh!!!!!

 

[scubaaaronh]

Usually i pack my regs and photo equipment in the carry ons, plus a change of clothing just in case. The rest goes into a backpack for the belly of the plane. Was looking to go back to bonaire and was told that the airlines have changed weight restrictions to 50 lbs per bag. Most airlines allow two bags checked luggage and one carry on per person, but check with your airlines to see if they have changed the weight on the bags yet and allowed baggage per person.