salth2owannabe
Contributor
Yup - Read the rule. That is why I thought the bag thing would be the ticket. Valve removed, they still can see in, nothing able to get into your tank.
Need to visually inspect pony after flying?
- Thread starter AbyssalPlains
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greymutt
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Has anyone flown on United with a pony bottle? Their website seems to indicate that there would be a $85 charge to include a tank in checked luggage.
RonFrank
Contributor
My LDS filled my empty pony after a trip, and they are sticklers, but for what reason? If they know you purchased your brand spanking new AL80's from ScubaToys, then they are mad, and want to punish you!
They do so by saying, this tank is empty (even if it's OBVIOUS it's brand spanking new!), so it requires a vis. $20 please, and that will *teach* you! What it teaches you is to find another dive op to fill new tanks!
But a pony is generally expected to travel, and even though my Pony was purchased from ScubaToys, my LDS took one look, realized it was not new, and filled it without question
RonFrank
Contributor
The only place I have flown with my little pony is FL, so domestic.
I had no issues getting it filled in FL (however I know the DiveOp owner, and more importantly, he knows me!). I also had no issues getting filled upon arrival back home. I know a LOT of divers that have no issue flying or filling pony's. The DiveOps understand and generally appreciate the justification for a pony, and the reason it was empty on arrival.
The main reason empty tanks are required to get a new vis is because in that state they are prone to corrosion. Since ponys are only empty for a very short period most fill shops take a quick glance inside, and proceed with the fill. Make sure you get the op to do a bit more than hand tighten the valve. Mine was only hand tightened in FL, and it had a slow leak. After two weeks it had lost close to 1000 psi in pressure, and I had to refill it.
My buddy flew to Coz three times last year, and had no issue flying, or getting his pony filled filled using Frontier, and Continental airlines.
Rules can change at any time for any stupid reason, so always check TSA regs first. I'd print them out in fact just in case you need to prove the *legality* of your packing!
I had no issues getting it filled in FL (however I know the DiveOp owner, and more importantly, he knows me!). I also had no issues getting filled upon arrival back home. I know a LOT of divers that have no issue flying or filling pony's. The DiveOps understand and generally appreciate the justification for a pony, and the reason it was empty on arrival.
The main reason empty tanks are required to get a new vis is because in that state they are prone to corrosion. Since ponys are only empty for a very short period most fill shops take a quick glance inside, and proceed with the fill. Make sure you get the op to do a bit more than hand tighten the valve. Mine was only hand tightened in FL, and it had a slow leak. After two weeks it had lost close to 1000 psi in pressure, and I had to refill it.
My buddy flew to Coz three times last year, and had no issue flying, or getting his pony filled filled using Frontier, and Continental airlines.
Rules can change at any time for any stupid reason, so always check TSA regs first. I'd print them out in fact just in case you need to prove the *legality* of your packing!
mike_s
Contributor
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