Ponies and TSA

[fda483]

Have been all over with my 19 cuft pony. Fits nicely in a photo backpack. I would say half the time it gets pulled for inspection the other half the time it passes through with out question. Whenever it gets looked at once they see the valve is off and they swab it, it has never been an issue. Don't want to put it in my checked bags because at least if I am stopped with the carry on I will have a chance to talk it over with the guy or call a supervisor before it is pulled. But like I said so far it has not been a problem.

 

[Doc Harry]

I know someone who had significant problems with TSA because he informed them that his valveless pony bottle has 1 atm of pressure inside...... and it was a statement that he found impossible to back-peddle away from.

 

[DPJ]

TSA agents generally don't have a sense of humor and generally are not very bright. You friend obviously confused them.

 

[DPJ]

Ive been stopped twice at LAX when attempting to bring my Pony bottles for my RB as carry ons. TSA there will not let them go through and do consider them as blunt objects. Stupid, but true. Common sense is not so common when it comes to TSA. My favorite story is I had two special allen keys that were specific to my Gates housing and a small crescent wrench. They would not let me take those one...yet the woman in front of me got through with a small pair of scissors. I argued with the TSA agent and asked him if he thought I was going to disassemble the plane...guess if I woulda had the body parts she had, I may have gotten through. Sad.

"Blunt weapon" is a local decision. TSA can pretty much make up the rules as the go along. The tools are not allowed. They are afraid you will break into the cockpit with them.

 

[Belmont]

To make sure my checked luggage reaches destination the same time I do. (Once my diving gear was searched and it passed OK but the problem was it missed the connecting flight and I got it 2 day later, I had to dive with an orange glow mask with a matching snorkel. :depressed

I take my bag, after it has been weighed and tagged to the "over size/heavy safety station and they scan it in front of me, I can answer any question and show them what is what. Once it's put on the belt after inspection it's no longer touched)

We have that possibility in Montreal, I don't know about other airports. It's worth asking about)

 

[Pearldiver07]

You know - this thread is probably the best advertisement for both local and "drive & dive" vacations that I've ever seen.

 

[charlesml3]

Steve,

This thread is almost all FUD mongering. I've traveled all over the world with my carry-on full of dive gear, including a 13 foot Catalina. I've never, ever had a problem. About half the time they look at it. About 1/4 of the time, they ignore it. About 1/4 of the time they pull the blue plug and look in it. No big deal.

-Charles

 

[RICHinNC]

Egads, I deploy for a short time and this thing just growed!!

Apparently, overall, not a thing has changed. TSA has written rules and they dont have to follow them. I will put it in my checked luggage with a copy of their rules wrapped around it.

It is usually the BP and wing I carry on that sets off all the alarms!!

 

[McCainiac]

Has anyone flown lately with a Pony???

 

[oxyhacker]

No, but I was flying a few weeks ago and noticed a sign from the DOT by the check in line that said "Federal Law Prohibits The Carriage Of Hazardous Materials on aircraft" with a list of "Do Not Pack or Carry On Board" items which included "Scuba Tanks, Oxygen Bottles, and Self-Inflating Rafts".

This, of course, is completely at odds with the latest TSA information.