Regulator in carry on baggage, anyone had any issues at security?

[Jay]

See section E.

re the Philippines' NAIA and carry-on regulators. It seems this rule is very inconsistently applied (or "diving equipment" defined differently) and either depends on the terminal being used or the airline. For our group of divers we never had an issue with T2/PAL but did have issues with other local/regional carriers and they cited the "blunt instrument" reason.

 

[Doc]

It's not the resale value on the black market you need to worry about, it's the $ cost to you to purchase new replacement gear.

If there is little value to resell, it won't be stolen. That is how and why certain things get snatched.

The object also has to be reasonably easy to secrete on one's person and remove from the containment handling area. Hard in 1st world.

Mexico is not 1st world, thus is an exception. The baggage handling area is described as "porous" and the resale market for stolen goods is quite hot and is scuba aware. This is important for world travelers diving in Mexico. Yup.

 

[Doc]

This seems like an interestingly over qualified statement. If the airlines keep stats on what is most often stolen, that would be some excellent data. Maybe you are in the airline business?

Kind of, yes. I consulted air carriers in regards internal security. Baggage handling was part of that. So maybe I am over-qualified, to re-purpose your phrase.

It might make sense to claim that luggage of any kind is rarely stolen. Seems a bit more interesting to claim that criminals avoid dive gear carte blanche. I have seen some incredibly expensive reg sets that I would never trust to checked bags. I dang sure am not going to tell others to put their expensive gear in checked bags while I have no skin in their game.

That phrasing says it all... It's about sense, feelings, interesting, perceived value, being dang sure, and the feeling of skin. I myself am rather black and white, non-emotional and generally aggressive/passive (no, I said that correctly). I deal with life in the binary.

Like I said, the Internet disagrees with me. But even my down-the-street neighbor Jenny McCarthy has seen the light.

The true hot button issue, a new topic rarely discussed? We've lost track of that factual thing in lieu of this much more emotional, gut feeling issue.

That is- have you ever been strong armed by TSA type security for a pay off or part of your carry on? Not a whole lot of "yeses" joined me on that one, but again, airlines profile me to travelling a whole lot (note my "location" reference in the upper left underneath the painting cat thumbnail). And not on the common Caribbean bus routes.

TSA is way more suspect than any baggage handling operation, in airports frequented by most readers at SB. I'll stand by that.

 

[scubafanatic]

I look at it more as not having my gear when I want to dive. I will go after the airline for the lost bag cost.

My understanding is that the airlines have very low cash settlement amounts for lost luggage, nowhere near enough to cover your realized $ losses.

 

[ryanski]

In the U.S it seems i am always stopped by TSA for their enhanced search because they don't know what it is in the carry on. I have only 1 time gone through the airport and not gotten the enhanced search. During that time the person running the detector actually made a comment say oh someone is going scuba diving.

 

[Land Fish]

I've taken my reg as part of carry-on in Asia a few times and I've not encountered any problem.

For Philippines, I only had my dive computer on my wrist and camera set in my handbag coming back from Cebu. Staff at Cebu airport were just simply awful and rude. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to use any excuse to make a quick buck.

Unfortunately, it's not uncommon in this part of the world. I've even been asked by an officer for "tips" going through immigration at a Cambodian airport where I had all the correct paperwork.

Indonesia has been good so far (hoping I'm not jinxing it by saying it out lough )

 

[ladra]

Wow, thanks everyone for your input. It seems like the general consensus is that regulator in carry-on is not a problem.

I would like to clarify few things.

- I asked this question not because of theft(which can happen I'm sure) but because of my check-in luggage weight constraint.

- It seems like Philippines does have regulation against "scuba" gear in carry-on, but I think the security guards also use it to make a quick buck.

- My friends were not "asked" for money but they quickly pulled out some money to resolve the situation. I think they did the right thing, as arguing would have been more of a hassle.

- Lesson learned - when DEPARTING Philippines make sure you CHECK-IN your regulator. Otherwise, you MAY have to pay a "regulator fee"...

 

[2airishuman]

I carry my regs on and have not had a problem on USA or Caribbean trips. Once in a while they go through my bag, and once I've had questions.

There are good reasons to carry on the regs when you can:

1. While the baggage handling situation has improved over the years, there is a substantial and ongoing problem with baggage misdirection, delay, loss, and theft. The fact that regs are not specifically targeted for theft improves the odds somewhat but does not change the overall landscape.
   
   
2. If your bag is delayed you will have to cancel your dives or use rental gear. You will not be reimbursed by the airline for the use of rental gear.
   
   
3. If your bag arrives without your regulators in it, as a practical matter, you will not receive any compensation for your loss.
   
   
4. If your entire bag is lost on an international flight, liability is capped at around $1500 per passenger, typically not enough to replace a full set of dive gear and personal effects. On a domestic flight you would receive $1500 per bag unless you can substantiate a higher amount up to $3500, which is difficult to do and probably not worth it as the airline will be fighting you on it.

I typically carry on my DC, regs, camera, and mask, and check my fins, linecutter, and any neoprene.

 

[arew+4]

Always put regs and comps in carry on bags on the way out, and checked bags on the way back (so long as they don't make the bags overweight).

1. I like to down load my dives to an e-log, if they got delayed, might have to use a rental and then give up a day to get back on my own computer, our maintain the rental for a week.

2. The last time I rented a reg, was the last time I will rent a reg. The second stage fell apart mid dive.

Yes they do sometimes want to manually check the carry on, but the last time this happened it was because of some rum cakes from Roatan.

 

[CT Sean]

tsa always pulls my reg bag for hand screening

Same here - At least when I board in the Northeast US. They usually say it's because the reg bag is too densely packed and they can't tell what's in it. They rarely check at dive destination airports.