TACA to Roatan?

[RTBDiver]

I guess if your bringing your own tanks or rebreather stuff then it is spectacular, other than that, I fly delta pretty regular and being on their platinum member program I am allowed 70 pounds free of charge in both my checked bags on Delta but seems their basic rates are certainly not as good as continentals.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

hmmmm I have only packing 50lb of gear to RTB so are you saying we can take 70lbs on Continental w/o a charge? of course I usually have other stuff in my dive bag for the childrens home that doesn't count as dive gear I suppose...I must have misread the weight restrictions I thought they changed it in the last 2 years to 50lbs...now I am confused

 

[RTBDiver]

hmmmm I have only packing 50lb of gear to RTB so are you saying we can take 70lbs on Continental w/o a charge? of course I usually have other stuff in my dive bag for the childrens home that doesn't count as dive gear I suppose...I must have misread the weight restrictions I thought they changed it in the last 2 years to 50lbs...now I am confused

Parrothead,
the way I read it if the bag is dive gear and dive gear ONLY then you can bring 70 pounds. I have all my equipment at my home but even when i must fly with scuba gear I don't think I hit seventy pounds, I carry on camera and housing, I dont bring tanks, scooter or weights and even good old rubber jet fins cant get my dive bag even close to seventy pounds, in fact I don't think mine and my wifes come to that together. Maybe when I was using old lights with a bunch of "d" cell or lead acid batteries or when heading out on a cave dive trip but other than that I just cant see it.
As for donations, I ship through Hyde shipping and its about 62.00 per 20 cubic feet but they will nail you on duty, we send numerous pallets throughout the year

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Thanks that is what I figured....yeah my gear alone only weighs about 38#...but I used to take two bags maxed out at 70# back when you could.... and of course fill it with goodies for the kids along with my dive gear...now I mostly donate through the fund in my sig line and bring a few things with me that may be needed pdq..I usually check with Lynn Fanelli before I leave to see what they might need....... and also bring things for the staff at CCV... I am not a photog so I can travel pretty light all my clothes fit in a small carryon thanks for clearing that up for me

 

[diver 85]

NO-------you'll never see Roatan in one day of flying that schedule------GREAT chance they'll overnite you in Hotel San Salvador, a great hotel but will cut into your Roatan time......

We fought TACA for 14 years & happily sold our place in '08, partly thanks to TACA & their high airfair....Wife & I finally put out foot down......

 

[diver 85]

Well, the last time we did it, our dive bag sat in San Pedro Sula for 2 months on the return flight. Communication with TACA in English was impossible as they never answered the english speaking line. We had to call the spanish speaking line with a friend serving as an intrepeter.

We finally got the bag back after a representative from Anthony's Key stepped in and flew over to the mainland (or stopped when having to make the trip) and served as a go between.

I'd fly with TACA direct, but not sure I would make a stop where a plane change was required to Roatan going forward. I'm sure many people do this without a problem, but if you have one, resolving it can be a real challenge.

They're not called 'Take a Chance Airlines' for nothing.........Now, saying that, we have flown with TACA almost 40 times(25 to Roatan & about a dozen times to Belize) AND NOT 1 time did we ever have a bag not make it with us on our flight, nothing lost or even delayed.I don't like TACA cuz of ther attitude of 'being the only kid on the block' thingy....Heck, I remember when they ran Tan Sasha AND Sol Air BOTH out of business just to have zero competiion......

 

[RTBDiver]

We fought TACA for 14 years & happily sold our place in '08, partly thanks to TACA & their high airfair....Wife & I finally put out foot down......

In 2008 there were regular flights with Delta and Continental, there mustbe more to the story as TACA has still been one of the least expensive BUT I am sure TACA is kicking themselves for losing a customer like you

 

[Papa_Bear]

Man, my dive gear at min. comes in around 53lbs, but add a wet suit, or other real gear, and maybe some u/w camera parts and bingo! 68lbs! I usually travel with my dive gear at 50lbs, and use the allowance for my Underwater housing and lights 68lbs! All my stuff was designed for travel when it was always 70lbs International! I like Continental, then American, and then Delta mostly because of their hubs, but I give respect to an airlines who gives a brake to the diver!

 

[RTBDiver]

Man, my dive gear at min. comes in around 53lbs, but add a wet suit, or other real gear, and maybe some u/w camera parts and bingo! 68lbs! I usually travel with my dive gear at 50lbs, and use the allowance for my Underwater housing and lights 68lbs! All my stuff was designed for travel when it was always 70lbs International! I like Continental, then American, and then Delta mostly because of their hubs, but I give respect to an airlines who gives a brake to the diver!

What are you diving in? my goodness 53 pounds? Sure, if I were packing camera stuff maybe but I carry that on, but without that what weighs so much? fins? maybe 5 pounds if my old rubber rocket fins, mask? less than a pound, snorkel? ounces, booties? half a pound if damp, regulator?maybe 5 or so with a big goofy computer, BC" add another 5 or so pounds, lights? with LED an aa or aaa bateries, a few more pounds, Your not packing a weight belt and lead are you?

 

[ktomlinson]

Since we are are talking weight, my wife and I share a travel dive bag, and with wetsuits, dive lights (4), bcds, regs, a reel, a saftey sausage, fins, booties, we come to 55-56lbs. We took out one reg and the 2 big lights and was down to 48lbs on our last trip. So please do tell what all you have in your 53 lb bag.