Taking a compressor and tanks on an airplane?

[SeaHound]

I was planning diving in an area where there is no dive support. All other gear can be taken by plane but what about this? Has anyone ever taken a compressor on a flight?

 

[Saltwater Junky]

Good question. Probably you would have better luck shipping them via UPS or FedEx.

 

[DandyDon]

Would partly depend on from where to where.

 

[knowone]

Ask Tom Hanks

 

[miketsp]

In my experience a compressor starts to move out of what most customs authorities will class as "items for personal use" and many countries will require all of the formalities of a temporary importation just to ensure that the equipment leaves the country after use.
So you end up shipping cargo to a freight forwarder that will handle the paperwork.

 

[NCBabs]

yes we have shipped by FedEx to a remote area with no diving equipment for an expedition earlier this year. we had to ship tanks and compressor you can not have gasoline in the compressor or they will not ship it out of customs. we had to clean it out very good and for the tanks no tank values attached. it cost a lot of $$$$ to ship by air.

depending on where you are going, you might be able to find the closest dive shop and have them transport the gear to where you need it.

 

[SeaHound]

Thanks so much for all the info. This is all very helpful.

 

[DennisS]

It would probably have to go freight. Make sure that it is shipped so that the company has taken care of all the customs problems on the receiving end, not just to a warehouse where you have to pick it up and deal with customs. It may take an agent. I have seen people spend days trying to get items released from customs. They didn't think that they should pay someone to have it released after they already paid custom fees. The agent knows who to pay and how much. I did it once and didn't use an agent to save money, never again.