Tanks to Bonaire ?

[oldschoolto]

Dive Friends offers a 15 tank "punch card" for $175 to residents or visitors staying on the island longer than 10 days. That's just $11.66/tank with no time limit for consumption, such as with the weekly packages. If you have any unused tanks on your card at the end of the trip you can just save the card and use it again on your next trip. (My wife doesn't dive as frequently as me and has been doing this for the past several years.)

That is very good to know.. don't have to bring a tank for that price...Thank you wwguy..... But I'll still bring my pony I think.

Jim...

 

[diver_girl_tn]

I use dive friends all the time... but for the first 2 weeks I'll be solo as the wife doesn't get down till the 3rd week.. Then we'll do the unlimited dive package like we always do... I just can't see paying $18 dollars for a tank if I only what to do one dive that day.. To diver-girl , Were do you get $150 dollars to travel with a tank... Also I get two free bags checked on United.. So one bag with a alum 80 and a 30 pony in it and the second bag my normal stuff... I only travel with BC and Regulators as all the other gear has been in bonaire for the past 2 years... And I'll leave the tanks there...

Jim..

And to add, Last Feb when we were down I priced tanks and they wanted like $400 buck for a alum 80

I get three bags for free with United and the scuba bag. According to their policies, they charge $150 service fee for the scuba tank - as a Global Services flyer of United, I have been able to avoid the extra fee but have heard about several divers asked to pay.
See: Traveling with Sports Equipment | United Airlines and scroll down to Scuba equipment:

"An empty dive tank or up to three rebreather tanks will not be included in determining the baggage allowance and will be subject to a service charge of $150 USD/CAD (each way) for travel between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A service charge of $200 USD/CAD (each way) applies for all other travel."

 

[KeithG]

I get three bags for free with United and the scuba bag. According to their policies, they charge $150 service fee for the scuba tank - as a Global Services flyer of United, I have been able to avoid the extra fee but have heard about several divers asked to pay.
See: Traveling with Sports Equipment | United Airlines and scroll down to Scuba equipment:

"An empty dive tank or up to three rebreather tanks will not be included in determining the baggage allowance and will be subject to a service charge of $150 USD/CAD (each way) for travel between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A service charge of $200 USD/CAD (each way) applies for all other travel."

lots of people get mislead when they read the sporting equipment rules and think they get to take an extra bag. there is no free lunch. the sporting gear page is just a list of things "allowed", it is not a list of "free extra baggage".

a scuba bag is counted in your normal baggage count, just like any other bag. the special deal is that a scuba bag can weigh more or be bigger: but only if it contains only scuba gear. tuck in a bathing suit or a book and you lose the special deal.

they are also very clear that tanks and rebreathers must be paid for, regardless of the number of bags you have.

the rules are even worse for hockey gear - your bag can not be heavy or bigger.

in realit there is no advantage to declaring sports gear like scuba or hockey. just pack it light enough and check it like any other bag. neither my scuba nor my hockey gear exceeds normal baggage limits. so i jam clothes into the bags to bring the weight up.

 

[oldschoolto]

Why can't I just put the empty pony bottle in the bag without the valve on...

jim...

 

[uncfnp]

Why can't I just put the empty pony bottle in the bag with out the valve on...

jim...

You can. We put a plug in the tank. Same as when shipped to LDS. In fact it was our LDS that gave us several.

 

[oldschoolto]

So a fast update... got a 19 cu pony and stuck it in my checked bag.. Filled without a problem at Dive friends... And, My family is happy I'm not diving solo without one...

Jim..