Travel restrictions and Ikelite strobe!

[PhilC]

Funny how those rules are completely and utterly arbitrary isn't it? Flew from Cleveland to Houston to Bonaire on July 22nd and back on August 6th. Took three strobes and over two dozen recargeable batteries (mostly AAs but also Nikon, Dell and Panasonic proprietary ones) through the same security that gave you a hassle without issues. My camera gear bag and our regulator bags for carry-on were both hand searched at security in Cleveland so they obviously knew that the batteries and strobes were in there. Good thing TSA is keeping us safe from those terrorists and we can never figure out a way to get something on board a plane, oh wait every time I'm waiting in line taking my shoes off and my laptop out of my bag I make a game of coming up with 5 new ways I can get things past security, doesn't take long.

 

[MX727]

The batteries are allowed in your carry-on. They are not allowed in checked luggage, which still makes you wonder what they were doing in CLE with this strobe issue.

 

[TSandM]

It's utterly arbitrary, and there is no appeal. We went through TSA (US) security in Amsterdam on the way home from Egypt. The agents refused to allow us to take our HID light heads through in carry-on, so we had to gate-check our bags. About ten people behind us, our two friends who had been on the same trip were allowed to go through with the EXACT SAME LIGHTS without question.

 

[Kilili]

I just called the TSA Contact Center. There is no change in carry-on restrictions, and there is no mention of strobes. The agent was quick to point out that the agent on-site has the final decision. For more info regarding such, each airport has a TSA Customer Service Rep. Call 866.289.9673, press 5 at the prompt, then 253 at the next one. This will connect you to Corey Seiver [sp?], who represents Cleveland. Maybe you can get an explanation, or have him clue in the agents there.
When you have problems like this, try to get the name of the TSA agent.

Things get weird sometimes. In the Philippines back to the US, I had two stainless steel plates in my carry-on [bags were too heavy] that I attach to my backplate, maybe 2.5 lb each. Security would not allow me to take them thru, and said an airline rep could come claim them and then hand to me at the gate. So, that's what we did. What did that accomplish?

 

[oly5050user]

TSA idiots. Seems many of them can barely read and speak in english here in the states.Many times they hand search my carry on because of camera gear and regulators are sooo foreign to them...Now down on Key West,no issues on the way down last Saturday via American Airlines..We will see what happens on the way home...

 

[bob321]

No source was given. Also, the strobe is powered by 4 AA duracels. Given that my flight was leaving in an hour, and further given that the TSA has to let me get to where I board the plane, I wasnt debating the issue. However, I will call ahead of time next go round and arrive at security gate better informed.

 

[MX727]

No source was given. Also, the strobe is powered by 4 AA duracels. Given that my flight was leaving in an hour, and further given that the TSA has to let me get to where I board the plane, I wasnt debating the issue. However, I will call ahead of time next go round and arrive at security gate better informed.

No doubt that you handled it well, considering the bind they put you in. It's just sad that they do this type crap to people.

 

[Kilili]

As I mentioned, there is no explicit policy prohibiting strobes in carry-on. Calling ahead will likely do little good, as the TSA gate agent has the final word. If you call the TSA, they will say it's not on the prohibited list. You won't know who the gate agent will be, so you cannot call him.

It might work to call the TSA Customer Service Rep at the airport you are flying from, and get him to acknowledge there is no problem with the strobes. Then, if there is a problem at the security gate, reference your call, and who you talked to. Even then, the agent at the security gate has the final word. If you have connecting flights, your problem is compounded.

In contrast to your problem, I have a Nikon D2x and the oversized Subal housing for it. My carry-on has the camera, lens, housing, 2 strobes, all the arms and clamps, 2 laptop computers, dive computers, plus about 50 batteries AA and larger, and another box of all the other weird batteries I'm dependent upon. I do a couple of international trips each year, and most of the time they don't even look in the carry-on. Never has anyone questioned the items I'm carrying, except for the incident with the stainless steel plates.

I still think it's best to call the TSA airport rep now and relay the encounter, mentioning that the strobes are too expensive and delicate to put in checked luggage. Then ask how to best avoid such problems in the future, and mention that perhaps some of the TSA agents are simply misinformed. Pointless to argue, as they just become more resolute. Like trying to argue with cops, it never works.

Unfortunate that this kind of thing happens, just upsets people and gives the TSA a bad name, all for no reason.

 

[Rescue Diver68]

Originl poster: were you in a specific terminal- US Airways- Continental?

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

On my return trip from cenote dives, I remember a guy in front of me in Cancun airport who got his bag checked, they found some AA batteries and confiscated it. I thought, if they checked my bag, they will take away my dozen or so rechargeable eneloop. That is definitely something I wont let them take. They did stop my bag, but it was for something else and once I took out whatever they had in question, they rescanned the bag and let me through.raying: