Travelling with a pony

[InTheDrink]

I was talking to my buddy the other day about purchasing a pony to take with me when diving abroad. He advised me that there's no point as they're either impossible to get on a plane or a major inconvenience which is why he stopped carrying his. Last time he carried his he was marched off the plane and his luggage offloaded and he had to open it up and show them that it wasn't full of explosives. They then let him back on the plane and re-loaded pony. I'm guessing that x-rays don't work well with tanks due to thickness of the metal hence they could contain anything.

I'm thinking that if one forwarned the check-in staff what there was a tank in the luggage they could do the checking of the contents at this point and that inconvenience minimised but would appreciate if anyone could confirm this or whether travelling with a pony/tanks is just a royal PIA?

TIA,

John

 

[Colliam7]

I was talking to my buddy the other day about purchasing a pony to take with me when diving abroad. He advised me that there's no point as they're either impossible to get on a plane or a major inconvenience which is why he stopped carrying his. ... I'm thinking that if one forwarned the check-in staff what there was a tank in the luggage they could do the checking of the contents at this point and that inconvenience minimised but would appreciate if anyone could confirm this or whether travelling with a pony/tanks is just a royal PIA?

It is a PIA. Several recent threads have appeared on this specific topic. Try using "TSA' and 'pony' in the search term. Bottom line, your friend is right - don't bother. Here is a excerpt from one of the recent threads:
[SCUBA cylinders are now prohibited from both carry-on and checked-in baggage by the TSA: http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/e...orial_1190.xml "Dive tanks or any compressed gas cylinders are prohibited from carry-on and checked luggage."]

The issue is, you cannot predict what will happen on any given day, at any given airport. The regs apparently prohibit carrying bottles, yet some SBers will tell you they have done it recently, without problem. To paraphrase Clint Eastwood, as Dirty Harry: '..you've got to ask yourself a question. Do I feel lucky?' I don't want my checked luggage rejected, or me held up in security screening, over the issue.

 

[dkktsunami]

I just returned from Little Cayman yesterday - carried two 6 cu.ft. ponies and regs for my wife and myself. No one looked twice at this, or the remainder of my evil looking dive gear, but they did take away my wife's cuticle scissors. Logic abounds with TSA. But I digress a little....

I have carried pony bottles several times and have never been questioned. Remove the valves and cover opening in pony with a clear wrap and rubber band.

 

[InTheDrink]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm typically travelling out of the UK which I guess is as random as anywhere else. I'll check with the airports authorities here or whomever is responsible. I'm going to the Bahamas in a few months - are these under TSA rules? TSA really know how to make me feel at home even when I've got no diving gear so I'd prefer to avoid their soft embrace if possible

 

[RICHinNC]

If you are going between the UK and the Bahamas...TSA should not play in the equation I would think. They are only a USA based security item. But, who know who else you will encounter.

 

[jiveturkey]

I was going to say that draining the gas from the pony will void the VIP but if you're going down south they probably won't give you too much of a hassle about that. You'll need to get it reinspected when you get back home.

 

[Flightlead]

I was talking to my buddy the other day about purchasing a pony to take with me when diving abroad. He advised me that there's no point as they're either impossible to get on a plane or a major inconvenience which is why he stopped carrying his.

thats true. I usually just rent a truck anyway. they can carry much more gear that a pony and there are less emissions problems

I was going to say that draining the gas from the pony will void the VIP but if you're going down south they probably won't give you too much of a hassle about that. You'll need to get it reinspected when you get back home.

why would emptying the tank void the VIP?

 

[Daz]

Currnet info from the TSA says that cylinders are now allowed in carry-on baggage provided the valve is removed: TSA: Compressed Gas Cylinders

 

[jiveturkey]

why would emptying the tank void the VIP?

The tank has to have positive pressure to keep from compromising the interior. A tank with no gas creates the potential for water or other contaminants to get in.

 

[fda483]

Carry a 19cu ft in a back pack along with a lot of my photo gear. While it is hand checked frequently never have a major problem once they see that valve is off. As for the VIP most places I have had it filled never question it.

Joe