TSA ban on SCUBA tanks

[mwilding]

I like how Spare Air took this potential threat on their product's value and turned it into a money making opportunity.

 

[RICHinNC]

Tec...one thing I learned last year when this was just surfacing...
Every airport has a TSA Customer Rep...and their job is to interface with
the public. Call your airport and find out who this guy or gal is and set
up an appointment to talk to them. I did this and had excellent results
but that was before scuba gear had a written policy.

But remember....what one set of TSA reps does at one airport...does not have
to be supported by other TSA reps at another airport....and I got that little
statement directly from TSA HQ when I called them.
Good luck....
Like I have said before....what are all these dive orgs....DAN...PADI....yada yada
doing to get this reversed?

 

[ScubaRon]

I followed up with Spare Air and the answer is that they have nothing in writing (yet) from TSA. See below.
ScubaRon

Dear Ron,

It took me three or four month's just to get a hold of someone in their Engineering Department to confirm that it is legal to carry an empty Spare Air (or SCUBA cylinders) in checked-on luggage. I have requested that TSA send me this information in writing, but have not received anything as of yet. Once we have it in writing, it will be posted on our Web site.

Regards,

Keith

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2004 4:03 PM
To: info
Subject: RE: Customer comments from Spare Air web site

Dear Keith,
Thank you for your prompt response. I think that most TSA agents will agree that an empty Spare Air is not a compressed gas cylinder (although air is definitely a gas...), but it certainly is a dive tank. Since you state that TSA has confirmed with you that it is OK to check in an empty Spare Air, do you have a written statement from TSA that I can carry with me when traveling? It would be useful if you would make that available on your website.
Ron

 

[roakey]

I have requested that TSA send me this information in writing, but have not received anything as of yet. Once we have it in writing, it will be posted on our Web site.

Don't hold your breath, TSA doesn't give a hoot about the "little people."

Until you have something, keep in mind you may be forced to throw away your spare air cylinder at any time without warning...

Roak

 

[RebreatherBoy]

That is my policy.

 

[roakey]

Another good this is ok/this isn't page (FAA this time):

http://ash.faa.gov/Docs/HAZMATByPassenger.pdf

Roak

 

[chrpai]

No way its an xray issue. I transported tanks via checked luggage as recently as last september. They were really helpful about it.

I made a "box" using lots of duct tape and used newspaper for padding. I removed the valve and put duct tape over the whole. I watched the monitor and the xray clearly showed the profile of the tank, including the empty inside and the valve on the outside. They opened the box ( one box slid outside of another ) and looked at the valve. He then volunteered that he was an ex-navy dive said have fun. Then he put the other box back on the inner box and taped it all up for me.

 

[TechBlue]

No way its an xray issue. I transported tanks via checked luggage as recently as last september. They were really helpful about it.

I made a "box" using lots of duct tape and used newspaper for padding. I removed the valve and put duct tape over the whole. I watched the monitor and the xray clearly showed the profile of the tank, including the empty inside and the valve on the outside. They opened the box ( one box slid outside of another ) and looked at the valve. He then volunteered that he was an ex-navy dive said have fun. Then he put the other box back on the inner box and taped it all up for me.

I just got back from CA I took my RB fully assembled with 5 bottles all celarly marked dil, O2, argon etc with the valves removed, before I checked in I checked with the TSA guys, opened my RB case to show them what I had they barely looked at it and everything went through no problem, coming back Instead of travelling like a pack mule because I also packed my OC gear (just in case) I shipped the bottles and a few other items back by UPS and they went through all my bags, so go figure.

 

[eandiver]

It can be an x-ray issue depending on the type of machine used and if the tank sets off an alarm. At that point it's up to a combination of guidelines, operator image interpretation and the follow up physical search. It's good that the screener was helpful but in no way were you supposed to be able to look at the monitor under any circumstances period. For a screener to let a passenger or other unauthorized person do that could result in charges being brought against the screener under federal law.

 

[chrpai]

The monitors are right there for anyone to glance at. There are no physical barriers to prevent anyone from looking.