44 replies to this topic

[Scubatooth]

I guess that is where elite status has its perks in that most GA tend to leave the Elites alone, which I have my bags tagged as such.

I will only gate check on regional jets as I know that i will get it back right after the flight lands without having to go to baggage claim to get it. typically its my roll aboard that gets valet/gate checked the backpack typically stays with me.

[scubajunkie6]

Hubby and I have been checked several times about our regs, and spareair cylinders which we carry with us. We also keep our dive logs and c-cards in our carry-on bags. One time, after 9/11, I recall my husband FORGOT to remove the knife that was in a sheath on the back of his computer . The agent saw the computer, turned it over (which exposed the handle of the knife), turned it back over to the front of the computer and gave it back to Mark. The agent clearly didn't know what he was seeing, and obviously had never been scuba diving. It's a mistake we will always remember and ensure it never happens again.

Here is a couple of links that we print these documents out, laminated them, and put every bag that have anything related to scuba stuff, esp. our spareairs... http://www.tsa.gov/t...orial_1190.shtm is for scuba stuff in general, and here's the one about cylinders...
http://www.tsa.gov/t...ressed_gas.shtm

We find that often times the agents just don't know what they're looking at, so we point to the documents in our bag. As for the bag which we check in, I make sure it doesn't have a dive symbol or anything else like that on it...I want it to look like a "normal" bag. When you go to places that specialize in diving, it just seems logical to me that they would check a pelican box and/or a dive bag before a normal looking bag.

Hope this helps.

-Margaret

p.s. As a side story, I also learned that having the smelliest bag AFTER the end of your trip helps with security. One time after a dive trip in Malaysia, I picked up my bag (thankfully my scuba one and not my work clothes bag), and it had the strongest fish smell ALL OVER THE BAG. Nothing in the bag was missing. I have no idea how fish oil got all over it, but by the time it got to Los Angeles, nobody was interested in what I had in it, . Sink the stink didn't even work to get that smell out, and it's been over 5 years now.

[Parrotman]

My "dive bag" is a normal rolling suitcase. Looks just like my carryon but bigger. My fins fit nicely on the sides, my BC goes in the middle and my dive lights etc get wrapped up in side my BC. Then I put a beach towel over that, and usually some spare shorts, swim trunks, or what ever on top. If opened It looks like a normal suitcase with some other "stuff" in it. You would never guess this was a dive bag. I carry my reg, computer, prescription mask with me in my carry on. I have never, not once ever had a problem at TSA.

I also carry a laptop case, with out the lap top, that I use as a briefcase of sorts. I carry my passport etc in that. On one trip I had forgot to put my dive knife in my check in bag and threw it in my briefcase figuring that I would sort it out at the airport before I checked in. I forgot all about it and made it all the way home from Bonaire with out a hitch. Kinda scary when you think about it, that I carried a dive knife on the plane with me on an international flight that routed through Jamaica, then to Atlanta, then to Salt Lake City, then to Portland, then home and not one of the gate agents caught it.

[Scubatooth]

I dont know what you all are getting all worked up about over knives its really a non-issue, considering there loaded in catering for first class for meals, plus TSA allows scissors up to 4" long without a problem. Then with the post 9/11 mentality (a term i really hate) your not going to get the ability to use a knife on a airplane without having a bunch of people dogpile you.

anyways TSA more worried about water then anything...beyond that Im gonna leave it alone before i go into breaking the govt & politics end of the TOS

[scubajunkie6]

I dont know what you all are getting all worked up about over knives its really a non-issue, considering there loaded in catering for first class for meals, plus TSA allows scissors up to 4" long without a problem. Then with the post 9/11 mentality (a term i really hate) your not going to get the ability to use a knife on a airplane without having a bunch of people dogpile you.

I know what you mean, Tooth, but I had to give up my favorite sewing (embroidery) scissors to TSA once, where the blade was less than 1" in length. I was so pissed because I could carry on the needles, but not those scissors. About two weeks later, they eased up on some of the rules/regulations.

-Margaret

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

I had my very tiny, curved toothpick confiscated.....just in case I got a little crazy and decided to clean someone's teeth while on board!

[scubajunkie6]

I had my very tiny, curved toothpick confiscated.....just in case I got a little crazy and decided to clean someone's teeth while on board!

There are times when you really want to reply back to TSA with "Oh, pppllleeeezzzz. You've got to be kidding, right?" But, ya just can't do that.

When my son was about 3, the agent grabbed his stuffed animal and put it through the x-ray machine. I totally understood why, but the part that was interesting was my son SCREAMING his head off, crying out "you're hurting Baby Humphrey!!!!" I often think of that event when I go through screening, wishing I could voice out my concerns the way my son did.

[Scubatooth]

scubajunkie6 - whats stopping you as if they retaliate against you it violates TSAs own civil rights policy. I end up having to question them just about every time through (just to pick there brains to see what they really know) because several times that have quoted there own policy or made up rules contrary to published guidelines. Its sad that i have to carry a folio full of documents and forms (including customs forms for my camera gear) to combat this, but its been needed several times with TSOs have majorly overstepped there bounds and i called them on it.

my favorite example was when they said my passport wasn't valid ID for travel. I said it most certainly was valid & allowed and that it was checking of DLs (not against any list) that shouldn't be allowed as a DL isn't a ID in any shape or form but rather permission from the state government to operate a motor vehicle, and not ID ( I had a state trooper at DFW back me up on that one). I don't have a problem with this anymore now that i have a FEMA ID for Disaster Response as a member of a rapid response team.

[scubafanatic]

Anyone ever had any issues with TSA screeners at airport for Scuba gear as carry-on baggage??

Reviving this thread - I'm heading to Mexico and our local airline is charging $75 each way for a bag of scuba gear. To get around this, I'm hoping to pack my scuba bag with fins, mask, snorkel (no extra charges for snorkeling gear) and the majority of my clothes, etc. In a carry on, I'll bring my BCD, wetsuit, computer and regulator as well as the minimal necessities if the checked bag is delayed.

What are people's recent experiences? Has anyone had problems getting the items I'm trying to carry on thru TSA??

...as someone who tends to travel 'heavy' ( like 180 lbs of luggage on my most recent trip... :-) ...I got dinged $75 both ways for my 70 lbs 'major' dive bag on that trip (was to Mexico too) I've NEVER had any airline give a rat's patootie about WHAT I was carrying....ONLY how much it weighed....the fact that is was or wasn't scuba gear was irrelevent. Carry-on for me consists of camera gear....reg sets...computers...everything else gets checked. With respect to carry-on items, my reg sets get varying degrees of attention/inspection......often through the X-ray scanner with no extra attention.....occasionally a brief hand inspection with a question or two about what the gear is....maybe once or twice pulled off to the side and swabbed for explosive traces...no biggie. Until now I've never even thought about my liquid-filled compasses, which just shows you how little 'they' care about that detail......my knife is always stowed on my BCD/checked, so never any issues there. ...some divers 'check' their regs...definitely NOT me, those are always carry-on for me......on my last trip, my regs sets/computers and their back ups exceeded $ 10 K all by themselves.....toss in camera gear and my total carry-on gear 'hit' $ 15 K......the checked gear (BCD/lights/analyzers/spares/safety gear/masks/fins/wetsuit/booties/hoods/gloves/snorkel/SMB's/etc.) 'only' adds up to an additional $5 K or so.

[scubajunkie6]

scubajunkie6 - whats stopping you as if they retaliate against you it violates TSAs own civil rights policy. I end up having to question them just about every time through (just to pick there brains to see what they really know) because several times that have quoted there own policy or made up rules contrary to published guidelines. Its sad that i have to carry a folio full of documents and forms (including customs forms for my camera gear) to combat this, but its been needed several times with TSOs have majorly overstepped there bounds and i called them on it.

my favorite example was when they said my passport wasn't valid ID for travel. I said it most certainly was valid & allowed and that it was checking of DLs (not against any list) that shouldn't be allowed as a DL isn't a ID in any shape or form but rather permission from the state government to operate a motor vehicle, and not ID ( I had a state trooper at DFW back me up on that one). I don't have a problem with this anymore now that i have a FEMA ID for Disaster Response as a member of a rapid response team.

I guess I just figure it isn't worth my time arguing with them, and I'd rather get on the plane instead. My husband travels weekly, and he had a similar experience to yours with his government badge (photo incl). He asked for management and challenged the situation. You're right, we discovered that night that Southwest Airlines web site's wording didn't exactly match with TSA's. Now SWA seems to only have links to TSA's websites. My husband carried the TSA instructions, just to "educate" the staff that may not be familiar with their own policies. He was hoping to have another "go at it" session.

The stories that will get me all fired up with anger (but we don't need to discuss), was just after 9/11 when some wired bras set off the detectors and the unprofessionalism of the agents during THAT time. It always seemed to happen with full chested and young women A friend of mine's 19 year old daughter went through absolute hell over that situation. I'm not one to start a lawsuit, but I would have seriously considered it if it had happened to me.

-Margaret

[secretsea18]

my favorite example was when they said my passport wasn't valid ID for travel. I said it most certainly was valid & allowed and that it was checking of DLs (not against any list) that shouldn't be allowed as a DL isn't a ID in any shape or form but rather permission from the state government to operate a motor vehicle, and not ID

I recently tried to use my NY State issued Physician ID card.
It has my photo, license # and expiration date on it. I got a puzzled look from the person looking at the ids, and she asked me for my DL. I said I didn't have it handy, and that my Physician ID was state government issued (which it was) as required. She then asked to look at a credit card with my name on it. That worked for her. What a stupid program TSA is.... Let's just hope that the new administration makes it go away!

Edited by secretsea18, 19 February 2009 - 01:05 PM.

[Capn Jack]

my favorite example was when they said my passport wasn't valid ID for travel. I said it most certainly was valid & allowed and that it was checking of DLs (not against any list) that shouldn't be allowed as a DL isn't a ID in any shape or form but rather permission from the state government to operate a motor vehicle, and not ID

I recently tried to use my NY State issued Physician ID card.
It has my photo, license # and expiration date on it. I got a puzzled look from the person looking at the ids, and she asked me for my DL. I said I didn't have it handy, and that my Physician ID was state government issued (which it was) as required. She then asked to look at a credit card with my name on it. That worked for her. What a stupid program TSA is.... Let's just hope that the new administration makes it go away!

I have a Department of Defense ID that lets me walk into the Pentagon - and some TSA employees won't accept that either. crikey but I do feel safer.

Maybe I should start carrying my Red Cross CPR card.

[uwfan]

Maybe I should start carrying my Red Cross CPR card.

Now THAT'S FUNNY!!

[Scubatooth]

I have a Department of Defense ID that lets me walk into the Pentagon - and some TSA employees won't accept that either. crikey but I do feel safer.

Maybe I should start carrying my Red Cross CPR card.

Which DOD ID because it should be allowed, especially out of DCA since they see so many DOD people in the area. Sad one according to this page on there site but it doesn't surprise at all and ill leave it at that before i go into TOS violationvile

I dont think the ARC card counts either as theres no DOB, and other super secert security holograms in it that require a loupe and black light to see.

[Pheniox]

my favorite example was when they said my passport wasn't valid ID for travel. I said it most certainly was valid & allowed and that it was checking of DLs (not against any list) that shouldn't be allowed as a DL isn't a ID in any shape or form but rather permission from the state government to operate a motor vehicle, and not ID ( I had a state trooper at DFW back me up on that one). I don't have a problem with this anymore now that i have a FEMA ID for Disaster Response as a member of a rapid response team.

I'm not sure if anyone knows what it is, but the TSA issues waht they call a TWIC, its a transportation workers identification card. You need them, in my case for getting into the secure areas around ports and things of that nature. An aquentance of mine tried using his to get on a plane, and was told by the TSA screener that it was not a valid form of identification, we both got a good laugh out of the whole "the right hand not knowing what the left hand has done thing."