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Greg - 6/19/2012 2:19 PM 
From their website:
"Do not forget the most important item! Make sure you lock your baggage with a TSA approved lock. This will prevent anyone from removing items out of your dive bags."
How is a TSA approved lock going to prevent an agent from removing items from my dive bag? I can understand that it might prevent them from breaking my custom lock, but they will still rummage through my bag if they feel like it and possibly forget to put everything back.
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Greg - 6/19/2012 2:20 PM
And I suppose carrying on a full scuba tank is a bad idea :)
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The TSA locks just slow down the baggage handlers from going thru your stuff and on overseas flights you’ll find that other countries security won’t have keys to the TSA locks either.
Once while TSA was inspecting my gear the purge button on my 2nd probably got caught on the mesh, popped off and landed outside the bag. That’s why in the pictures of me in the Galapagos I’m wearing a loaner 2nd.
Greg, If you are willing to pay the airline fees you can take a tank but it needs to be empty, valve off and neck opening taped to keep bugs out. I was once called to baggage check to breathe out of my pony to prove it wasn’t an explosive gas, speaking like you just breathed helium didn’t go over well :(
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Bob01 - 6/20/2012 7:59 AM
Those TSA locks are useless, they always take them off my bags and I guess throw them away. They are never there on my arrival.
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I am heading to SoCal next week with my gear. I am carefully packing only what I need. This will be the first time traveling with my gear and I would appreciate more insight... i.e. Am I forgetting anything?
CHECKED:
BCD
Wetsuit(s)
Knife
Fins (Straps in carry-on)
Snorkel
CARRY-ON
2 Masks (1 carry on +1 checked)
Regulators
Dive Light
Flip Video w/Housing
Dive Computer
Thanks!!
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From Bob01: Those TSA locks are useless, they always take them off my bags and I guess throw them away. They are never there on my arrival.... That sounds more like the baggage handlers prying them open and window shopping, TSA can open them without damaging them.
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From jshoemaker_1: I am heading to SoCal next week with my gear. I am carefully packing only what I need. This will be the first time traveling with my gear and I would appreciate more insight... i.e. Am I forgetting anything? CHECKED:BCD Wetsuit(s)KnifeFins (Straps in carry-on)Snorkel CARRY-ON2 Masks (1 carry on +1 checked)Regulators Dive Light Flip Video w/Housing Dive Computer Thanks!! ... My experience in SoCal is that once offshore the air is cold so pack plenty of PolarTech to warm up during the surface intervals.
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Cali is cold water to me. Consider bringing a Beanie or Hood and some warm gloves.
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From jshoemaker_1: I am heading to SoCal next week with my gear. I am carefully packing only what I need. This will be the first time traveling with my gear and I would appreciate more insight... i.e. Am I forgetting anything? CHECKED:BCD Wetsuit(s)KnifeFins (Straps in carry-on)Snorkel CARRY-ON2 Masks (1 carry on +1 checked)Regulators Dive Light Flip Video w/Housing Dive Computer Thanks!! ... Well,
Unless things have changed since last year I put everything except my dive my dive light (because of the batteries) and my knife in my carry-on. I lay the BC in first followed by a .5 mil wet suit (this adds a bit of padding) roll my regulators neatly in the bundle along with my mask and snorkel and close the BC around the lot. I use the side pocket for dive logs everything neatly tucked in my PADI pouch. Passport/ID, don’t forget a pen to fill out the customs stuff on international trips.
I haven’t figured out a way to fit fins in a carry-on so they go in my checked bag
A lot of things might happen on vacation but missing a dive is not going to be one of them. And in the unlikely event of a water landing I have a personal flotation device at hand.
This year I am flying Frontier to Mexico, from their web site, they seem to have some restriction on scuba in carry-on so I will have to contact them to figure it out. All things being equal I would rather carry-on my scuba. This saves a extra checked bag fee and I protect my gear from damage AND theft.
Enjoy the dive!
John
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P.S.
OH YEAH, the computers too.
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Hood and Gloves will be checked. I did not forget to pack... just to mention on here. Thanks for the reminder though.
And John_ I packed my things almost exactly the way you do. Although I have a feeling my checked and carry on bags will be opened by TSA. I’m always the guy they stop and want to search for some reason. Happens probably 85-90% of the time. Frustrating and time consuming. Cheer’s to the adventure and I will post on my experience when I return.
Safe travel to all...
Jon
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Round one complete. Against all odds I did not get pulled for "addition screening"... even with all the stuff in my carry on. Also noteworthy, and despite all the gear and zip ties on the zippers, TSA did not want to go through my checked bag either. Not sure if I am lucky or I am counting my chickens before they hatch. One more leg of the journey to go and if my bag arrives on time I will be making my first shore dives tomorrow.
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Everything arrived safe and sound on both the trip out and home. Dive was fantastic. I did get stopped on the way home for additional screening. This one took forever, over 30 minutes. Added to that I was watching my plane board towards the end, but that is my fault. All in all, it was a good experience. looking forward to my next trip.
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