Carrying Equipment on Airlines

[DZDale 0]

Hi Everybody
I have a freind who will be bringing my new equipment back from South Africa. What advise do you have regarding carrying equipment either as hand luggage or in the hold.
Has anyone here had problems with airport officials etc.
I know that the cypres has been a problem before when transporting Parachuting equipment.
Any suggestions and advise will be appreciated.
Thanks
Dale
A man's dreams are an index to his greatness.
- Zadok Rabinwitz

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

If you have a CyPReS, make sure you have the card with it. Then just walk on with it as hand lugguage. Don't say what it is unless they ask you. However, some airlines like to be informed that parachute equipment is being taken on. You shouldn't have any problems.
I'm not crazy - I'm a Skydiver

[E150 0]

Call the airline up. I flew with Virgin and they told me it had to go in as luggage (not hand luggage).
This is what Airtech say:
From Airtech website:

December, 2001
Dear Skydiver:
In case you intend to travel via commercial airline with your rig in
the future, please follow these tips and hopefully you will not
experience any difficulties.
CYPRES is a non-dangerous good, this has been certified by
various authorities. However, airlines may take this into
consideration or not, their usual reaction when asked is that
they are very restrictive and start a long-lasting procedure
where the outcome is uncertain. We therefore advise you to
simply pack your rig into a hardshell suitcase, such as a
"Samsonite" case, and check your suitcase in without mentioning
anything about a rig or CYPRES. We recommend that you do not
draw the security staff's attention or volunteer the contents
(unless specifically ask). Above all do not phone in advance
or ask on the day of your flight if it is "OK".
Do not try to carry your rig on board as carry-on luggage. Under
actual circumstances, especially in regard to the situation in the
United States, this likely will not be successful. You can rest
assured that the CYPRES is a non-dangerous good and that carrying
this device is therefore legal.

[Remster 30]

I've had various success as hand luggage.
Yes, carry the cypress card.
Is your friend a skydiver? If no, then I would strongly suggest he checks in the rig. if he gets asked questions about "what this on tyhe xray,whats that" he should be abel to give confident answers.
When I fly on a direct flight with a reputable company, I typically check in my rig. If its charter, or cheapo-airlines, or if there is a transfer, then I try to take it as carry on.
I've been asked questions on the Cypres, the reserve spring, and other componants.
On my recent trip to Borneo, not one single question was asked at heathrow, Kuala lumpur ot Kota Kinabalu, either coming or going.
You millage may vary....
Remster
Muff 914

[jtval 0]

i have concerns about this too. i am going to australia in two weeks from korea! and i dont plan on checking it. so i will let you know if i get arrested!
getting high is fun, but coming down is the best part
JT

[kingbunky 3]

i think it varies with airlines. not that i have a rig, but out of curiousity i sent an email to air canada asking what their policy was. their first reply was that 'diving gear' was fine as carry-on. i sent back another email clarifying that i was talking about 'skydiving gear (as in a parachute)' and here is their reply:
TitleAt 03/26/2002 05:23 PM we wrote - Thanks for visiting our site and please accept our sincerest apologies for this late response.
If the sky-diving equipement is within the allowed carry on weight and measurement then it can travel onboard otherwise it will travel as checked baggage.

bottom line, check first and avoid surprises. another thing to keep in mind, if you do check it, the insurance coverage for it is probably limited. aircanada covers up to $1500, or $2500 if you purchase additional coverage.
nothing succeeds like a budgie with no teeth

[OmriMon 0]

now that u mention it, anyone had any experience with El Al with carrying rigs on board?
"The longer you freefly - The longer your beard is"

[kevin922 0]

I traveled after september 11th with mine in a suitcase, accidentally had a mini-screwdriver (like the one used to take the battery cover off a protrac). They flagged my bag said they had to search it.. i was like "oh great". He was like "do you have a small object in your bag, like a screw driver?" I was like I don't think so.. so I open it up - pull the rig out, holding it in the security check point he looks in my bag - takes my screwdriver and was like "ok that's all I needed"
Then on the way home it was either the rig on my laptop onboard, and because of the freaky dream I had the night before about the plane crashing I decided to carry on the rig and put the laptop in the rig's bag.. hehe.. that was kinda fun seeing the responses.
But anyway - i haven't had any problems really... cypres and all.
In case you're curious as to what they really see, here ya go

[Vallerina 2]

When I called Southwest, they had said they allowed rigs as a carry on. However, once I got there, I had to check it with the rest of my luggage (even though I had my Cypres card and all the other info ready). I don't have a gear bag, and it wouldn't fit in my luggage, so I had to check it as is. Well, they ended up opening my reserve about 30 mins before boarding, and then accused me of lying about having CO2 cartridges in it. (I tried explaining that springs work in a fashion where they can expand quickly.) It was an ugly situation of having to shove my rig in a plastic bag and hoping for the best.
On the way back, I used a Wal-Mart tub (I'm still too cheap for a gear bag) which worked alright (it kinda got beat up a bit). According to Bret (freefallin14) and Adam (jumppilot01), I could've, however, said that the pilot has the last word on what's allowed on board, and I could've tried to take it up with him. Just my experience of attempting to fly commercially with my rig.
"Save me Jebus!" Homer Simpson

[Rhonda66 0]

Hi -
We just travelled from Boston to Eloy and back on America West. Normally we carry the two rigs on with no problem, but we decided to check them in suitcases this time - no problems - and both contain CYPRES....
Rhonda

[kevin922 0]

Quote

i could've, however, said that the pilot has the last word on what's allowed on board, and I could've tried to take it up with him. Just my experience of attempting to fly commercially with my rig.

Humm.. i don't know how far you'd get with that one in IAD or DCA :)
"Find me the pilot of that commercial flight right now!"
Kevin
http://www.interone.net