Tanks, Rebreather Bottles and Spare Airs May be Confiscated

[Chadwick]

I believe it has always been 'illegal' to bring compressed gasses on board a plane though in 'safer' days it was often overlooked.
However, this is another one of those situations I've seen a lot of lately where everyone raises their voice saying that we need better security then later raises their voice again because they want more privacy or convienience. I love that we live in a country that allows us to have a voice.
We need to understand that we have to give up some of our privacy and convienience in order to have it. The only way I can see that we can have our cake and eat it too is to double ticket prices to cover the additional cost of complexities and a rule structure that will take a good lawyer to understand.
Honestly, I'd rather loose the convienience and ship my tanks or rent them and have one less security risk then have some crazy person hide a bomb in one.

[Mark Y]

I doubt that it would be easy to fit a 'bomb' through the cylinder opening. The increase in airport security hasn't made me feel any safer - there are so many holes in 'security' that it is almost a joke. So I know I'm taking a risk everytime I fly, from 'terrorists' to drunken pilots.

I have used FedEx to ship cylinders from FL. to MN. The cost was quite reasonable - so ground mail is a viable option.

On the other hand, when I went to Micronesia, I brought my Inspiration CCR (the cylinders are quite smaller than a AL/Steel 80, and they didn't have any in Chuuk). I did ship some scrubber and it got caught up in customs (I think, never did find out what happened to it). Good think I didn't ship my cylinders - they ain't cheap to replace! We did have a major hassle with our cylinders at MPLS. airport, but we eventually did get to check them.

I really enjoyed airport 'security' in Chuuk Lagoon - if the innards of an Inspiration CCR doesn't look like a 'bomb', I don't know what does. And they didn't even bother to really look at it. Perhaps they see so many of them???

What about those who depend on O2 supplemental gas for breathing (emphysema, etc.)? Maybe that can drop the 02 masks for them!

[Chadwick]

Bombs don't have to be solid material. Plastique or even a chemical, say Phosgene or anthrax would fit easily.
An example I read was that 5 gallons of phosgene in a garden sprinkler on top of the Empire State Building could wipe out New York (or most of it depending on wind direction/speed).
I completely agree that airport security is horrible. Even a news station was able to get a vehicle into a restricted area with only a cursory check, and no check under the vehicle among several other glaring holes. I personally think security needs to be completely re-done, not just patched and patched like it is continually done.
I was going to include it in my last post...I believe medicinal gasses are allowed, but must be put in cargo. They supply O2 when on board the plane when necessary. At least that is what I thought I saw occur on one of my flights.

[ghosch]

It's also kind of ridiculous that you can ship up to 10,000 rounds of ammunition, an explosive, but you cant ship a hunk of metal.

I guess that means anything with a hollow metal tube should not be ok to ship. Guns, wheelchairs, walkers, umbrellas, golf clubs, ski-poles, etc.

And if they see one on x-ray, they can always do a hand search. That costs money, so charge a fee for cylinders, I would think $10-15 would cover a two minute search.

[Mark Y]

I was thinking of a cylinder minus the tank valve. It would be easier, and draw less attention, to carry it in a shampoo bottle or the like.

Plastique - well, that could be molded into just about anything.

Oh well, sounds like I may have to always ground-freight my cylinders.

[Chadwick]

These are great examples of how the system is ineffective and should be changed.

[igotoofar]

I got this response today from the TSA.

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Thank you for your e-mail message. So that we can better assist you we encourage you to call us at 1-866-289-9673 for assistance.

If you are outside the United States and cannot use the toll-number, please call us at 1-571-227-2900.

Contact Center Represetatives are available to answer your call from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm (Eastern), Monday thru Friday, and 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.

TSA Contact Center
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I called them and was read what is posted on the website. She did say that the SCUBA equipment rules have not changed in quite a while. When I asked about empty tanks vs full tanks, she said that individual screeners my interpet the rules differently. Her recomendation was not to bring tanks, because they my not make it to your destination.

I feel so much safer flying now!

[Chuck_Northrup]

Good news for those of us carrying cylinders




I guess that there is no more room for "interpretation" ;D

[igotoofar]

That is great news!, Now I may have to rethink bringing my gear with me to HI this fall.

[billatlake]

Thanks for the link! I love opinions, but facts do make better arguments....( I hate going into a battle of wits unarmed).