CO2 airport experience

[rpoint16]

I flew R/T PHX to LAX for a 3 day ASA 104 class a couple of weeks ago. Because of the flight schedule I did not check luggage, just a back pack & a carry-on, in which I packed my mustang pfd with a xtra co2 cartridge.

After reading previous threads & posts as well as TSA info, I was confident there would be no issue if I checked the luggage. When dealing with the gate TSA people sometimes it's a crapshoot.

I printed up the TSA brochure as well as a email from SW Airlines saying it was o.k., & put it in an envelope, in the pfd bag.

Good thing. I was stopped & grilled in both airports with alot of "what's this", "I need to get my supervisor", "I have never seen one of these", "I never new these were in the TSA brochure", etc... Probably/Hopefully if I not had the printed info they would have checked their info, but you never know.

[mrm]

Most all airlines are members of IATA and implement IATA rules and regulations. I think the following links will be handy to all traveling with CO2 cartridges (both connected to an inflatable PFD and spares):

Downloads

changes for the year 2012: http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/d...antChanges.pdf

DGR (dangerous goods regulations) Table: http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/d..._Table-23A.pdf

In DGR table we find:

Originally Posted by WWW.IATA.ORG

Non-flammable gas cylinder fitted into a life jacket containing carbon dioxide or other suitable gas in Division 2.2, up to two (2) small cylinders per person, and up to two (2) spare cartridges.

listed as permitted in all kinds of luggage as well as on person, but 'approval of the operator(s) is required'.

So much for theory. In practice even getting Operator's approval may not be a guarantee of a 100% smooth traveling, as personally experienced last year (same regulations were in force then). The leg from Germany to Spain went smooth, but the return leg... well.. let me put it this way, some Spanish security personnel wanted to show how important they are...