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Old 19-01-2017, 04:02   #1
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Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

I recently purchased a Spinlock auto-inflating PFD & need to get it from home to the boat by comm airline. According to my research, IATA allow pax to carry it in checked luggage on commercial flights if reported to the airline before departure. My OH is inclined to just pack it and not tell the airline as we've encountered problems with this sort of thing in the past. He doesn't trust Air Canada. I'm sure lots of you have experience with this. Any advice?

The issue of course is the CO2 cartridge, the same sort of thing every lifejacket under airline seats contains.
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Old 19-01-2017, 04:17   #2
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

Well, I've never flown with one, but we had some crew fly out to meet us. They printed up the regulations, stuck them on their PFD's, and still got the CO2 cylinders taken away. I don't know for sure if they were in checked bags or carry-on, but they were absolutely sure that it was within the regs to carry them.

Didn't matter one bit to the TSA guy.

But, no harm in giving it a try. You can get a new cylinder when you get to the boat if they get taken away, no?

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Old 19-01-2017, 04:37   #3
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

You pack it and dont declare it you will have a much bigger headache for not declaring it with the DOT period. It is not different than declaring a tank for diving. Simply advise that the pfd has an armed CO2 cylinder with x grams of gas the amount is stamped on the cyclinder. Off you go.
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Old 19-01-2017, 04:41   #4
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

Bring a copy of the TSA list of approved items with you. I keep mine in my carry on rather than checking it.
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Old 19-01-2017, 04:45   #5
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

If you do a search on this you'll get a LOT of leads, as the topic comes up probably once a month, if not more. Though obviously, disarm the thing long before getting to the airport. Including pulling the cylinder out of the acutation mechanisim. And print up copies of both the Gov't regs on them, & the airline's policies as well. Sometimes asking to speak to someone senior, armed with them helps, sometimes not. Be polite, but firm.
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Old 19-01-2017, 04:47   #6
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

Check with your airline first. Get written confirmation of their internal rules.

Then print out the TSA (not IATA) rules, which in November allowed the cartridge in the vest AND TWO ADDITIONAL SPARE CARTRIDGES, but in checked bags only. If a TSA guy had an interaction with your crew, the PFD must have been in a carry on.

Pressurized containers of any kind are not allowed in the cabin of a commercial aircraft. (There may be an exception for oxygen canisters, but I can't recall.)
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Old 19-01-2017, 06:32   #7
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

Trying to sneak it on board is really stupid. You shouldn't have to be told not to try that.


Others have given you good advice but if you don't think that will work, you could ship the PFD or just the cartridge to your destination and pick it up when it arrives. UPS, FedEx, etc.
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Old 19-01-2017, 07:07   #8
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

For the price of a cartridge, wouldn't it be much easier just to purchase one at your destination.
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Old 19-01-2017, 07:50   #9
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

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Originally Posted by 1000 islands View Post
For the price of a cartridge, wouldn't it be much easier just to purchase one at your destination.
Yep, that would work.
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Old 19-01-2017, 07:59   #10
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

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Originally Posted by rwidman View Post
Trying to sneak it on board is really stupid. You shouldn't have to be told not to try that.


Others have given you good advice but if you don't think that will work, you could ship the PFD or just the cartridge to your destination and pick it up when it arrives. UPS, FedEx, etc.
Actually, both PFD and up to two spare CO2 cartridges accompanying are allowed by both CATSA and US TSA either checked or carry-on. This USSailing page has all the links, to avoid looking them up: Traveling with your PFD? TSA Guidelines. – United States Sailing Association The CATSA page is at: http://www.catsa.gc.ca/complete-item...x=0&submit.y=0

Naturally, just like you as captain have authority over what your crew carries onboard, the airlines can make their own, more restrictive rules. You must check both federal and airline web pages. When travelling by air for charters, I always print the specific airline and TSA rules and include a printed copy in each bag containing a PFD. I want that inspector to see the official rules when he's fondling my PFD!
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Old 19-01-2017, 08:11   #11
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

I fly a lot, and I have flown with my PFD a lot, although I have not carried it in the past year.

TSA regulations are constantly evolving, and even worse they are not consistently enforced or followed from one airport to another. Their practices can vary widely from one site to another and you can wave some TSA document at them all you want. Don't expect that to always work. While it's getting better, bit by bit, it's still a bit chaotic. On top of that non-US airlines will have their own policies, as will of course security services in other countries.

Used to be that you could put your PFD in your checked baggage so long as the cylinder was removed and packed separately. I always followed this directive and never had an issue, with the TSA or any security in any other country.

But if I had any uncertainly about what the practice was in a particular airport I would ask the airline check-in counter and if they did not provide a satisfactory answer I'd hunt down a TSA screener and ask them. Better than losing a $300 PFD/harness.
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Old 19-01-2017, 08:15   #12
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

i just bring me vest without any cylinders and plan on buying them locally. in my experience it doesnt help much having all this documentation with you as the TSA people have little individual decision making power. so supervisors are called and you end up killing a bunch of time and usually dont get the result you want so why not just simplify things.

once i was flying home from race weekend and was late getting to the airport. tsa gave me a hard time about my vest and i had to check it. when i got on the plane and took my seat i realized i still had my gerber on the back of my belt ( complete with "bone saw" ). didnt want to cause a fuss by bringing it to the stews attention so just sat very still for the whole flight. made the cylinder dispute seem a bit silly...
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Old 19-01-2017, 08:18   #13
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

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Originally Posted by John_Trusty View Post
Actually, both PFD and up to two spare CO2 cartridges accompanying are allowed by both CATSA and US TSA either checked or carry-on.
As that page mentions (and which I never knew), some airlines forbid CO2 cartridges in checked or carry-on baggage.

How they would ever know is beyond me, since they don't do the baggage security check in most airports I know. It goes through a TSA machine, and I'm pretty sure they don't care what an individual airline's policy is.

So, forget about asking at the airline check-in counter, lol.
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Old 19-01-2017, 08:20   #14
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

Flew mine to Greece and back on a UK charter in checked-in baggage. Not declared, not a problem.
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Old 19-01-2017, 08:24   #15
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Re: Flying with an auto-inflate PFD?

Just flew Air Canada two weeks ago. Packed two along with extra cartridges in my checked bag. Did not declare, no problems.
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