Air transport of pony bottles

I have questioned two different TSA employees on if you can put a small pony bottle or spare air cylinder in you checked luggage. Assuming of course you have removed the valve so they can see it is not pressurized. One said no problem and the other said "no way"

Any recent experiences with this?

If you want to rant about spare airs please start a different post. I would like to know if you can transport a 6 cubic ft pony or a spare air without the TSA confiscating it.

Hi Dave,

The TSA regulations say "No Scuba Cylinders." period. They don't say "no pressurized scuba cylinders."

So strict interpretation of the regs results in the "no way" reply. Some TSA employees interpret the regs correctly and will let you go if the valve is off, but some go strictly by the book and you are out of luck.

So it's a crap-shoot unfortunately, and you may not know until you get to the airport. Sux eh?

Cheers

James

In my experience working overseas i have seen countless people bringing pony bottles with them to our boat as recently as April.

They always take the valve off.

No one has mentioned having a problem, but these days with all the added security as James says its a crapshoot.

my wife and i have traveled with pony tanks for years. the valves have to be open, and i always say i have them at checkin so ther are no surprises. we have never had a problem

I did have a bit of a problem. I'll try to stick to the facts and not go into rant mode.

Checking my bags at Santa Barbara airport, (a small regional one), I waited for the TSA agent to inspect my bag on the off chance there was any questions about the 19cf pony (valve removed). He pulls it out and looks at it then calls over his supervisor. She takes one look at it and says: No way this goes. Again, I won't bore you with my arguments as I'm sure it's pretty obvious what was said.

Anyway, she gave it back to me and said it couldn't go on the plane. I was calling a friend to try and make arrangements to get it picked up and mailed back to me when the TSA supervisor walked over, asked to see the cylinder again and then decided it was Ok. So, I got lucky. I'm glad I stuck around at the Baggage inspection area and didn't just go to the gate. I'm not sure where the tank would have ended up if I weren't there to cause a stink.

So, after all this, I did some research on the rules for scuba tanks on planes, and surprised to find, as James said, in general, they aren't permitted. I tried to find a reason for the TSA agents to allow ponies with the valve removed and couldn't. If someone has it, I'd like to get a copy so I can attach it to my tank.

And finally, a careful reading of TSA policy says that the agent has final say over what goes on the plane. Even if it is allowed, they have the lattitude to pull it. Which in the big picture, is Ok with me.

Rand

I've not had any problems in the past couple years, but I always remove the valve entirely and stow it in a pelican box in my checked luggage. The problem is as Rand mentioned, the TSA has a lot of leeway with what they allow / disallow.

Tom

And finally, a careful reading of TSA policy says that the agent has final say over what goes on the plane. Even if it is allowed, they have the lattitude to pull it. Which in the big picture, is Ok with me.

 

Rand

Damn, Why do they even bother to publish "POLICY" if every TSA luggage monkey has the ability to arbitrarily interpret as they want.

Lets see, "today I won't let anyone check any Levis or tank tops, or tennis shoes"

The way the way they operate is absolutely insane.

The big cheese TSA says " you WILL do hand inspect of film, or any other small item if requested" and the agent with 10 minutes experience on the job says "no not me, I don't do no stinkin hand inspection"

Wonderful...

Having traveled a number of times with a pony, and having had the TSA actually pull it out and say "scuba?" and then put it back in, and intending to travel with it in the future, rand's story troubled me. The regs conflict ....

[edit] well, well, well ... in the middle of this post I went to look at the TSA site for the wording. I had actually emailed them ad yet to hear a response......, and voila! Look what I found... direct quote (unfortunately means ponies in carry ons, yeah right)!

Some scuba gear can be transported on-board the aircraft. Please refer to the guidelines below:

Dive tanks or any compressed gas cylinders are prohibited as checked baggage. A compressed gas cylinder is allowed in carry-on baggage only if the regulator valve is completely disconnected from the cylinder and the cylinder is no longer sealed (i.e. the cylinder has an open end). The cylinder must have an opening to allow for a visual inspection inside. TSA Security Screeners will NOT remove the seal/regulator valve from the cylinder at the checkpoint. If the cylinder is sealed (i.e. the regulator valve is still attached), the cylinder is prohibited and not permitted through the security checkpoint, regardless of the reading on the pressure gauge indicator. TSA Security Screeners must visibly ensure that the cylinder is completely empty and that there are no prohibited items inside.

So there's the answer.

THis can be found at http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?content=...90005198005fee0

Chris

Let me get this straight. It is okay to take a thick metal cylinder on board a jet in your carry on; but not legal to check it?

Apparently. You want our government rules and regs to actually make sense??

Wow, that is absurd. So, I can't carry on anything resembling a cutting device, but I can carry a large club-like device as long as it's not sealed?

<sigh>

Well, as ChrisM said, never acuse the government of being logical.

Wow, I logged in to ask this exact question. So, anyone know how to take the regulator off of a spare air?

Most of the folks I know will tell you to put the entire Spare Air in the garbage and get a proper Pony Bottle.

put the entire Spare Air in the garbage

Seconded.

I have no clue if there's a way to take the reg off a spare air though.

Simply empty it and then hand unscrew it. It's not suppose to be so tight you cannot unscrew it by hand.

Simply empty it and then hand unscrew it. It's not suppose to be so tight you cannot unscrew it by hand.

Thanks. It was pretty tight. I was afraid of breaking it so I wasnt twisting hard enough.