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Beware - airbag update in Zurich

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Beware – Zurich security now require canisters to be fitted to airbags. I have just returned from Zurich to find a note my wife and my bags from Zurich security confiscating each of our Snowpulse 300bar carbon canisters. I had notified the airline - BA, checked it in ok, it was packed in its box with the IATA rules in accordance with Mammut’s instructions “When transporting the airbag system, the cartridge must be kept separate to avoid any inadvertent [sic] triggering. Always store and carry the cartridge in its original packaging and with the protective cap screwed firmly in place”.

According to Zurich security, their rules are that it must be transported attached to the airbag. They are aware that this is contrary to Mammut’s own rules and they are fully aware of what the item is. It could be recovered for a fee but only in Zurich. BA are clearly not aware of this.

Unfortunately, as the canisters are about the same price as a return flight to Zurich I am keeping Mammut in business. I have notified Mammut. If you live in Switzerland you will soon be able to pick up carbon canisters, probably on eBay.

Beware everyone.

I will post this in a couple of forums.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Mammut have been excellent and they will sort me out. This is what Mammut said and it appears that this is now official at Zurich:

"The airport of Zürich just told us a week ago that there is this rule.

We have not heard about this so far. They were not able to give us an official statement about this and no official document where is stated that you have to fly with your cartridge in the backpack.

This rule is not mentioned in the IATA rules either, that the airport Zürich would have to follow.

We are clarifying right now how the actual rules are."
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
*sigh* I thought by now the airports and airlines had got used to the airbag thing. I'm travelling, with my Mammut bag, with carbon cylinder, to Zurich a week today...so, just to clarify: was it your experience that travelling out was ok with them packed separately, according to IATA and that coming back you would need to have the cylinder attached? Was there *any* indication of this at check-in / security at Zurich or, as you imply, did you just find out the hard way?
Did Mammut imply in their replies to you that the situation may change?
cheers
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I've seen a carbonfibre/kevlar composite cylinder burst at lower pressures with dramatic results, one of the securing bolts went 2 inches into a cement block wall, if such a thing happened on an aircraft it would have a good chance of doing serious damage, seems daft that Zurich are going against the manufacturers own instructions
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
D G Orf wrote:
I've seen a carbonfibre/kevlar composite cylinder burst at lower pressures with dramatic results, one of the securing bolts went 2 inches into a cement block wall, if such a thing happened on an aircraft it would have a good chance of doing serious damage, seems daft that Zurich are going against the manufacturers own instructions


Airbag cylinders are not going to explode on an aircraft. Mammut/Snowpulse carbon/steel cylinders are 300 bar, tested to 500 bar with a cracking pressure of 800 bar. Unless you took a hammer and chisel to it you are not going to explode anything. Even if you placed one in a vacuum the loss of 1 bar of external pressure isn't going to make the slightest difference to cylinder like that.

The worst case is that the airbag gets deployed. Then you have an airbag inflating in the hold (or the cabin). The bags have a pressure relief valve (that's one of the IATA rules). Even so I would much prefer that cylinders were fully disconnected when on an aircraft. The Zurich "rules" do not seem very clear on this, they seem to imply it should be connected which is completely bonkers. What I have done at Munich where there was a similar rule was to "fit" the cylinder in place as required but *not* connect it, and leave the safety cap on.
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Quote:

Mammut have been excellent and they will sort me out.

how? by replacing your cylinder?
I have emailed Mammut for their take on this but haven't had a reply yet
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hi Guys have been watching this thread and asking a few questions in the background

The response I have had so far from Mammut via their Product manager for avalanche airbags is as follows:

Quote:
HI *******,



yes there is some confusion with the cylinders at the airport right now.



We sorted it out and will have to change our instructions.



The way they interpret the IATA rule you will have to fly with the canister inside of the airbag.



We will update the instructions immediately.


It would appear that for some reason Zurich are reading things in a strange way, as mentioned above my suggestion would be to place the airbag and the cylinder in the hold luggage for this airport, but if it was me I would not attach the cylinder to the airbag but just place it in the sleeve inside the bag.

As soon as I get an official update to flying with your cylinder inside the bag itself I will update and link to the update.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
76% Yes. Travelling out was OK with the canister in the box, cap screwed on and IATA rules enclosed - checkin staff informed. Problem was return leg at Zurich i.e. when Zurich are responsible for screening the bags. Sorry to took a while to spot the question.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
The big question is why do Zurich airport employ idiots to control luggage security..? Surely must be the most ridiculous thing I've heard !
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
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scarbski wrote:
The big question is why do Zurich airport employ idiots to control luggage security..? Surely must be the most ridiculous thing I've heard !


Sounds like it's not the security staff at fault, it looks to me like the bosses are interpreting the IATA regulations to mean that the canister must be in the bag and the staff are enforcing this policy. If you interpret the regs word for word then sadly this isn't as daft as it sounds. When you understand how an airbag works it is of course completely clear that the canister needs to be packed safely and proximity to the airbag is irrelevant, but the regs don't make that clear. The regs specify "...one [airbag] per person containing a cylinder of compressed gas...". This could even imply that you can't fly with an airbag if you had no cylinder... :-/
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Thanks 22, I will hopefully be able to avoid the same problem you experienced
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
livetoski, thanks T, I was thinking the same. Pack it up but no connect the cylinder. I'll let you know how I get on
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I received a similar response from Mammut as follows:

"We sorted the issue out with the zurich airport and have a clear statement from them now.

We will update our instructions for flying.

You will have to travel with the canister inside of the airbag.

The cartridge has to be packed in a way that a accidental deployment is impossible.

Therefore we recommend to put the airbag in the check-in luggage with the canister in the pocket inside of the backpack.

Print out the IATA table and the data sheet for the cartridge. (see www.mammut.ch/airbag ) and put it to the airbag.

Best regards"

which seems fairly clear at least
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
76%uncertain, if ridiculous...
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
FWIW When I left Japan a few years back they made me connect my cylinder, whilst rob@rar on the same flight checked his in unconnected!!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
The change in regulations at Zurich airport can't be valid because the whole country hasn't had a referendum on the subject rolling eyes
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
To update this, I arrived back via Zurich yesterday. I packed the rucksack exactly as Mammut suggest as per my post above: cylinder in the sac but not connected, wrapped in IATA regs and cylinder data sheet.
Got home to find a sticker from Zurich security stating they had been in my bag and a note within stating nothing had been removed. Quite a relief.
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