 Poster: A snowHead
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After years of driving to the Alps i find myself having to fly  and i am not sure how to get my backpack to the Alps. Has anyone successfully taken an ABS backpack(including gas canister and firing mechanism) on a flight? If not any bright ideas?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Someone once pointed out that - there is a gas cannister and firing mechanism in every life jacket under every aircraft seat.
Im not sure if the airlines se it quite that clearly though.
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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?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm posting in this thread and the other ABS thread just to update my recent flying experience. Gatwick to Toronto on Airtransat - actually the flight was with Thomas Cook. I e-mailed the airline in advance, I got a simple 'yes' back, so I asked if they wanted the ABS in hand luggage or checked in the hold. They then sent me the full IATA information and told me it was up to me.
Packed the actual pack in my ski bag and had the gas canister and the handle in a Ziploc to show the check-in staff. The lady said she wanted to check with her superior and was gone for one minute. No problem what-so-ever. Popped the baggie in my ski boots and off we all went. 7 pieces of checked luggage and not a single piece went missing! 
I'll later be flying from Toronto to a ski destination (or two) in Canada & US, I'll let you know how those flights go.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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As Skydivers we have very varied responses to carrying our parachutes on-board as most of us use Automatic Activation Devices (AAD) that contain a very small charge and firing circuit, imagine a match head size used to cut a small thread...
Some airline security have made us go back and check them. Some don't turn a hair, others have caused a right old fuss. Even though the CAA say they okay to travel and we can carry all the documents. Have a read of
http://www.bpa.org.uk/file_uploads/File/CAA%20letter%20ref%20Cypres.pdf
You could ask the CAA for similar for your kit...
Most of us find the easiest is to check parachutes with AADs in hold baggage and avoid any hassle.
Have a look at
http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dangerous_goods/faq.htm
I am a sailor / pilot / skier and I want to travel by air with my life vest / parachute / avalanche rescue backpack. Are there any exceptions?
Passengers may carry certain articles even though the article contains dangerous goods. Parachutes themselves are not restricted. Some parachutes are fitted with an automatic activation device (AAD), e.g Cypres, which contain small quantities of explosive material. Most of these are not classified as dangerous goods and are not restricted in passenger baggage.
Avalanche rescue backpacks are authorized if they do not contain more than 200 mg net of explosives in Division 1.4S and / or not more than 250 milliliters of compressed gas in division 2.2.
Self-inflating life jackets are permitted if they contain not more than two small cylinders with a non-flammable gas in Division 2.2 plus not more than two spare cartridges per person. More information of what is permitted in passenger baggage.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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WayneC, I also had 6 PFD CO2 canisters, there were two of us. Checked in with no problems.
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It's not the airlines that tend to be the problem with ABS airbags, it's the airports.
Last season my partner and I flew from Stansted to Chambery and back with our ABS backpacks, plus canisters and charges. We flew with Snowjet ie. Titan Airways, who were great. I telephoned and emailed them in advance, got their emailed approval without any problem. Airport security at Stansted kept us waiting for 20 minutes and insisted that they had to speak to a director of Titan personally (not the pilot, note) to confirm that the email to me was genuine. I had a copy of the IATA Regs, but that cut no ice whatsoever with Stansted. Luckily for us, a Titan director was available on a Saturday morning and gave the required confirmation.
Airport security at Chambery when we went to fly home was a different story. They behaved as if they had never seen the equipment before and refused to let us take it on the plane. Crowds of security staff muscled in and we were surrounded by gendarmes, which was pretty frightening for our small child. Titan's airport manager came to our rescue. He had a prolonged and full-on barney in French with the Chambery airport manager and finally persuaded her that the IATA Regs say what they say, viz. that you can carry the canister and charge in hold luggage or in cabin luggage if the airline agrees. We just made the flight. It was a fairly unpleasant experience all round.
No doubt these problems will ease as ABS packs become more common, but we were amazed that Chambery airport staff hadn't seen them before.
We are travelling on Eurostar for our next trip, at New Year. Does anyone have any experience of taking ABS equipment on the train? I'm not sure that I want to risk the same problems (especially when we won't have a friendly Titan person to help) but it's really expensive to hire canisters and charges in resort.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Tue 24-11-09 23:25; edited 1 time in total
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Fee, welcome to 
I think that in future I will get permission from the airlines first in e-mail form and then pack them in my hold luggage and "forget" to tell the check-in staff.
The train I suspect is not going to be much different, as you say it always depend on who you get at check-in. Arno will be along in a minute to rant about not being allowed an Ice Axe on the train...
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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.
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Thanks, parlor. Sorry, I forgot to say Hi all.
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I emailed easyjet and got no response. I then phoned them and was told that they would not let me fly with live cartridges. So after no one here was forthcoming with bright ideas i discharged the backpack and simply packed it with my hold luggage. At the airport it became apparent that no one gave a toss about my bag and the discharged cartridges so on the way back i just packed the lot, including live cartridges in my boots and got through fine.
Since then i have taken 4 flights on each occasion packing the cartridges into my boots and i have had no problems.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oops, I didn't realise this was a revised thread...
I also know people that got delayed from boarding Eurostar because they didn't declare that they had been shooting and the gunpowder detectors went off.. but that's another story.
So, Fee, as long as you don't have gunpowder on your clothes you should be okay with your canisters in your luggage, how would they know? Do they have x-ray machines for eurostar luggage?
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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.
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| WayneC wrote: |
Oops, I didn't realise this was a revised thread...
I also know people that got delayed from boarding Eurostar because they didn't declare that they had been shooting and the gunpowder detectors went off.. but that's another story.
So, Fee, as long as you don't have gunpowder on your clothes you should be okay with your canisters in your luggage, how would they know? Do they have x-ray machines for Eurostar luggage? |
Yes.
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Hi Guys
Im going to buy a snowpulse for this season but do worry about getting the airlines consent, I.E - Ryanair will never email you (website does state they are happy to have them), going on above Easyjet will not reply. Is the consensus to just stick it in your checked in luggage and hope for the best?? Understand that it is then really the airport staff you rely on when you have to drop your bag off at the outsize baggage?.
Any one have any thoughts/suggestions as I am off to grenoble on New Years eve!?!
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You know it makes sense.
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heneskibum, seriously, print the IATA rules, dismantle the canister and then pack it in your hold luggage. This will be my future technique. In fact, IME, if you pack it in with anything that goes through as 'oversize' (outsize, whatever), they do x-ray it as you stand there, you'll soon find out if they pick up on it, when you remember that you forgot to tell the check-in staff, but look it's OK, here are the IATA rules.
With the snowpulse you don't even have to worry about it having an explosive charge, *if* they x-ray'd your bag they'd think you had a large bottle of aftershave or something. My first few travels were more concerned that a sniffer dog might pick out the tiny charge in the ABS handle!
The Easyjet Website doesn't mention you CAN'T carry this stuff, in fact in doesn't mention at all, so pack it in your hold luggage and forget about it. I'd check the Ryan Air site too but I can't read Gaelic, sorry.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Ryanair now state;
"An avalanche rescue pack with one nitrogen/air cylinder can be included in either cabin or checked baggage."
seems a good start i suppose!
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Poster: A snowHead
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heneskibum, result! Don't mention it, check it in and be happy. As above it's the ground team which probably won't have much to do with Ryan Air that could get their knickers in a twist.
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