Flying with ABS?

[Poop~Ghost]

So I've spent quite a bit of time trying to find out what's going to happen when I arrive at the Airport for a flight from the Denver to Switzerland with my ABS pack on United.

Emails to United came back with what appeared to be an answer from somebody/some-computer that didn't read the question.

Phone calls to United ended with the customer service person saying, "that should be fine - but I'm not sure if you can get through TSA if you try to carry it on"...

IATA Table from 2008 says it's okay as a carry on or a checked bag.

A few web accounts have said that they were allowed to carry it on, check it - and some were completely shut down.

Sounds like getting through TSA might be impossible now - something I found on the TSA site said that any canister carried on has to be empty and visibly open.

I guess I will likely just have to go w/ the IATA Table print-out and the Data Sheet on the canister and trigger and hope they let me check the bag.

My biggest concern is that they let me check the bag and then somebody takes the canister out of the bag - rendering the bag useless and very expensive ($150 to get a new canister).

If they will allow it as a carry on, I'd gladly deal with getting it swapped out for a new canister once in St. Anton.

[Meathelmet]

You probably have checked out the old threads (tech,main and snow forums) with the flying of ABS?


The current situation is a mess. It only takes one poorly trained git to confiscate the container if you put it in the luggage,but bringing it in in the hand luggage depends a lot on the screener as well.
European end should not be a prob (about 30 flights behind me,1 confiscated) but in the US end it might be the a issue.
But renting a canister in europe should not be an issue,especially in swiss. I have even bought one from engelberg for 60€ once. If I remeber right,renting one has been around 20-50€ a week.

Dont know how it goes there,but I have called the local TSA couple of times and made sure that I check in with the head of the shift and have had no issues. Just print the IATA document,underline the ABS part clearly.
That is my standard OP when I fly,be it in the carry on or in the luggage.

So I've spent quite a bit of time trying to find out what's going to happen when I arrive at the Airport for a flight from the Denver to Switzerland with my ABS pack on United.

Emails to United came back with what appeared to be an answer from somebody/some-computer that didn't read the question.

Phone calls to United ended with the customer service person saying, "that should be fine - but I'm not sure if you can get through TSA if you try to carry it on"...

IATA Table from 2008 says it's okay as a carry on or a checked bag.

A few web accounts have said that they were allowed to carry it on, check it - and some were completely shut down.

Sounds like getting through TSA might be impossible now - something I found on the TSA site said that any canister carried on has to be empty and visibly open.

I guess I will likely just have to go w/ the IATA Table print-out and the Data Sheet on the canister and trigger and hope they let me check the bag.

My biggest concern is that they let me check the bag and then somebody takes the canister out of the bag - rendering the bag useless and very expensive ($150 to get a new canister).

If they will allow it as a carry on, I'd gladly deal with getting it swapped out for a new canister once in St. Anton.

[Poop~Ghost]

Yep, I've checked the old threads - but word is that in the last year or so TSA has basically changed the rules making it much harder to get through a screening. So to me it seems like I'd rather risk getting held up with a screener - potentially having to deploy the bag, versus having some douche-bag just pull the canister out of my bag.

[Tees-Nutz]

would it be possible to send just the canister to europe? like fedex? just a thought

[jSki]

I've always checked it in. Of the 7 or so flights (domestic and international) I've had it on, the cartridge was taken once on a flight from Denver to Santiago. I think it's a bit of a gamble as whether you try to fill out the paperwork and get denied at the counter, or do nothing and hope they wont see it when the bag goes through xray. Guess that doesn't help much.

[Ripzalot]

i had a guy email me with questions about flying with his snowpulse. in the end, he didn't bring his cannister and rented one for (iirc) only 20chfs (verbier). to fly with your own cannister you have to blow it before you fly over and then again when you fly back, so there's two refills you have to pay for already. offset that with the cost of just renting one and it's not very expensive at all.

[Poop~Ghost]

would it be possible to send just the canister to europe? like fedex? just a thought

Fedex / UPS / USPS consider the cannisters Hazmat and it's a fucking pain and expensive. Cost prohibitive.

Renting a can might be the way to go in St. Anton.

[Jonathan S.]

I know that ABS always stresses how IATA gives them the okay, but doesn't TSA have its own rules that supersede IATA?
(BTW/FWIW, the empty BCA float canisters get through as carry-on.)

[Huck_Schmuck]

I don't know about TSA but my experience of flying in Canada (four times) and Europe (twice) was no problem with the ABS. I had my IATA print out and (here's the trick) packed all the stuff in my ski bag...

The ski bags are oversize luggage, IME, ALL oversize pieces get scanned in front of you. I have my paperwork ready and prepared to argue the toss but I've never had a problem with it. If they did then refuse to fly it, can you get someone to take it home for you and rent one in Europe as above?

When are you flying? I wouldn't bother with an ABS in Europe at this time of the year. What are you skiing? In your other thread you were talking about touring Austria & Switzerland? Do you mean touring or it's a tour? I would seriously think about not bringing the ABS...

[Poop~Ghost]

I don't know about TSA but my experience of flying in Canada (four times) and Europe (twice) was no problem with the ABS. I had my IATA print out and (here's the trick) packed all the stuff in my ski bag...

The ski bags are oversize luggage, IME, ALL oversize pieces get scanned in front of you. I have my paperwork ready and prepared to argue the toss but I've never had a problem with it. If they did then refuse to fly it, can you get someone to take it home for you and rent one in Europe as above?

When are you flying? I wouldn't bother with an ABS in Europe at this time of the year. What are you skiing? In your other thread you were talking about touring Austria & Switzerland? Do you mean touring or it's a tour? I would seriously think about not bringing the ABS...

Basically Starting April 3 we're doing Ischgl -> Heidelberger -> Jamtal Hut -> Weisenbadener Hut.

St. Anton has been getting some pretty good storms and more predicted:
http://www.j2ski.com/snow_forecast/A...berg_snow.html

So I'm still thinking ABS is worth the hassle.

[Meathelmet]

Basically Starting April 3 we're doing Ischgl -> Heidelberger -> Jamtal Hut -> Weisenbadener Hut.

St. Anton has been getting some pretty good storms and more predicted:
http://www.j2ski.com/snow_forecast/A...berg_snow.html

So I'm still thinking ABS is worth the hassle.

It definately is still worth it,april can be a stormy season: big dumps with with warm days... Let alone when the spring starts proper and the avalanche cycles heat up..
I personally stop riding with ABS when the snowpack is homogenous and no new snow has fallen lately.Hell,last summer I rode with one for couple of days in the end of july...

[Professor]

Are you trying to fly with "3 minute abs"

[llyon]

I thought I would bump this thread to see if anyone has new experiences flying with ABS.
Ive tried three times in the past 5 months, all on Continental.
Denver - Boston: Was able to contact the head TSA guy at DIA, he said no way he would let a filled cartridge on the plane, empty one would be fine.
Boston - Buenos Aires: Contacted Continental, they said it was TSA's problem, I was unable to contact Boston TSA (Logan Airport is a shitshow). When I arrived at the airport, Continental refused to let the filled cartridge on, and refused to talk to TSA. I left the cartridge at the airport to be picked up and brought home.
Boston - San Francisco: Continental was able to get me in touch with the head of TSA at Logan, who said that he would not let a filled cartridge on, had to be empty.
I have also been in touch with national TSA contact center a number of times. Each time they insist that ABS should be allowed on based on a rule that allows inflatable PFDs, but it is up to the TSA agent on duty when you fly.

[boltonoutlaw]

People got ABS into SXR. Can't imagine how.

[llyon]

I suppose it would be easier to get an ABS into Srinagar than to get it out... I wonder what happened when they tried to leave.

[Bird Blaster]

A bump as I just wanted someone to clarify.

People are having a harder time bringing the bag IN the cabin, and not so much trouble in your checked baggage (especially if you put it with your ski bag?

I am looking for an airbag that I can travel with a lot with minmal hassel. I was leaning towards the new TNF Patroller pack.

[garyfromterrace]

I travelled to yurp last year with my ABS pack with no problems. However I did my homework and had the IATA regs + the Air Canada regs printed out and ready to present. I packed my ABS, the filled (not attached) cannister, my beacon, probe, shovel, ski suit, gloves, helmet, basically everything I had that was ski related into my ski bag. I had a number of stops there and back where I did get questioned, however with all the appropriate documentation in hand I had no issues. I also presented my self as a confident avalanche professional who needed this equipment and did this all the time

ps.... I'm not & I don't...

[Kai]

It's funny that they will allow bottled oxygen (highly flammable) onto a plane but they hassle you over co2. I see old people with oxygen tanks all the time.

Anyone have a URL link to the IATA regs?

[jrf]

I travelled to yurp last year with my ABS pack with no problems. However I did my homework and had the IATA regs + the Air Canada regs printed out and ready to present. I packed my ABS, the filled (not attached) cannister,

Just want to clarify, or maybe a filled ABS canister is different than a filled Snowpulse cannister - they let you on the plan with a pressurized filled cannister?? I called TSA this week, I'm flying to AK from California, and they said it needs to be empty with the regulator valve off (although just removing the top portion, where you'd replace the burst valve, should be ok if you can show it is in fact empty).

Kai - I wonder if the medi O2 tanks are pressurized significantly less than these cannisters. Snowpulse needs to be a 3000psi. Also Snowpulse takes regular air, not CO2, so maybe there's a difference between them and ABS, and if that's the case, sorry for the confusion on this thread.

[Kai]

From my research last year, ABS is different than Snowpulse. I was told that ABS was allowed on the plane and wasn't hazardous to ship. Snowpulse wasn't. (Which is why I went out and bought a couple of ABS packs for my AK trip.)

I can't swear that this is accurate (sounds like even TSA is confused on this issue) but that was what I was led to understand.

Just want to clarify, or maybe a filled ABS canister is different than a filled Snowpulse cannister - they let you on the plan with a pressurized filled cannister?? I called TSA this week, I'm flying to AK from California, and they said it needs to be empty with the regulator valve off (although just removing the top portion, where you'd replace the burst valve, should be ok if you can show it is in fact empty).

Kai - I wonder if the medi O2 tanks are pressurized significantly less than these cannisters. Snowpulse needs to be a 3000psi. Also Snowpulse takes regular air, not CO2, so maybe there's a difference between them and ABS, and if that's the case, sorry for the confusion on this thread.

[Skidog]

e (sounds like even TSA is confused on this issue)

The TSA is confused PERIOD

[garyfromterrace]

It's funny that they will allow bottled oxygen (highly flammable) onto a plane but they hassle you over co2. I see old people with oxygen tanks all the time.

Anyone have a URL link to the IATA regs?

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/d..._Table-23A.pdf

ABS cyls are different than snowpulse etc. You can get your snowpulse filled at a dive shop or paintball equip dealer and therefore can travel with a non-pressurized cannister which should make things easier for you (if it's not pressurized there is no hazard and therefore it doesn't fall under IATA regs.

I don't understand how ABS can be safer if you're travelling with a non-pressurized snowpulse cannister. As I said before, I did my homework before I left the country (including printing and highlighting the iata regs and taking a picture/printing the aircanada regulations from the check in desk computer at my airport the day before I left).

[Kai]

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/d..._Table-23A.pdf

ABS cyls are different than snowpulse etc. You can get your snowpulse filled at a dive shop or paintball equip dealer and therefore can travel with a non-pressurized cannister which should make things easier for you (if it's not pressurized there is no hazard and therefore it doesn't fall under IATA regs.

I don't understand how ABS can be safer if you're travelling with a non-pressurized snowpulse cannister. As I said before, I did my homework before I left the country (including printing and highlighting the iata regs and taking a picture/printing the aircanada regulations from the check in desk computer at my airport the day before I left).

I understand that ABS is different from Snowpulse. I own 2 Snowpulse bags and 3 ABS bags. I'm pretty familiar with both types.

The problem I was running into was not being able to find a place in Cordova that could/would refill my Snowpulse cylinder. So, flying with an unfilled Snowpulse wasn't an option for me.

[jrf]

The problem I was running into was not being able to find a place in Cordova that could/would refill my Snowpulse cylinder. So, flying with an unfilled Snowpulse wasn't an option for me.

That's exactly my problem. They can fill at the fire station, but it's a timing issue and not super accessible, so it sounds pretty difficult to do.

[garyfromterrace]

I understand that ABS is different from Snowpulse. I own 2 Snowpulse bags and 3 ABS bags. I'm pretty familiar with both types.

The problem I was running into was not being able to find a place in Cordova that could/would refill my Snowpulse cylinder. So, flying with an unfilled Snowpulse wasn't an option for me.

So is the snowpulse cylinder so big that it falls outside of the IATA regulation for the ABS bag? I know the regs state that the cylinder can only be a certain max volume. Perhaps that's why your TSA is getting all bent out of shape?