Travel with Rig (check in vs carry on)

[fergs 0]

I've travelled with my rig on hundreds of commercial flights over the years - mostly international flights.

In the early years I would always check it. But last 5 or 10 years have been taking it as hand luggage more and more. Now that's all I do.

Certainly have not had any issues in Australia on either Qantas or Virgin.

I put my rig into a soft over the shoulder gear bag and simply carry it as if it was any-old-hand-luggage. The security people at Xray have never questioned it. But I have the Cypress card with me in case.

Blue Skies,

fergs

[cornishe 0]

pelican case?

i put two rigs in a stash bag and throw it over my shoulder. domestic and international. No one suspects its weight because its just a black bag. I've been using vertigo's semi heavy duty bag.

Abbie Mashaal
Skydive Idaho
Snake River Skydiving
TandemBASE

[masher 1]

Quote

I have spoken to QANTAS over the phone and they said that they believe their policy does NOT allow parachutes to be on taken as carry on. The phone line was poor but I believe it was in the Operating instructions, about sporting goods. However I have not found similar on their site so I have requested the document. I have sent QANTAS and Virginblue an email requesting information on this topic and I will post here when I get a firm answer. .

I've taken my rig on three trips around Oz (the latest about 2 wks ago), all on qantas, and all carry on. I haven't had any dramas at all.

I put my rig in a backpack, take off my hook knife, and everything is dandy. I do carry my log book, just so I can show that it is legitimate sporting gear. Haven't had to show it yet.

--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

[michaelqld 0]

I recently travelled from Sydney to the US. My rig was in a backpack with my lead and helmet and jumpsuit etc. I checked in the backpack. While in Washington the TSA made me pop my reserve and pull my cypress out. Lucky I had my tools with me to reclose my reserve.

I had all sorts of documentation with me but they would not listen. I asked for the supervisor, but I was already talking to him. No matter what I said they still wanted me to pop my reserve. If I was a local I would have kicked up more of a stink but because I was a foreigner I did not want to push my luck too far so I just did it there on the spot in the TSA screening area.

Good thing I had turned up 2 hours early for my flight.

[bob.dino 1]

Ouch. Not nice .

Congrats on your placing in Lake Wales! See you in Moruya...

[point-break 0]

When using the backpack approach, what do you do with it when going through security?

You just plunk it down on the conveyor belt and send it through the xray as-is? Haven't tried this, but i would imagine it would immediately draw attention / concern...no?

[Tisket 0]

I flew from Atlanta to LA, and Sacramento to Atlanta with my rig as carryon a few months ago. I just had it in a homemade rigsleeve and dropped it on the conveyor at the TSA checkpoint. Atlanta swabbed the 3-rings and then handed it back to me, Sac didn't care at all.

I had my cypress card and a pullup cord just in case (not a rigger, so I'd have argued some about popping the reserve), but it was really a non-event. Your biggest issue, depending on the size of the rig and the size of the aircraft, will be fitting it in overhead storage.

If you can't convince them, keep them confused.

[Ninjagecko 0]

Noticed my local airport has started to swab for ''explosives''. Anyone had that test done on a carry on rig with a cypres? Problems?

[chips26 4]

Ninjagecko

Noticed my local airport has started to swab for ''explosives''. Anyone had that test done on a carry on rig with a cypres? Problems?

My buddy was coming back from Dallas pretty recently and got swabbed. Tested positive for explosives so they made him pop the reserve. Our guess is that he slid a couple landings in on the grass and had some traces of fertilizer on it.

[Squeak 17]

Ninjagecko

Noticed my local airport has started to swab for ''explosives''. Anyone had that test done on a carry on rig with a cypres? Problems?

I travel internationally with my rig OFTEN. I have had it inspected and swabbed many times over the years, it's not just a recent thing.
I always ask the Sec guys if they have handled a parachute before if they want to touch it. If they say no, i explain to them what they should not tamper with and why.
I ALWAYS treat them with the utmost respect and courtesy.
In 12 years of traveling all over the world with my gear I have never encountered a problem. Only ever on one occasion have i been told I could not take my rig as carry on and it went to hold.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
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