Help--Flying Commercial Airlines

[dcjulie99 0]

Im Flying MN to AZ soon & am calling all over checking policies on carry-on baggage, carrying on my rig with a cypress. This is common I thought but airlines all tell me I am taking my chances at getting pulled off the flight if security thinks its a risk. Ive heard horror stories of rigs destroyed in securty when checked, has anyone checked their rig and had it harmed in any way?? Help??

[mattjw916 2]

Do a search... there have been a bunch of threads on this recently.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[quade 4]

First . . . go here.

http://uspa.org/membership/travel/rigs.htm#tsa

Don't "fight" it. Just do what they advise and you'll probably be ok.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[lifewithoutanet 0]

As others have said, there are lots of posts on this...

Get a stash-bag or a carry-on that will accomodate your rig and put it in there; get the TSA letter from Quade's link and have it handy *if* you're questioned. If you're stopped at security, politely ask to speak to a supervisor and get the TSA letter out for them. If/when they do secondary screening of your rig, it is your right to be present. In fact, the TSA letter should state that the rig should at no time leave your sight.

As for:

Quote

has anyone checked their rig and had it harmed in any way??

"When I got to Perris my gear bag had a paper saying they had looked in my bag. On one of my rigs the main pc had been pulled out and the Reserve flap was open, my seal was broken on one side..."

The fact that they can inspect your rig when it's out of your sight (checked) is why I carry mine on. Just don't be a pinhead (whatever my reasons) and not have another bag to put your rig in.

Most of all, keep a calm, cool and level head and be cooperative and you should get through just fine.
Happy travels.
-C.

[freakyrat 1]

Take Quades advice in an earlier post. Secondly I assume your flying Northwest out of MN. It's fine I've flown with my rig on Northwest with no problems.

You can check other posts on this subject. The USPA, The airlines, SSK and TSA have all taken care of this item for us.

I even checked one rig to the WFFC this summer using Delta to Champaign with NO Problems. TSA even let me lock the bag it was in here in Houston after they ran it through the machine.

Chris

[Pubwoof 0]

Another thing to consider: Use a soft carry-on bag that isn't too much bigger than your rig. Pack only your rig in the bag even if it means letting your helmet/etc. ride in your suitcase down below. If the airline determines your carry-on bag is too big to fit in the overhead bins, no amount of complaining will prevent them from making you check it too, which means it'll be out of your sight. Had a close call once at MSP flying Northwest.

The glass isn't always half-full OR half-empty. Sometimes, the glass is just too damn big.