Meg travel

UWSojourner

Maybe this has been discussed. If so point me to it.

What do you put the Meg in for travel on planes? Also, if cylinders aren't available at destination, how do you ship them?

julie

Hi there,


I bought a pelican case size 1610 which fits everything bar the cylinders in. by that I mean the counterlungs, hoses, gauges bail out regs wing and the meg can.
I take the head unit on as hand luggage but it would fit in the case too.

hope this helps a bit

Julie

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UWSojourner

That case is about 30lb empty. Do you know how much the thing weighs full of Meg stuff?

schford

We got one for Sarah too fairly loaded (inclduing head) it weighs 30.4kg and weight limit in metric is 32kg.

We were really glad we did as I had been skeptical but when we came back from Grand Cayman - the Meg got to Newark Airport but then it went to LA, then back to New York then to Tel Aviv then to London!!!

Took over a week and we were slightly worried in the end got here case was bashed about but Meg was perfect!!!

Stuart

decoweenie

Isn't that the limit only for flights involving a US destination, and the rest is only ~20kg ?

So you would have to pay for extra luggage going outside of US destinations.

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"...after a while you get bored offering advice to a bull that like to keep butting the fence with its head rather than walking through the open gate..."

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MikeH

Carry it on, then. At least in the US, luggage is not weighed when you carry it on....plus, then you know exactly where it is.

Mike

UWSojourner

United Airlines will let you carry the 1610 with you. It's outside dimensions total 56" - the limit is 62".

However, their domestic weight limit on checked bags is 50lb(23kg). So it looks like I'll have to carry it on.

Thanks everyone.

decoweenie

I don't know about that...

Some of the US airports where we went thru lately, the X-ray scanner have template installed that only certain size of carry-on will fit thru. I know that the Meg is small, but I doubt if a bag containing all of the unit will.

And I have had my carry-on weighted as well if they look suspiciously larger than regulation size.

Since, I always wear long sleeve so no one sees me straining my veins to make the carry-on looking light...

Anyway, the drawback of having a carry-on outside of the allowable weight and size limits is if you are caught, and forced to check it thru, then most likely the carry-on bag is not strong enough to guarantee safe passage thru the conveyor ride...

__________________
"...after a while you get bored offering advice to a bull that like to keep butting the fence with its head rather than walking through the open gate..."

- Rebreather World PM

Deep Thought

After taking the meg to Chuuk and standing in line for two hours at the agent counter trying to convince an airline employee that the scrubber can was not actually a cylinder, although it was cylindrically shaped, and that it should not count against the airlines cylinder policy... The ticket agent later confided in me that the tote boxes that I transported the rebreather in set off visual alarms and that I would be better suited transporting my "sporting goods" in luggage that looked conventional. Not that a person would be able to hide anything, but the less intimidating the luggage looked the less barriers were put up.



Traveling domestically and to all corners with my rebreather I find that by putting the ccr into conventional luggage I have fewer cases when I have been overweight and actually charged a fee. I have had instances where I have had to shift weight from one bag to another, or carry on to avoid penalty. And there are times when I have carried the can and head on my overhead carry on. Unfortunately I have found that there is no consistency in the airline industry and the only thing you can rely on is how the people interpret their companies policies so above all be polite and patient.



Lately I have been seeking destinations such as Truk, Kona HI, Caymans, etc. that have rebreather cylinders/chemical available as it eases the weight and travel burdens.



If you have to take cylinders, you must remove the valve and be ready to show the inspectors that there is no compressed gas in a cylinder even if the valve has been removed. Check the airlines policy on line, and print out a copy to show the airline agents.

Gibbon

This thread seems inconclusive -

In a 1610 Pelican case the meg will travel happily as hold baggage, but it (in conjunction with other kit) is too heavy even for most business class flights bagage allowance. As hold luggage it should be declared - Malaysian Airlines web site: 9.7.1 You may declare a value for Checked Baggage in excess of the applicable liability limits. If you make such a declaration, you must pay additional charges in accordance with our Regulations

As to carrying it on the plane - airlines seem to vary as to what they will let you get away with, and much of it comes down to the day and how busy the flight is.

from the Air Asia web site:
1. How much baggage can I check-in on AirAsia flights?
Each guest is allowed 15 kilograms of checked-in baggage. Checked baggage in excess of 15 kilograms is subject to excess baggage charge.
2. What is the maximum hand baggage dimension allowed?
With effect from 1 August 2004, only one (1) piece of hand baggage per guest is allowed. The maximum dimension of baggage is not to exceed 56cm x 36cm x 23cm/22” x 14” x 9” and the weight shall not exceed 7kgs. Guests who carry additional baggage/s must attach exemption tags to bags.
(which means that for air aisa the 1610 Pelican is too large)

Returning from our last OC trip with aa we got stung on the way out for excess baggage, returning we stripped everything metal or heavy from our dive gear and had over 15kg each in small rucksacks - must have look a sight on the x-ray machine :-) (backplate, D-Rings, stage mounting kits)

I am thinking that we are more likely to get away with carrying the canister, loop, head and lungs in a soft bag as per Decoweenie suggests than by putting everything is a solid sensible case.

So should I purchase Pelican 1610 with the meg or not? Thoughts to add to the confussion greatly appreciated.



I recon this thread will remain inconclusive


EDIT::: DECISION MADE airplanes are just part of our travelling and only one consideration - we are going to get the Pelican cases.