Flying with (or without) Life-jacket CO2 Bottles

[andyjbartlett]

This was mentioned in this months magazine so I thought I had better check with Easyjet before flying to Scotland tomorrow. They will not allow cannisters to be carried at all !! Surely they are the same cannisters in the 200+ lifejackets that they carry ?? Is this blanket no on all airlines or just Easyjet ?

 

[Colin_S]

4 of us travelled by Easyjet with lifejackets in our luggage recently. I also had a rearming kit so a total of 5 cylinders. No problems encoutered but did not ask if it was OK so the moral is keep quiet about it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[snowleopard]

It depends on (a) which airline (b) who you happen to speak to (c) whether they got any last night. Whatever answer you get will be delivered like a pronouncement from the Vatican with no possibility of discussion. The fact that they carry loads of them on every aircraft cuts no ice.

You may be assured by one person on the phone that it's OK then refused by another at checkin. The airline industry spawns more jobsworths than BR!

 

[LadyInBed]

If you think that you might not like the answer, don't ask the question.
Human nature is such these days that to any question that might have a safety implication the 'Cover Your A rse' principle kicks in. It is so much easier to say no than to be held accountable at a later date.

 

[Lizzie_B]

I came back from Madrid with Easy Jet. I think problem is attitude of person you speak to. They look at the little safety card at the desk- see that it says no compressed gas cylinders- and say no. Those members of staff with a committment to customer services (as on that day at Madrid) then get out the big, more detailed Easy Jet acceptable luggage items file and see that inflatable life jackets are permitted, one per person with cylinder attached to jacket- she also went the extra mile and phoned through to the security screening area to let them know that it was ok for me to bring it on.

 

[ditchcrawler]

Easyjet do allow gas lifejacket bottles as hand luggage.Ask for a supervisor at the desk if they say no.Many of their staff do not know their own rules.

 

[3reefs]

We picked up a boat abroad. We flew but we had to send liferaft, flares and lifejackets by sea. Even WD40 was an issue.

Statement that under every airline seat is an inflatable lifejacket cuts no ice!

As a practical rough tough yottie I think the above is OTT. However, as a not very relaxed air passenger I am relieved to know that there are regulations about this.

 

[Lizzie_B]

Who did u fly with? I agree flares and liferaft should go 'special' and probably the WD 40, but I fly about 10 times a year with my life jacket. The cartridge actually is not very highly pressurised and contains a relatively small amount of gas. I always clear it with airline first. Very often their full luggage regs can be found on their websites. They vary slightly (eg delta prefer them in checked baggage as opposed to the more common hand baggage requirement), but usually allowance is one perperson with cylinder attached to jacket.

 

[BrendanS]

agree. I've been posting pretty much the same message for years, since it was first raised.

Conditions vary between airlines, and you need to talk to someone who can actually check their particular regulations, not just check in staff or call centre. Ask to speak to a supervisor who can check that airlines regs directly. Then get their name, or preferably in writing if you suspect there will be problems.

I checked this out at the time with my sister who had been air crew for years, and was a crew trainer. Things tightened up a bit after 9/11, but basic regulations for carriage of life jackets and co2 cylinders didn't change much