Flying paintball safety advisory warning
- Thread starter valkir
- Start date
That's the problem. Last year I flew to 8 + events including Toulouse and Portugal from LAX and did not have any problems. However people flying on other airlines out of other airports had problems. The one trip I took out of Long Beach was a mess, the TSA guys didn't care about the gear, but the one lady at the front desk of Jet Blue was having a fit about the tanks and markers. It'd be much easier for everyone if TSA and the airlines would set one policy and institute it across the board so that when people show up with their equipment they know what is expected. And if that is too much to ask then TSA needs to set a policy and publish it and the airlines need to set their own policies and publish it. For this to happen though it's going to take someone to educate the airlines and TSA about the equipment, because most of the people we have ran into on the front lines don't understand how it works.
United: allows tanks in checked luggage. Tanks must be empty.
Frontier: allows tanks if the regulator has been removed, allowing clear view of the inside of the tank.
ATA: doesn't allow tanks to be flown at all, reg or no. I don't understand that one, as they serve carbonated beverages from cans in-flight, but there it is.
...anyone want to add to the list?
Frontier: allows tanks if the regulator has been removed, allowing clear view of the inside of the tank.
ATA: doesn't allow tanks to be flown at all, reg or no. I don't understand that one, as they serve carbonated beverages from cans in-flight, but there it is.
...anyone want to add to the list?
It has very little to do with the actual airlines. It's all about the TSA. I had a very large paintball company try to take on the TSA and the TSA finally won by saying they could do whatever they felt was needed to save lives. The only real change has to do with the new CO2 tank rule.
United allowed my tanks the last 4 out of 6 times.
American allowed tanks the last 4 out of 4 times.
Spirit stole a tank and confiscated a 2nd one legally.
The funny thing is I've never once had a tank removed on the way back home.
United allowed my tanks the last 4 out of 6 times.
American allowed tanks the last 4 out of 4 times.
Spirit stole a tank and confiscated a 2nd one legally.
The funny thing is I've never once had a tank removed on the way back home.
It has to do with the airlines as well as TSA. TSA sets the first level of rules which the airlines and passengers have to abide by. The airlines can then set a second set of rules which are more restrictive then TSA's rules. ATA is one of those airlines that doesn't allow the tanks regardless of TSA's rules.
The following airlines in the last year have allowed me to travel with my tanks:
United
Southwest
Delta
Song
American
Air France
The following airlines had an issue with the tanks and markers:
JetBlue
TSA has always let my tanks through, however JetBlue had an issue with the tanks and markers leaving Long Beach. They insisted the markers be treated like firearms (locked hard sided case inside of another locked hard sided case, no more than 3 "handguns" or 2 "rifles" in one case). The manager at the JetBlue counter had no idea about the tanks, accept she did say they have yet to have a paintball tank take down a plane and that she wouldn't let our tanks be the first ones to do it... She was confused, she thought the paint actually went inside of the air tank like a squirt gun. These airlines need to be educated on our equipment and that education needs to be passed down the ranks.
Leaving out of Tampa a few weeks ago, TSA did not have an issue with the tanks and markers, but the manager at Delta wanted all of the bags hand screened. She went on high alert when she found out there was a large tournament in the area. My bags had already gone down the conveyor belt and when I arrived in LA my lock had been cut but the tank was still inside. The bag with my markers was untouched.
The following airlines in the last year have allowed me to travel with my tanks:
United
Southwest
Delta
Song
American
Air France
The following airlines had an issue with the tanks and markers:
JetBlue
TSA has always let my tanks through, however JetBlue had an issue with the tanks and markers leaving Long Beach. They insisted the markers be treated like firearms (locked hard sided case inside of another locked hard sided case, no more than 3 "handguns" or 2 "rifles" in one case). The manager at the JetBlue counter had no idea about the tanks, accept she did say they have yet to have a paintball tank take down a plane and that she wouldn't let our tanks be the first ones to do it... She was confused, she thought the paint actually went inside of the air tank like a squirt gun. These airlines need to be educated on our equipment and that education needs to be passed down the ranks.
Leaving out of Tampa a few weeks ago, TSA did not have an issue with the tanks and markers, but the manager at Delta wanted all of the bags hand screened. She went on high alert when she found out there was a large tournament in the area. My bags had already gone down the conveyor belt and when I arrived in LA my lock had been cut but the tank was still inside. The bag with my markers was untouched.
I fly all the time with my paintball gear. The best way I found is not to say anything at the check in. So far in the last 5 years i've been called twice to explain what's in my bags. One time on a layover at ORD, they called me out of the lounge and had me fill out a form that I was carrying paintball equipment (the guy knew exactly what they were and had no problem of them going into the plane but for some reason I had to sign a form that says I have them). The other time was a bit worse, again on a layover, this time in Frankfurtt, I got called out of the plane, they had my bags taken out and asked what kind of batteries they use (it was an Angel) I told them that it's a recharable NIMH battery and they agreed to take my bags on board. I hope they would have given out the X-rays from the back, the stuff looked really cool.
All this is out of flying about 150 000 miles a year with paintball gear.
Never had a problem with Jet Blue btw. I flown with them from JFK to SAN a couple times.
All this is out of flying about 150 000 miles a year with paintball gear.
Never had a problem with Jet Blue btw. I flown with them from JFK to SAN a couple times.
I always tell them about the kit
I've seen few people miss flights whilst trying to explain what they were carrying and why they didnt tell the airline.
The bottom line is that if you tell tham and can demonstrate that the bottle is empty (off the reg is best) then you will have no problems (up till now anyway)
I've seen few people miss flights whilst trying to explain what they were carrying and why they didnt tell the airline.
The bottom line is that if you tell tham and can demonstrate that the bottle is empty (off the reg is best) then you will have no problems (up till now anyway)
No, no it wasn't. I've ALWAYS heard of random people having problems with tanks and/or guns. It just got worse with 9/11.Originally posted by WKD
Errrmm it was problem free before all this