Flying to and Using British Air Bottles in America

[TendringLOEB]

Okay,

Im thinking about going over to America next summer for a couple of weeks, and maybe playing some paintball while im over there...

Now i know theres been lots of discussion before about the various things you have to do before flying with your air cylinder. I was just wondering if someone could clear up for me what exactly you would have to do...

I heard you have to take your reg off the bottle entirely? and what exactly do you say to the nice airport people?

Secondly, say i successfully got my kit across the atlantic and it turns up safe and sound in the airport without being part of a controlled explosion terror threat thingy... can i use a Pi bottle, like fill it safely, legally, at a tournament over there?

Sorry if these questions have been asked many times before, it just seems to me that the general answers seemed ambiguous and to change depending on the person answering, i just wondered if anybody could clarify.

Thanks in advance,

Paul

 

[stevenrules]

you will never get your paintball gear over now cus of the terror scare latly

 

[lemonadeX]

Hmm dunno. Think you'd get away with taking it over as long as you declared it and have some documents to show good reasoning behind you taking it - For example, paintball mags and maybe details of the paintball site you're going to? Better safe than sorry.

 

[TendringLOEB]

Oh yeah thats what i was wondering as well, I hope by next June the scaremongering will have gone down, sorry i mean the 'terror threat' level. pfft.

 

[lemonadeX]

Doubt it But still, as long as its in cargo and not hand luggage they have nothing to worry about.

 

[Milky]

The times iv flown to and from the US with my kit its been ok just a could of things

1) check your air line will accept it send an email to the customer servivce department most trans atlantic carriers will but check tell them its a sporting air weapon they understand it better than paintball marker

2) remove the reg but dont put tissue or any thing in the end the security personal need to see inside the bottle (i carried it in my hand luggage just for ease of checking but at the moment id put in checked luggage)

3) when you check in when they ask do you have any weapons say YES make sure security know that there is a gun in your bag but dont shout it. (thats the only problem i had the first security check i told them id got a paintball marker they didnt understand that was a gun so when i was randomly checked the security guy had a small heart attack and i was surrounded by lots of scary looking security staff) tell them its a paintball GUN

4) down load and print these pages from the american TSA web site

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1745.shtm

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/compressed_gas.shtm

put them with your marker and air tank so if security search your bag they have a referance point for them to check there protacals

Or you could do what i know some pro players do and throw all your kit togeter and just put it in your bag and tell no one (not recomended)

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY PAINTBALL AT ALL
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY PAINTBALL AT ALL
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY PAINTBALL AT ALL
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY PAINTBALL AT ALL

they might think you are smugling drugs, liquid bombs or something but you cant have them at all

 

[Bob]

http://www.p8ntballer-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=68705



Call up BA and ask them, they should be okay with it but due to the hightened circumstances at the moment maybe not.

Definetly take the reg off the bottle so they can have a gander inside if they need to. Do not take any paint in your bags and if possible carry the tank and marker in different bags.

 

[Baca Loco]

TSA is actually pretty good about paintball equipment (tho now paintballs are an issue as they are liquid filled.) Having been to 8 major events this year we've not had a problem at all. And yes, the reg needs to be separate from the bottle. I don't ever announce I'm carrying paintball guns unless asked a question that requires me to do so--which only happened in Hartford--and wasn't a big deal.
Some airlines are more restrictive than the TSA is. If I recall correctly both the PSP and NPPL have posted travel guidelines at their websites. You can also ship your equipment directly to your hotel.

 

[TendringLOEB]

Brilliant, Cheers guys,

I shall do those things when i travel.

Does anybody know about using my air cylinder abroad, as i know you cant legally fill DOT bottles here, i just wondered if it was you cant legally fill Pi bottles over there.

Sorry im still somewhat new to all this.

Cheers

Paul

 

[Bob]

You proble won't be able to fill it unless you use a dive tank, even thoug Pi is higher rated that DOT i don't think it can be used.