Flying with Co2 canisters?

jimmurray

My wife got called back through security at Bristol last year. They had found the 12 cylinders I'd put in her case, they let her keep a couple.

wavefront

Fenix wrote:

You were taking 7 canisters?

Yup. Was doing the HR Alpes over 7 days. I took absolutely everything.

thomasmorris

Going through gatwick I've never had a problem with co2 canisters. And I've never deflated tyres. Same at Malaga.

Aberdeen however, I've twice had co2 canisters removed when x-rayed at the over sized luggage drop. Second time I questioned it and the guy got very shirty with me.

Advice of the airline is one thing, but it's the airport staff who check the bags and decide what's let through.

It makes no sense though. Obviously there are CO2 canisters on the plane for life jackets. And even if the hold was total vacuum (zero pressure), as far as I understand it that would only increase your tyre pressure by 1 bar, or 15 psi... hardly going to blow it off the rim! And the CO2 canister are at about 57 bar anyway, so one extra bar isn't going to make it explode. However, all cargo holds are pressurized anyway!

I guess that leaves the only reason for taking them out is that they look like some form of bomb that can be activated remotely.

Legs11

I have traveled with them checked luggage/bike boxes OK, on various airlines....

I did however have an amusing experience at Heathrow security once, where I had accidentally left a half used canister & adapter in the bottom of my day sack i use for commuting, which I had completely forgotten about. I wasn't even going on a cycling related trip (...sadly). I then had to expend said canister in front of everyone in order to retain the adapter, which made an awful noise & i freeze burned my finger..... lesson learned!

Dorset_Boy

Flew Easyjet from BRS to Mallorca in Easter week with CO2 in my hold luggage without issue in either direction. same for quite a few others in our party.
It does seem stupid to ban them from the hold when every life jacket has one (or maybe they don't!!!!!!!!)

rjgr

This is an area where British Cycling and all the other lobby groups we as cyclists fund, or who want to curry favour with us because cycling can resolve big congestion issues and save the NHS a fortune, need to kick politicians to address this nonsense.

It is mad for individual airlines or the grumpy jobworths who man airport scanners to decide whether these are safe on an aeroplane (particularly in hold baggage), when as many have pointed out there is a CO2 cylinder of exactly the same specification under every seat on the plane!

BTW fishermen and sailors who travel with lifejackets get exactly the same contemptuous treatment.

We are the customers ultimately paying for this stupidity hiding behind fatuous safety and anti -terrorist rhetoric.

Mr Dog

Nothing to do with the airlines. IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. We find .. they are removed.

stueys

I've stood behind 3 guys at Mallorca waiting to check my bike box in. They x-rayed each box and found canisters in each, which they then made the guys open up and extract. It added an 'enjoyable'. 20 minutes to waiting in a queue....

mamba80

rjgr wrote:

This is an area where British Cycling and all the other lobby groups we as cyclists fund, or who want to curry favour with us because cycling can resolve big congestion issues and save the NHS a fortune, need to kick politicians to address this nonsense.

It is mad for individual airlines or the grumpy jobworths who man airport scanners to decide whether these are safe on an aeroplane (particularly in hold baggage), when as many have pointed out there is a CO2 cylinder of exactly the same specification under every seat on the plane!

BTW fishermen and sailors who travel with lifejackets get exactly the same contemptuous treatment.

We are the customers ultimately paying for this stupidity hiding behind fatuous safety and anti -terrorist rhetoric.

what a prat.

So you know more than airline safety experts? or think that the people who try to stop real terrorists getting a bomb/knife or gun on aboard are "jobworths" just so YOU can save 3 euros on a fuggin CO2 cylinder?

fenix

Rjgr Dude - just go with a pump. CO2 are only useful for race events.

Pretttty sure its not CO2 canisters making the nation fat. And the NHS would be better off if we banned them all anyway and had to hand pump. Ooer.

wozza_a

I realised I hand some in my hand luggage at my destination hotel. Would have passed through airport security. They must have looked odd, but weren't picked up.

I'd have had a hard time explaining what they were for, no threading, no branding, and I wasn't travelling with my bike.

cgfw201

Any new regulations on this? easyJet and IATA websites fairly vague from what I can see. Flying LGW > Mallorca...

fat daddy

I haven't read all 3 pages as my time is far far more important .... but if no one has suggested, just poke a few up your bum, you can probably fit a couple there before you go past the rectal shelf and they will never search you .. you will be fine

fenix

cgfw - if they find them they will take them out. Just take a pump.

fat daddy

Even the smallest of pumps is harder to poke up your bum ... use co2

FatTed

All airlines I have flown with specifically say CO2 canisters are OK in checked luggage, but the airports tend to have different rules.

shamrock134

I flew to Zurich for a race last July and needed to bring CO2. I didn't want to buy it at inflated (pun intended) prices from the event.

I thought I'd be upfront about it and told someone at the airport I was bringing 2 canisters. They went to speak to their manager who was an ****hole and said I'd be removed from the flight if I tried to take them on.

I decided he was a **** and went through security with them anyway. I simply spoke to a person there and showed them the website for Easyjet which states for hold AND cabin luggage:

Small non flammable gas cylinders, containing carbon dioxide or other suitable gas in Division 2.2. Up two (2) small cylinders fitted into a life jacket, and up to two (2) spare cartridges per person, not more than four (4) cylinders up to 50 ml water capacity for other devices.

The person then let me through with 2 CO2 canisters in my hand luggage. I'd agree though, unless for a race, it's not worth the potential hassle and I'd be fine with my usual mini-pump.

fenix

I think the issue is that if it gets picked up after you've dropped the luggage off at their desk - it won't be Easyjet's staff checking for canisters. For me its not worth the hassle to save a couple of quid at the other end.

If they see it in your bike bag - it will get opened up and they won't be as careful as you are with repacking it.

I'm sure the baggage check guys at Nice Airport have a nice sideline going with all of the CO2 canisters they confiscate after races over there.

dish_dash

Not worth the hassle. I nearly missed my flight to Geneva last year because I had a couple of canisters in my bike box. It was only as I went to board the flight that they called my name and said there was an issue as the the team scanning checked/oversized luggage that picked up on it. Had to go back through passport control and deal with the issue. The easyjet rep didn't want to make a call despite their website saying its ok to check in CO2 and the manager on the phone was equally unhelpful. Didn't want to miss the plane so just ditched them but had to go re-checkin and back through security to make the flight by the skin of my teeth...

dish_dash

wavefront wrote:

Fenix wrote:

You were taking 7 canisters?

Yup. Was doing the HR Alpes over 7 days. I took absolutely everything.

How often do you expect to puncture?

fenix

The sooner frame pumps become trendy again - the better !

cgfw201

Update post-trip.

Had 2 in hand luggage on way out (Gatwick) and back (Palma), no trouble at either end.

easyJet guidelines are 2 per person is fine, and both airports seemed to agree. Gatwick opened the pocket to check them out, and at Palma I took them out and put in separate tray.

cgfw201

Update post-trip.

Had 2 in hand luggage on way out (Gatwick) and back (Palma), no trouble at either end.

easyJet guidelines are 2 per person is fine, and both airports seemed to agree. Gatwick opened the pocket to check them out, and at Palma I took them out and put in separate tray.

phil485

So probably a new thread. Where is best to buy some canisters at costa teguise, lanzarote

johnnymcg259

Fenix wrote:

The sooner frame pumps become trendy again - the better !

imafatman

Check the airline rules - it will be listed. Also check the specific rules for the country you are returning from. Print it all out.

I used to fly with a lot of lithium batteries and frequently had to show airport + airline staff the rules because they often got it wrong. Never had a problem - just been held up through security. I suspect the same can be said of anything like this too.

sungod

Phil485 wrote:

So probably a new thread. Where is best to buy some canisters at costa teguise, lanzarote

try the bike station, or there's renner bikes in pdc which isn't that far

if you do intend using co2, don't try bring it back - if they x-ray your stuff at arecife it'll show up - i had a very annoying time stuck behind a queue of inconsiderate idiots who all thought they could get away with it and one by one had to open up and dispose of the cartridges - they could all see what was happening but still failed to do the obvious thing and ditch the cartridges before it was their turn, took bloody ages, grrr

phil485

sungod wrote:

Phil485 wrote:

So probably a new thread. Where is best to buy some canisters at costa teguise, lanzarote

try the bike station, or there's renner bikes in pdc which isn't that far

if you do intend using co2, don't try bring it back - if they x-ray your stuff at arecife it'll show up - i had a very annoying time stuck behind a queue of inconsiderate idiots who all thought they could get away with it and one by one had to open up and dispose of the cartridges - they could all see what was happening but still failed to do the obvious thing and ditch the cartridges before it was their turn, took bloody ages, grrr

Yeah I know Arecife are tough. I just didnt want to take a pump and canisters. Be good to know where to puck some up in case i get stopped at birmingham on the way out. 3 weeks, need the holiday!!

sungod

there's also pro bike (aka pro bici) in la santa, the shop on the corner