I actually went to the Department of Transport for a definitive (so I thought) answer to this problem. Please see attachment. Got fed up of some airports being OK like Girona and some not being OK like Seville and Stansted being OK some of the time. Last time my girlfriend and I flew to Empuria she got through the xray desk and I didn't, both carrying them over our shoulders although she did pick a different desk to me ! We both were then sent back to the Ryanair check in and only just got them in prior to the 40mins cutoff. In my view if the airport staff say no there is nothing you can do even if you carry the Cypres card or this letter. They have the final say and sadly some airport workes seem to get a kick out of this power. Not worth the stress and worry of checking in a rig naked not to mention possibly missing the flight too so mine will go in the hold from now on.
As a confirmation of Dels post, I'm a skydiver who just happens to be in the airline/airport security business - ALWAYS check your rig in as HOLD baggage. The automatic screening equipment in use at most modern European airports will easily identify and clear the AAD as posing no threat. Whereas any item of CABIN baggage which is discovered to contain things like batteries, microprocessor and wiring (not to mention the explosive charge in the Cypres cutter unit) will naturally cause the unwanted attention from the humans being doing the security screening.
I've never had a problem with my rig as hold baggage. Hope that this helps.
Re: Rigs with AADs as hold luggage
Short answer: Yes.
Do you mean HAND luggage or HOLD luggage?
The answer is yes in either case, but the security staff may have a different view.
Read this:
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12121&p=130891
and this
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5438
and this
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3102
Regds Phil
"You're a long time dead" - My Dad
Re: Rigs with AADs as hold luggage
Thanks Phil that's fantastic reading
Just need to decide whether to take it as hand or hold. Probably go for hold.
:-)
Re: Rigs with AADs as hold luggage
I actually went to the Department of Transport for a definitive (so I thought) answer to this problem. Please see attachment. Got fed up of some airports being OK like Girona and some not being OK like Seville and Stansted being OK some of the time. Last time my girlfriend and I flew to Empuria she got through the xray desk and I didn't, both carrying them over our shoulders although she did pick a different desk to me ! We both were then sent back to the Ryanair check in and only just got them in prior to the 40mins cutoff. In my view if the airport staff say no there is nothing you can do even if you carry the Cypres card or this letter. They have the final say and sadly some airport workes seem to get a kick out of this power. Not worth the stress and worry of checking in a rig naked not to mention possibly missing the flight too so mine will go in the hold from now on.
Re: Rigs with AADs as hold luggage
As a confirmation of Dels post, I'm a skydiver who just happens to be in the airline/airport security business - ALWAYS check your rig in as HOLD baggage. The automatic screening equipment in use at most modern European airports will easily identify and clear the AAD as posing no threat. Whereas any item of CABIN baggage which is discovered to contain things like batteries, microprocessor and wiring (not to mention the explosive charge in the Cypres cutter unit) will naturally cause the unwanted attention from the humans being doing the security screening.
I've never had a problem with my rig as hold baggage. Hope that this helps.
Regards
John
Re: Rigs with AADs as hold luggage
Thanks John and Del,
That settles the last question then, in the hold it goes.
:-)) Davvers