Daft Question for the Commercial Pilots out there.

Doug Clark · 02-19-08, 08:40 PM

Ok this is probably a stupid question, but I'd rather not have agro at the check in desk.

I've bought some new dampers off eBay in the states, they're currently at a mates house over there.
I intend to bring them back to Australia in my check in luggage from a trip over there later in the year.

The question is then will the airline throw a fit at this or not? I assume if wine bottles can hold themselves together in the hold then a damper would also?

Big-Foot · 02-19-08, 11:25 PM

Assuming they are nitrogen charged and cannot be discharged - I would probably contact the airline ahead of time to check..

If not charged, I'd just use them as clothes rollers to (ahem) keep them all straight...

john · 02-19-08, 11:38 PM

I work for United Airlines. YOU WILL NOT be carry to carry them on!!!!! You must contact the Airline shipping department. This is considered a Dangerous Goods. It will depend on the size and the quantity of the item if it can be loaded on a passenger aircraft. They will give you packing instructions that you need to follow perfectly or it will not go. If it can't go, you will have to by boat or air cargo. Hope this helps!!!

John

John Fitzpatrick · 02-20-08, 01:18 PM

You might check with a mail-order outfit like Summit and ask how they ship similar items.

Ron Earp · 02-20-08, 01:21 PM

I'd pack them up as used dampeners, assign them a value of like $42, and ship them UPS. Put used auto parts on the custom form. Works all the time for me, have done it numerous times and have had no issues and no large taxes on the other end.

Doug Clark · 02-20-08, 05:18 PM

Taxes, aren't the issue, its actually getting them on the plane thats the concern, I guess I should ask Qantas in advance about it. BTW shipping UPS would ~US$450 as opposed to ~US$150 for USPS airmail.
Surface mail between the USA and Australia was stopped last year unfortunately.

David Morton · 02-20-08, 07:57 PM

Dampers - not really a problem. Cars travel all over the world in the holds and nobody takes the dampers off.
Ask away if you need, to but get who ever you are talking to to look at the IATA Dangerous Goods booklet rather than getting a 'job's worth' opinion. I fell foul of such a wanker when I checked in my Dinghy and Life Preserver when I went to Toronto for a ferry flight back to the UK. The Captain came down to the check in to sort it out and told that total tosser to get a life. There are more 'jobs worth' per 100 people in the airlines than any other type of business. If you get a decision from the IATA book, let us all know.
Anyway. lots of systems in the aeroplane uses compressed Nitrogen.

Doug Clark · 02-20-08, 10:16 PM

Talking to Qantas they're questioning what pressure is in the things.
I assume providing its not a ridiculous number then they accept it.
Its hard to believe that a damper would be considered more dangerous than a Oxygen Cylinder which apparently is OK to check in.

Anyway I'm check with the manufacturer to find out what the pressure would have been when they left the factory, will keep you posted.

Ron Earp · 02-20-08, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug68

Talking to Qantas they're questioning what pressure is in the things.
I assume providing its not a ridiculous number then they accept it.
Its hard to believe that a damper would be considered more dangerous than a Oxygen Cylinder which apparently is OK to check in.

Not only okay, but I see then quite a bit. Flew to CA beside a lady with one. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now you're bringing up shocks then hell yes you should be allowed on with them.

Pete. · 02-20-08, 11:32 PM

I flew Qantas Melbourne to Brisbane with shocks in my check in bag. No questions asked. I don't know how I would have gone if they had been in my carry on bag.

Fred W B · 02-21-08, 01:43 AM

These are the car related spoils from my Goodwood FOS 2005 trip, and didn't those coilovers and switches in my hand luggage cause chaos going through Heathrow X Ray baggage check on the day after the London bus explosions happened.

They took the bag away, but put it in the hold okay.

Cheers

Fred W B

CraigB · 02-21-08, 01:50 AM

I had one jobs worth try to stop me putting a inflatable life preserver jacket through in my hold luggage once because it had a compressed CO2 cylinder attached. When I pointed out that there was one under EVERY seat in the plane he let it through!

Dalton · 02-21-08, 06:54 AM

I've had numerous car parts flown into Sydney from the USA via UPS and the costs are typically $100 or $150 (Large carton of air conditioning condenser and 13m of hoses, for example), which I thought quite reasonable. Generally don't have to pay any taxes or duty. However I haven't had pressurised items, but the sensible logic propounded by others on the Forum shuold mean they are a non-issue.
Dalton