Travelling with monofins

[Golfinho]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone has experienced any problems travelling by aircraft with monofins, damage etc.
Is it normal that you are allowed to carry them as onboard luggage when travelling overseas or usually the airlines make you put them in the hold? if so do they stand up well to abuse if wrapped well with towels etc.???

Cheers.

Golfinho

[fabrice]

I had no problem to carry them as unboard luggage. Sometimes you'll have the crew keep it in a safe place during flight.

I won't bet an euro on a mono after a flight in the hold...

Fabrice

[Erik]

I've done both: carry-on and in the hold. I used to take it on the plane and put it behind some seats against a bulkhead. Now I just put it in the hold, but make sure it goes on the 'Fragile' pile....they should throw that on the top, at least. I've had no problems either way.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[Veronika]

Hi,
I always check my mono in with the normal luggage. I have taken it with me on about six flights during the last four month. It worked well but I am extremely cautious with wrapping it. My DIY-construction (thanks Markus for the initial idea !): I bought a plastic slab they normally use for greenhousesat a DIY-store and cut it in the shape of the mono. I made two of these and stuck them together with duck tape at the "straight edge". So they kind of fold over the mono. Since I need towels for a competition anyway, I use them as padding.
Works fine.

Veronika

[samdive]

I also wrap my fins in towels and put them in the hold with fragile written all over them, it helps if you have more than one fin in the bag as they support each other. I used to always insist on them coming on board with me but got sick of a)arguing about it every single time and b)carrying them around the airport for hours.

Howard Jones of Freediver does a padded monofin travel bag that I use, like a surfboard bag that gives the fins more protection
howard@freediver.co.uk

Sam

[Golfinho]

yeah Sam, who needs that extra hassel right!

I guess wrap them as well as possible, write fragile all over bag and hope for the best with the cargo handlers. Does Howard sell those bags online by any chance???

[samdive]

no but he'll send you one if you call him with a credit card

[Alun]

Golfinho, i've sent you an PM...

[immerlustig]

i think i met one guy once who used a coffin-type case for his fin.
any ideas, alun?


roland

ps: at least it wasn't painted black with a cross on it.......

[Alun]

that box was the ultimate in monofin protection but it was a bit on the heavy side, so i now use another home-made "case" which is a plywood "sandwich" for the blade held together with velcro. it's almost as good and much lighter and easier to carry.

[Golfinho]

Hey Roland,

How much longer will you be in Thailand? Coming out there next month.

[Lambis]

I have send a email to Howard to ask about the padded monofin travel bag and how we can pursale it but I think that his email in not working anymore...
freediver.co.uk is down to???

Any tips where we can pursale this bag??

Lambis

[Donna]

Hi Lambis,

Try putting a post on the guestbook at www.freeology.co.uk - its the temporary freediver guestbook. Howard obviously reads this and will hopefully answer your question.

Hope you are well

Donna

[immerlustig]

@gofinho

will be in malaysia the next weeks, then back in thailand until end of april/beginning of may. send me a pm about your travel/diving plans. maybe we can hook up.

roland

[ukfinswimmer]

With the GB finswimming team carrying about 10 to 20 fins per trip, we have learnt a whole series of methods for carrying monos. Here are the basic tricks:

1. Try to carry fins in bags that hold between three and four fins.
2. Always get them in the hold as outsized luguage. (They rarely weigh them!)
3. Use the bags as excess weight carrying as they rarely weigh them - wrap the blades in towels and t-shirts, some on each fin, then, using the biggest towels, around the whole lot. The more layers the merrier as it is usually the temperature that does the most damage. Monofins do not like freezing temperatures and will crack.
4. Explain at the check in desk that they are sports equipment and that they must be marked with the airplane company's own fragile stickers/tape.
5. Always have photographs of the fin ready should you find that they have got cracked in the process. The flight company will give you a form to claim with.

Since carrying out these procedures, we have never had any problems. We have never been allowed our fins in the cabin and you are unlikely to as well, given the current security concious climate. Remeber - it is the temperature difference that is most likely to damage your fin not manhandling. Wrapping them prevents damage from both. Boxes are heavy and may not stop them from cracking.

All the best.

UK Finswimmer.