10 replies to this topic

[Black.Ghost]

So I'm at Dortmund airport at the moment and I decided to bring all my good adjustable suspension parts back to put on Emo. I was going to sell them all but what the hell, they weren't going for what I advertised for and thought Id rather use them than lose too much money.

So put them all in my holdall and was a bit worried about the weight. Luckily that was ok. Announcement over the tanoy - can I go to security. Crap

So I speak to the woman who takes me down and I can't bring the shocks back They are krypton gas filled ones. Now I know you can't take gas canisters but I did say to the guy that Krypton is inert but it made no difference. They can't keep them until I come back through in two weeks, that's too long.

Luckily a mate is driving back from the UK past here and will swing in and pick them up. I would have been very upset at losing them

The really frustrating bit is I have bought my mountain bike through here before that has a gas filled pressurised fork and rear shock. No one cared about that.

Hopefully they can be posted as cargo planes have special ways to carry such things. Oh well Ill just have to wait.

Anyone else lost anything at the airport like this either through not thinking about it or simply chancing it?

[mini93]

Where i work the other day, they almost sent out some fire extinguishers which were suppost to go out full but unpressurised. they realised just as they were going to be processed at the airport so they had to rush some correct ones out in time.

I cant see the problem really, the holds are pressured i believe otherwise all the deoderent cans etc would explode surely?

[MaxAndPaddy]

Do kids count?......lost one of those once very embarrassing

[mini93]

Do kids count?......lost one of those once very embarrassing

embarrassing because the plan didnt quite work and they found their way back?

[MaxAndPaddy]

Something like that

[Ethel]

I suppose the issue is something going pop and damaging the aircraft, that'd be more likely if the hold lost pressure and could even apply to sealed stuff that is unpressurised at ground level. Even so, you'd imagine the plane has dampers of its own that aren't that dissimilar.

[Black.Ghost]

Ethel yeah you would think so. I suppose the other thing could be, like my brother pointed out it might say krypton on the shocks but it could be any gas in there really. If you knew what you were doing and do inclined I'm sure you could replace with something dangerous.

In all honesty I'm just glad someone can pick then up.

[MiniElliott]

Airlines won't take anything that is not pre checked or correctly secured. There was an Air Crash Investigation where the plane was carrying "defused" aviation fire extinguishers and tyred wheels in the same hold. Anyway the hold caught fire and blew up. That's why they will only take things that they know are safe. And they defiantly wouldnt go on a passenger plane.

[Black.Ghost]

Yeah I understand its all safety related, I'm not annoyed other than it means I have to wait two weeks before I change the shocks now! And my mate managed to pick them up last night as well which is good news!

I understand the point about them checking stuff etc, but is there any reason that my bike managed to get through the same airport, unchecked?

Does this mean it won't even be able to go on a cargo plane? I plan on popping in to Royal Mail on the way to my garage anyway.

[MiniElliott]

I Imagine you would have to declare what you want to post first. Id start by making sure that they will transport them for you, it depends if they will use a plane or rail for delivery. They probalby would take them on a cargo plane as that is how they are shiped from country to country if they are declared as safe for air transport. other wise they would be shiped around on ships. I think the airport would have just responded to the fact they where unkown items containing unkown materials on a passenger plane.

[govig]

The problem is they are pressure vessels and might cause all sorts of fuss if they let go, however unlikely that may be.

Kr being an inert gas is no problem in itself and as the cabin and hold are pressured to about 8000' that's only the same as taking your shocks 2/3 way up the Alps. Whilst that might illustrate it's a minimal problem (if one at all as cars 2/3 way up the Alps don't have exploding shocks), it's just easier to say no and not take any chance. You might have more luck with air freight though. They are much more clued up as to carrying dangerous goods and might not regard them as anything too problematical.

Edited to add, and everything after this is just my own personal opinion based on personal experience,...... If you do send them air freight, just make sure they don't use pf on any leg of the journey. I had a pressure vessel air-freighted from Germany via DHL (or so I thought). DHL flew it part of the way and then the job was subbed (without any prior notice to the sender or receiver) to pf. They decided if breached their t&cs as it was unsafe to fly and sent the opened and re-sealed packet back to Germany by (you've guessed it) air freight. They charged me the cost both ways and I never got my goods! I can tell you now that you will likely have no recourse against pf no matter how hard you try (and I tried very hard). I eventually took them to Consumer Direct who said something to the effect that I hadn't a chance as (allegedly of course) they appeared to be a law unto themselves. How you can breach t&cs with a firm you don't even know you are going to use is still a mystery!

Edited by govig, 30 April 2012 - 10:53 AM.