[Fly2Fish]

Just to follow up with some recent practical experience on carrying PFDs with CO2 cartridges onboard airlines, I recently took in my carry-on baggage a Sospenders inflatable waistbelt-vest, including its one CO2 cartridge and one spare cartridge. (I also sent ahead via UPS Ground to my motel destination 2 extra CO2 cartridges as a precaution). The Transportation Security Administration carry-on baggage screener detected the CO2 cartridges and said they were "forbidden", until I showed him my print-out of the TSA Regulation I previously linked in this thread, as well as the duplicate FAA Regulation, both of which clearly state that a PFD with up to two CO2 cartridges plus an additional two spare cartridges is allowed for either checked or carry-on baggage. The screener took note of it, said this must be a new regulatory change (it wasn't) and allowed me to carry it onboard with me without further incident. Of course, I suppose it's possible that a TSA screener could decide not to comply with the written Regulations, but carrying a copy clearly helped me and I would strongly recommend doing so. For the same reason I would not put CO2 cartridges in checked baggage, since you would not be there to argue the issue if a checked-baggage screener decided to remove them (& at $16 a pop, they're not really throwaway items). Before my return flight, however, I sent all four CO2 cartridges back home via USPS First Class, since there was no need for them to be there for me upon my arrival home.

If anyone wants a copy of my print-out with the TSA Regulation on one side and the FAA Regulation on the other allowing airline transportation of CO2-inflatable PFDs, let me know and I'll e-mail you a scanned copy of mine.