For boaters travelling by air to enjoy boating away from home, bringing along a CO2 cylinder for a self-inflatable personal flotation device (PFD) through airport security was frequently not an option due to a policy set by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

But after a recent request from a member of US SAILING’s Safety-At-Sea Committee, the TSA amended its policy, allowing boaters to travel through security checkpoints at airports nationwide with a CO2 cylinder.

US SAILING cautions boaters that while this change in TSA policy allows boaters to carry a cylinder through airport security, the decision on whether the cylinder can be taken on board a plane still lies with the airline company the passenger is flying with. US SAILING recommends that boaters check with the airlines directly to find out if the CO2 cylinder can be taken on board.

The amended TSA policy calls for “a compressed gas cylinder exception for both carry-on and checked baggage that allows 2 compressed gas cylinders fitted into a self-inflating life-jacket and two spare cartridges with the approval of the aircraft operator.” This amendment by the TSA now is in line with policies that were already in place at the Federal Aviation Administration and the United States Coast Guard.

The CO2 cylinder is a compressed gas cylinder that inflates a self-inflatable PFD. The most common inflatable PFDs have a cord that needs to be pulled in order to activate the gas cylinder and inflate the device.

For the complete working on TSA’s policy, please visit the TSA website.