[Ruth]

As there was quite a lengthy discussion pre Xmas on theis topic I thought I would note that I took my MSR cooker & fuel bottle (emptied of fuel of course) on Air NZ flights (3) over the holidays without a hitch.

There is a new procedure in place where by you prepare the cooker accordingly, tell them on check in, and sign a form to say you prepared it as required.

It gave the Wgtn check in people pre xmas a slight headache in that they had to check it out with their team leader – who knew it was OK & provided the form to sign. Although the check in attendant had more of a problem with the fact that we wanted to carry packs around on our backs all holidays & not sit on a beach instead!

Flying back from Dunedin after new year the check in staff did not even blink an eyelid when I told them that I had something in my luggage that they may class as dangerous goods – had to get a wind up in there – and then explained what it was. That check in attendant was obviously up with the play & had been briefed about the new regulations that came into affect on Jan 1st, he commented that it was good that procedure had finally been put into place to deal with cookers & that confusion could now be elliminated. I totally agreed with him. He basically looked at the form from the flight down & noted on it that I had done the same procedure prior to the flight back.

Easy as.

The preparation includes putting cooking/vege oil into the fuel bottle…I was a little dubious about it at first but it did not have a hugely significant effect on the performance of the cooker, bit of extra flaring on start up.

I can post the details of the procedure – 2 options avaliable – in a day or 2 as I have not got the form with me right now, but note that it varies slightly from what I had been told prior to Xmas though not greatly & it did not seem to be a problem.

Ruthless

[Shane Connolly]

Hi,

Thanks Ruth!

Good to see Air NZ up with the game! This information is worth publishing to a wide audience. It has been the cause of grief for some time.

Shane

[Geoff Keey]

Clearly I’m too suspicious a character! Well done Ruth!

Cheers

Geoff

[Stephen Patience]

Hi all,

This is a very good example of how well members and non-members can benefit from shared knowledge through an online forum for trampers. There has been a wide range of experiences shared on this very topic over recent months which makes a good story and is great for our website.

I am sure if I checked the WT&MC website Forum admin logues, this topic would be the most disscussed.

Cool.

Regards
Steve Patience

[Allan Mac]

Can the webmaster put the instructions on what to do with your cooker somewhere “permanently” on this site somewhere? It’s just that once Ruth gets the details on here on this forum it will likely disappear over time.

[Andrew]

I flew with AirNZ as well over Xmas with a MSR, bottle separated from pump. When asked if I had gas cooker I said “no”. I aired the fuel tank and pumped out the pump – not a whiff of fumes anywhere. This is the way I have always carried my MSR on flights.

I prefer this to adding water or oil and think it just as safe – but i guess the proper process presumably stops your pack being opened up and cooker extracted once its been thru the xray machine. Good to see they got a process in place.

[Stephen Patience]

Allan Mac raises a good point. I think the Chief Guide may want to distill some of the points made in these discussions and make them available with any other documentation (ie link to Air NZ website, FMC etc with additional information if available) and include this in the Trips section of the website.

Also, these messages can be retrieved by searching the Forums.

Stephen

[Shane Connolly]

Hi,

Yeah I’m sure putting instructions on the website would be a great idea.

I’ll try and see if I can get something in writing from Air NZ.

I had a quick look at the Air NZ website but could not find any information.

Cheers,
Shane Connolly (web boy)

[Ruth]

Here is the details of the form from Air NZ that I mentioned earlier.

Titled: Carriage of Camping Stove & Accessories in Checked Baggage.

– I have drained all flammable liquids from stove, tank or fuel container and allowed it to drain for atleast one hour, and
– I have allowed the tank to be open to the air to ventilate the tank for at least six hours, and
– I have securely fastened the cap and wrapped the stove or fuel container in an absorbent material such as paper towel and placed itin a polythene or equivalent bag, and
– I have sealed the top of the bag with an elasticband, string or equivalent.

OR

– I have drained all flammable liquids from stove, tank or fuel container and flushed these with a vegetable cooking oil or equalivent product to nullify the hazard of the contents, and
– I have allowed the tank to drain of all residual liquids, and
– I have securely fastened the cap and wrapped the stove, tank or or fuel container in an absorbent material such as paper towel and placed itin a polythene or equivalent bag, and
– I have sealed the top of the bag with an elasticband, string or equivalent.

I have contacted the person from Air NZ who I had spoken to pre Xmas to try and arrange the appropriate web link or document etc that we can make avaliable to clubbies, the one I have is written all over & in a rather battered state after its travels! Shane I will foward whatever I get to you.

Ruth

[Greg Thurlow]

Hi

Any progress on getting a soft copy of the form ?
Or a link to where it is ?
Great to hear that there is now a formal process in place

Thanks
Greg

[Sean]

I have a soft copy of that document and will gladly forward it to someone at WTMC if you will provide me a contact email address that will generate the most effective distribution.

please reply direct.

regards

Sean Comber

(NZAC and MZMSC)

[Stephen Patience]

I have put a PDF version of the official Air New Zealand form on this site which was forwarded to the e-team a couple of weeks ago. You can download it here:

<https://www.wtmc.org.nz/download/camping_stoves.pdf>

WT&MC takes no responsibility that this is the official form currently used. It may be of some of use however.

Regards
Stephen

[Author]

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