Flying and Diving

Flying After Diving

There are some important safety guidelines that you have to keep within when you plan to fly after diving. The dive medical community offers the following general recommendations for flying after diving.

For dives within the No-Decompression Limits:
Single Dives – A minimum preflight surface interval of 12 hours is suggested.

Repetitive Dives and/or Multiday Dives:
A minimum preflight surface interval of 18 hours is suggested.

For Dives requiring Decompression Stops:
A minimum preflight surface interval greater than 18 hours is suggested.

Important. No flying after diving recommendations can guarantee decompression sickness will never occur. The above guidelines represent the best estimate presently known for a conservative, safe surface interval for the vast majority of divers.

You are responsible for your own dive safety and behaviour before, during and after your diving holiday with Tropical Sky, so the best advise to follow is be conservative.

Guidelines for takeing your own diving equipment on flights

Taking your own diving equipment away with you on international flights can be a stressful experience if you don’t stick to within each airlines rules on taking diving equipment on their flights. All diving equipment must be packed separately from your main luggage and within the airlines allowances or you will be charged an extra fee. Some charter airlines will charge you a set fee for taking your diving equipment on their flights, but this is for a maximum extra weight allowance of usually 10 – 20 kilos.

Tropical Sky have produced a guide on each airlines current baggage allowance which is shown below. This information is to be used as a guide only and we recommend you speak to the airline directly as soon as you have confirmed your booking with us to advise them you are taking scuba diving equipment and pay any relevant fees.

• British Airways Scuba diving equipment can be carried free of charge weighing up to a maximum of 23kgs.
• Virgin Atlantic Scuba diving equipment can be carried free of charge weighing up to a maximum of 32kgs.
• Sri lankan Airlines Divers receive and extra 10kgs luggage allowance in addition to their free 20kgs standard baggage.
• Monarch Airlines Scuba diving equipment is charged at £22.50 per sector for an extra 13kgs and can be paid for at the airport or pre-paid online or over the phone after you have booked your flights. Save £5 by pre-booking.
• Thomson Fly Divers can get an additional 5kgs free of charge upon production of a valid PADI or diving certificate.
• Easyjet Scuba diving equipment is charged at £16.50 per sector and can be paid for online or at the airport.
• Air Mauritius Scuba diving equipment is charged at €20 per sector for up to an extra 20kgs and can be paid for at check in.
• Emirates Scuba diving equipment is subject to normal excess baggage charges if you exceed you normal luggage allowance of 20kgs.
• Singapore Airlines An excess charge of 6kgs will be charged if your scuba diving equipment and other checked baggage exceeds your free allowance of 23kgs. This will apply up to a maximum excess of 15kgs.
• South African Airways Normal excess charges will apply if your scuba diving equipment and checked luggage exceeds your free allowance of 20kgs.
• Kenyan Airways Scuba diving equipment can be carried free of charge if the total weight of your checked luggage is within your free luggage allowance. Excess baggage charges will apply if you exceed your free allowance.
• Thai Airways Scuba diving equipment can be carried free of charge if the total weight of your checked luggage is within your free luggage allowance. Excess baggage charges will apply if you exceed your free allowance.