Hexamine/Esbit on a plane?

[cams]

Anyone know if I'm allowed to take Esbit solid fuel tablets in my checked in luggage on a plane? I'm flying out for NZ tomorrow and don't want to have to find fuel over there if possible. Unless Macpac sells it because I'll be going there anyway. They don't list it on their website though. Other option is a disposable gas canister stove but can't see them listed on Macpac's site either.

[johnw]

Best idea is ring the airline. My guess is they'll say no. I think it would be classed as a "flammable solid" under the IATA dangerous goods regulations. Although standard matches are in the same category I've even had those confiscated, despite IATA and the airline's own publications advising that they're OK (within quantity limits). Personally I wouldn't take the risk. Can you get solid fuel tablets from a general camping store over there? Or would Macpac do a favour and get you some if you ring them in advance?

[tasadam]

This might help -
http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airline ... n#moreinfo

If you're flying tomorrow, I'd be calling the airline now, before you put it in the bottom of your pack.

It seems you can purchase Hexamine tablets in New Zealand -
http://www.survive-it.co.nz/shop/Civil+ ... hlans.html

Have a great trip!

[tasadam]

The real regulations that you need to know about are located here - http://www.iata.org/ps/publications/dgr ... npublished
But they are very expensive... The Easy Dangerous Goods regulations, for example, is over $1000 for a 12 month licence.

Actually, see if you can get the numbers out of HERE or HERE or HERE
Then apply those numbers to the formula on page 161 of this document
http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dang ... %20EHS.pdf
Then if the numbers stack up, argue with someone at the airport that it is safe to fly with Hexamine tablets...

Having just looked into it as far as I could (as is obvious from those links), I wouldn't bother trying to fly with them.

If you are going to Macpac, one would assume you are going to Christchurch. So one of these places might have a cheap stove, or maybe one to hire?
LINK
Good luck!

EDIT.
That first "HERE" link has got some good info on Hexamine tablets (and to think we used to play with them in Scouts ...) -

SPECIAL INDICATION OF HAZARDS TO HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Highly flammable. May cause sensitization by inhalation and skin contact.

AFTER INHALATION
If inhaled, remove to fresh air. If not breathing give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen.

AFTER SKIN CONTACT
In case of skin contact, flush with copious amounts of water for at least 15 minutes. Remove contaminated clothing and shoes. Call a physician.

AFTER EYE CONTACT
In case of contact with eyes, flush with copious amounts of water for at least 15 minutes. Assure adequate flushing by separating the eyelids with fingers. Call a physician.

AFTER INGESTION
If swallowed, wash out mouth with water provided person is conscious. Call a physician.

EXPLOSION DATA
Dust Potential: This material, like most materials in powder form, is capable of creating a dust explosion.

EXTINGUISHING MEDIA
Suitable: Water spray. Carbon dioxide, dry chemical powder, or appropriate foam.

SPECIAL RISKS
Specific Hazard(s): Flammable solid. Emits toxic fumes under fire conditions

[cams]

Yeah thanks guys. That qantas link was good. Alot more specific than the emirates stuff I was reading. Don't think I'll risk it. Had a closer look for camping stores in Taupo where I'll be for a couple of days and kathmandu has butane gas canisters so I'll probably do that.

edit: wow thanks for all the info tasadam. I'm flying in and out of Auckland.

[tasadam]

Yeah thanks guys. That qantas link was good. Alot more specific than the emirates stuff I was reading. Don't think I'll risk it. Had a closer look for camping stores in Taupo where I'll be for a couple of days and kathmandu has butane gas canisters so I'll probably do that.

edit: wow thanks for all the info tasadam. I'm flying in and out of Auckland.

Easy...
LINK.
Cheers.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Probably way too late to be helpful on this one, but still...

I fly for an Australian airline. The IATA DGR, while it is a good place to start, doesn't often give the full story. Airlines have their own DGs manuals, which will sometimes stipulate more stringent requirements for some DGs. For example, at my airline some things which are permitted in checked passenger baggage in the IATA DGR are further restricted or even forbidden. So calling the airline is definitely the best solution.

The IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations are a head****. Very, very complex document.

I've had ground staff report to me a cargo hold with "wet foam" everywhere after landing. I went and checked it out. Seemed some genius decided to put a heap of cans of caustic oven cleaner in his checked baggage, and a few discharged their entire contents into the cargo area during flight.

[Lindsay]

I work for Customs at Sydney airport. This is also a bit late but for the record I can tell you that hexamine is classed as a 'flammable solid' and is prohibited in passengers baggage. If we locate it we must inform the AFP, who will decide what action to take.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I work for Customs at Sydney airport. This is also a bit late but for the record I can tell you that hexamine is classed as a 'flammable solid' and is prohibited in passengers baggage. If we locate it we must inform the AFP, who will decide what action to take.

Hi Lindsay,
Just a bit curious, what about metho? I know it's not allowed. My question is. If we empty the fuel bottle and transport this in our backpacks. Even with the fuel bottles empty, there's still a bit of residue smell. How do you deal with empty fuel bottles?

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Hi Phillipsart.

My airline's DG manual allows the carriage of the empty metho bottle. Other airlines may be different, so you would need to check with whoever you are flying with.

The procedures for our airline is that it must be completely empty and action must have been taken to ensure the risk from vapours is nullified. We allow two methods to acheive this:
1. Completely empty the container and then leave upside down to drain for a minimum of 1 hour, then cap left off for a minimum of 6 hours to allow evaporation
2. Container flushed with cooking oil and the washed out (the cooking oil dissolves the fuel and also raises the flash point of the vapours).
After these two procedures are completed, the container has to have the cap refastened then the bottle wrapped in absorbent material (like paper towel). It must then be sealed in a polyethylene bag which is sealed off with twine/rubber bands.

It still requires operator approval, so you must declare you have the fuel bottle at check in. They will quiz you on how you prepared it and you must describe the exact procedure above, otherwise carriage will be refused.

The container, once prepared, is only allowed to be carried checked in, not carry on.

[Lindsay]

I work for Customs at Sydney airport. This is also a bit late but for the record I can tell you that hexamine is classed as a 'flammable solid' and is prohibited in passengers baggage. If we locate it we must inform the AFP, who will decide what action to take.

Hi Lindsay,
Just a bit curious, what about metho? I know it's not allowed. My question is. If we empty the fuel bottle and transport this in our backpacks. Even with the fuel bottles empty, there's still a bit of residue smell. How do you deal with empty fuel bottles?

Hi Phillip, if the bottle was clean there would be no problem however even a trace of residue or fumes would be an issue. I have never actually come across a fuel bottle in someones bag. I suppose that having to treat it in the manner SA Hiker describes is too much trouble for many people. It's not usually bushwalkers who have hexamine or a gas canister in their bag, but grungy backpackers who have been living in cheap foreign hostels.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I work for Customs at Sydney airport. This is also a bit late but for the record I can tell you that hexamine is classed as a 'flammable solid' and is prohibited in passengers baggage. If we locate it we must inform the AFP, who will decide what action to take.

Hi Lindsay,
Just a bit curious, what about metho? I know it's not allowed. My question is. If we empty the fuel bottle and transport this in our backpacks. Even with the fuel bottles empty, there's still a bit of residue smell. How do you deal with empty fuel bottles?

Hi Phillip, if the bottle was clean there would be no problem however even a trace of residue or fumes would be an issue. I have never actually come across a fuel bottle in someones bag. I suppose that having to treat it in the manner SA Hiker describes is too much trouble for many people. It's not usually bushwalkers who have hexamine or a gas canister in their bag, but grungy backpackers who have been living in cheap foreign hostels.

Hi, I think, maybe it's best I leave my trangia fuel bottle at home, and just use the plastic bottle the metho fuel is sold in. After purchase at destination. It's just that, I think carrying fuel in the proper trangia fuel container is a lot safer on a hike than in the flimsy plastic bottle it's sold in.

[cams]

I work for Customs at Sydney airport. This is also a bit late but for the record I can tell you that hexamine is classed as a 'flammable solid' and is prohibited in passengers baggage. If we locate it we must inform the AFP, who will decide what action to take.

Hmm, that dosn't sound pleasant. Lucky I didn't take any. We had to pull our tent out for customs to inspect on the way into NZ and they just looked at our boots which we were wearing. Combined with the fact that this was my first international flight and I didn't realise I needed to fill out a declaration form thing when we arrived in NZ and no one asked to see it until I got all the way through to customs because I used the electronic passport made for a fairly stressful arrival. Then we nearly missed the rental shuttle bus and I had the tent unpacked flying everywhere. lol.

[Tofu_Imprint]

I work for Customs at Sydney airport. This is also a bit late but for the record I can tell you that hexamine is classed as a 'flammable solid' and is prohibited in passengers baggage. If we locate it we must inform the AFP, who will decide what action to take.

Hmm, that dosn't sound pleasant. Lucky I didn't take any. We had to pull our tent out for customs to inspect on the way into NZ and they just looked at our boots which we were wearing. Combined with the fact that this was my first international flight and I didn't realise I needed to fill out a declaration form thing when we arrived in NZ and no one asked to see it until I got all the way through to customs because I used the electronic passport made for a fairly stressful arrival. Then we nearly missed the rental shuttle bus and I had the tent unpacked flying everywhere. lol.

what were you meant to declare?

i'm flying with jetstar to nz on friday and they use the qantas page as a reference:

Camping stoves and fuel containers that have contained a flammable liquid fuel

With the approval of the operator, as checked baggage only, camping stoves and fuel containers for camping stoves that have contained a flammable liquid fuel may be carried provided the fuel tank of the camping stove, and/or fuel container has been completely drained of all liquid fuel and action has been taken to nullify the danger

To nullify the danger, the empty fuel tank and/or container must be allowed to drain for at least 1 hour, the fuel tank and/or container must then be left uncapped for a minimum of 6 hours to allow any residual fuel to evaporate. Alternative methods, such as adding cooking oil to the fuel tank and/or container to elevate the flash point of any residual liquid above the flash point of flammable liquid and then emptying the fuel tank and/or container, are equally acceptable. The fuel tank, and/or container must then have the cap securely fastened and be wrapped in an absorbent material such as paper towel and placed in a polyethylene or equivalent bag. The top of the bag must then be sealed or gathered and closed.

NOTE: This exception is NOT applicable to items with internal combustion engines eg. lawnmowers, chain saws, brushcutters etc. These items are not permitted for carriage as baggage.

i'm taking my stove, but not the gas canister or fuel bottle (obviously).

[Lindsay]

I work for Customs at Sydney airport. This is also a bit late but for the record I can tell you that hexamine is classed as a 'flammable solid' and is prohibited in passengers baggage. If we locate it we must inform the AFP, who will decide what action to take.

Hmm, that dosn't sound pleasant. Lucky I didn't take any. We had to pull our tent out for customs to inspect on the way into NZ and they just looked at our boots which we were wearing. Combined with the fact that this was my first international flight and I didn't realise I needed to fill out a declaration form thing when we arrived in NZ and no one asked to see it until I got all the way through to customs because I used the electronic passport made for a fairly stressful arrival. Then we nearly missed the rental shuttle bus and I had the tent unpacked flying everywhere. lol.

what were you meant to declare?i'm flying with jetstar to nz on friday and they use the qantas page as a reference:

Camping stoves and fuel containers that have contained a flammable liquid fuel

With the approval of the operator, as checked baggage only, camping stoves and fuel containers for camping stoves that have contained a flammable liquid fuel may be carried provided the fuel tank of the camping stove, and/or fuel container has been completely drained of all liquid fuel and action has been taken to nullify the danger

To nullify the danger, the empty fuel tank and/or container must be allowed to drain for at least 1 hour, the fuel tank and/or container must then be left uncapped for a minimum of 6 hours to allow any residual fuel to evaporate. Alternative methods, such as adding cooking oil to the fuel tank and/or container to elevate the flash point of any residual liquid above the flash point of flammable liquid and then emptying the fuel tank and/or container, are equally acceptable. The fuel tank, and/or container must then have the cap securely fastened and be wrapped in an absorbent material such as paper towel and placed in a polyethylene or equivalent bag. The top of the bag must then be sealed or gathered and closed.

NOTE: This exception is NOT applicable to items with internal combustion engines eg. lawnmowers, chain saws, brushcutters etc. These items are not permitted for carriage as baggage.

i'm taking my stove, but not the gas canister or fuel bottle (obviously).

Hi Tofu. You need to declare your camping equipment equipment on the card they give you to fill out on the plane. NZ Quarantine will examine your tent, boots, poles etc. for any traces of soil, and will clean them if necessary. They are very strict about this. It took about 10 minutes when I was last there. On return to Australia you do the same thing again.

[cams]

Yep. As above. Except if they don't give you a card on the plane it dosn't mean you don't have to fill it out. There's a bench before you go through the passport checking bit with more cards. Probably obvious to anyone who's been overseas before but this caught me out.

[Tofu_Imprint]

For anyone interested. No dramas carrying a PLB on board the plane.
My tent was inspected, and my hiking boots were cleaned.