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I flew out of LGA with my autoinflating vest on 9/17/2001, returned at the
end of the month from SeaTac (where the inspectors have always been MUCH
MUCH better, i.e. tighter) and no one questioned it.

Again the answers are at www.tsa.gov, a life vest of life-saving equipment
with a CO2 bottle is specifically allowed in the cabin for air travel under
international convention, I think the name for it is "UN Class 2 lifesaving
equipment" or something unequally mundane. Since there is a similar piece of
equipment stored under each seaet in the cabin--by FAA regulation--for every
overwater flight, they can't really tell the passengers not to bring the
same equipment on board, when the FAA not only allows by REQUIRES it to be
in the cabin.

A fumbling inspector might not understand...it pays to check the regs and
confirm that UN classification number, and to carry a printout if possible.
(Sorry, don't know where I last saw it but the mfrs. should be able to refer
you to it.)

Anything that flunks security can go back to the ticket counter OR at the
discretion of the facility, you can request a "gate check" for it. It goes
with you to the gate, then goes below and is loaded in as baggage at the
last minute. That's what they do with baby strollers and carry-on bags that
are found to be too large.

The other option, if the inspector doesn't know what a sextant is, is to
tell them "Ask any senior pilot, they know what it is because they used to
be required to use them for navigation." The pilot always has the last word
about what can come on the plane.

   

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