Unofficial travel advisory about Puerto Rico

by Eric Cheng Friday, August 11th, 2006

Article Summary:

There has been a lot of discussion here on Wetpixel about losing equipment while travelling through Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport (SJU) in San Juan. We have received confirmation that thieves at the airport are continuing to target both topside and underwater camera gear in checked baggage. If you travel with expensive gear, please use caution when deciding on a route that goes through Puerto Rico. I myself decided some time ago that I will not fly through Puerto Rico again until the crime ring is caught.

Hello, readers. An update: one arrest has been made, and the investigation is still ongoing: http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14761
Posted by Eric Cheng on 2006-09-20 16:26:14 I am not assuming, below is the notice for passengers bound to the US (this includes via the US as far as they told me). In this case camera is explicitly excluded so you can bring it from US to Europe for e.g but you will not be allowed to take it with you on your way back. Hand-luggage policies in other European airports (Frankfurt, CDG, etc) do not explicitly exclude cameras but they do not mention them as allowed items, actually mostly refer only to laptops. So for some airports the situation as far as photo gear is completely unclear [except below]. ------------------------------- Passengers to the United States departing from Brussels Airport are requested to be at the airport 4 hours prior departure. They will be allowed to take through the airport security search point, in a single (ideally transparent) plastic carrier bag, only the following items. Nothing may be carried in pockets : • pocket size wallets and pocket size purses plus contents (for example money, credit cards, identity cards etc (not handbags)); • travel documents essential for the journey (for example passports and travel tickets); • prescription medicines and medical items sufficient and essential for the flight (e.g. diabetic kit), except in liquid form unless verified as authentic. • spectacles and sunglasses, without cases. • contact lens holders, without bottles of solution. • for those traveling with an infant: baby food, milk and sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight (nappies, wipes, creams and nappy disposal bags). • female sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight, if unboxed (eg tampons, pads, towels and wipes). • tissues (unboxed) and/or handkerchiefs • keys • 1 book • 1 newspaper • Mobile phone • 1 laptop (inclusive adapter) in case • PDA / black berry • all duty free goods except: liquids, camera, not-allowed electronic articles (eg I-pods, gameboy, MP3-player,…) As a consequence, duty free liquor and fragrances are currently not being sold to US-bound passengers by the tax free shops in Brussels. Other airports are doing likewise. Discussions with the US carriers about the possibility of selling these products to passengers and having them delivered at the gate from where they could be put in the hold were not successful so far. The airlines brought forward practical handling problems at destination. All other tax free goods can still be bought and taken on board by the passengers to the USA. These restrictions only apply to US-bound flights. The full range of tax free or travel value goods is available to all other passengers.
Posted by jsantos on 2006-08-17 16:51:28 Why do you assume photo carry-on is restricted via US airports? I haven't traveled in the last week or so, but see this current info on the TSA website: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm Nothing there leads me to believe I can't carry my digital camera and laptop.
Posted by StephenFrink on 2006-08-17 08:49:17 You guys should better start worrying about your photo carry-on. Here is another informal piece of travel advice: avoid a flight routing that takes to/via the US or the UK since the draconian hand-luggage restrictions in place exclude photo gear as carry-on. Also many [if not all] European airports impose strict and lenghty security checks for passengers going to, or via, the US [and 4 hours allowance this]. Fortunately for us [well apart from the UK..but anyway are they really part of Europe?] other destinations are business as usual [with the usual risks too].
Posted by jsantos on 2006-08-16 22:17:25 Marjo - It happened last week to another of our Secam clients. As they need to contact us for replacement gear, we are advised when and where problems happen. It has happened all too often in San Juan. I agree, a few bad people should not impact tourism in Puerto Rico, USVI, Bonaire and others that depend on the San Juan hub. I can't believe AA and various tourist entities allow this to go on. It is unconscionable, and worse yet, bad business. San Juan could be a model of the right way to do things. I'm sure the dive photo community would appreciate hearing from those in authority who can make a differennce.
Posted by StephenFrink on 2006-08-14 08:19:52 Hi Eric & Co, I am very sad to read your report of equipment still disappearing at SJU. Maybe you could post an update on the situation and the reason why you think this is still happening. Any word from the folks we previoulsy heard from? When we last wrote about this (end of last year) a friend of mine had had his video housing stolen in SJU. However, let me also add this: I travel thru SJU frequently as I have to go thru here pretty much every time I leave our little island and I always pack my housing, scuba gear etc etc (not camera, that would be stupid no matter where you travel thru) in baggage, and in the last 9 years I have NEVER had ANYTHING stolen from my baggage. I also work for a large resort, and although I sometimes hear of baggage coming in a day late, I have yet to hear of anything stolen from baggage. No doubt, we have leared that some gear did get stolen at the end of last year, however, is this specific to SJU or does it happen in (caribbean) airports in general? My hubby flew thru Dominican Republic two weeks ago and had loads of stuff stolen and another friend also had equipment stolen in DR in the last few weeks. Now why do I care that we do not go overboard on this issue? This is why: Although there are some direct flights from the states to our island St. Croix, a large part of our stream of tourists fly thru SJU. I wouldn't want to scare away anyone from flying here, partly because as mentioned, I do not think that it is "very likely" that you would have anything stolen in SJU. The other reason I would not want to start anty rumours that would discourage anyoen from trying to fly in here is this: A big part of the local diving community here are really wishing to welcome dive/eco/photo tourism. Unfortunatly it seems like out local government is putting a lot of effort into trying to attract high-impact tourism such as cruiseship tourism. They simply do not understand the value of our fantastic underwater assets, although we are surrounded by the largest living reef in the caribbean. While the "divedollars" or "ecodollars" are not rolling in, our government is making a lot of really stupid decisions that is detrimental to the health of out reefs and the island in general. Not to get into the details, but simply put, we would really need divers and especially uw photogtraphers to come here, to leave some "healthy" $ on the island and to show the world what a treasure we have in the nature of this island and it's surrounding reefs. I do hope that if there really is a crime ring that they are caught. I also hope that we do not exagerate the extent of the problem nor "spotlight" SJU is the problem is similar to that found at other airports. All the best, Marjo Aho
Posted by Marjo on 2006-08-14 00:00:31 I believe it. While heading to Bonaire in 2004, one of our expedition members packed her cell phone in her luggage which was stolen at the Montego Bay Airport in Jamaica. By the time she realized it, the thieves had racked up $6400 in long distance calls which she had to pay because she didn't realize it was missing until about a week into the expedition.... I try to carry on all the most expensive gear; cameras, lens, strobes, laptops.
Posted by marinebio on 2006-08-11 16:32:11