Tripods and Airports/Travel

Philip Goh

I'm planning on bringing my tripod with me when I travel in December. I'm keen to hear experiences from people who have done just that. Were airport and airline staff suspicious? Did you get any flak for taking on an extra item into the cabin?

Awais Yaqub

Well when my camera bag with laptop and tripod was going through screening machine, i heard one guy saying "Its just a photo equipment" and no one bothered me.

gecko0

I've seen numerous people with tripods strapped on the bottom of their backpacks...never seen security blink at it. At most, you would be asked to step aside and let them inspect it...no big deal.

I just shipped my non-travel tripod out to my hotel ahead of time for an upcoming trip...then I don't have to carry it at all (other than when I get there...hehe).

Art Scott

I pack my pod in with my clothes.....so far the TSA has dismantled my cam bag so they could go thru every inch of the bag and inner storage bags........then I have to repack everything after they get done.............

Philip Goh

I guess I could just carry it in my hands. Thanks for the replies! Much obliged.

davemj98

Stuffed
my big ole manfrotto into the suitcase it would fit in, and packed around it. Never a problem for Phoenix to DC and back and forth.
Dave

rpcrowe

It depends
Whether or not you can carry a tripod aboard depends upon where you are flying from (see: http://photo.net/travel-photography-forum/00UdtA ), what airline you are flying on and other important variables such as what the TSA person had for lunch and the phase of the moon.

Flying from Los Angeles (aboard Alaska Airlines) to Anchorage last Summer, I was told that my monopod would not be allowed to be carried onto the plane because "It is a weapon-like instrument!".

Flying back from Anchorage on the same airline, I saw a guy carrying a monopod and I asked the TSA person if I could have carried my monopod aboard the plane. His answer was, "Sure, people carry them aboard all the time!"

Apparently this is a gray area in a black and white world complicated by red tape!

anonymouscuban

I recently traveled with my tripod twice. Once coming back from NY to LAX and the other time was just last month when we went from LAX to Cancun and from Cancun to Cuba. I was asked to check it in on all flights. Well, after being asked in LAX to Cancun, I just saved the hassle and checked it for the rest of out flights.

Worst case is you will have to check it in. If your checking luggage any how, I recommend just saving yourself any trouble and checking it in.

Sil3ntp8nd8

Some airliners consider it to be a carry on item. Others will make you check it in. I check online for each airliner that I am traveling on. You can get away with strapping your pod on your bag. I use the water bottle pouch thing on the side of mine. I would take the head off and put that inside my bag if I am carrying it onboard or having it checked in.

Philip Goh

anonymouscuban wrote:

Worst case is you will have to check it in. If your checking luggage any how, I recommend just saving yourself any trouble and checking it in.

Did you pack your tripod into a bag or did you slap a tag on it and check it in? I'm using a cheap tripod and it would be a shame to have to waste precious bag space to pack it in.

anonymouscuban

Philip Goh wrote:

Did you pack your tripod into a bag or did you slap a tag on it and check it in? I'm using a cheap tripod and it would be a shame to have to waste precious bag space to pack it in.

I packed my in the bag since it's a nice Bogen tripod and I didn't want it damaged in any way.

cdub

I recently flew with mine on a domestic flight here in Canada, with it strapped to the outside of my LowePro backpack. No hassle. I even called the airline in advance (not a bad idea). But then who would want to make a statement by disrupting a flight in Canada, eh?

Only problem was that my backpack plus tripod required some massaging to fit into the overhead bin. Wasn't easy, but it worked...

Art Scott

cdub wrote:

I recently flew with mine on a domestic flight here in Canada, with it strapped to the outside of my LowePro backpack. No hassle. I even called the airline in advance (not a bad idea). But then who would want to make a statement by disrupting a flight in Canada, eh?

Only problem was that my backpack plus tripod required some massaging to fit into the overhead bin. Wasn't easy, but it worked...

Which LOwePro BAg???

I've had to massage my LowePro Photo Trekker a few times to get into the overheads and then it took some hefty pulling to get it out...all caused by me putting back and waist straps under the zip out cover...:D

I just find it easier to put tripod in with clothes for the flight....not going to use it while on plane anyway......was told here in the Air Cap that a Pod of any kind can be construed as a weapon....that was by a TSA trainer from Homeland security.....and it is at the discretion of the agents......soooooo I just pack mine.....................

cdub

Mine's a LowePro Dryzone Rover. Standard sort of sized backpack for them. As you (Art) probably encountered, strapping it on makes the pack too tall (when laid down) to slide into the overhead... But once in it's cool... It's the hinges on the door or it's narrower at the opening I think...

Anyway, totally agree with the call to pack it within clothes suitcase, unless you're like me and travel with a smaller case or garment bag... :-/

Mr. 2H2O

I don't check luggage...ever...so I carried three things onto a plane for a trip: My suitcase (rollerboard thats made to fit in the O/H bins), my camera bag (kind of looks like a briefcase), and a tripod in a small folding chair bag. Just put my suitcase and tripod overhead and the camera bag underneath the seat in front. Took four legs through security twice and never a question or comment from any aiport or airline personnel.

- Mike

bmann

No Problem

Philip Goh wrote:

I'm planning on bringing my tripod with me when I travel in December. I'm keen to hear experiences from people who have done just that. Were airport and airline staff suspicious? Did you get any flak for taking on an extra item into the cabin?

I just got back from a flight for a wedding shoot in Michigan. I packed my tripod in one of our luggage bags and carried my camera bag with me as my carry on. Going through security was a breeze. I didn't even have to open my camera bag. And that was a really good thing because that sucker was crammed packed! Our only issue was one of our poor choice of luggage. The one we put my tripod in was soft cloth sided and the tripod ripped a small hole in the end. Oh well, lessons learned.

BradfordBenn

I travel quite often for work and have found that while traveling with "odd" things it is a good idea to call ahead of time to the airline and they can give you some guidelines. Some of them will even send you a link to a document that has those guidelines. I also travel with a copy of the document, just in case the flight attendants don'e know the guidelines. If you have status with that airline, it is often much easier than on other airlines.

travischance

Packing your tripod | monopods in your suitcase are nice because it allows you to carry your camera gear inconspicuously. We recently traveled to Aruba from DC and I didn't want to have my tripod attached to my camera bag which would have screamed, "Hey I have photography gear - please crack my head and rob me."

TNTATC

I flew to Europe with all my gear. Most airlines do not consider it anything, like a purse. I was able to cary my camera gear along with a carry on. I checked one bag which I put my tripod in. Other than that it was a piece of cake no questions asked. When your spending 3500 bucs on two tickets I dare them to ask anything.

djames

I am flying for some photography training in December and it was recommended to me that I purchase a golf club bag from wallmart to ship the tripod as checked bagage. I haven't checked that option out yet though.