plane travel with gear ... new regulations?

System

Has anyone travelled by plane since the latest carry-on restrictions are in-place? I bought a hard sided case for my gear (two canon bodies plus 70-200 2.8 and 100-400 4.0-5.6 IS - in other words 2 big lenses plus a laptop). I'm travelling next month to Canada with a plane change and the hard side is now too large to carry on under the new regulations. SO... if I have to check it in, you can't lock with the regular case locks, because the inspectors will break the locks... so get a locking belt of the new kind that the inspectors can unlock, and just hope they relock after search??? Or, a friend suggested UPS to the hotel, or to the UPS office at the airport for pickup. Or buy ANOTHER case that fits carry-on restrictions (Like I just paid how much for the hard sided case, and do I really need another one???)

Anybody had to deal with this yet? Any suggestions? Argh, tearing hair out!

Art Scott

I haven't yet.....but there are also TSA approved padlocks.....ones that they have a "master key" to open the lock.
I believe I would trust them to relock a TSA approved padlock over a strap and it is only the TSA inspectors that have the master keys.....

dancorder

By the time September gets here we may well be back to normal carry on restrictions, at least that's what I'm hoping. Personally I wouldn't put anything I valued in the hold and if the restrictions are still in place when I go I'll seriously look at using a courier.

BTW do the inspectors open all the cases (and break all padlocks) or just some? We don't have this system in the UK and I feel rather nervous buying a padlock specially so that it can be opened by a master key as I don't believe that only inspectors will have them.

OlgaJ

Art Scott wrote:

I haven't yet.....but there are also TSA approved padlocks.....ones that they have a "master key" to open the lock.
I believe I would trust them to relock a TSA approved padlock over a strap and it is only the TSA inspectors that have the master keys.....

I've used TSA locks a lot and discovered that they are not necessarily the answer. On a brand new suitcase with zipper, I locked the zipper by placing the TSA lock through the zipper locks. I received a suitcase without the TSA lock and with the zipper ends twisted so badly that I cannot place another lock on them.

Another friend of mine who travels a lot has had a similar experience.

Don't be too trustful of the TSA locks.

Olga

wxwax

Either buy a smaller case or UPS. I do not trust baggage handlers to not steal my gear. Nor do I believe that (a) only TSA agents have the universal key to TSA locks or (b) that TSA agents have a clue about what they're doing.

And that's not even getting into the strain airlines are feeling due to a surge in checked luggage. Do you really want your bodies and lenses sitting in the wrong city for a day or two?

Others may have a different take on things. But you'd really have to hurt me before I'd check my camera gear. It's too easily stolen and resold.

Stustaff

Ive decided to get a smaller bag and carry my equipment on the flight! it is a reduced size but I can fit my most important stuff in a relatively small bag.!

Im also taking a coat with big pockets!

wxwax

Stustaff wrote:

Ive decided to get a smaller bag and carry my equipment on the flight! it is a reduced size but I can fit my most important stuff in a relatively small bag.!

Im also taking a coat with big pockets!

System

Thanks everyone
Oh, yeah. My concerns were a) checking the gear in the first place (don't want it sitting around where I can't see it) , b) do those locks really protect your stuff (and the answer seems to be no). So, it'll be the carry-on, or overnight shipping for me.

Yeah, carry-on with the big coat pockets!

Thanks all.

wxwax

Just remember one thing, it's every important:

don't take any snakes on the plane.

W.W. Webster

KaMo wrote:

Has anyone travelled by plane since the latest carry-on restrictions are in-place? ... Anybody had to deal with this yet? Any suggestions?

From my experience of air travel in the US, the checking in of baggage would be a whole new experience for most of the locals.

I've always felt that my suitcase was the only one below the floor, and that everyone else expects to be able to bring any number of pieces of luggage of any volume or weight into the cabin and there will be sufficient overhead locker space to contain the lot and that the structure will be sufficiently strong to prevent the whole thing collapsing on all of us!

I've often wondered why would you need wheels for a carry-on which shouldn't weigh more than 7kg, and whether the problem has been that the airlines have been too scared to enforce the carry-on regulations for fear of losing passengers to their competitors.

Fortunately, in this part of the world, carry-on baggage regulations are largely unchanged for both domestic and international travel (even to the US), so reasonably-sized camera bags can still accompany travellers.

gus

Wayne there are masive changes in the past 10 days to air travel by ANY airline into the UK or US. I think this is what they are refering to.

W.W. Webster

gus wrote:

Wayne there are masive changes in the past 10 days to air travel by ANY airline into the UK or US. I think this is what they are refering to.

At least the Aussies can take a light hearted view of these changes.

gus

W.W. Webster wrote:

At least the Aussies can take a light hearted view of these changes.

"....paging Mr Al Kyder...Mr Al Kyder you plane is now boarding"

All i can say is that we are indeed a long way from the rest of the world !!

Seymore

wxwax wrote:

Just remember one thing, it's every important:

don't take any snakes on the plane.

I don't understand. So, why NOT?

System

Do you normally travel with snakes????


p.s.: neither of my flights is long enough to have a movie!!!

dancorder

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417148/

RonDace

Flying Rule 1 - never put anything of value in checked baggage. I would go with UPS if you have too much to carry on board. I like the idea someone else had about a coat with big pockets. Break the equipment down, put it in individual cases or wrap with bubble wrap and just put the coat in the overhead. We can also keep our fingers crossed that the rules will relax a bit soon. I have also heard that a camera bag is allowed, but I can't find that in writing anywhere.

jmathew

Plane travel
Just got back from Canada - was there for a week, and had no trouble with my equipment as carry-on baggage, either here, or on the return from Calgary.

I had a 20D, 70-200, 17-55 and misc. (filters, batteries, etc). The tripod was checked inside our luggage however. The rest was in a Tamron velocity, and never even warranted a hand inspection, although they did swab the laptop in Calgary on the return leg of the flight. Overall it was a really hassle-free trip, but I think I had been expecting the worst.

System

reassuring to hear about trip to Calgary
That's where I'm going!

I checked on the Transport Security Administration and FAA websites. The only info I could find on carry-on size was the FAA which said carry-ons are limited to 45 linear inches total. Phew. My hard side is 42 Linear inches, so I should be ok.

The BBC coverage of the latest crisis shows carry-ons limited to 17"x13"x6" and mine is 22x14x6 which had me worried. But that's over there and I'm here, so I'll go by the FAA standard. I'll also call the local airport to see if I can get any further info. The airline was not help - its website says to check TSA - TSA says to check FAA.

I'll just be sure not to put any toothpaste or mouthwash in with my cameras!

Andy

I'm heading to Cologne Germany, just checked with Continental, and they have no new restrictions either direction on carry-ons (camera gear, computers, etc).

System

Have a great trip
Nice to be going to Cologne. (Wish I was going in the next couple of weeks because the World Equestrian games in nearby Aachen have just started and will run til beginning of Sept.)

Good to hear there are not restrictions on carryon cameras/computers.

Thanks for the info.