One item on plane?

photocat

We fly out of Manchester tomorrow, and I know we can have one item as carry on. I planned to have my camera around my neck, now my husband claims that this will not be allowed. I also carry a very small pouch around my neck with credit cards and phone (really small, 3 inch on 7 inch, 2 inch wide - sort of a wallet on a strap)
Has anyone travelled out of UK lately to the States with a camera around their neck and had trouble with security????
As we leave tomorrow morning, this is a rather urgent question...

Thanks in advance

catduyck@mac.com

Prezwoodz

It wont fly with most. I saw a guy who just had his camera around his neck and a briefcase and they told him he could only have one item. Its getting pretty dumb out there.


BTW I saw this about 3 weeks ago.

photocat

Prezwoodz wrote:

It wont fly with most. I saw a guy who just had his camera around his neck and a briefcase and they told him he could only have one item. Its getting pretty dumb out there.


Which is not according the rules, you are allowed one carry on, which would have been his brief case, and one personal item, which would have been the camera. ;o))))

Anyone else experiences? I am amazed that there are not more flying photography experiences online nowadays, or am I nitpicking here? Thanks Prezwood for your speedy answer. I will make sure that my wallet can go in the carry one... that way I would only have one carry on and one camera...

Thanks again! ;o)))

sirsloop

I always carry on... in the past its been my vanguard hardcase but recently I've been carrying on my Tamrac Adventure 9. I think the bag slips under the radar a lot easier... I ALWAYS got stopped with the hard case and a couple L lenses and a flash battery in there. They see a hard case with round metal objects... instant search every time. I was lucky going out to SFO even with the 70-200/2.8L in the bag - no search in newark or SFO. Around your neck??? IDK... just slip it in a bag for boarding and yank it out when you get to your seat. Problem solved.

photocat

IDK... just slip it in a bag for boarding and yank it out when you get to your seat. Problem solved.[/QUOTE]


Grin, might just try that... Thing is, my carry on is filled with D70 and chargers, and my computer. Hard to also fit in my D200. I will see if I can get it in somehow...

Does that mean that I am the only D-grinner travelling with my camera around my neck? (Which I have done untill now, never had any hassle...) - but after the last attempt of some monkeys to drive into the airport of Glasgow. Suckers, they make our life so much harder...

Thanks for your answer! Much appreciated!!! ;o)))

Foochar

Since photocat is coming from the U.K. those are the rules that matter for tomorrow's flight. According to the "Department of Transport" page at http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/airtravel/airportsecurity/requirements you are allowed one bag 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (roughly 22 in x 18 in x 10 in). They also state that "A laptop bag that is not contained within the one piece of cabin baggage is regarded as the one allowable item of cabin baggage." I would think this would apply to a camera bag as well. They state that the only allowable exception to the one bag and outsize limits is for musical instruments.

For those of us in the USA the TSA rules are the ones that apply. According to http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1248.shtm they allow 1 bag of photographic equipment in addition to the standard 1 carry on bag plus 1 personal item. According to http://www.faa.gov/passengers/prepare_fly/baggage/ in the USA the size restriction for a carry on bag is 45 linear inches (height+width+depth=linear size) and the additional bag of photographic equipment must also be 45 linear inches or smaller. The personal item is typically limited to 36 linear inches. All of this really only applies to getting through security, and is subject to the interpretation of the screening officers. The airlines can require you to gate check anything and everything that is not medically required depending on the amount of space in the overhead bins etc.

ivar

photocat wrote:

IDK... just slip it in a bag for boarding and yank it out when you get to your seat. Problem solved.

Grin, might just try that... Thing is, my carry on is filled with D70 and chargers, and my computer. Hard to also fit in my D200. I will see if I can get it in somehow...

Does that mean that I am the only D-grinner travelling with my camera around my neck? (Which I have done untill now, never had any hassle...) - but after the last attempt of some monkeys to drive into the airport of Glasgow. Suckers, they make our life so much harder...

Thanks for your answer! Much appreciated!!! ;o)))

If you can fit it in your bag (maybe take the lens of the body?) that would be best probably.
You need to have something to put your camera in anyway or the ability to stow it somewhere I would think, it is not extremely safe to have it around your neck during the flight.

It depends on the carrier/airport/person you are dealing with a bit as well on how easy it is. I fly quite a bit and sometimes it is just easier than others. Try to not draw to much attention to begin with. Have everything ready, don't start asking questions, make sure you meet the liquids/fluids requirements. Have your neck-wallet-thing under your shirt/jacket so it is not visible. Just show your passport/boarding pass when asked. Make sure you take your laptop out of your bag for scanning, etc.

If all else fails, use your puppy face

Prezwoodz

I was walking through the customs line either in Prague or Gatwick...can't remember exactly which one but I had an airplane blanket in my arms and they told me I was only allowed to have one bag and I had to put the blanket in the bag or go back to the line and figure it out. Sometimes its just stupid. Also I dont know if you keep the camera outside a case or not but some airports are super picky about seeing a big camera out near the customs line.

gus

I just checked my info for my flight to the US shortly & they specifically say one carry on bag of 7kg & another smaller carry item such as camera/magazines/food/laptop/duty free etc.

colourbox

My own personal travel rule is that everything I'm carrying on fits in the carry-on. It just makes life easier all around. There's less chance that I'll leave something behind on the plane, or get damaged, or refused by security. And nobody can casually observe what kinds of gadgets I'm carrying around.

gus

colourbox wrote:

My own personal travel rule is that everything I'm carrying on fits in the carry-on. It just makes life easier all around. There's less chance that I'll leave something behind on the plane, or get damaged, or refused by security. And nobody can casually observe what kinds of gadgets I'm carrying around.

I just like more than 2 sets of undies & socks

colourbox

gus wrote:

I just like more than 2 sets of undies & socks

Oh, that's in the checked bag.:D
That's why I said "everything I'm carrying on" although it might have been unclear.

Not that I like checked bags, but sometimes you can't avoid it. My carry-on is often full of gear (camera, laptop...)

boulderNardo

I've flown A LOT between the US and Europe in recent times, and just last week my parents flew out of the US back to Europe. Here's the deal:

ONE carry-on BAG, plus ONE carry-on PERSONAL ITEM. As easy as that. Means you can have 2 things with you. The carry-on bag can be huge on some airlines, others are more restrictive. I've flown with a huge 80L pack as carry-on within the US and from Germany to the US, no problem. PLUS, you can bring a personal item, which can be a laptop bag, a camera bag, a purse, whatever. A few times I've simply 'attached' my camera bag to my laptop bag and counted it as one personal item. No problems again.

I think, as long as the main carry-on bag isn't too big, and you are completely clean through security (i.e. no liquids, razors, etc.), you'll be fine with almost anything you take with you as carry-on.

B

photocat

Not that I like checked bags, but sometimes you can't avoid it. My carry-on is often full of gear (camera, laptop...)[/QUOTE]



Thanks guys... It is so nice to read about what everyone else does.
I will recheck and see if needed, that I can fit it in...
I want my camera around my neck while flying because I love to shoot from the air. I am a bit amazed that not more people shoot from planes.
The views are so lovely from up there...
Thanks for all the shared experiences, just what I needed. It seems that it is in big part doable or not depending whether you have a guy with brains on the other side or not... The blanket story is too funny. What if you would wrap it around you like a cape... I always get very crabby when they start with silly rules that don't touch ground.

Thanks very much all, I would love to read some more about this if possible... ;o))))

colourbox

photocat wrote:

I want my camera around my neck while flying because I love to shoot from the air. I am a bit amazed that not more people shoot from planes.
The views are so lovely from up there...

Agreed. Have you seen this book?