Have you ever had any problems taking your camera in the camera case (with additional lens, battery charger, memory sticks) on the flight with you? Do you know if anyone has? Would hate to try to aboard a plane and be told I can't take it! That would be devastating!
I've traveled both domestically & internationally and always carry my gear on board with me...I've never had any issue with it. In fact, it's never even been given a second glance...you shouldn't have a trouble.
Kathy, You are allowed one carryon plus a purse, laptop or camera. I take a ThinkTank backpack and have also taken a camera in a separate case and never had anyone question me. My ThinkTank will fit under the seat so even on commuter flights they will let me keep it.
On most flights you're allowed one carry-on and a personal item like your purse. I put my small purse into a larger one which I then fill with whatever I need on the flight and that's my carry-on. the camera is in it's camera bag with all the gear you mentioned..never had a problem going through.. they might open it to see what's in it but that's ok. just make sure you never leave it unattended. happy travelling.
Kathy, never had a problem taking my camera and extra lenses, filters, ... on a flight. I carry the camera separately and put the other equipment in a backup that counts as 'my other personal item' not as my carry on. The only times I have been questioned is they want to open up the backpack and check that the one item is a portable tripod and not nunchucks - so a lot of times I put them in the tray with my laptop
I carried 5 cameras on last time in my camera bag. I put film in an x-ray protection bag in my checked luggage along with tripod, meat cleaver and cooking knives. This usually causes lots of laughs when you tell them you are passionate about photography, and bought the knives because you have been to cooking school. As security said "so you are a cook and a photographer."
I always carry it on...I'd hate to have something go missing or get broken out of my reach. I carried a full gear bag with me on two legs of an international flight with no problem. It did count as one of my carry-on bags, but I carried two cameras and six lenses plus my Mac Air and iPad in the same gear bag and had no issues getting everything on the flight. Buy a nice gig bag with handles and lots of space and it should fit nicely into overhead storage!
when i went to the far east via san francisco, i had 3 cameras with me including a videocam for my niece. i had them all in my carry-on luggage, which at one point during the trip, the short haul from buffalo to o'hare, the airline required me and others to leave them in front of the plane. my netbook and my canon and a small nikon were in my oversized purse (lord, it was heavy!). my tripod was in my checked in luggage. i had no problems with U.S. customs. you should check the airline's website as to what you can and cannot take with you on the plane. airlines' policies vary.
I carry a pretty large camera back pack and have been back and forth from here in Europe to the states several times…no problems. If anything they are always on me to take my laptop out of the case, but never my camera or the lenses…?
I've been to Europe several times and never had a problem traveling with a camera except for the one time I was asked to turn it on and it was still new, and I couldn't make the photo that the airline people made me take of them appear on the LCD screen. It's like when you bring your computer---they can ask you to turn it on to make sure that it is not some sort of crazy device.
It goes faster through the xray machine if you bundle your cords instead of having tangles and loops of wires, and your batteries should either be in the camera or in some kind of individual container so there's no chance that the contacts could touch and start a fire.
Never had a problem Uk - USA flights, any spare batteries I pack as hold, but the camera get used in flight so I have to have it! And judgig by the number of cameras out when we fly over the northern ice stretches, no-one has issues taking them aboard :-)
I think this question has been asked before but you DEFINATELY want to carry on your camera, DO NOT trust it in baggage. I've even seen people carry on their tripods
I carry up to 2 cameras in a bag inside a larger bag. As I used to get asked to put them through on a tray with my mobile phone then now I just take them out when queing to go through x-ray. It means they are ready to put in a tray without having to be asked to take them out - it saves a bit of time as otherwise you have to wait on the tray to go through. I did lose a device you can store images on. It does depend on who you get as another time there was one who emptied my small bag to try to find 4 AA batteries - luckily he did not find any.
@toast I agree. I used to work for the airlines loading baggage. We were always careful (I can't vouch for anyone I didn't work with....) but even then, things do happen. It was never malicious but when you get in a rush, a bag or two might fall or get tightly packed into the compartment. It's a fact of life in the airline industry. Everyone is trying to get the flight out in a timely manner and get everyone's bag to their destination.
If you're going to check your tripod, please pack it inside a bag, not tied to the outside. YES I have seen this and had to deal with it. Once or twice the string/cord broke (not our fault, bad string was used in the first place), the tripod came off and we had to put it in as best we could with the bag....packing tape works wonders in a tight squeeze and I'm sure the person was wondering what happened when they got their bag......
That being said, you'd be amazed at the people at the counter that would roundly criticize us, berate us and be in a generally pissy mood to us and then hand us their expensive bags and say something along the lines of "Be careful with that......" Be nice to the airline workers, 99% of the time, it's not the person you are talking to's fault things aren't working smoothly, they are just trying to work within their means to make the situation better or even fix it.
If you are flying a smaller airline, they may not have enough room in the cabin for everyone's bag or some of the larger carry-on's that fit in the larger planes. "Gate Checking" is not a bad thing. Unless you have something in there that you will absolutely need during the flight (take it out before hand) it is just like stowing it in the overhead compartment. You will get it back as you de-plane and be on your way. They are the first bags off and the ramp workers completely understand getting them to you as soon as possible, I promise. We are on a short time line too.
You may have to take them out of your bag when going through security, like a laptop, but otherwise you should be fine. Definitely bundle your cords and keep them together. Be prepared to turn your camera on and demonstrate that it actually functions. Each airport in each country is a little different. Each security guard is a little different. I watched a guy ahead of me have to turn on his P&S to demonstrate it and they didn't give my DSLR a second glance........
@shadesofgrey lol thats funny about the P&S. I always take my SLR with me and to be honest, i've never been asked to take it out and turn it on - not that i'd have a problem with it tho - i'd rather know that they're pedantic about it and feel safe. my pack takes up 50% of my handcarry allowance - thats ok, i generally travel light though.
Also, I agree that accidents happen and also there's no telling what could be put above your bag. That said, on my last flight back from Ibiza, I saw the guy who was putting the baggage in the aircraft literally pick it up from the cart and just throw it onto the conveyor. Even got a picture of him doing it :)
@toast Well I'm sorry to hear about your Ibiza experience. Like I said, I can't vouch for anyone I didn't work with but I know we took as much care as we could with the bags.....but that guy is exactly why I never pack anything fragile in my checked bag!
One time I was asked to remove my battery from my camera, but considering that was the only time in the past 300 flights, I'm not complaining.
On one or three charter flights in PNG, I had to argue against my 10kg checked in and my 5kg carry on allowances... Considering I paid for the entire plane meant that I should have been entitled to carry 240kg on board with me! My camera bag and gear alone weighed 13kg!
I take mine in a Lowepro rucksack with 3 lenses, spare batteries and memory cards, mini tripod and cables etc only had one minor moment, flying out of Munich last year I was asked to remove the camera from my bag, the security lady then asked me to show her how it worked, and then she took a photo of me. All this done with a big smile!
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You could always check the airline's website to see if they have restrictions beforehand.
I carry 3 lens, two bodies, 2 speedlight, batteries, cards, etc
If you're going to check your tripod, please pack it inside a bag, not tied to the outside. YES I have seen this and had to deal with it. Once or twice the string/cord broke (not our fault, bad string was used in the first place), the tripod came off and we had to put it in as best we could with the bag....packing tape works wonders in a tight squeeze and I'm sure the person was wondering what happened when they got their bag......
That being said, you'd be amazed at the people at the counter that would roundly criticize us, berate us and be in a generally pissy mood to us and then hand us their expensive bags and say something along the lines of "Be careful with that......" Be nice to the airline workers, 99% of the time, it's not the person you are talking to's fault things aren't working smoothly, they are just trying to work within their means to make the situation better or even fix it.
If you are flying a smaller airline, they may not have enough room in the cabin for everyone's bag or some of the larger carry-on's that fit in the larger planes. "Gate Checking" is not a bad thing. Unless you have something in there that you will absolutely need during the flight (take it out before hand) it is just like stowing it in the overhead compartment. You will get it back as you de-plane and be on your way. They are the first bags off and the ramp workers completely understand getting them to you as soon as possible, I promise. We are on a short time line too.
You may have to take them out of your bag when going through security, like a laptop, but otherwise you should be fine. Definitely bundle your cords and keep them together. Be prepared to turn your camera on and demonstrate that it actually functions. Each airport in each country is a little different. Each security guard is a little different. I watched a guy ahead of me have to turn on his P&S to demonstrate it and they didn't give my DSLR a second glance........
Also, I agree that accidents happen and also there's no telling what could be put above your bag. That said, on my last flight back from Ibiza, I saw the guy who was putting the baggage in the aircraft literally pick it up from the cart and just throw it onto the conveyor. Even got a picture of him doing it :)
On one or three charter flights in PNG, I had to argue against my 10kg checked in and my 5kg carry on allowances... Considering I paid for the entire plane meant that I should have been entitled to carry 240kg on board with me! My camera bag and gear alone weighed 13kg!