Air travel with camera bag

[SWPhotoImaging]

Has anyone found it to be a problem nowdays to fly with your camera bag as carry-on luggage? Any hassles about anything normally carried in a camera bag that I might want to consider brfore arriving at the gate with my fully-loaded photo backpack?

Any advice is appreciated.

[defordphoto]

I've heard they are amazingly good with camera equipment. Even with pocket wizards and such. Just don't have anything resembling a knife or weapon. That being said I have not traveled air with my equipment, so I don't have direct experience.

[JoeTampa]

I travel with my 10D and various items (Speedlite, remote timer, Big Ed, lenses (from the 50mm 1.8 all the way to the 100-400 IS L), battery charger, CF adapter and holder, and 2 pocketwizards) in a Lowepro Stealth Reporter bag and have never had any problem. I am a very frequent flier, so that setup has been through countless airports. My tripods, lighting gear, and backdrop stand go into a Pelican checked bag.

I wouldn't expect any problems at all. In fact, TSA policy (not airline policy) is to permit your carry on, personal item, AND a photo bag through the security checkpoint. Your airline won't let you take all 3, but the TSA will let it pass. Therefore, they can be expected to have some clue as to the contents of a photog's bag.


- Joe

[ilya]

Has anyone found it to be a problem nowdays to fly with your camera bag as carry-on luggage? Any hassles about anything normally carried in a camera bag that I might want to consider brfore arriving at the gate with my fully-loaded photo backpack?

Any advice is appreciated.

I can speak for domestic routes ~ no hassle whatsoever. They don't even bother opening up the bag. If I were a terrorist, I think I'd pose as a photog. :o

[Ken Fong]

I've found that as long as all my lenses are in the camera bag and submitted the camera bag as an individual item, I have not had any long delays...they seem especially appreciative when you tell them it is a camera bag before they scan.
When I placed one of my lenses in my carry-on luggage (not the camera bag), they did take more time to open the bag and inspect the lens...maybe they didn't know it was a lens. As a result, I always keep my lenses in the camera bag, not my main carry-on luggage, for inspections.
I use a Lowepro Nova 4...it fits well under the seat and is small enough not to count as your main carry-on.

[chris.bailey]

Has anyone found it to be a problem nowdays to fly with your camera bag as carry-on luggage? Any hassles about anything normally carried in a camera bag that I might want to consider brfore arriving at the gate with my fully-loaded photo backpack?

Any advice is appreciated.

No problems for me in the past but I do check it for any sharps before I travel. In the UK I have been questioned on return from the US as to where I had bought it all so now carry a copy of receipts for the major bits and pieces in my travel docs.

[CeeCee]

Many years ago i went to Israel with the El Al company, and they were totally rude and obnoxious.

First of all i went with my photo-equip in at photobag, but the flash (a metz ct4) had to be send seperately on the next flight. I had to go to another city in Israel to fetch it. And on the returnflight, they broke my Nikon F3HP and a 85/1.4 - i claimed a repair, but received none.

Since then i have not have any refund nor any letter from El Al

Well, sorry to state this, but I am never gonna go to Israel again - Period. I found the Isralies very arrogant and very untrustworthy. Well then again, they are not all like that, but the ones i delt with were a disaster.

Bye bye Israel.

[Canuck]

Has anyone found it to be a problem nowdays to fly with your camera bag as carry-on luggage? Any hassles about anything normally carried in a camera bag that I might want to consider brfore arriving at the gate with my fully-loaded photo backpack?

Any advice is appreciated.

I started a topic of sort some time ago and here it is:
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18023
It was called something like how to carry camera kit and be flyable.

[Phil Hall]

I use the Tamrac backpacks with wheels. They open up easily for inspection, roll through the airport and have room for a laptop. They also fit easily into the overhead bin.

[msnow]

Many years ago i went to Israel with the El Al company, and they were totally rude and obnoxious.

First of all i went with my photo-equip in at photobag, but the flash (a metz ct4) had to be send seperately on the next flight. I had to go to another city in Israel to fetch it. And on the returnflight, they broke my Nikon F3HP and a 85/1.4 - i claimed a repair, but received none.

Since then i have not have any refund nor any letter from El Al

Well, sorry to state this, but I am never gonna go to Israel again - Period. I found the Isralies very arrogant and very untrustworthy. Well then again, they are not all like that, but the ones i delt with were a disaster.

Bye bye Israel.

Israel is probably one of the most dangerous parts of the world to travel. El Al security is known to be the toughest and most thorough security organizations in the world and they have good reason to be. I'm sorry they broke your equipment and that you perceived them to be rude and arrogant but I would excuse them for doing their job. People are being blown up there almost every week these days.

[Andrushka]

i've been to Israel, I've flown on El Al - they didn't break my stuff, but they were thorough, without touching me :-)

I fly a good bit internationally and domestically (USA) and never have problems carrying my whole kit (listed in my signature) in the smallest ThinkTank backpack.

Sometimes I get a second screening for my bag - but they look at it, I start yacking about my gear and point out what various things are and they zip it up and off I go

Just dont try to lug a huge bag and you should be all good

[Jumpcut]

Wow....mega bump. I bet a lot of security proceedures have changed in nearly 7 years.

[maryhee]

just flew into scotland yesterday from vancouver via london heathrow. i had my backpack camera bag along with another carry on suitcase and i didn't have any problem at all.

[Andrushka]

Wow....mega bump. I bet a lot of security proceedures have changed in nearly 7 years.

LOL woops... now I'm embarassed for my part in the mega bump lol

[lannes]

The risk nowadays is weight, in Perth they have sometimes been weighing carry on luggage on international flights. It pays not to have a heavy looking camera bag and to bring a jacket to put overweight stuff in.

[MT Stringer]

I flew from Houston, Tx to Salt Lake, Utah. i had to unpack the camera bag and put it all in the tray, then repack it. Thankfully, I didn't bring a lot of gear. Just a hassle, I didn't bring a lot of gear. Just the hassle anda pat down because of the knee replacement a few years ago. :-(

[MCAsan]

A couple of weeks ago we flew from Atlanta to Salt Lake via DFW. The camera bags went throgh the usual carryone xray. No one wanted to look inside. Once before we had someone wanting to look inside my wife's bag.

Makes me wonder if your experience was security being tighten recently...or just local staff decisions.

[zyx5432]

Interesting. I flew two weeks ago from Houston to NYC and had zero issues - they didn't even look at anything. YMMV

[MT Stringer]

I flew from Houston, Tx to Salt Lake, Utah. i had to unpack the camera bag and put it all in the tray, then repack it. Thankfully, I didn't bring a lot of gear. Just a hassle, I didn't bring a lot of gear. Just the hassle anda pat down because of the knee replacement a few years ago. :-(

This was this past Monday. Had to completely remove everything from the carry-on stuff and put in the plastic tubs for inspection and xray.

[tvphotog]

Everything except the tripod can go through either US or international. Some have me open the Pelica which I carry it all in, but I've never been asked to check anything.

I check the tripod all the time.

[Savas K]

With the new pat downs, I'm putting my long lens in my pants.

[worrptangl]

With the new pat downs, I'm putting my long lens in my pants.

bw!

[MCAsan]

To paraphrase the immortal and immoral Mae West...

"Is that a telephoto in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"

[footman]

The only thing I can think of is protecting the contacts of certain batteries when they are carried loose which is now an airline security requirement.

I'm off to Israel in a few days and don't expect any problems with security. I'm not flying El Al, I think that their much vaunted security check is overrated when compared to current UK best practice.

[neilattopspeedtuning]

when i was travelling to europe this past sept, i went to italy for 2 weeks. 2 days of which were for the monza f1 race....i had my 7d, 28-75 f2.8 sigma, 20-300 f2.8 sigma, 18-1xx f?~?, 2 batteries, my flash and 2 sets of aa rechargeable batts, aa charger, related cables and an accer netbook in my handcarry tamrac backpack....no problems at all...what was a pita was the remove the laptop from the bag at security check!

[nWmR12]

I had to take out my camera and the lens and put them in a try when I flew out of Paris and that was only like a few days ago, though when I when through there a week earlier they didn't have me do that, I guess it just depends and in Morocco no problems.

[Lowner]

I've never been stopped from boarding aircraft with my Lowepro Vertex 200. But twice I have been asked to open it, once so it could be swabbed for drugs/explosives or whatever and the other because the guy was a photographer and was just interested!

[aphphoto]

I had to take out my camera and the lens and put them in a try when I flew out of Paris and that was only like a few days ago, though when I when through there a week earlier they didn't have me do that, I guess it just depends and in Morocco no problems.

I once had plainclothes security @ Heathrow take every lens, remove the caps, and sight through it. They also turned on my electric razor to make sure it worked. Obviously I was being profiled - perhaps as an IRA member.

[MRagon]

The only time my camera bag was checked out was in the Barrow, Alaska airport this past Aug. That's a small town on the Arctic Ocean where the only paved road is the runway. The airport didn't even use a PA system. They just raise their voice, everyone can hear. And when they inspect a bag, everyone watches...lol. They proceeded to remove every lens from my bag and swab it for explosives. I asked if I could please re-pack it myself. I guess they were bored :-)

[footman]

I've suddenly been reminded of the time I flew to Israel from Gatwick Airport which is part of the London hub.

I flew with a British Airways subsidiary so the security was done by BAA (or whatever they were called way back then).

The check was done in an area adjacent to the departure lounge and my mate and I were the last ones to go through.
A middle aged guy in the small group in front of us refused to take the lens off his 35mm SLR on the grounds that "it would spoil the film".

He was asked a second time and upon his refusal was politely informed that he wasn't flying.

He and his wife pleaded and so the Captain was called. I've never heard such a telling off delivered to anyone in my life. The Captains roars could be heard throughout the entire departure area.

An extremely chastened and embarrassed passenger was then allowed to join the rest of us.

[JWright]

The three times I've flown in the last two years I've had no hassles with airport security. I've never once been asked to open my camera bag. This last trip I didn't even mention to the inspector that it contained cameras.

My biggest issue on my last trip was with American Airlines. Both my wife and I were carrying Tamrac Adventure 9 camera backpacks as our carry-ons and computer briefcases as our "personal" items. When we boarded the plane in Chicago for our flight to San Diego we were in the last group to board. Before we got to the gate the agents started telling everyone the overhead bins were full and carry-ons had to be gate checked.

There was no way we were putting $10,000 worth of camera gear into the hold in unsecured bags and I told the gate agent that. When we got on the plane, the bins were indeed full, but I found a spot in the bins in First Class. I got our stuff in there before anyone could say anything, but I felt sorry for the other passengers who were inconvenienced because American wasn't enforcing their own rules for carry-on luggage.

Because of increased costs, a lot of airlines are now charging fees for checked luggage. In an attempt to circumvent these fees, travelers are now using larger and larger carry-ons and not checking any bags at all. This is good in theory but, coupled with passengers that put both their bags in the overhead instead of placing one under the seat in froth of them (to give themselves more legroom) it causes the bins to fill up, creating a big hassle and inconvenience for the late boarding passengers.

I got a very good idea of how bad this had become when the flight attendant couldn't close the bin right over my head without slamming it HARD because there was an oversize roller bag in there. When we arrived in SD, I saw another passenger struggle for five minutes to get her bag out of the overhead because it was so big it was stuck.

When it comes down to it, I'd rather drive or, ideally, take the train...

[gkuenning]

I fly a fair amount, sometimes with and sometimes without my camera. I bought my camera backpack bag specifically because it is carryon dimensions; it fits under the seat in front even on a commuter jet.

As others have mentioned, the problem nowadays is weight. For my latest trip, where weight was a huge issue (try living for a year on the amount of stuff an airline will let you carry and check!) I bought a cheap but accurate luggage scale on eBay and weighed everything. For the camera bag, where the backpack itself is pretty heavy, I left the body in the bag, but put all the lenses, flashes, and other heavy stuff in my photo vest, which in turn was camouflaged under my winter jacket. All the stuff went back in the bag once I was on the plane.

When going through security, I lock my camera backpack and put it through the X-ray. If they want to go through it, that's fine (happened only once so far, I think) but by locking it I force them to do the examination in my presence.

[Andrushka]

Many years ago i went to Israel with the El Al company, and they were totally rude and obnoxious.

A year ago I flew on USAir and THEY were rude and obnoxious going coming and in between... :rolleyes:

lets all list EVERY airline we have flown on and then what we thought of our experience :D

[Lowner]

"lets all list EVERY airPORT we have flown on and then what we thought of our experience"

I have a dislike of JFK because of one moron of an immigration official. I handed him my passport as I've handed it to many others around the world. It's handed back and I start to walk away. I'm called back - "passport please", so I hand it to him again. Again its handed back and again I start walking away. Guess what? this happens a third time and I watch him closely. The fourth time it dawns on me he wants me to open the passport to the correct page!

Only in America!

[Andrushka]

"lets all list EVERY airPORT we have flown on and then what we thought of our experience"

I have a dislike of JFK because of one moron of an immigration official. I handed him my passport as I've handed it to many others around the world. It's handed back and I start to walk away. I'm called back - "passport please", so I hand it to him again. Again its handed back and again I start walking away. Guess what? this happens a third time and I watch him closely. The fourth time it dawns on me he wants me to open the passport to the correct page!

Only in America!

Lol haha

[yogestee]

"lets all list EVERY airPORT we have flown on and then what we thought of our experience"

I have a dislike of JFK because of one moron of an immigration official. I handed him my passport as I've handed it to many others around the world. It's handed back and I start to walk away. I'm called back - "passport please", so I hand it to him again. Again its handed back and again I start walking away. Guess what? this happens a third time and I watch him closely. The fourth time it dawns on me he wants me to open the passport to the correct page!

Only in America!

Probably just having a bad day..

I've had a few good experiences while going through customs though..

I was about to board a flight from Bangkok to Vientiane.. I put my camera bag through the scanner and the young security guy asked me to open my camera bag, not a problem.. As I discovered, the security guy was a keen photographer and he wanted to see what I was using.. It wasn't particularly busy so we chatted about photography for a few minutes..Nice young guy..

[cloose]

When going through security, I lock my camera backpack and put it through the X-ray. If they want to go through it, that's fine (happened only once so far, I think) but by locking it I force them to do the examination in my presence.

Seriously? They have that option?

In Canada, after a carry on bag has gone through the x-ray, if security wants to do further screening (physical check or residue swipe) they first have to confirm verbally that it is your bag, then ask permission!

Granted if you say no it doesn't come on the plane (nor would you) and the real reason they do this is so they have you caught if in fact they do find something, but certainly nice to know that they cannot root through your contents while you are putting your belt back on.

[aphphoto]

I lock my camera backpack and put it through the X-ray. If they want to go through it, that's fine (happened only once so far, I think) but by locking it I force them to do the examination in my presence.
Over here they would just clip the lock if they needed to open your bag. We're required to use these silly TSA approved locks which can be picked quite easily - some with nothing more than a bent paper clip.
When your bag is opened in front of you it is placed on a table behind a partition. You can see over the partition but you are cautioned not to reach over it for any reason.
One of my biggest complaints is their complete lack of respect for your personal items if you are selected for additional screening. Your bag and tray(s) may be sitting unattended on the end of the belt for anyone to walk off with.
On a similar note - when the xray machine is backed up I refuse to pass through the metal detector until I've seen my bag enter the machine. Don't need it disappearing as I'm on the other side waiting for it to come through!

[Andrushka]

Seriously? They have that option?

In Canada, after a carry on bag has gone through the x-ray, if security wants to do further screening (physical check or residue swipe) they first have to confirm verbally that it is your bag, then ask permission!

Granted if you say no it doesn't come on the plane (nor would you) and the real reason they do this is so they have you caught if in fact they do find something, but certainly nice to know that they cannot root through your contents while you are putting your belt back on.

No no... The procedure is identical in the USA - confirmation than approval and I have never had a bad experience at secondary bag screening - last time it ended with me demoing my new iPad for the tsa officer ;-)

[kona77]

My biggest issue on my last trip was with American Airlines. Both my wife and I were carrying Tamrac Adventure 9 camera backpacks as our carry-ons and computer briefcases as our "personal" items. When we boarded the plane in Chicago for our flight to San Diego we were in the last group to board. Before we got to the gate the agents started telling everyone the overhead bins were full and carry-ons had to be gate checked.

There was no way we were putting $10,000 worth of camera gear into the hold in unsecured bags and I told the gate agent that. When we got on the plane, the bins were indeed full, but I found a spot in the bins in First Class. I got our stuff in there before anyone could say anything, but I felt sorry for the other passengers who were inconvenienced because American wasn't enforcing their own rules for carry-on luggage.


I have had a several similar situations flying with my gear all over the US this year. United was excellent, US Air was the worst.

I have a large Thinktank that I pack a full size HD cam, 7D, 5D, 3 lenses, 8 GoPro cams, mounts, batteries, flash, etc. It weighs 35lbs and is designed to fit in the standard overhead bin. I always go to the gate and explain what I have in my bag and they have all been great at making sure there is space. US Air was the only airline at every single connection that told me the flight was full and just wait my turn to board. I was very polite and explained that the bag could not be checked but they became even more rude. I will not fly with them anymore.

I have never been asked by airport security to open my bag, I just send it through the xray and it is all set.

As a side note, I see the standard traveler ruder than ever which makes traveling an exhausting experience.

[Lowner]

"As a side note, I see the standard traveler ruder than ever which makes traveling an exhausting experience".

I see that a partly due to the greater stresses and strains of modern life and partly because flying is no longer the pleasurable experience it once was. We get herded like cattle at a slaughterhouse at airports these days.

[MT Stringer]

"As a side note, I see the standard traveler ruder than ever which makes traveling an exhausting experience".

I see that a partly due to the greater stresses and strains of modern life and partly because flying is no longer the pleasurable experience it once was. We get herded like cattle at a slaughterhouse at airports these days.

Guilty until proven innocent. That seems to be their motto these days.

[octospit]

i've only flown domestic with my camera gear. 1 domke f-1 bag and 1 tenba shootout backpack. domke had my 50d, lenses, wireless triggers & transmitters, and batteries along with other small accessories. the tenba had my elinchrom quadra w/2 aheads and batteries.

they looked through both bags and swabbed the elinchrom batteries. while they did this i watched and described everything they were looking at. i also had my copy of the elinchrom documents (manual, fcc statements) if they were suspicious, but they didn't look at it.

if you can tell them exactly what it is then there's no problems =)

[JWright]

I have had a several similar situations flying with my gear all over the US this year. United was excellent, US Air was the worst.

I have a large Thinktank that I pack a full size HD cam, 7D, 5D, 3 lenses, 8 GoPro cams, mounts, batteries, flash, etc. It weighs 35lbs and is designed to fit in the standard overhead bin. I always go to the gate and explain what I have in my bag and they have all been great at making sure there is space. US Air was the only airline at every single connection that told me the flight was full and just wait my turn to board. I was very polite and explained that the bag could not be checked but they became even more rude. I will not fly with them anymore.

I have never been asked by airport security to open my bag, I just send it through the xray and it is all set.

As a side note, I see the standard traveler ruder than ever which makes traveling an exhausting experience.

My wife and I traveled to Oregon from southern California last year on Amtrak's Coast Starlight. It was one of the nicest trips we have ever taken. There was no security check at all when we boarded in San Diego and no hassles with what we took on the train. The only real limiting factor was the size of the sleeping compartment we had. There wasn't much room for bags but we made do. There was a rack on the lower level of the car to store bags, but I wouldn't put anything valuable there.

Meales were included in the price of our tickets (only for sleepers) and we arrived relaxed and ready for the rest of our vacation. The only issue on the whole trip was that we were two hours late getting into Portland because of a disabled freight on the track ahead of us. That caused us to miss picking up our rental car that day, but that was no big deal.

If I had the choice, I would travel exclusively by train...

[aphphoto]

If I had the choice, I would travel exclusively by train...
Unfortunately train travel here, compared to Europe, can be an absolute nightmare. Family members have taken Amtrak up the East coast and had long delays, dining cars that ran out of food and drink and bathrooms that overflowed or stopped working. At least once the delays were something like 11 hours on an 8 hour trip from what I can recall.

[yogestee]

Unfortunately train travel here, compared to Europe, can be an absolute nightmare. Family members have taken Amtrak up the East coast and had long delays, dining cars that ran out of food and drink and bathrooms that overflowed or stopped working. At least once the delays were something like 11 hours on an 8 hour trip from what I can recall.

I've travelled through Vietnam by train.. They ran on time, were comfortable and the was always food and drink available.. To start, the toilets were good but towards the end of an 8-10 hour journey, were pretty gross..

[JWright]

Unfortunately train travel here, compared to Europe, can be an absolute nightmare. Family members have taken Amtrak up the East coast and had long delays, dining cars that ran out of food and drink and bathrooms that overflowed or stopped working. At least once the delays were something like 11 hours on an 8 hour trip from what I can recall.

My wife and I traveled to Oregon from San Diego on Amtrak's Coast Starlight last year. It was one of the best trips I've ever taken. Yes, there was a delay but it was only two hours and really didn't make too much difference as we were able to see scenery that we normally would have passed through in the dark.

I'm a regular reader of Trains magazine and from what I read there, Amtrak's customer service and on-time record has improved drastically in the last few years. I don't know when your relatives last traveled on Amtrak, but they might find it a difference experience now. I know I'd ride the train again...

I've travelled through Vietnam by train.. They ran on time, were comfortable and the was always food and drink available.. To start, the toilets were good but towards the end of an 8-10 hour journey, were pretty gross..

One of the most interesting train trips I've been on was from Los Mochis to Creel in Mexico and back. This is the well-known Copper Canyon route. The trip was before the creation of the tourist trains that run on the route now and was on the Mexican national railroad. It was an amazing trip and one I'd like to do again.

[brownbugger]

I live in another part of the world , and I am sometimes hassled in domestic flights , but its more out of curiosity , infact they let me take pencil cells .. i have duracell & enloop rechargeable ones in the bag ..although i think they are not allowed.