For those of you who fly in the US . .

[markubig]

Since airlines are not allowing us to lock our luggage anymore, do you pack your camera bag in your luggage or just carry it on the plane?

[iof]

I never have put anything valuable in checked luggage. Cheap locks never were an impediment to dishonest baggage handlers.

[paulhillion]

I've just done a 7 month trip all over the US & I ALWAYS carried my camera gear on as hand luggage!

[jimsolt]

I never have put anything valuable in checked luggage. Cheap locks never were an impediment to dishonest baggage handlers.
In fact you are not supposed to lock checked luggage, so it can be inspected.
Jim

[iof]

Right, but locking your luggage provided NO security even when you could. Now, if security want to inspect your bag and it's locked, they simply pop the lock, just like the handlers used to do when they inspected your luggage for valuables.

[Vita Rara]

Always carry on and stowed under the seat in front of me. I want it in my sight and under my control. The last thing I need is someone going into an overhead compartment and grabbing the wrong bag, or jostling it and causing it to fall.

My $0.02 (US),

Mark

[robertdrake]

I avoid the issue by never going to the States. ;)

[Tom W]

I avoid the issue by never going to the States. ;)
I can't do that, but I rarely fly, and only if the employer insists. I don't think they'd let me carry all my kit onto the plane anyway.

[khiromu]

I think all airline is allowing one personal item and the camera bag can be a parsonal item.

[vwpilot]

Never check it.

The TSA recently said that if the ariline allowed, a third bag could be carried on if it was photo equipment. I have used JetBlue because they are a really good airline and very inexpensive, but also because they have allowed me a third carry-on for the gear. I would carry a backpack as a personal item with my laptop and chargers etc. a Lightware bag with my 500 in it as my carry-on and a rolling Tamrac bag with my two 1D and the rest of my gear as my extra photo bag. Never a problem.

However, for next year in order to get a little more freedom of airlines (in case they dont allow the third bag) I am going to a Tamrac backpack for the laptop and some gear and the 500 and the rest in the rolling bag. As long as both are within specs it would work fine.

Monopods and less important gear go into the checked stuff surrounded by clothes.

[alan sh]

I've spent all year travelling around Europe. I have never ever checked my camera. I always carry it with me. I have never been stopped because I have two bags - my laptop in a rucksack bag and my 20D (was Minolta A2) in a Lowepro Nova 4.

[JulianoL]

Same here. Always carry on, even tough knowing I'll be picked for a more detailed search. I only check my tripod.

[phili1]

Baggae is a no no. Some guy just his camera llifted.

If they touch my camera or lens they end up with one short arm.

Carry it on.

[defordphoto]

Baggae

Hmmm....Is that Jamaican luggage?

[Tom W]

Hmmm....Is that Jamaican luggage?The moderators are quick tonight! :D

[defordphoto]

The moderators are quick tonight! :D

I was rolling on the floor when I saw phili1's post!

But, to get back OT, I never, EVER check my equipment.

[RogCincy]

Never check anything that you can't afford to lose........

[rsnadel]

Here is what is posted on the US Government's Transportation Security Administration website (URL: http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1248.xml):
---------------
Transporting Film and Photographic Equipment

Photographic Equipment

You may carry one (1) bag of photographic equipment in addition to one (1) carry-on and one (1) personal item through the screening checkpoint. The additional bag must conform to your air carrier's carry-on restrictions for size and weight. Please confirm your air carrier's restrictions prior to arriving at the airport.

Air carriers may or may not allow the additional carry-on item on their aircraft. Please check with your air carrier prior to arriving at the airport.

[vcutag]

Here is what is posted on the US Government's Transportation Security Administration website (URL: http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1248.xml):
---------------
Transporting Film and Photographic Equipment

Photographic Equipment

You may carry one (1) bag of photographic equipment in addition to one (1) carry-on and one (1) personal item through the screening checkpoint. The additional bag must conform to your air carrier's carry-on restrictions for size and weight. Please confirm your air carrier's restrictions prior to arriving at the airport.

Air carriers may or may not allow the additional carry-on item on their aircraft. Please check with your air carrier prior to arriving at the airport.

I'm flying to Seattle and back for Christmas via American, has anyone ever had any experience with them? Right now I have a small bag (probably a cubic foot, if that) for my camera and two lenses, and a medium sized messenger bag for my laptop, both of which are coming on the plane with me.

Do I need to figure out a way to get the camera and lenses into the messenger bag, or is AA a little less fascist about these things?

This is only my second time flying, so I really have no clue what I'm doing.

[vwpilot]

Thomas,

You list two bags, you should be fine as long as they both are within carry-on size regulations.

Call the laptop your "personal" item and the camera bag is your carry-on.

I would check American's website to verify sizing, but sounds like you shouldnt have an issue.

You have to be aware of the TSA announcement, that is what I wast talking about in my above post. The airlines do NOT have to comply with it even if the TSA allows it. So you have to check with the airline ahead of time if you are hoping to take on a third bag.

Remember the AIRLINE is the final word on what goes on their planes, not the TSA.

[Kinger]

For those of you looking into locking your luggage, I believe you can purchase TSA locks. They are nothig more then the little plastic breakaway locks, but they go on after initial inspection, and stay on till you take them off. All this will do is prevent any handlers from going into your luggage.

[vwpilot]

Actually the TSA locks are real locks, they just have a master key that all TSA employees are supposed to have so they can open them for inspection and then re-lock them. Supposedly they work pretty well, but I still dont trust my camera gear to be checked. I dont want to get to a job with nothing to shoot with becuase my Pelican case ended up on a plane heading toward Dallas instead of Oakland.

[blackviolet]

it's amazing how different the policies and procedures are around the world. i've found in most countries i fly from, throughout apac, will visually inspect (cursory glance) the body. occasionally, i've found that they have problems with some lenses looking a bit solid on the xray, so they will check (and in some cases remove the lens from the bag and re-scan). i have also noticed it's a lot easier with my lowepro roadrunner mini aw, which looks like a real camera bag, they tend to let me through with simply a cursory glance. if i am travelling with my crumpler bags, they tend to look at everything.

i've also noticed that being patient and polite goes a long way, *especially* when travelling to or from the US. it's the difference between them letting you help them look in the bags, or them pulling everything out, potentially letting something fall out.

i had close to 200k miles this year and had no issues qantas, singapore airlines, jal, united, skywest, jetstar, virgin blue, thai intl, ana, or british airways. i had a problem with lufthansa - my carry-on bag was too heavy (they freakin' weighed it!) so i walked away, took the camera out and put it around my neck. no weight problem then - whew! i also had a problem in auckland on air nz domestic on my way to wellington. i was carrying my backpack and laptop bag. they said wouldnt let me carry on both, despite my pointing out many other people in the lounge with 2 bags. so i pulled out my laptop, carried it under my arm (put my ipod, etc. i the backpack) and let them take the laptop bag away with the prams.

[Canuck]

I never had a problem when I was int he UK, flying to and from Ireland, Austria x2 and wehn I get to the US all that changes. i hate flying to begin with but the TSA really has my goat. I had one particular incident that happened here on my way to Seattle and it was not cool. If what I saw here is the way TSA is (which I can't confirm or deny due to lack of places I have gone thru in the US) then based one what I have seen TSA is about the biggest joke around. Create jobs it did, but hiring flunkies...a trained monkey could do better based on what I have seen here and here alone. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[ssim]

I came through DFW last week I stopped and spoke with a TSA agent for a few minutes. I will be forced to checked a Pelican case with my bigger lenses and was concerned about not being present for the inspection and also having my locks brokent.

Now according to this agent you can request an in person inspection where you can unlock your bags, they will do their thing and then you relock your bags and away they go with the inspection tape attached. He told me that according to regulations they cannot refuse this.