Airline baggage

[tgr141291]

I'm not a frequent flyer - first flight in 4 years.

I currently have a Crumpler Matchmaker and shall be travelling to North America this summer from the UK. I am wondering about investing in a Peli 1510 to secure all my gear for the flight over, but have a few hessitations.

Will the 1510 be the only hand luggage i'm allowed, as i want to take my crumpler and use it when out and about?

How much does the 1510, with dividers, weigh (kg) when it is empty?

Has anyone had any problem getting on board with a 1510?

What set up do you use, when flying?

What are the current regulations on luggage?

How do you transport your tripod when flying?

Thanks for yor help,

Tomo

[Mr B Snappy]

When I flew to the States I just bought one of those aluminium cases and took it as hand luggage with all my kit in it. If you don't fly that often is it really worth shelling out for a Peli?

[tgr141291]

I had been wondering about buying a peli to use for home storage anyway.

[Mr B Snappy]

Well if you'll use one and want one then get one. You'll be able to find the baggage restrictions on your airlines website. Or written on the ticket if you have one.

[d44]

How are you flying over? If it is British Air, their restrictions on carryons are more stringent than other carriers- the dimensions are on the website and allow a rather small suitcase. Check the website and get the measurements. It may be that the 1510 is bigger and then you would have to check it.

I flew over to the UK in NOvember, and had a rolling suitcase that was small enough to qualify as carryon luggage. I put my camera backpack inside and carried my equipment that way.

Good luck,

[SuzyView]

I have had no trouble with my 1510. It's not completely loaded to be too heavy, though. I usually put most necessary in my backpack Adventure 9. If I need more than usual, then I take the larger Airport International I have. That is bigger. But I've never had any issues having the bag with me unless the plane was too small for any carry ons. That's happened 2 times, but nothing went wrong and the gear was fine.

[fishfoto]

Suzy,

Carry-on baggage rules in the UK are not pretty much reopened to 1+1 (one carry on & one personal item). You should however check the airport you're flying to. If you send me your flight info I can track it all down for you.

Some limited airports still only allow one carry on bag. For a while Gatwick had THREE sets of rules at once, depending on which terminal you're traveling from and if you're departing LGW or transiting LGW (it is simpler now).

I purchased my 1514 when the UK carry on baggage rules were changed and immediately flew a half-dozen flights through Heathrow and Gatwick with no problems, as well s transiting Manchester. The 1514 was just fine.

The UK does however adhere to 'international carry-on' restrictions, which means your total carry on size (45 linear inches) must include your wheels and handles. Also some airlines may limit you to a single carry on, while the airport might allow 1+1. You can read about 'international carry on' sizing here:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flyingwithfish/2008/08/14/is-your-carry-on-bag-legal-for-international-carry-on-maybe-not/

Here is the 1 year old info on the UK carry on rules (they have removed most airports from the single bag list)
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flyingwithfish/2008/01/08/britain-changes-carry-on-rules-for-carry-on-bagssort-of-kind-of-well-some-of-the-airports/

Tripods are allowed in the UK, they must not exceed your carry on baggage size though.

Also, if you are flying RyanAir at all within the UK or Europe you'll need to read this:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flyingwithfish/2008/12/16/airline-carry-on-baggage-restrictions-an-extreme-example/

Also read this regarding carry on baggage templates:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flyingwithfish/2009/01/22/airline-carry-on-baggage-templates-does-anyone-measure-them/

Flying through the UK is easy, but drop me an e-mail at fish@flyingwithfish.com , I have detailed info on it.

[foxbat]

^^^ Lots of great info up there. Also if you haven't chosen your carrier yet do take a look here:

http://www.dpsoftware.co.uk/airlines/

[Lowner]

fishfoto,

When you say tripods are OK on UK airlines, does that mean I can carry it on with my backpack? Or is it one or t'other?

When I see what some people seem to carry on, it makes a mockery of the rules.

[LORAC]

We're flying Lufthansa tomorrow. Tripods, lighting stands which are bagged separately, are booked in the hold.

[fishfoto]

Richard,

The only country with an 'official' policy not allowing tripods in Europe is Italy. In Italy is enforced like everything else...with a grain of salt.

You may carry your tripod on board as personal item, separate from your carry on, or you may carry it on attached to your personal item, provided the combined items do not exceed the maximum size restriction, as enforced by 'the template.'

Watching the carry-on show can vary from airline to airline, airport to airport and even station to station. Lufthansa as very strict regarding carry-on weight for economy class flyers, while they turn a blind eye for business class and first class flyers. Lufthansa is also notably stricter at its Munich (MUC) hub than it is at its Frankfurt (FRA) hub.

Know the rules, talk to those who fly certain specific airlines regularly, if need be print out rules from airline web sites and when possibly take notes. Doing these things always leads to an easier travel experience.

I detailed various major North American, European, Asian and Pacific airlines' carry-on baggage size allowances a while back on Flying With Fish here:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flyingwithfish/2007/03/18/18-march-2007-can-i-get-this-on-board/
(I plan to update this post in the next two months as I gather further current information, such as Continental and US Airways adjusting their carry on allowances).

Happy Flying!

[Wilt]

Well if you'll use one and want one then get one. You'll be able to find the baggage restrictions on your airlines website. Or written on the ticket if you have one.

Very important to consult the limitations imposed by the airline which you are flying on! It is likely that your leg from UK-USA will be more restrictive than legs within the USA, as US airlines tend to be permissive compared to other carriers! One area you MUST be careful in is the weight of your carry on bag, the carriers outside the USA are very much rigidly inforcing this, with maybe somes airlines possibly offering to let one piece go 0.5Kg over the stated limit of small pieces, whereas USA carriers don't even bother with the weight of smaller bags.

[fishfoto]

...It is also important to know who you are flying.

Are you flying the 'metal' of the airline you booked with, or with code-share 'metal.'

This means, for example, that if you're flying New York/JFK to Paris/CDG on Delta Airlines flight #8601, you actually need to know the baggage restrictions for Air France, as Delta 8601 is actually Air France flight #23.

Knowing who you're flying and who's 'metal' you're flying is on important.


(FYI: Metal = actual airline's aircraft you're flying on)

[tgr141291]

Im flying BA outbound and inbound

Heathrow > Calgary
Vancouver > Heathrow

Just borught the 1510 with dividers. Should arrive tommorrow:)

[SuzyView]

Just a word of advice, if you don't need all the dividers, save them. You can use them later. These cases come with a ton of them.

[hollis_f]

One area you MUST be careful in is the weight of your carry on bag, the carriers outside the USA are very much rigidly inforcing this, with maybe somes airlines possibly offering to let one piece go 0.5Kg over the stated limit of small pieces, whereas USA carriers don't even bother with the weight of smaller bags.One way to get around weight restrictions on carry-on is to travel wearing a vest with loads of pockets. Then you can transfer stuff from your bag to your pockets, let them weigh the bag again, then transfer stuff back into bag from pockets. I've done this a few times and the check-in staff don't bat an eyelid.

[Lowner]

There is one cheap airline based in the UK who seem to catch people coming home but not flying out. Almost as if they have two different scales!

I like Franks trick.

[Wilt]

One way to get around weight restrictions on carry-on is to travel wearing a vest with loads of pockets. Then you can transfer stuff from your bag to your pockets, let them weigh the bag again, then transfer stuff back into bag from pockets. I've done this a few times and the check-in staff don't bat an eyelid.


..or offload some weight into the checked luggage -- fine to do for items which have weight and which don't have much theft appeal by baggage handlers!

[fishfoto]

I have used the 'vest trick' many times.

I have a nice light weight vest that easily squishes up and can be crushed into nearly any bag I am flying with...if just such an occasion arises.