Taking your kit through the Airport?

Fly all the time, never check the camera gear, never an issue.

I have a Think Tank Airport Takeoff roller bag. You can "back pack it" as well. It fits right in the overhead and looks like any other roller bag.

Enjoy your trip!

Just make sure you have batteries handy or inside the camera as some countries (such as mine) will sometimes ask you to turn such devices to prove it is what it appears to be.

roshenk wrote in post #13934721
Just make sure you have batteries handy or inside the camera as some countries (such as mine) will sometimes ask you to turn such devices to prove it is what it appears to be.

WOW, really?! lol

Yeah I have my battery in the camera all the time!

roshenk wrote in post #13934721
Just make sure you have batteries handy or inside the camera as some countries (such as mine) will sometimes ask you to turn such devices to prove it is what it appears to be.

When I flew from Germany back to the states, they made me take a picture to show them that the camera works and they looked through all the lenses to see if it wasn't packed with something in the barrel.

Flying from Italy to Germany on a small plane was a nightmare. Their international bag size was smaller than my rolling bag that I got from Target. Luckily I had a backpack on me so I shoved my body and lenses LOOSE in my backpack just to get it on the plane. The airline "checked" my rolling bag empty. Blah.

I flew back from Germany a couple of months ago and my lenses were all examined too. I think this is because some optical glass is opaque to x-rays and so they just want to be sure. Zeiss lenses are particularly problematic because the barrel is made of brass, which is also opaque - all they see is a black blob.

On occasion I've had them ask me to turn on my radio, gps, laptop and shoot a picture with my camera. Having charged batteries is a good idea.

The camera gear usually isn't an issue, but when I travel, the initial pack for carry on has a bunch of cords, chargers, random other odd shaped items which I'm sure looks like an excessive amount to be carrying in a bag. I've had to open my backpack on more than one occasion. The tripod sails though with no issue though

Lady Tori wrote in post #13934419
Thanks everyone for your replies!

I also read somewhere I shouldn't have a lens attached to the camera.

Not a security requirement, it is more like suggestion to have it more secure in the bag.
The only difference if you travel with photo gear - in airport it will take little bit longer for them to scan it.

went to Hong Kong early Feb. they always make you check in your Tripod.. everything else, you can hand carry..

roshenk wrote in post #13934721
Just make sure you have batteries handy or inside the camera as some countries (such as mine) will sometimes ask you to turn such devices to prove it is what it appears to be.

Lady Tori wrote in post #13936736
WOW, really?! lol

Yeah I have my battery in the camera all the time!

Yeah, I've even had them make me turn on cameras in Canada...

GregPH wrote in post #13937873
went to Hong Kong early Feb. they always make you check in your Tripod.. everything else, you can hand carry..

True...tripods can be a touchy subject with some security people...if you can check it, then check it and avoid the headaches...

My fastpack 350 is just the right size and holds my kit, granted I don't have any long lenses.

The only issue I ever have is that sometimes the camera bag goes through x-ray faster than I get through the metal detector and I get concerned that it will walk off on its own. I've never had a problem but it has been a concern a couple of times.

I have not seen any way the TSA folks know that the person who put the bag on one side of the x-ray is the one that gets it off on the other side.

I just flew out of JFK on Sunday and they legitimately tore apart my bag. They went through ALL my bodies, lenses, pockets, bags, external HDD, and checked for residual bomb components. I thought it was bull****, but they were "kind" enough to let me hover over my bag and make sure they didnt do anything wrong. I was still angry though.

I carry my camera, lenses, and UW housing/ports internationally pretty frequently and do not have issues. I have had to open it once so they could verify it was UW photography gear. I carry it in a Think Tank International roller bag that fits in the overhead no problem. I always make sure I am on the plane early enough to get overhead room so it does not have to be checked. I am going diving in the Indian Ocean this Summer and flying through Dubai on Emirates and I think I am going to have to check it. I am still game planning for that. I think the bag will protect it but have concerns about the dome port. I need that for wide angle which is one of the draws for that area so I would be crushed if it were crushed.

I just flew to Colorado from Washington. There was no problems at all. They didn't even give my bags a second glance. Just make sure it fits in your carry on (preferably the under seat one) and don't let it out of your site.