Traveling internationally with your camera gear...

What ideas have photographers thought of in case they have to travel internationally with their photo gear? If you have to check your photo equipment, what system are you going to use to pack your gear, i.e. what kind of case? Pelican? I wouldn't think checking in a ThinkTank or any other soft case would be advisable. Even with equipment insurance, the delicate components will surely encounter drops & other hard knocks along the way.

I'm asking just in case I have to travel internationally & since this is such a new issue, any ideas?

Thanks.

Just like I see the day when we have to check laptops, tablets, etc (perhaps sooner than later), I think we will have to check cameras. Perhaps the policy will only apply to those with sizable batteries, only time will tell. But with what is currently available, I would be trusting Pelican or its competition with soft internal foam. You can get these cases with rigid foam which don't offer much protection from shock.

Sad, sad, sad...If you fly internationally and are not permitted to bring photographic equipment as carry-on any longer:

1. You pay the airline extra money for EACH piece of luggage you check
   
2. You cannot use secure locks, but must use locks that have the TSA access capability...
   

And the TSA will copy and keep your photos.

I put all fragile camera bodies and lenses into carry-on bags. Actually, I usually travel carry-on only, even for long trips to Europe or Asia. So everything goes carry-on. So far no problems.

Judging from check-in lines, most folk have way more baggage than I do. And you may be one of them. But it should be possible to put all precious stuff into carry-on.

I would not put fragile stuff into checked luggage, because it is handled roughly, and could get wet. There is also the possibility of theft. Luggage handlers could remove your 5D4 body, or just steal the whole bag. But I have heard that airlines have cracked down on luggage theft, so that may not be such a serious problem any more.

All gear gets carried on, I won't check in with exception of a full size tripod if necessary

Alveric wrote in post #18369933
And the TSA will copy and keep your photos.

I practice always carrying my CF/SD cards in my pockets when returning from a trip, leaving the hotel room without my camera (and always keeping the "Privacy" tag on the door whether or not I'm in the room) and carry my small, USB hard drives that have all my images downloaded from the trip on my person. If my equipment gets stolen, at least I have what I can't replace. I insure my equipment through insuremyequipment.com I've never had to make a claim but gives me the peace of mind wherever I'm traveling in the world.

Just returned home from Barcelona last night. Was thinking the same if the "Situation" should come true. If they do not allow cameras and laptops on planes, whose says you can not carry on lenses? No batteries nor communication.
ThinkTank, please call me............

Nick5 wrote in post #18370576
Just returned home from Barcelona last night. Was thinking the same if the "Situation" should come true. If they do not allow cameras and laptops on planes, whose says you can not carry on lenses? No batteries nor communication.
ThinkTank, please call me............

That's a good point. It will be interesting to see if they call lenses electronic equipment. TSA would probably view the lenses as potential pipe bombs. Jeez.

Is this all carriers, or just some of them? It is an over-arching rule or regulation, or something instituted by particular countries or carriers?

with more and more innovative rules and regulation on international travel with electronics.
I need a camera system, smaller than my cell phone....

as of today, I squeeze and pack into my carry-on bag.
looks like I have to consider investing in m43 setup.

alintx wrote in post #18373426
Is this all carriers, or just some of them? It is an over-arching rule or regulation, or something instituted by particular countries or carriers?

US airlines on direct flights from certain airports mostly in the Middle East only.

alintx wrote in post #18373426
Is this all carriers, or just some of them? It is an over-arching rule or regulation, or something instituted by particular countries or carriers?

Passengers on flights from the Middle East to the United States are used to being searched and aggressively questioned before boarding. It is NOT limited to US carriers!
On U.S.-bound flights from 10 airports in the Middle East and Persian Gulf states, “all personal electronic devices larger than a cellphone or smartphone [must] be placed in checked baggage,” according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The ban applies to nonstop flights to the US from 10 international airports serving the cities of Cairo in Egypt; Amman in Jordan; Kuwait City in Kuwait; Casablanca in Morocco; Doha in Qatar; Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Istanbul in Turkey; and Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, until the threat changes -- regarless of carrier.

Within the recent past, a similar ban was being considered to be imposed on all flights entering the US from EU countries as well! That idea was shelved momentarily (but not totally dismissed!) after protests of delays and costs were voiced. "Officials representing both the United States and the European Union met to discuss the possibility of extending the electronics ban to US-bound flights originating in Europe. After a meeting that lasted several hours in Brussels, it was decided that the electronics ban will not (for the present time) be expanded to include flights from Europe, however officials did say that ‘other measures were still being considered.’ "
DHS Secretary John Kelly 'made it clear' a ban on passengers carrying tablet and computer-sized electronics on board flights to the United States “is still on the table,” DHS said in a statement.

Fortunately at least for the time being there are no changes with TSA regs on electronic equipment. My decision to carry less on a recent trip was impacted by the possibility of restrictions while I was abroad.

US toughens airport security for foreign flights 28 June 2017
Homeland Security says airlines must step up security for US-bound flights or face possibility of total electronics ban.

"Authorities in the United States have unveiled tough new security measures for international flights arriving in the country, but held off from a threatened expansion of a carry-on laptop ban.

"The Homeland Security Department said on Wednesday it would now require enhanced screening of personal electronic devices, passengers and explosive detection for the roughly 2,000 commercial flights landing daily in the US from 280 airports in 105 countries.

"Officials said the agency would issue directives to about 180 air carriers, including US airlines.

"Security is my number one concern," John Kelly, secretary of homeland security, said during a speech at the Center for a New American Security. "Our enemies are adaptive and we have to adapt as well."

"Kelly said the changes will be "seen and unseen" and will be phased in over the coming weeks and months.
He said airlines that do not comply or are slow to enforce the new standards could be forced to bar large electronics from both carry-on and checked luggage. They could also lose permission to fly into the US.

"The current ban, which affects only foreign carriers flying to the US from 10 cities, allows passengers to travel with larger electronics packed in checked baggage.

"The original laptop and electronics ban has been in place since March amid concerns about an undisclosed threat described only as sophisticated and ongoing. That ban applied to nonstop flights to the US from Amman, Jordan; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Cairo; Istanbul; Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The roughly 50 affected flights are on foreign airlines.

"The government had considered expanding the laptop ban to include some European airports, though in recent public comments Kelly had suggested the government was looking at alternatives.

"Al Jazeera's Shihab Rattansi, reporting from Washington, DC, said the specifics of the new security measures were unclear.

"The specifics are a little vague and the Department of Homeland Security says that's on purpose because they don't discuss security measures in public," he said.

"What we understand is that if an airport wants to avoid a laptop ban, it has to enhance its security, including the checking of electronic devices for explosives and the screening of passengers and airport workers."

Questions over new measures

"Kelly also said the US would push harder for foreign airports to accept "pre-clearance" immigration operations manned by US Customs and Border Patrol officials to process US-bound passengers before they board their flights.

"Such operations have already been established in 15 locations in six countries, including Canada, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates.

"But it raises sensitive sovereignty issues to have US law enforcement officials operate inside another country.


"US officials remained vague about the specific requirements of the new programme.

"Airlines will be pressed to adopt a mix of new measures, including installing new screening technology, making more use of chemical sniffer dogs, and other unspecified steps.

"But the precise requirements in each case would depend on individual airlines, the airports they fly from, and their current levels of security. Some will have to make only minor improvements, they said.

"Asked about timeframes, officials would only say that they would give adequate time for the airlines to adapt.

"We are raising the bar globally" for security standards, one senior official, who declined to be identified, told the AFP news agency.

"They also said they expect nearly all carriers to be able to meet the new standards."