Some tips from my own recent experience...

[sbalsama]

I just got back from my trip to Vienna, it was a great trip but what a photographic bummer! Here's what went wrong:

-Tripod couldn't be taken into Amsterdam airport, so I had to check it...without protection...just in a plastic bag...-_-
-20 rolls of film were zapped many times, including three times on one occasion in Amsterdam!
-Flash bracket and chinsy 30 dollar connector broke (fixed them, at least)
-Camera body! broke and I was only able to get out about 2 and a half rolls.

My tips:
-Put the tripod in checked luggage (which I did do)
-Try to mail your film when travelling overseas. Newark and Detroit had no problems hand checking my film, just allow 10-15 minutes, and make sure you keep the exposed ones separate.
-Have a backup body - I am definitely purchasing one, luckily it's only an OM so it will be cheap.

I thought I would share these, perhaps other people could add to the list for traveling with equipment. Hope everyone else had a good Easter (excuse me, SPRING) holiday, especially those that were up at JT recently. I saw a special about the park on CNN International while over there.

 

[Rob]

The security people seem to appreciate you carrying your films in a string or see-through bag separately as hand luggage and adopting a "please" approach to hand-checking.

I use an indestructible Velbon alloy tripod from the 1970's, so it's never had a problem with harsh airport treatment.