Flying?

[DepthAfield]

A ‘Heads Up’ alert for air traveling members who might be tempted to pack expensive camera gear into checked baggage… Avoid this if at all possible in the United States. The well-intentioned TSA has a problem with some ‘light fingered’ agents that work behind the scenes, inspecting this luggage. You have little or no recourse in most cases regarding lost/stolen property from checked baggage!

Hopefully, current restrictions to carry-on items will be eased soon.

Until then, shipping your camera gear ahead, via FedEx/UPS/DHL is recommended.

 

[omeletteman]

Thanks for the warning man. I'm glad I don't have to fly anywhere for awhile. I'm not worried about getting blown up, I just hate delays and having to throw stuff away.

 

[LaFoto]

I'll be flying from Germany to England in about a week and a bit from now and was REALLY worried I'd have to put my camera rucksack with all my gear into the check-in luggage. But according to what my son heard on the radio yesterday, the restrictions that said "no hand luggage at all" have been lifted and I CAN bring a piece of hand luggage again. I am still trying to find some confirming news in the internet, but if that were true I'd be VERY happy for I'd HATE to put my cameras into my check-in luggage, for various reasons!

 

[Corry]

I don't check ANYTHING if I don't have to, especially not my camera. I'm going to Houston in 3 days (THREE DAYS ALREADY!?) and I'll have my camera bag, a small luggage back, and maybe one more small thing (I know the limit is two, but I got away with it before...hope I still will, but I know it's doubtful). If I have to check one of them, it will be my clothes. I WAS going to bring my tripod as well, but with what's gone on recently, I'm thinking that'll be pushing it a bit this time. (the bf had no prob bringing it when we flew to DC in April)

 

[Antarctican]

Corinna - Heathrow's new baggage rules (as of today) are listed on CNN at http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/08/14/uk.baggagerules/index.html/

Sounds like you get one small piece of hand luggage (about 1/2 the size of what was formerly allowed) and no liquids/gels/lotions etc (other than a few specific exceptions)

 

[LaFoto]

That does sound promising. Actually I had also phoned the travel agent and was told that unless I was flying on to the States (which this time I won't), I may again carry a piece of hand luggage, and that will be my camera rucksack! I have no problem putting any liquids into my check-in luggage, nor the tripod(s), they should not pose any problem THERE. And I ALWAYS check in my luggage, anyway, other than a small item, for I think that is what the luggage compartment on the plane is for, and the overhead compartments should actually only be for small items and not all the luggage the passengers carry. It was only the cameras that I was worried about since the workmen who load/unload the planes usually don't treat the luggage too nicely... :shock:

 

[Big Mike]

Always avoid putting anything of value into your checked baggage. I've heard many, many times (and again this morning)...that the baggage "chuckers" will go through many bags and steal plenty of stuff. The air lines are protected by the small printing disclaimer...so you can't really do anything about it. A lot of them even contract out the baggage handling to smaller companies...so that makes it even harder. A lot of the "chuckers" are also in unions, so it's hard to crack down on them.

They will snap the little locks off and they can even cut or tear apart anything they want...on the premise that drugs or explosives might have been detected (by dogs etc.)

Carry what you can, and insure your gear.

 

[mentos_007]

last year, when I was going on the london meetup I put a few valuable things to my check iin luggage.. it was a chicken and polish "kielbasa" (traditiona; sausage) and a lot of other food stuff... the guards had so much fun when scanning it...