Flying to Miami with Virgin, what to do?

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Richard Peters

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I'm off to Miami at the start of September and I'm trying to decide what to take with me and how to take it.

So far I've decided the options are:

D3 + 200-400 as hand luggage (thats my 6kg gone straight away), 28-70 & 70-200 checked in (eeeek) OR stays at home and I rent a couple of lenses when I get out there.

or

D3 + 28-70 + 70-200 as hand luggage, 200-400 stays at home and I pray I don't se any potentially good wildlife shots!

I called Virgin this afternoon to explain and to ask if I could have any kind of special arrangements made as I wasn't happy to have £10k of kit checked in. The lady fist went away to make sure I could even have the camera on the plane (something to do with not allowing batteries onboard) then came back to say camera's are allowed and as long as the bag fits within size requirments (it does) the weight would not be a problem - I then said it would be around the 9kg area and she just kept saying 'camera's are allowed on the plane'.

Might call again tomorow and speak to someone else as I wasn't convinced she understood what I was asking!

Anyway...does anyone here have any advice on travelling with Virgin, are they strict on hand luggage weight, do they allow you to pay an excess ofr extra weight etc
 
Just a thought.

What about see what would fit in pockets,

..travel to airport lenses and camera in bag, various kit out of bag and into pockets of large jacket and as soon as bag is weighed, back into bag with lenses.

They would only have to be out of the bag for a few mins.
 
Put the 200-400mm and the 28-70mm in your hand luggage and put the D3 and 70-200mm over your shoulder, apparently cameras when carried are not counted as hand luggage.
 
Take it all as hand luggage, I always do, they don't seem concerned with the weight - I think they understand photographers concerns about checking their kit.
 
I went with virgin but it was when the hand luggage allowances got stupidly small for a while. My experience in general is they will only ask to weigh hand luggage if you look like you are holding something really heavy :)

Pretend it is easy to carry for a while and all will be fine. As a fallback plan be prepared to put a couple of heavy lenses in jacket pockets or the wife's handbag.
 
I've flown with Virgin quite a few times and always take my camera gear on as hand luggage. You will not have a problem with yours.
Bill
 
I flew with Virgin last winter to the states and my camer bag had:
70-200 2.8
24-70 2.8
10-20
x2 converter
30D
350D + grip
Batteries & chargers
Memory cards
Rocket blower
Sensor cleaning equipment (though I put the eclipse fluid in the hold)
Book & jumper
all in a mini trekker

Weighed a ton but nobody said anything. I think you'll be fine.
 
You should be fine I flew Virgin to St Lucia in June on Virgin had a Lowepro Fastpack 350 with the following kit in it..

40D
350D + kit lens
17-85 is
70-200F4L
Sigma 14mm F2.8
Nifty Fifty
Cosina 100mm Macro
Extension Tubes
2xTC
4 350d batteries and 3 40D batteries
Various Filters
Memory Cards
Couple of magazines my PSP and Nintendo DS lite

Think that was it lol weighed a ton and was at bursting point, provided your bag fits within the size constraints and you can carry it you shouldn't have a problem never noticed anybody having there hand luggage weighed.

Sean
 
Flash In The Pan said:
I was going to say "you lucky b****r", but I see you mean the airline :naughty:
Click to expand...

PMSL!!!! :lol:

Don't think I could conceal a 70-200 in a pocket and it will be far too hot weather to br wearing a big coat and I'm going out alone but sounds like I'll be ok going by some of the responses here. Fingers crossed as I really do want all my kit out there to make sure I have all bases covered!!
 
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