Flying with big lenses

grumpybadger

grumpybadger

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Paul Beastall
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I thought my recent experience of having to check in camera equipment may be useful for others who may find themselves in a similar position. On my recent trip to Shetland, the hand luggage limit was 6 kg, which isn't enough to carry big lenses and bodies. So my hand luggage contained a 7D, 400/4, 17-55/2.8 and 70-200/4, tipping the scales at 6.2 kg in a ThinkTank Urban Disguise bag.

To take the 500 and Sue's 300/2.8 meant we had to check in some of the gear. After lots of searching and a case that should have worked, but didn't, I found the Storm iM2620 rolling case. This case fits my ThinkTank Airport Acceleration perfectly and weighs in at only 5.6 kg (the appropriate Peli case weighed in at 7.7 kg, meaning 2 kg less equipment could be carried within the weight allowance)

Using FlyBe, we were able to book an extra case for £56 on the return journey.

To protect the lenses and cameras, each was wrapped in a thick neoprene cover (the two camera bodies using cases from Optech that I've had for a number of years and the lenses with custom Lenscoat Travelcoats, bought for this trip).

Fully loaded, the bag contained:

  • EOS-1D MkIV
  • EOS-40D
  • EF 500 f/4L IS
  • EF 300 f/2.8L
  • 430EX flashgun
  • Zoom H4N sound recorder

Packed into the case looked like this:



Lid zipped up



All ready to go (before anyone comments on the wallpaper, its not mine but the hotel in Shetland's!!!)



Then the case was locked with some heavy duty combination locks and ready to go. I will confess to being very nervous the process and having a huge sense of relief when I saw the case being loaded onto the Shetland flight at Aberdeen (we'd flown up from Birmingham). I'm sure some people will think I am mad, but I really wanted my 500 there and the only other option was driving and taking the ferry.

I hope this is useful information to some, it took a lot of research to get a solution I was happy with!

Paul
 
when I went to the states I ended up puting my big peli case in a suitcase 2 locks on the peli and one on the suitcase, I used TSA locks but when I got back home they had been in to it to inspect the contents but everything was ok.
 
I flew with Virgin to the US, the hand luggage limit was 6kg which I totally ignored, took a 300mm f/2.8 S5 pro and 18-200mm on as hand luggage, no way was it going in the hold, they didn't check the weight either way
 
Whilst I agree on long haul just to go for it (I've taken over 20 kg on hand luggage on BA before) on a 20 seated to Shetland this wasn't an option. Therefore the only choices were drive, don't take big lenses or check them in. I thought members with a similar quandary may benefit from my learning.
 
I bet it was a nervous flight though,:D a 20 seater wouldn't be too bad but i'd hate to think what your bag would go through on a long haul flight with foreign baggage handlers chucking it about :eek:
 
brave Man, thanks for sharing your experience - I may be in the same dilemma soon (only less equipment)
 
nice little review :thumbs:

looks like the storm shaved some weight off the peli with the hollowed out wheely handle?

long haul (or even shorl haul large air liner flights) would definately require lots more padding in my opinion.. have you ever seen bags drop off the loading conveyor onto the tarmac :eek:
 
All luggage now has to be inspectable, especially to the US. If you padlock your case they can and do either cut open the padlock or they will break open the case. You don't know about this until you get your case back as they do it behind the scenes.
 
i thought it was only the US that do that.. TSA (as in TSA approved locks) is homeland security?

edit - i cant find anything online about it either.. nothing on the BAA websites etc mentioning baggage locks. up till now i was fairly sure that if they want to see inside your case and cant open it themselves (being security they should be able to defeat a locking mechanism) they should just page you over the tannoy..
 
Was nerve wracking. I'm comfortable with the amount of padding and would do the same for long haul. It's more protected that the box the lens was shipped from Japan in when new!

I have TSA locks if needed for flights to/via the US but used more secure ones on this flight as CAA does not require openable locks. That alone would make me want to avoid this solution on flights to/through the US.
 
For a simple tamper evident seal on your bags, use a coloured cable tie next to a TSA padlock - simple to cut, but even if some rogue handler wanted to steal stuff, they might have some black cable ties to replace it with, but not coloured.
 
itsdavedotnet said:
For a simple tamper evident seal on your bags, use a coloured cable tie next to a TSA padlock - simple to cut, but even if some rogue handler wanted to steal stuff, they might have some black cable ties to replace it with, but not coloured.
Click to expand...

or even better one each side in diff colours, cos they might all use blue and be lucky say, but they are less likely to have a set :p
 
neil_g said:
i thought it was only the US that do that.. TSA (as in TSA approved locks) is homeland security?

edit - i cant find anything online about it either.. nothing on the BAA websites etc mentioning baggage locks. up till now i was fairly sure that if they want to see inside your case and cant open it themselves (being security they should be able to defeat a locking mechanism) they should just page you over the tannoy..
Click to expand...

They will not page anybody over the tannoy. Your lock will be cut off if it's not easily opened. But it doesn't happen often.

In the US they leave a card telling you that your bag has been opened. It happens regularly with mine. I've had TSA locks for a while but really cannot be bothered using them as there's nothing in my cases worth stealing.
 
I've used the cable tie method before and the funny colours is a good tip. For my insurance to be valid on this trip though the equipment had to be locked.

MisterE said:
They will not page anybody over the tannoy. Your lock will be cut off if it's not easily opened. But it doesn't happen often.
Click to expand...

Funnily enough, they were paging people at Sumburgh airport for them to open hold luggage and it to be inspected. I fully expected to be called but they let it through without question. I don't believe the British airport security people have the remit to force their way into luggage without a warrant and police assistance.
 
MisterE said:
In the US they leave a card telling you that your bag has been opened ...
Click to expand...
Same thing in Germany; I've had it happen twice and the second time they confiscated a couple of gas lighters and left me a receipt. No damage done, but I was only using a standard Samsonite combi-lock.

grumpybadger said:
... they were paging people at Sumburgh airport for them to open hold luggage and it to be inspected ...
Click to expand...
This happened to me at Cherbourg airport (not the biggest) where the security men (who are also les pompiers) were interested in my sailing knife. After an interchange in frangalis - my french word for sailor was met with blank looks - one of them decided I must be un plongeur and all was OK!
 
grumpybadger said:
Funnily enough, they were paging people at Sumburgh airport for them to open hold luggage and it to be inspected. I fully expected to be called but they let it through without question. I don't believe the British airport security people have the remit to force their way into luggage without a warrant and police assistance.
Click to expand...

neil_g said:
why force the locks off when you can get the key via the person.. if they dont turn up then they dont fly.. simples.
Click to expand...


I suppose I should have said it was Heathrow and Gatwick I was referring to. The volume of luggage and time constraints don't permit them to mess about waiting for tannoy messages and people to turn up. And I do know the British airport security people have the remit to force their way into luggage without a warrant and police assistance [from an airport worker].
 
I thought the hand luggage limit on Loganair is 10kg, not 6kg? I was planning on carrying a 500mm + 1d, + a couple of other lenses and a scope/bins on as hand luggage, with the only bit of camera equipment going in the hold the tripod?
 
According to the FlyBe website

Flybe said:
Passengers may carry one bag in the aircraft hold free of charge. The maximum weight of the bag must not exceed 20kg. Flybe Economy Plus passengers may carry a single bag weighing up to 30kg. The maximum permissible weight for any single item of checked in baggage is 30kg. An excess baggage charge of £10 (€13) will be applied for the second and subsequent bag loaded into the hold, or for any bag weighing more than 20kg. Any bag containing sharp items must be checked in and carried in the hold. Cabin baggage allowance is 6kg and limited to one bag with maximum dimensions of 45cm x 30cm x 23cm. Cabin baggage must fit into the gauge at the airport and will be weighed. Bags which exceed the size and/or weight restriction can only be carried as hold baggage, charges will apply. There is no baggage charge for unaccompanied minors. Exceptional items such as golf clubs or skis are charged at £10 (€13) per item per sector. Infants receive a 20kg baggage allowance. Loganair reserves the right to vary the baggage charges without prior notice. Charges will be applied at the prevailing rate at the time bags are booked.
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You may get away with it but I decided not to risk it...
 
Just checked my online booking:

Flybe allow a hand baggage allowance of 1 bag weighing up to 10Kg into the aircraft cabin. Cabin bags must fit in the Flybe baggage sizer

I may just drape various items over me, stuff in pockets etc, to be on the safe side. No way am I checking in my lens!
 
Flybe also have in their terms and conditions a different set of requirements for Loganair flights...

If I was only taking the 500 I'd have probably had a go but we were taking 200, 300, 400 and 500 primes between us.
 
I'd have thought it'd be fairly logical why they don't announce for people to come unlock their cases....it'd give the game away to any suspicious type and they'd clear off out of the place before you could catch them.

I worked manning an airline's baggage line once....after that I don't think I'd be inclined to check lenses into the hold...
 
jalethbridge said:
Just checked my online booking:

Flybe allow a hand baggage allowance of 1 bag weighing up to 10Kg into the aircraft cabin. Cabin bags must fit in the Flybe baggage sizer

I may just drape various items over me, stuff in pockets etc, to be on the safe side. No way am I checking in my lens!
Click to expand...

Where are you flying from? It is true that the Loganair hand baggage limit is 6kg, but if you are on a connecting Flybe flight you are allowed 10kg - BUT - it will be given a "valet bag" tag, which means it will be taken off you at the plane steps, put in the hold, then returned to you at the steps when you disembark.

My better half is a Loganair checkin person if you need any more info before travelling:)

John
 
Why didn't you just specially present it to the security team and have it security sealed ?
This is what we have to do when we fly with tool cases.
Once they have inspected it with you present, they seal it and it stops sealed all the way through.
Saves a lot of grief.
 
Because I didn't have any grief. I checked it into outsize luggage and Birmingham and met it at Sumburgh - same on the return.

The perceived grief is all from others - all of whom seem to think I am stupid for checking in my gear.
 
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