Flying with camera gear? It could get harder in future...

StewartR

StewartR

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IATA have proposed a global standard maximum size for airline carry-on bags. The idea is that this would prevent confusion - if you're bag's OK on one airline, it's OK on all of them. That in turn should speed up boarding.

Trouble is, their proposed standard is MUCH smaller than most airlines currently allow.

Details: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33076492
 
Buy a bag of those dimensions. :)

If you need more gear... secure and locked peli case in hold baggage.... and insurance.

There's a lot to be said for travelling light though if just on holiday.
 
Hmm..lots of posts on here have advised against camera luggage in the hold. All that delicate stuff, however secured, having shock waves bounced through it as the bag is thrown around like a sack of potatoes and then put under a mountain of other bags.... No thanks!
 
Chipper said:
Hmm..lots of posts on here have advised against camera luggage in the hold. All that delicate stuff, however secured, having shock waves bounced through it as the bag is thrown around like a sack of potatoes and then put under a mountain of other bags.... No thanks!
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None of which would worry me if I was using a secure, locked peli case and insurance (y)
 
Peli 1500 fits,
Peli 1520 doesn't.
Peli 1560 doesn't

But have flown in-cabin with all of those on different airlines at different times ;)



Think there really are other far more important priorities than these for airlines to concentrate on though.

Get rid of the space taken by the pointless "duty frees" which you can buy online cheaper in any case.

Improve the tray food.

Install more toilets

Install rearward cameras on engines

Ban alcohol in flight

Install rear facing safety seats

More checks on flight crews

Cut down check in: 2 hours is to ensure you spend as much money as possible in airline shops.

But none of those will happen unfortunately despite good evidence that they would all save money and/or safety and/or comfort for passengers
 
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StewartR said:
Trouble is, their proposed standard is MUCH smaller than most airlines currently allow.
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Thats generally not a bad thing.....maybe for photographers, but it'll stop every Tom, Dick and Harry trying to cram their suitcase for a week + laptop into hand baggage
 
boyfalldown said:
Thats generally not a bad thing.....maybe for photographers, but it'll stop every Tom, Dick and Harry trying to cram their suitcase for a week + laptop into hand baggage
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Though they could also all make a Max weight limit...perhaps they should also rule that if you cannot lift the bag above head height unaided it is deemed too heavy for you to have as cabin luggage???

Not sure this is still the case but some years ago in the motorcycling world the question was asked why the big superbikes made in Japan were not for sale there. The reason given as I recall was that they were too heavy as the typical Japanese rider was unable to lift the bike up should it fall over. Another example where weight was a key factor in relation to the users ability to handle!
 
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I agree with the ability to lift the bag into the overhead lockers unaided as well.. I was on a flight from London to Aberdeen last week and a young lady (early 20s) had one of those roller mini suitcases, a handbag and a laptop bag. She couldn't lift her roller bag up into the overhead locker and the older lady behind her had both hands full so couldn't/wouldn't help. A man from a couple of rows further down got out of his seat and walked forward to help her so everyone else could board.

I did feel slightly guilty having both my camera backback and a holdall, but either of those would have fitted under the seat in front if need be, but as the flight wasn't full there was plenty of space.
 
Box Brownie said:
Though they could also all make a Max weight limit...perhaps they should also rule that if you cannot lift the bag above head height unaided it is deemed too heavy for you to have as cabin luggage???
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I think that is allegedly the case (pardon the pun) now......
 
Nikon_Nick said:
None of which would worry me if I was using a secure, locked peli case and insurance (y)
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Is there any insurance that won't wash their hands of anything of real value in the hold? Whenever I've looked, there's always a individual item limit that might just cover a cheap P&S...
 
I have been checked by Virgin and jet2, not every time.
 
The W said:
Is there any insurance that won't wash their hands of anything of real value in the hold? Whenever I've looked, there's always a individual item limit that might just cover a cheap P&S...
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Plenty of insurance threads on the forum if you do a little search, Paul ;)

There does seem to be a few that people on here recommend (photguard and aaduki off the top of my head)

Anyway...dont want to turn this into another insurance thread :D
 
That's a shame Stewart it's tricky already fitting everything in the handluggage bag
Putting gear in the hold is definitely not an option on my last trip one of our group put his 70-200 lens in the hold and it was broken when he unpacked it wouldn't focus
The new limit on height / thickness of bag is only 7.5 inches !
 
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Chipper said:
Hmm..lots of posts on here have advised against camera luggage in the hold. All that delicate stuff, however secured, having shock waves bounced through it as the bag is thrown around like a sack of potatoes and then put under a mountain of other bags.... No thanks!
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Yes exactly I wouldn't put any lenses or cameras in hold
Wouldn't want it to be broken or pinched
Insurance is no good if you have travelled to the middle of nowhere and your lens is buggered
 
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I'm less bothered about size restrictions but more so by weight restrictions when flying with camera kit. I've never had my bag (f-stop loka) checked for size, but it's often weighed and would be overweight if pockets etc weren't utilised.
 
Didn't get hand baggage weighed in this time but in theory it should have been under 5kg. The bag is the right size though. If/when the restrictions come in to force, I will downsize the travel kit to fit. Weight not a problem for me to lift these days given the size limit to come!
 
Perhaps it should be size & weight of person plus baggage that gets checked......:exit:
 
Airlines can get away with treating their passengers like dirt because in many cases there is no alternative. The whole performance, from arriving at the airport to boarding, is far too long, you are treated like sheep, then you board and sit in cramped seats and get served crap food (if you're lucky). If it's at all possible I drive and take ferries, often it costs more but it's pure luxury compared to flying.
 
shreds said:
Perhaps it should be size & weight of person plus baggage that gets checked......:exit:
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While it may upset some people, I think this should be the case. Why should someone who's fit, lithe and trim like myself be subjected to the same weight limits as someone who can barely fit in their seat?

Sorry if that upsets anyone, but why should I? Weight is such a crucial factor for a commercial flight. It's THE most important factor when it comes to profitability for an airline. More weight, means more fuel needed, and fuel itself is heavy, which means that will curtail how much freight and baggage that flight can carry.
 
Pookeyhead said:
While it may upset some people, I think this should be the case. Why should someone who's fit, lithe and trim like myself be subjected to the same weight limits as someone who can barely fit in their seat?
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While it's easy to point at the fat bloke would you also punish someone especially tall or that needs a wheel chair? Certainly logical but you'd have a hard time pushing the argument if you think about it.
 
simonbarker said:
While it's easy to point at the fat bloke would you also punish someone especially tall or that needs a wheel chair? Certainly logical but you'd have a hard time pushing the argument if you think about it.
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Tall doesn't necessarily mean heavy any more than short means light. Most wheelchairs are pretty light any way.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Most wheelchairs are pretty light any way.
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Actually, I'd say rather the opposite, Unless you're paying a premium, wheelchairs tend to be on the heavy side. Then there are powered chairs.

That said, if they were to bring in rules regarding passenger weight (which I severely doubt), pretty sure that mobility aids would be exempt from any calculations.
 
Well as a significant number of passengers will be children and women whose weight will be less than most men, this brings the average weight per passenger to a low level where most men, lithe or not would be above the average passenger weight.

The research I saw was that the average weight per passenger on the flights sampled was 73kg or about 11.5 stone. At my height that weight would put me in the under weight category. Even when I was a slim healthy teenager I was heavier than that.

My wheelchair weighs about 20kg but that's for a heavy duty every day one, some transit ones are a lot lighter.
 
It'll be very frustrating if this is brought in - I hope that any airline that does brings in a scheme similar to Easyjet or Whizz air's where you can pay an additional fee to have your larger case in the cabin with you.

We're not unique in needing to transport a bag of fragile things about. It's the costs of checking and handling checked baggage that have caused this, at often £30 return per bag in the hold - so so many people just go onebag for short hops.
 
The different baggage allowances by different companies is very frustrating. Some of them making the limits smaller, but charging to guarantee a size they offered as standard before is very sneaky imho. Yes, I mean you Easyjet. :mad: I'm all for a standard, but not if it is significantly smaller than what is allowed by the majority of carriers. :(

If I can't travel with what I normally have want to take as cabin baggage now, then I would have to reconsider travelling by plane. The main reason I go on holiday is to take pictures, if I have to limit what I currently take, which is not excessive by any stretch of the imagination, then maybe the train would have to take the strain. But the thought of that trek is not very appealing.

And it is OK saying get a Peli type case, stick it in the hold and insure, but as has been said, that doesn't help you when you get to your destination with no camera gear. And where do your clothes go btw?

And as for a weight limit on passengers, b****x. :mad: Normally proposed by those that don't have any problems with their weight. Good for you if you are not being over weight. :clap: Let's try an be all together in opposing any baggage size restrictions before we fracture and start targeting the overweight, the weak, and whatever else that takes us away from the real problem eh!
 
I've travelled extensively for work with Peli cases in the hold. Provided they're packed properly you don't really get damage - I can remember 1 item in 13 years.

The big problem is "facilitation fees". This is where your peli cases have all vanished, but payment to a local official of say $100 means they miraculously reappear 5 mins later. Annoying, but normal in some locations.
 
fabs said:
Actually, I'd say rather the opposite, Unless you're paying a premium, wheelchairs tend to be on the heavy side. Then there are powered chairs.
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Surely you'd hire a powered chair at the other end? You draw the line somewhere. I'd love to just drive my car right onto the plane and drive off at the other end, but sadly I can't do that either.


fabs said:
That said, if they were to bring in rules regarding passenger weight (which I severely doubt), pretty sure that mobility aids would be exempt from any calculations.
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Exactly. Something actually medically essential would, and probably already is exempt.
 
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