Flying with camera

cowboy

cowboy

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Hi all,
It looks like I shall be having to fly off for a few days and I thought I'd take my camera and one lens in my hand luggage along with a few cards but no spare battery.

Has anyone had any problems doing this?

Is there anything I need to be aware of?

Many thanks.
 
Spare battery won't cause you any problems. Following the letter of the law, put it in its original case of out a bit of insu rape over the connectors
 
Never had any problem whatsoever carrying a camera in hand luggage until two weeks back, flying out of Helsinki. I was stopped by security at the baggage scanners and they asked what was in my bag. I said it was a camera, and the guy pulled on his gloves and had a look. He saw it was a camera and waved me on.

So I don't think you'll have any problems.
 
When I went through Munich airport they took the end caps off each lens to look through them, and I had to turn the camera on and show them you could see through it. They then took my bag off to be checked. I asked were they checking for explosives, to which they replied, no they were looking for drugs!

I'm a bit OCD about my lenses, so I didn't like having both ends exposed… all that potential dust!

Maybe I looked more suspicious because I was travelling alone?
 
I don't know where you're flying to but I very regularly fly within the UK - am away right now! - and have never had any problem with any of my kit including numerous CF cards and batteries in hand luggage.
 
Just be careful over weight and cabin bag size limitations because they can vary by airline and routing. Check the details for each sector if you're making connections.

I've never had any problem with camera, lenses, batteries, and accessories as long as they meet the cabin baggage rules.

As regards extra batteries there are increasingly restrictions on Lithium-Ion batteries - some of which are not well publicised. They may not be allowed in checked-in baggage.
 
I agree with the rest. Travelled extensively by air and always have my camera gear in hand luggage. It's never been a problem, anywhere.
 
Only once (yesterday) have I been asked if I've got a camera in my hand luggage - that was coming back from Tenerife.
 
Recently I have only taken internal flights but I suppose international flights could be different.

I put the spare battery in the charger and put them in a resealable plastic food bag and have not had a problem. Once the camera bag was unpacked and every item checked by security at Luton and the spare battery did not attract any attention.

Dave
 
I've taken all my gear as hand luggage before, multiple times, never an issue.
When I went to NY, my bag was checked for explosives and swabbed at the boarding gate.
 
I had my bag swabbed for explosives/drugs flying BACK from Tiree to Glasgow on a Flybe Twin prop Otter!

.......the girl was very apologetic and asked if I minded, but they have to do a certain percentage!


Heather
 
My view is that I would rather be swabbed than spread all over the scenery. Yes, it can be a PITA but a lot less painful than the possible alternative.
 
I've had my camera gear checked by the country I was leaving during each return journey back to the UK since getting my camera. Especially when I came back from Kenya last year and had to unpack all my gear to show them. I've never had anything removed from me though.
 
My camera bag managed to pass through the security with 3 cameras, multiple lenses and batteries etc just last week without being removed etc. Once through Manchester and once through Prague. I however gained attention at both ends and was required to go in the full body scanner in Manchester :lol:

I took my tripod in the hold luggage, and also left my charger etc in the hold luggage just to be sure. I don't know what the rules are regarding blunt metal objects in the cabin! :lol:
 
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Hand luggage is fine..

I flew with my body, 2 lenses and spare batteries, as well as a rucksack of sweets and Work stuff..

My step dad has Hold Luggage plus hand luggage of A Rucksack, A Camera Bag full of Kit (Two bodies and about 4 lenses including a 100-400 F4L) AND a Laptop Bag and he's never had a problem, even flying long haul and connecting..

Only thing I had was at Cologne airport I was required to have everything electrical outside of the bag..
 
Not exactly a frequent flyer, but haven't had any issues with camera equipment on the ten flights so far this year that I've lugged my gear through.

As above, always tripods / monopods in the hold, everything else comes on with me. Normally have two carry ons, both with electronic / camera equipment and they never bat an eyelid.
 
Flew long haul on AirTransat to Canada this summer, camera kit didn't count towards the hand luggage limit. Win.
 
Bebop said:
When I went through Munich airport they took the end caps off each lens to look through them, and I had to turn the camera on and show them you could see through it. They then took my bag off to be checked. I asked were they checking for explosives, to which they replied, no they were looking for drugs!

I'm a bit OCD about my lenses, so I didn't like having both ends exposed… all that potential dust!

Maybe I looked more suspicious because I was travelling alone?
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Hi,

Try to relax, and you'll enjoy your photography more.

Fact is, there is no way dust will get into your lens, just because the caps are removed, even if the zoom or focus settings are changed. You may get a mote of dust on a surface, but this can easily be removed with a blower, and even if left, it won't affect the image.

Dust get's into the lens throug the mechanical openings, especially when zooming, and there is nothing you can do about it, some dust particles are so small that they'll get through the seals, but none will get through the fine screw threads and thread lock that guard the optics.
 
WillNicholls said:
If you are going far especially, I would not try and overload your hand luggage. I saw someone get caught and charged about £100 for being overweight on hand luggage this month.
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A good reason for flying with a carrier that gives extra carry on bags or unlimited carry on weight.

Flying budget with all it's restrictions can sometimes negate the savings.
 
I know that a couple of friends who have done Asia trips took very little in the way of clothes, ending up basically with a 1/2 empty back pack. They spent the first day buying cheap T shirts etc locally before heading off then gave the stuff away when they were due to come home. They reckoned that it was cheaper to do that than pay any excess baggage fees. This was back in the '90s though when hold baggage was more restricted.
 
WillNicholls said:
I had a 30kg hold luggage limit, couldn't get anymore flying to Asia.
Ended up paying excess myself anyway.
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That's generous as a single hold bag limit.

If you were flying to Asia (or any long haul) with BA you would (in most circumstances) have got 2 x hold suitcases at 23kg a piece so 46kg total plus 2 x unlimited carry on.

Have just come back from Singapore and they were the baggage allowances I had.

All depends who you fly with I guess.

Out of curiosity who did you fly with?
 
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You might want to take a spare battery. Got caught out recently and had to trawl around finding somewhere that sold battery chargers !
 
ACW said:
That's generous as a single hold bag limit.

If you were flying to Asia (or any long haul) with BA you would (in most circumstances) have got 2 x hold suitcases at 23kg a piece so 46kg total plus 2 x unlimited carry on.

Have just come back from Singapore and they were the baggage allowances I had.

All depends who you fly with I guess.

Out of curiosity who did you fly with?
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Emirates.
 
When I came back from NY, I have my Portable pack good thing it's SLA so I did not have a hard time. Thanks to Explorers, works well and worry free!
 
Been and came back ok. I just took the one body with lens attached in the hand luggage, I just had to take it out as it's an electrical item.
 
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