Taking your photography equipement on a flight

[Rooster]

I'm taking my DSLR and lenses on a flight soon for the first time. I'm planning on taking my camera backpack as my cabin baggage to avoid breakage/theft as it' within the size and 10kg weight limit. Is there anything I should know or look out for? Will the camera and lenses have to go through a scanner? How will they feel abut the DSLR batteries? It's an internal UK flight if that makes any difference.

 

[sarahhj]

I've flown quite a few times to and from the US with my camera bag as my hand luggage. Everything just goes through the usual hand luggage procedure and it's never been a problem.

 

[Nod]

Make sure (absolutely certain!) that your bag is within the limits set by the airline as far as measurements and weight go - they can insist it goes in the hold if it's over. However, if it's only JUST over the limit of weight, you can stick a couple of lenses in jacket pockets for the weigh in then transfer them back into the bag as soon as possible (possibly best done out of sight of the weigh-in desk but it was one of the girls there that told me to do just that a few years back!)
The camera and lenses will have to go through the usual scanner and they might want to look at and swab the bag's contents. Doesn't take very long for them to do and it helps pass the time. Any LiIon batteries should (MUST!) be in hand baggage rather than in the hold. Nothing to worry about. I always stick leads and chargers in the hold baggage to reduce the weight of the hand baggage. If you have them, stick the plastic covers over the terminals of any spare batteries, if not, maybe a piece of insulating tape could be pressed into service. (I'm not aware of any short circuits happening in camera bags but I wouldn't want to be on a flight where it occurred...)
Pretty sure that he regulations for internal flights are the same as international other than the ID requirements. If in doubt, check with the airline concerned.

 

[Tori_T]

DSLR Li-ion batteries have to be in carry-on. You can't have them in checked baggage (fire safety regulations). If your spares didn't come with covers for the contacts (to stop them shorting out) then a small piece of paper and a rubber band will work just as well.

 

[Big Andy]

Make sure (absolutely certain!) that your bag is within the limits set by the airline as far as measurements and weight go - they can insist it goes in the hold if it's over. However, if it's only JUST over the limit of weight, you can stick a couple of lenses in jacket pockets for the weigh in then transfer them back into the bag as soon as possible (possibly best done out of sight of the weigh-in desk but it was one of the girls there that told me to do just that a few years back!)
The camera and lenses will have to go through the usual scanner and they might want to look at and swab the bag's contents. Doesn't take very long for them to do and it helps pass the time. Any LiIon batteries should (MUST!) be in hand baggage rather than in the hold. Nothing to worry about. I always stick leads and chargers in the hold baggage to reduce the weight of the hand baggage. If you have them, stick the plastic covers over the terminals of any spare batteries, if not, maybe a piece of insulating tape could be pressed into service. (I'm not aware of any short circuits happening in camera bags but I wouldn't want to be on a flight where it occurred...)
Pretty sure that he regulations for internal flights are the same as international other than the ID requirements. If in doubt, check with the airline concerned.

Having flown many time and to lazy to type it all it's easier to say .

 

[camerassassin]

Being honest a lot depends with whom you are flying.

When I fly to Dublin I go by Aer Lingus/Aer Arran - and officially their cabin baggage limit is 7Kg. Having said that I've flown with a cabin case AND my camera bag [ a Lowepro Urban Reporter 250 ] and what goes in the camera bag is quite surprising
I've been known to have both my iPad and my MacBook Pro [ 13ins] in it as well as camera and a couple of lenses !

I can't remember flying without my camera bag - I take out the iPad and MBP[ if it's with me] for screening - but the bag just goes through the screening like everything else. Spare battery is in a proper case and also in a ThinkTank thingy as well .

All charging gear goes in the case - be it hold or cabin though my portable battery pack is in the camera bag.

Now if I fly with Ryanair - I tried it once - I can have either my camera bag with me OR my cabin bag - not both

I fly Aer Lingus/Aer arran

 

[Jannyfox]

I would be inclined to put camera gear in the sort of small roller suitcase everyone seems to use as a carry on bag these days, and preferably a hardened one. Last month I took my camera gear (2 bodies + several lenses, filters etc) to Portugal in the rucksack I use as a camera bag. We were among the first on the plane so I put it neatly in the overhead locker, then someone else tried ramming a hard bag on top of it, so I retrieved mine before anything was damaged and ended up with it perched at the front of the locker more or less held in by the door. I spent the whole flight ready to leap out of my seat if someone opened the locker. It came back under the seat (I couldn't do that on the way out as we had the emergency exit row). I'll be getting a hard case for next time. And bear in mind that if the lockers get filled anything that won't fit under the seats will get booted into the hold. Priority boarding, if it's available, is worth considering if you're worried.