Check in or Carry on when travelling

[jollie]

I'm heading over to Bali shortly for my sisters wedding and was looking to take my camera gear accross as she's asked me to take some pictures at the reception. I'd also like to get out and take some photos for myself anyway. When travelling do you usually take your camera gear as carry on luggage or in your checked suitcase?

Most of my gear is current in a lowpro flipside 300 so it should hopefully if i decide to pack it in my suitcase it should be relatively protected, I was just curious as to what other people do with their gear when travelling?

Alternatively should i get a new camera bag that has enough space to double as my carry on bag??

[William]

I take mine as carry on, I don't trust those baggage handlers :D

[camerasnoop]

Check your insurance policy. Checked luggage is usually considered "unattended" luggage. Personally, I'd be trying to carry it on.

[Mary Anne]

I would never pack any electronic gear in a suitcase, especially when travelling OS.
I had the Lowpro Mini Trecker Backpack filled it to 7Kg took it with me everywhere on and off many flights as carry on luggage

[Lazyshooter]

Carry on for me too. Also keep an eye on it when you put it in the overhead compartment, if space is running out people tend to jam their stuff in there.

[Xenedis]

I always carry my gear as cabin luggage.

Like Bill, I don't trust baggage handlers.

There's also the issue that I can sometimes be carrying $15K worth of stuff, and I really don't want that out of my possession.

[Wayne]

I recently returned from the USA where I had 30kg of camera gear. I took it all as carry on except chargers, batteries and the tripod and monopod. The weight was well disguised in my bags and it fit in the lockers no problem on A330/767/747 aircraft.

Depending on your chosen airline, they may be more nazi when it comes to enforcing restrictions. I flew Qantas as I always do, and had no issues. I have been challenged several times when flying domestically though, and had to check my Kiboko bag with about 16kg in it once as I couldn't jam it into the test rig and make it look lighter than 7kg...

[crafty1tutu]

I have a roll along camera bag and always take it with me as carry on luggage - I wouldn't trust putting it in the hold.

[fess67]

carry on for me also. I sling a camera around my neck, the other around my wifes neck and the lenses in the bag. Keeps it within the weight limit. Cameras go on the floor at my feet during the flight.

[Brian500au]

I think you may find the airlines suggest you do not put valuables ie camera gear in your checked luggage. I always carry mine on, but do the same as fess67. I take the camera out and sling it over my shoulder (normally with the biggest lens I can find in my bag).

I have been stopped just before passport control to check the weight of my luggage - be careful if you are travelling from Tullamarine in Melbourne.

[ausguitarman]

Always carry mine on.

Just bought a Pelican 1510 as I was never happy with putting the Lowepro in the overhead. Although it fitted nicely under the seat I'd prefer the leg room.

[Dylan & Marianne]

Carry on as well - except the tripods which we pack amongst clothes in a hard shelled bag

[VladM]

Carry on - always!
*removed, members with less that 30 days membership and 50 posts cannot complain about service : read site rules 3-7*

[Tjfrnds]

Yep always carry on for me too:)

[jollie]

right....that seems to be quite unanimous so carry it on it is.........so does your camera bag count as your only carry on bag, or can you take another one as well?

[William]

Yes , Only one and so long as it fits in the size thingo your usually OK , If it fits they dont weigh it usually , Just my experience only

[Tjfrnds]

Depends on how much I'm taking. Usually just one bag, though sometimes I put my handbag in a small carry on wheelie bag with my lenses and use a small shoulder bag with my camera in it as my 'handbag'.

[mikew09]

Man, have you ever looked out the plane window and seen the loadies throwing your luggage on. Carry on dude. I have a flipside 400 AW jam packed and have never had an issue with carry on.. I normally carry on my flipside and a tripod without issues.

[Xenedis]

right....that seems to be quite unanimous so carry it on it is.........so does your camera bag count as your only carry on bag, or can you take another one as well?

What you can carry depends on the conditions imposed by your airline and the class in which you're travelling. The size, weight and quantity of the bag(s) are all factors.

You'd need to check the cabin baggae restrictions, as they vary.

[BLWNHR]

Depending on how much other carry-on I have depends on where my gear goes.

If I'm travelling for work and have my laptop with me then this comes with me as carry-on and my gear goes in my checked baggage.

I have never had any gear damaged as checked baggage (it is still in my Lowepro bag and I generally surround it with socks etc. as padding). However, I had my bag as carry-on late last year and a careless passenger pulled their satchel bag out of the overhead which had the strap looped around my camera bag which proceeded to fall straight to the floor. The result was a broken lens hood for my 16-35 VR (stripped the "thread" out of it), a chip out of the lens hood "thread" on the barrel of my 24-70 and a chip out of the corner of the corner battery grip for my D700. I am still in discussions with the airline.

[jmrocky]

right....that seems to be quite unanimous so carry it on it is.........so does your camera bag count as your only carry on bag, or can you take another one as well?

I take my gear carry on. Actually anything electronic is carry on, I took a work laptop to NZ in checked luggage but I didn't have an option. Also apart from very long international flights I try and always have my camera bag under the seat in front. I'm 6'2", so it's a pain with legroom without a bag there, but better that than broken gear from an inconsiderate pax.

Re: baggage, I've flown Qantas Y (Econ) internationally with 2 bags carry on (1 camera, 1 souvenir) and was not asked any questions. This has happened multiple times. However, my camera gear bag is a Kata sling style, quite small but long. If you have more of a bigger backpack style they may come down on you.

Would be best to check with the rules of the airline and what class you're flying. I believe Qantas recently changed carry on rules, so what I've said may not be a huge help.

[aussiepomm]

I've just returned from Europe, and I have, and always will, have my bag as carry on...

Having said that, I did have an altercation with security (of all people) in Amsterdam... the security officer, instead of doing his job and telling people what to do, was way to busy chatting up two girls ahead of me. Instead of asking me to take out laptop, and open for inspection, (which I normally do anyway being a seasoned flyer), when I got through, my bag was siezed as I did not take out my camera gear!! Aparently, I had to take out the body, 50-500, 75-300, 18-55, all of my additional filters EVERYTHING had lens caps removed as with body caps... What really p'eed me most, when challenged to talk in English so as I can understand what was being said, they got all upptie at me, when ALL I wanted was an explination of whats happenning... I explained to them, that had he (pointed) done his job instead of chatting up some girls, then we would not have been having this discussion... Fell on deaf ears I'm afraid!!

so, if you're taking it as cabin baggage, see if they ask you to take it out for x-ray!

FWIW, my bag had my gear AND a 15" MacBook Pro and weighed a tonne!!!!