..... I finally had an airline refuse to let me carry on photo gear. And I'm not just talking a tripod, I'm talking everything. Two bodies, 4 lenses, tripod, monopod and all the rest of the ancillary crap.
This was a first in I don't know how many dozens of flights I've taken with my gear. In the rare instance where my camera pack was questioned in the past, as soon as I told them I was a photographer they said 'no problem'. In most cases they don't even ask because they see the tripod strapped to the side of the bag.
In this case, a flight from Toronto to Port of Spain, Trinidad, a little, podunk airline with maybe a handful of planes and a number of routes that could be counted on two hands with fingers left over decided that rules were rules and it wouldn't have mattered if they were dealing with Ansel himself. It was so ridiculous that a package I was taking down for a friend was refused because it was in a box. I had to go to a store at the airport, buy an overpriced piece of luggage big enough and repack the box inside the suitcase.
Fortunately my pack is a pretty decent one and everything survived both outbound and inbound legs. But not without a fairly high degree of nervousness on my part. No special handling on this airline either. Everything just comes on the normal conveyor belts.
Fortunately for future trips there are other options and they only fly out of NY and Miami in the U.S. so not a big problem for folks in the U.S. either. But if you're planning a trip and looking at flights, keep in mind that Caribbean Airlines isn't photographer friendly.
Robert, sorry to hear about the travel situation. I can only imagine the stress factor of figuring out exactly how to re-package everything while on the fly, so to speak. As we all side no doubt with safety and caution, it still becomes hard with the unknown factors such as you encountered.
Things have sure changed from the days I use to walk up the mobile boarding ramps of the Alaska Airlines planes as I traveled all over that state. I would carry my lever action 30-30 carbine in a rifle tote and hand it to the stewardess who would place it in the front cabin area closet. Different world, different times.
A good idea, in the future, is to pack everything up securely and ship it UPS insured to your destination so that it is there at your hotel when you arrive.
A good idea, in the future, is to pack everything up securely and ship it UPS insured to your destination so that it is there at your hotel when you arrive.
And add it to what you bill your client. Unfortunately, increased expenses get passed on.
Posted by Robert Fisher on March 8, 2009 at 11:14 PM
Richard, at $500+ for shipping, not the best option. I agree, it can work well but not in all situations. Steve, as a freelancer, I have no clients. At least not until after the fact usually and certainly not that I'd be able to pass costs like that on to.
I've found the tripod or monopod to be deal breakers on feeder airlines with smaller planes. The smaller planes also have smaller overhead bins and seat spaces in front of passengers. Even some models of familiar planes, most notably the Boeing 737-200 series (the old variety with the long skinny engines instead of the short fat ones) have much smaller overhead bins, even if all other models have larger ones. And the 200 series are very often used by smaller airlines these days, as they buy these ancient models at bargain prices when the original owners move on to newer versions.
I keep a folded photo vest in my camera bags, and when surprised with a too-small plane I "rescue" lenses and other critical gear into the vest or hang it around my neck (as in camera bodies) before handing over my camera bags. I try really hard to surveil which model planes I'll be on before starting a trip, and select my camera bags and shooting gear accordingly. I always put tripods and monopods in checked baggage, too. On many of the airline websites, they spell out the size and weight limits of carryons on their individual aircraft models, as well as identifying which planes they use on which of their flights.
Sorry you had problems with that particular airline, but if you have to fly them again, determine their carryon limits beforehand, then print and carry a copy of them with you.
Discussion
5 repliesThis was a first in I don't know how many dozens of flights I've taken with my gear. In the rare instance where my camera pack was questioned in the past, as soon as I told them I was a photographer they said 'no problem'. In most cases they don't even ask because they see the tripod strapped to the side of the bag.
In this case, a flight from Toronto to Port of Spain, Trinidad, a little, podunk airline with maybe a handful of planes and a number of routes that could be counted on two hands with fingers left over decided that rules were rules and it wouldn't have mattered if they were dealing with Ansel himself. It was so ridiculous that a package I was taking down for a friend was refused because it was in a box. I had to go to a store at the airport, buy an overpriced piece of luggage big enough and repack the box inside the suitcase.
Fortunately my pack is a pretty decent one and everything survived both outbound and inbound legs. But not without a fairly high degree of nervousness on my part. No special handling on this airline either. Everything just comes on the normal conveyor belts.
Fortunately for future trips there are other options and they only fly out of NY and Miami in the U.S. so not a big problem for folks in the U.S. either. But if you're planning a trip and looking at flights, keep in mind that Caribbean Airlines isn't photographer friendly.
Things have sure changed from the days I use to walk up the mobile boarding ramps of the Alaska Airlines planes as I traveled all over that state. I would carry my lever action 30-30 carbine in a rifle tote and hand it to the stewardess who would place it in the front cabin area closet. Different world, different times.
And add it to what you bill your client. Unfortunately, increased expenses get passed on.
I keep a folded photo vest in my camera bags, and when surprised with a too-small plane I "rescue" lenses and other critical gear into the vest or hang it around my neck (as in camera bodies) before handing over my camera bags. I try really hard to surveil which model planes I'll be on before starting a trip, and select my camera bags and shooting gear accordingly. I always put tripods and monopods in checked baggage, too. On many of the airline websites, they spell out the size and weight limits of carryons on their individual aircraft models, as well as identifying which planes they use on which of their flights.
Sorry you had problems with that particular airline, but if you have to fly them again, determine their carryon limits beforehand, then print and carry a copy of them with you.