Cameras as airline checked-in baggage

[roughcutter]

Thanks for the feedback,

Don't think I'll risk the photo trekker, instead I'll pack the bag in the suitcase along with batteries, chargers etc.

Pack the camera and lenses in one of those small trollied wheel cases well padded out with bubble wrap.

Cheers
Tim

Like I mentioned before - be careful about the batteries, put them with your cabin luggage.

[flyingslug_0]

If your flying Monarch Airlines let me know, and I'll sort it all out for you.

[C24]

from experience.

New Jersey is tough on suitcases, cutting off locks and removing straps, sealing them with duck tape. Contents ok

Lagos probably still has the security staff at Check-in selecting bags for pilfering a/side. Contents lost

Denver are very friendly but tough and weigh again for internal flights[Delta] but are ok for size providing it fits in the o/head rack. $20 per bag.

A lottery

[joe spares]

Thanks for the feedback,

Don't think I'll risk the photo trekker, instead I'll pack the bag in the suitcase along with batteries, chargers etc.

Pack the camera and lenses in one of those small trollied wheel cases well padded out with bubble wrap.

Cheers
Tim

I have photo trekker, although not been on a plane since 2006. never had any probs with it as hand luggage,(although only done US/Canada (no Sleazyjet, or ryanair) even took on South West airlines as carry on in Tucson) , bar the time we checked in early with Virgin at Heathrow. No one else at check in and the girl was bored so she weighed it, ( 2 SLR bodies, various lenses, 40+ rolls K64 etc) 12 kg OOPS! Had to unload into the girlfriends hand luggage. (Then repacked into my bag in departure lounge, shhh, don't telll them !).

[warrior2035]

I think the best overall policy is to courier the heavy cameras/lenses to my destination; simply cannot trust the airlines or airport staff or the insurance. Sad but true. As for maximum hand luggage, the pre-loading of a photo waistcoat looks sensible.

[Chris Procter]

Which airline are you flying with.. Jet2 have a 10kg hand luggage and 22kg hold allowance and believe me you can get quite a bit of camera gear in the hand Luggage
put all the batterys and chargers mini tripod in the hold and you can easily fit 2 camera bodies and 3 Lenses in a middle size backpack that squeezes into the overhead lockers.. I can get a 300mm prime a 70-200 zoom and a 24-70 zoom with 2 bodies and still just scrape in the weight

I might of been a touch over a couple of times but never had a problem with many trips overseas or paid a penny with being over the limit

[Phil Standfield]

I am flying out of Gatwick to Lesbos in may with Thomas Cook flight operated by Monarch. I will let you know how i got on, it will be a few weeks time but may give a heads up for someone.
Stan

[Phil Standfield]

Hi An update as i got back yesterday. We went with Thomas Cook the flight was with Monarch. At check in the staff were Swissport and were very strict on weight not size. The limit was 5 kgs as the flight had a flight code of MON followed 4 numbers. (charter flight code) If the code was SYS followed by 4 numbers (i think scheduled flight code) then the limit was 8kg.
When people got too the desks you first had to put your hand luggage on the scales if you were over 5 kgs you had too take out stuff and pack into your hold luggage to get your hand luggage to no more than 5 kg, if your hold luggage then went over your allowance 15 or 20 kg depending on what limit you had you were charged 15 pounds per kg over i think i heard the check in girls saying to people. Big problem with ladies checking in was that as with most people you pack up to as close as you can get to 5 kg but they did not think about their handbags had to go inside their hand luggage ( so only had one bag), as the case with most ladies their handbags were weighing alot so most had to repack or leave stuff at the desk.
I had problems in that my hand luggage weighed 8.82 kg this was a canon 500 f4 lens lens coat neoprane lens covers and a Lowpro bag nothing else not even memory cards were inside. The wife was just under so was ok our hold luggage was 38.4 limit was 40 kg so was just stuck with my carry on weight, The check in girl said the bag and lens could not go on as hand luggage i would have to put it as hold luggage. When i told her the lens was over 5k second hand and my camera insurance will not cover the lens once it leaves the check in desk to go into the hold would the airline cover it she said no, so she rang the Monarch supervisor and told of my issue she also told the Monarch person that my hand luggage was just over 10 kgs ( less than 1 min after i had to reweigh it it was again 8.82)
I was told by the check in girl after about 10 mins that i had to carry the lens in my hands through check in and to buy a cheap shopping bag/carrier bag airside to put it in my empty bag then had to go through odd size baggage as it has a lot of straps lucky i did not have to pay any charges.
There was also 1 chap with a 600 and one other with a 500 both fared the same as me
Coming back if your hold luggage did not exceed your limit they did not bother with weighing your carry on, good job as lots of people once airside bought lots of duty free some had 3 or 4 bottles of drink and enough fags for a year.
The check in girl did say that as i knew my carry on was over 5 kgs why did i take the big lens, next time i should leave it at home, as i pointed out the reason i go to lesvos was to take pictures of the birds and a small kit lens like she said she had just wont get you close enough, but she just did not understand about bird photography as she thought because she can go to the local park and take pics of seagulls and pigeons then you only need the small lens you get when you buy the camera
So i thought i would post this so people wont be stuck at the check in desk
Stan

[Chris Procter]

Stan fly with another airline.. you would of been OK with Jet2 with your 500mm

[Phil Standfield]

Hi Chris. The problem is Thomas Cook is the only tour operator doing Lesvos from the UK. Yes i know you can fly to Athens then internal flight to Lesvos, Book your own hotel and drive there on arrival, but the wife does not book anywhere unless through an agents shop, not even online as she wants face to face service like the old days.
She does not trust the internet to buy anything on. So we are stuck with Thomas Cook unless Thompson go back
Stan

[basha3738]

Didn't have any trouble with Virgin Atlantic going to Hong kong or coming back! Took a Canon 300 f2.8 + 500 f4..Great company..

[McG]

BA is 23kgs plus a laptop bag that fits under the seat.

If you need to check in a bag then I would say get a peli case and a tracker for it.

[warrior2035]

what's a 'tracker' for a Peli case, sounds interesting.

[McG]

Not a tracker for a peli per we, just a general GPS luggage tracker. You can get them on a Amazon.

[phoenixegmh]

That's the difference between staff being employed by the airline and being employed by a handling agent, Bob! More incentive for them to pick up on overweight and thus charge for extra weight!

Cheers,

Alec
(Former check in agent)