Carry-on Bag Not Allowed

[rpcrowe]

I have a well made Ricardo carry-on, hard sided, spinner case from Costco. I had a flight from Los Angeles to Charleston with a plane change in Atlanta. The plane was late getting out of LAX and I barely made the connecting flight in Atlanta. At the boarding gate, I was told that the overhead bins were filled and I would need to check my carry-on.

With the expectation of carrying the bag on the plane, and with the protection that the hard sided carry-on provided, I had packed a camera and a lens in the bag, with my clothing wrapped around it.

I did not have the time to unpack the camera and unwrap the clothing from around it. I spent the next hour or two worrying about the safety of my gear.

Luckily, everything arrived in good shape...

Just goes to show you that "The best laid plans of mice and men"

[pnodrog]

If it happened to me I would have probably tried to keep the camera with me to be placed under the seat. So far the only photographic item I have put in checked in baggage is a tripod. The thought of having it all checked in makes me shudder.

I am glad it all worked out.

[Shadowman]

I try to keep items (laptop or camera) accessible so I can remove if necessary. Of course if I have a back pack filled with gear...
Glad it worked out.

[James G]

This appears to be happening a lot in the UK these days. I travelled to Dublin recently and the same 'trick' was tried with me. I was informed that my backpack could go in the hold for 'free'. I asked if they were covered for £5000 worth of damage if anything went wrong.
They found a secure space in the crews' lockers!

It is all very irritating, particularly since my carry-on was 1/4 of the size of some of the baggage being allowed as hand luggage.

Oh yes.... I now always have one off specialist insurance for my gear when flying.

Actually, given it is often possible to buy a seat for less than the cost of specialist insurance I will be considering a seat for my kit in the future

[Mike Buckley]

Actually, given it is often possible to buy a seat for less than the cost of specialist insurance I will be considering a seat for my kit in the future

Make sure that your gear will fit on the floor under the forward seat, as you will not be allowed to leave it on the seat during take-off and landing.

[DanK]

Not just the UK. This is a problem in the US as well, made worse by the baggage charges, which induce people to carry as much on as they can get away with, making rack space even scarcer.

At least here, the contract clearly limits their liability, so it wouldn't matter if the equipment was worth more than that. However, I have found some crew who are sympathetic. I had about $5000 worth of equipment in a photo backpack a year or two ago and found that I had been assigned to the last boarding group for a full flight. It was clear that I wouldn't find room in economy class, where I would be sitting, and the gate crew were completely unsympathetic. So, I explained the dilemma to a stewardess who was greeting people as they boarded. Turns out she was a photographer herself, and she stowed the gear in first class for me. On the return, I asked a steward for the same, and he agreed.

[rpcrowe]

Make sure that your gear will fit on the floor under the forward seat, as you will not be allowed to leave it on the seat during take-off and landing.

Mike, easier said than done when you are flying on Delta (my last flight with that airline). I don't remember the model aircraft I was flying on but the configuration was such that I have never been as crowded in a seat. Virtually, no;eg room without a bage under the seat in front of me. Of course, if I had points enough or decided to spend the extra to fly business class that might have been better.

What surprised me was that flying back from Charleston on JetBlue, I had plenty of room in the economy section. In doing some research, it appears that JetBlue has the most passenger room of any economy seating. That is strange because JetBlue in itself is an "economy" airline.

I am getting a little tired of commercial airlines. I think that I will travel "space available" whenever possible on military or military contract airlines. Being retired military, I have that opportunity...

[Shadowman]

I wonder if this excursion has the same restrictions?

http://www.nationalgeographicexpedit...et-tour/detail

[pnodrog]

I wonder if this excursion has the same restrictions?

http://www.nationalgeographicexpedit...et-tour/detail

Looks great - will check how much pocket money I have left this week.

[IzzieK]

I wonder if this excursion has the same restrictions?

http://www.nationalgeographicexpedit...et-tour/detail

I bet you that will have a lots of leg room. They have the same airplane as Trump (the private one not the government one...)

[rpcrowe]

BTW: The trip from Los Angeles to Charleston was a trip from HELL. It started when the little dog I was transporting to my step-daughter in South Carolina pooped in the carrier right as I was starting to go through the security check point... The smell was horrendous but, the security folks were very helpful and brought me paper towels and a bottle of alcohol (all that they had). I ended up having to throw away the dogs lead and harness as well as the furry bottom of the carrier. Luckily, I had some deodorant spray readily accessible in my carry-on case...

I didn't feed her before I left the house but, that didn't matter. She was a hungry little girl by the time I got to my daughter's house. But the dog and my daughter just love each other. It was worth the tribulations...

After I got through the TSA screening (they were glad to see me go) I adjourned to the family restroom and gave the dog a quick bath, drying her with a T-shirt I had in my carry on and then threw away. I finished cleaning the carrier with some hand wipes I had in my bag...

[Shadowman]

BTW: The trip from Los Angeles to Charleston was a trip from HELL. It started when the little dog I was transporting to my step-daughter in South Carolina pooped in the carrier right as I was starting to go through the security check point... The smell was horrendous but, the security folks were very helpful and brought me paper towels and a bottle of alcohol (all that they had). I ended up having to throw away the dogs lead and harness as well as the furry bottom of the carrier. Luckily, I had some deodorant spray readily accessible in my carry-on case...

I didn't feed her before I left the house but, that didn't matter. She was a hungry little girl by the time I got to my daughter's house. But the dog and my daughter just love each other. It was worth the tribulations...

After I got through the TSA screening (they were glad to see me go) I adjourned to the family restroom and gave the dog a quick bath, drying her with a T-shirt I had in my carry on and then threw away. I finished cleaning the carrier with some hand wipes I had in my bag...

I've heard similar stories when passengers travel with animals, imagine if it occurred on the plane.

[William W]

Make sure that your gear will fit on the floor under the forward seat, as you will not be allowed to leave it on the seat during take-off and landing.

Me too. I now use a Lowpro Slingshot and I have reduced the amount of gear for my "holiday kit" by tossing the second DSLR and two Prime Lenses replacing those with one zoom and a Fuji x100s as the second camera. This overhead locker matter was one of the two main reasons why I re-gigged my "holiday kit": there is now no argument about my slingshot because it easily "fits under the seat in front of me" and the second reason - the bag I carry on, now is always "under 7kg". As an added bonus at venues where "backpacks" are prohibited entry - the Slingshot sits in front of me.

WW

[William W]

. . . Actually, given it is often possible to buy a seat for less than the cost of specialist insurance I will be considering a seat for my kit in the future

I am not sure if you meant that as a serious comment. But would be interested if it were.

'Cellos are allowed to "sit" on seats on many airlines: I think that other items are not allowed to occupy a seat, on many (most) airlines?

WW

[Mike Buckley]

'Cellos are allowed to "sit" on seats on many airlines:

It would be interesting to hear from a cello player about that, as I think they must be placed on the floor in between the forward seat and the purchased seat.

[Shadowman]

It would be interesting to hear from a cello player about that, as I think they must be placed on the floor in between the forward seat and the purchased seat.

I think most musicians just check as luggage unless it is violin/trumpet sized.

[William W]

... yes Mike I think so too, that the 'cello is placed on the floor between seat purchased and the one in front: hence I used inverted comas around the word "sit".

But my point was to ask if it is allowed to actually purchase a seat for items, other than a 'cello: because for example, at least here, even on domestic flights, all the seats sold must have an allocation and that allocation is a person with a name and a photo ID who has checked through check in and security, (except in the case of a 'cello) . . . what I mean is, I don't think the seat can be purchased without a name - and let's say it was purchased in a fake name, if that person doesn't show through check in and security, then the seat occupant is a "no-show" and that seat wouldn't be allowed as an area for some other passenger's luggage.

Last year there were news stories about some Birds of Prey having seats 'bought for them' to fly in the cabin (not in the hold) on Emerits Airlines, I don't know if that is fact, or not.

WW

[IzzieK]

Me too. I now use a Lowpro Slingshot and I have reduced the amount of gear for my "holiday kit" by tossing the second DSLR and two Prime Lenses replacing those with one zoom and a Fuji x100s as the second camera. This overhead locker matter was one of the two main reasons why I re-gigged my "holiday kit": there is now no argument about my slingshot because it easily "fits under the seat in front of me" and the second reason - the bag I carry on, now is always "under 7kg". As an added bonus at venues where "backpacks" are prohibited entry - the Slingshot sits in front of me.

WW

That 7kg weight limit is a joke...I have been visiting home to Australia each year and I always managed to slipped by the gate without being inspected. My backpack itself is already heavy without my gears inside. Once inside no one bothers to check my backpack if it is heavy or not. The most important is the size. It has to look short and small like me. I always carry two camera bodies, 3 or 4 lenses plus accessories. Last time I passed on my old camera, lenses and accessories to my daughter in law. It was stored at the overhead. My backpack contains my cameras (2 bodies), 3 lenses and accessories. As far as my husband and I am concerned, no need to touch my backpack.

[Tronhard]

I always fly direct between Vancouver and Auckland, on Air NZ - which is an awesome airline. However like MANY passengers who were returning to NZ, they found that the Vancouver check-in, run by Air Canada under contract to Air NZ, was brutal... If a check bag was ANYTHING over 23kg, e.g. 23.2kg, they charged a $55 overweight penalty. They also weighed every carry-on bag with the same lack of tolerance. Have been burned once I always made sure my bags were under the 23kg limit. Going back last time to NZ from Canada I was repatriating a bunch of camera gear in a backpack, along with my laptop. I found out the check-in counter a while before it opened and weighed my gear on their scales. The carry-on weighed 8kg with my laptop, but 7kg without. So when it came time to check in I hid my laptop under my camera holster and neck pillow and got the OK sticker that they use to enforce their rule. Once out of sight I returned the laptop.

Here is the thing... I have a good friend who works for Air NZ. As I have experienced myself in NZ, Air NZ have no problem with 23.??kg or even 24.??kg and they will tolerate carry-on bags up to 10kg. I have not seen them actually weigh a carry-on yet. I checked officially with a service agent in NZ and was told that the way the Vancouver check-in operates is contrary to Air NZ policy and will only annoy customers - which to them is not worth it.

Air Canada is, in the opinion of many apart from me, a horrendous airline. They have made an art form out of taking passengers off flights because of overbooking -including a 4 y.o. (but not his parents who had to volunteer to give up one their seats and thus buy a new ticket in order to have one of them accompany the child). They are generally rude, uncaring and that goes all the way up the food chain. There is a litany of articles in the media about their poor service to their customers.

[IzzieK]

That is terrible...kinda like United.