Flying with cameras

"Jürgen Exner" wrote in message
news
"Graham Harrison" wrote:
Put yourself in a situation where you are banned from taking your camera
with lenses into the cabin with no exceptions. What do you do then?

Take the train.

jue

From the UK to Chile? :-)

"Wally" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:40:50 -0000, "Graham Harrison"
wrote:

Put yourself in a situation where you are banned from taking your camera
with lenses into the cabin with no exceptions. What do you do then?

Those situations happen and can be very difficult. I heard about a
tuba player in the U.S. who was flying to a performance, and they
refused to take the tuba because it was over the weight limit. They
initially refused to consider accepting excess baggage fees. But he
HAD to take it, and NOW, or lose his job. Eventually they worked
something out - can't remember the details - but he got there, with
his horn - and it cost him money.

I'm pretty sure every situation is different. Just try to prepare as
best you can against different eventualities. Like, have addresses
ready if they refuse to let you take it, but offer to let you courier
it to somewhere. And alllow plenty of time.

Wally

Would you courier your camera in a bag designed for carry on? I don't
think I would. I'd prefer to put it in something that provides more
protection (e.g. a Pelli case). If I'm going to do that I then have a
choice; send it in advance or plan to check it in. Which would you do?
If it makes any difference this would be travelling London (UK) to Santiago
(Chile) - no direct flights you have to change somewhere so your bags have
an extra chance to go astray or get stolen. But then a courier is going to
have to go through at least one hub so similar risks apply.

On 2010-01-06 10:43:48 -0800, "Graham Harrison"
said:

Let's be pessimistic for a moment and assume that the security
situation worsens and we're restricted in the way that Canada/US
flights have been recently (e.g. no hand baggage to all intents and
purposes). What to do with the camera then?

Certainly no problems with carryon on domestic flights in the US. I
just took my backpack full of camera gear down to Atlanta and back. My
wife took her normal carryon bag filled with GPS and miscellaneous
stuff.

Perhaps you were misinformed?


Well, I could leave it behind and take a P and S. Not ideal.

How about buying a Pelli type case to protect it? Question then is do
I check it in or send it ahead by courier? And, what to do about
insurance - I guess I'd have to go to a broker because I suspect
standard insurance would not be sufficient.

Has anyone got and suggestions or experiences to share?

If I have to ship, I use FedEx and cardboard boxes. My insurance covers
any shipping losses, although I have never lost anything.

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

On 2010-01-10 06:31:27 -0800, Wally said:

On Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:40:50 -0000, "Graham Harrison"
wrote:

Put yourself in a situation where you are banned from taking your camera
with lenses into the cabin with no exceptions. What do you do then?

Those situations happen and can be very difficult. I heard about a
tuba player in the U.S. who was flying to a performance, and they
refused to take the tuba because it was over the weight limit. They
initially refused to consider accepting excess baggage fees. But he
HAD to take it, and NOW, or lose his job. Eventually they worked
something out - can't remember the details - but he got there, with
his horn - and it cost him money.

Most of the musicians I know simply buy a seat for their instrument.


--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

In article
2010011010130916807-christophercampbellremovethis@hotmailcom, C J
Campbell wrote:

Let's be pessimistic for a moment and assume that the security
situation worsens and we're restricted in the way that Canada/US
flights have been recently (e.g. no hand baggage to all intents and
purposes). What to do with the camera then?

Certainly no problems with carryon on domestic flights in the US. I
just took my backpack full of camera gear down to Atlanta and back. My
wife took her normal carryon bag filled with GPS and miscellaneous
stuff.

Perhaps you were misinformed?

he said canada/us flights, which did have ridiculous restrictions. i
think they're a little more sane now. of course that could change at
any time since it's all one big show.

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
news:2010011010130916807-christophercampbellremovethis@hotmailcom...
On 2010-01-06 10:43:48 -0800, "Graham Harrison"
said:

Let's be pessimistic for a moment and assume that the security situation
worsens and we're restricted in the way that Canada/US flights have been
recently (e.g. no hand baggage to all intents and purposes). What to do
with the camera then?

Certainly no problems with carryon on domestic flights in the US. I just
took my backpack full of camera gear down to Atlanta and back. My wife
took her normal carryon bag filled with GPS and miscellaneous stuff.

Perhaps you were misinformed?


Well, I could leave it behind and take a P and S. Not ideal.

How about buying a Pelli type case to protect it? Question then is do I
check it in or send it ahead by courier? And, what to do about
insurance - I guess I'd have to go to a broker because I suspect standard
insurance would not be sufficient.

Has anyone got and suggestions or experiences to share?

If I have to ship, I use FedEx and cardboard boxes. My insurance covers
any shipping losses, although I have never lost anything.

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor


Now you mention it, some time ago I had to send a body for repair. It went
both ways through the mail in cardboard boxes. Hmm, maybe I'm making a
mountain out of a molehill.

In article , edward.harrison1
@remove.btinternet.com says...

"Jürgen Exner" wrote in message
news
"Graham Harrison" wrote:
Put yourself in a situation where you are banned from taking your camera
with lenses into the cabin with no exceptions. What do you do then?

Take the train.

jue

From the UK to Chile? :-)

So you would also need to book a ferry across the Bering Strait...

On 2010-01-10 14:56:37 -0800, mike said:

In article , edward.harrison1
@remove.btinternet.com says...

"Jürgen Exner" wrote in message
news
"Graham Harrison" wrote:
Put yourself in a situation where you are banned from taking your camer
a
with lenses into the cabin with no exceptions. What do you do then?

Take the train.

jue

From the UK to Chile? :-)

So you would also need to book a ferry across the Bering Strait...

There's a ferry??
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

C J Campbell wrote:
On 2010-01-10 14:56:37 -0800, mike said:

In article , edward.harrison1
@remove.btinternet.com says...

"Jürgen Exner" wrote in message
news "Graham Harrison" wrote:
Put yourself in a situation where you are banned from taking your camer
a
with lenses into the cabin with no exceptions. What do you do then?

Take the train.

From the UK to Chile? :-)

So you would also need to book a ferry across the Bering Strait...

There's a ferry??

Well, in some way kind a sort of. But I have to admit that boarding is
somewhat awkward.
First you have to take the train back from Wladiwostok to Southampton,
then board the RMS Queen Mary 2 to New York, then take the train to the
west coast of North America, then board the Alaska Marine Highway which
finally will take you to the other side of the Bering Strait.
So yes, it can be done, but you will need almost as long as Mr. Phileas
Fogg.

jue

On 1/12/10 PDT 5:45 AM, Graham Harrison wrote:

So, going back to my planned journey I start from the UK (actually about
50 miles from Southampton) travel out to the far east of Russia, come
back to the UK, get a ship (probably Cunard) across the Atlantic, train
across the USA to Bellingham, Alaska Marine Highway (at least one, maybe
2 changes) which will get me down the Aleutians. Then return to
Bellingham, take the Coast Starlight etc to San Diego, buses through
Central America to the Darien Gap. Happily there are boats (if not
ferries) round the gap so I don't have to come back to Europe again and
do more buses down the west coast of South America.

How about I just find a cargo vessel from Europe to South America
(doesn't really matter where) and then find my way overland from
wherever it leaves me?

It might be cheaper (valuing your time a bit!) to just charter a wee
jet.....
:-)

--
john mcwilliams