Air Travel Challenge

gerrard8

gerrard8

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I will shortly be going on my first overseas holiday and am looking for a few tips or tricks of the legal variety to possibly get some of my camera gear on the plane without it having to be added to the 10kg weight allowance of cabin luggage on a Monarch flight.

It looks as although traveling light, the baggage allowance may be exceeded, not by much but I want to try and avoid the £30 charge plus the attached £50 penalty that accompanies the charge :-(

The Black Rapid RS7 has been swapped over for an Optech neoprene wrist strap, the Lowepro rucksack is now a Caden chest bag and two from four lenses which are the Zeiss 55mm f/1.8, Sony 18-105 f/4 G, the 55-210 and 50mm f/1.8 from the a6000 kit.

I don't fancy sending any of my gear to the hold for various reasons but didn't want to try sneaking stuff through if there is a chance of having to add it to the the cabin case.

All help appreciated :)
 
I've always carried my camera gear in a Lowepro Reporter and had no issues. I've generally got a mix of A6000/lenses digital and at least one Medium Format film system which is much bigger and heavier than my digital gear. I also carry all of my film and batteries with me and have only had positive conversations with the security gate about my kit!
 
Jim_Tod said:
Jacket with big pockets. Lens and camera wrapped up in pocket until checked in then back into bag.
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I have a big coat but feared that if I tried to smuggle it on outside of the bag that I would get stopped at the scanner and made to put it in my cabin luggage if that's the way it works.
 
stevelmx5 said:
I've always carried my camera gear in a Lowepro Reporter and had no issues. I've generally got a mix of A6000/lenses digital and at least one Medium Format film system which is much bigger and heavier than my digital gear. I also carry all of my film and batteries with me and have only had positive conversations with the security gate about my kit!
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I only have a 10kg limit, including clothes so the likelihood is that I will have to not have a camera bag as Monarch state that any other bag you have has to fit in the cabin luggage or go in the hold.
 
Why do you need 10kg of cabin baggage, plus your hold bag and camera gear on top of this?

If it is tight. have you considered leving come clothese here and picking up some cheap shorts and t-shirts when you're away (depends on where you're going)?
 
Jim_Tod said:
Why do you need 10kg of cabin baggage, plus your hold bag and camera gear on top of this?

If it is tight. have you considered leving come clothese here and picking up some cheap shorts and t-shirts when you're away (depends on where you're going)?
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Done exactly that. Only taking minimal stuff such as shorts, tees and boxers etc as I want to try and get the camera and clothes at 10kg or under if possible.

Going to Barcelona and Venice for a couple of weeks.
 
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stevelmx5 said:
The Lowepro bag fits into an overhead locker and is no bigger than a handbag. What camera are you taking?
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I want to avoid using the hold but the camera bag has to fit in and be part of the 10kg limit case :-(
 
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gerrard8 said:
It's a Sony a7 and a couple of lenses.
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Realistically you've got minimal weight in your kit so I doubt it will do much to your allowance. I'd put the black rapid back on and carry your A7 with the heaviest of the two lenses mounted on it. Put the other lens in your bag along with the batteries/charger and just take it all through as carry on.
 
Are Monarch that anal that they check all baggage? I was travelling on Air Madagascar last year that has a 10kg, they didn't bother if the bag was 11-12kg, and the fact we had cameras and lenses in pockets, and slung from our necks didn't bother them. And we repacked our bags in full sight.

Or is it the fact that they have been in dire financial straits and looking for another income stream?
 
Just one body and a couple of lenses isn't going to stretch the allowance too much. I would just sling the body and heaviest lens round my neck to remove that weight from the bag if it was getting tight to the weight limit. Despite going to a warm destination for our holidays, I always wear a fleece with big pockets so I can stich a few lenses in them to get under the weight limit if I get weighed.
 
Toni Weller said:
The easiest way is to pay a little for extra weight of luggage and don't worry about anything! :banana:
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There is that but what I have will take it to just under 11 and think 30 quid is a bit steep lol.
 
Nawty said:
10kg is looooads, I did 5 weeks in Asia with 12kg and didn't use half the clothes I took.
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Case is 1.7kg which leaves 8.3 for clothes and kit.

I have 4 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of chinos and a couple of pairs of shoes and boxers etc....too much do you think?
 
Nod said:
Just one body and a couple of lenses isn't going to stretch the allowance too much. I would just sling the body and heaviest lens round my neck to remove that weight from the bag if it was getting tight to the weight limit. Despite going to a warm destination for our holidays, I always wear a fleece with big pockets so I can stich a few lenses in them to get under the weight limit if I get weighed.
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Time to get the scales out and develop a cunning plan :)
 
Went to NZ with a few lenses camera + accessories total wt was a tad over 9kg. The bad was a lowepro aw trekker so quite large and I never got asked about the wt on any of the 6 flights to and from NZ and internal flights.
 
Toni Weller said:
The easiest way is to pay a little for extra weight of luggage and don't worry about anything! :banana:
Click to expand...



Fine for checked (hold) baggage but never been offered the option for overhead/cabin bags. I already stick the less fragile items in the hold baggage, well padded with clothes but I'd rather not have bodies and lenses thrown around like bales of hay!
 
gerrard8 said:
Case is 1.7kg which leaves 8.3 for clothes and kit.

I have 4 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of chinos and a couple of pairs of shoes and boxers etc....too much do you think?
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2 pairs of shorts are plenty, one pair or trousers/jeans and wear another, wear some shoes and pack some flip flops. That's what I'd do anyway.

Worst case scenario is that you need to launder something or nowadays there's an H&M nearly everywhere so you can always buy some cheap clothes if need be, only time that's happened to me was when we rocked up in Barcelona in spring and it was 0 degrees - bought some sunglasses and a scarf.
 
How many pairs of shoes do you really need?

I just take one pair of walking shoes.
 
beyond the blue said:
Then be very careful or you may find you are way "underweight" coming home.;)
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I have taken as much precaution as possible and due to spending a lot of time watching/rounding up shoplifters I am very vigilant by nature.
 
The Mrs & I have travelled a fair bit on budget airlines with our two kids. In our experience no one really checks the weight, unless you very obviously look like you have an oversized bag. Also I'm certain most airlines allow a small bag in addition to your hold bag, which you could use to carry your camera gear.

My strategy would be to have my camera around my neck at the gate with a heavy lens. Once your on the plane you can readjust it all again. No one checks the baggage weight or size at security.
 
Another trick is to have a bag that breaks up into two parts like this one (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/...ka-backpack-on-wheels-dark-grey-art-50217766/). Have the main compartment padlocked and the smaller bag on your shoulders. When it's boarding time, most airlines will voluntarily allow you to check a bag in for free if the flight looks full. We did this on a trip to Spain recently that involved 3 different flights. Each time we checked 3 bags in for free at the gate and got priority boarding in return for free. You then keep all your flight essentials in your little bag and reattach it all at the other end. Most budget flights end up putting some bags in the hold as the overhead lockers get full about 3/4 of the way through boarding
 
I'm packing for a weekend break right now. I bet I don't hit 6 kilos including my running kit :)

Technical fabrics, clothes that do more than one thing and a Sony RX100 are pretty much all you need :D

Wear a hoodie on the plane - it's warm, it has pockets and obviously a hood. In an emergency it will double as a rain jacket (especially if you get one with DWR or wash in some Nikwax cotton proof). Take a buff to keep your neck warm, make a balaclava, sun hat, sweat band or lens cleaner. 5.11 tactical combats will hold a huge amount in their pockets but brush clean and get you into a reasonable restaurant. Technical fabrics will wash in a hotel sink and dry overnight.

But mainly.....how many pairs of shoes do you really need? The ones I wear onto the plane will do for pretty much anything else.

BTW 4 pairs of shorts? FOUR??? I think you mean 2. Or fewer.
 
JonathanRyan said:
I'm packing for a weekend break right now. I bet I don't hit 6 kilos including my running kit :)

Technical fabrics, clothes that do more than one thing and a Sony RX100 are pretty much all you need :D

Wear a hoodie on the plane - it's warm, it has pockets and obviously a hood. In an emergency it will double as a rain jacket (especially if you get one with DWR or wash in some Nikwax cotton proof). Take a buff to keep your neck warm, make a balaclava, sun hat, sweat band or lens cleaner. 5.11 tactical combats will hold a huge amount in their pockets but brush clean and get you into a reasonable restaurant. Technical fabrics will wash in a hotel sink and dry overnight.

But mainly.....how many pairs of shoes do you really need? The ones I wear onto the plane will do for pretty much anything else.

BTW 4 pairs of shorts? FOUR??? I think you mean 2. Or fewer.
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The plan was to take a pair of walking shoes and a pair of decent casual shoes for evening wear. i have a rain jacket or fleece so looks like that will take care of some bits I guess.

RX100 is way too small for me i'm afraid, I considered one but a tad to fiddly for my porky digits :)

My break is for two weeks so 6kg would be impossible for me but I hope to be able to sort this 10kg annoyance out :)
 
gerrard8 said:
The plan was to take a pair of walking shoes and a pair of decent casual shoes for evening wear.
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Unless you travel barefoot, that's only 1 pair to pack. Wear the walking shoes and pack the casuals. Leave any other pairs at home - shoes will eat up 10kg for breakfast.
 
Llamaman said:
So 7 items of clothing for your lower half for a 2 week holiday? Do you really need clean shorts every 2 days?
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My case weighs 1.7kg leaving 8.3kg to fill. I need shorts with decent pockets so I have gone for cargo shorts with front leg pockets to deter any would be pp's.
 
Well after a lot of sorting I have managed to get the case to 9.85kg leaving a couple of lenses to be packed which will be one in each jacket pocket.

Thanks very much for all the input :)
 
Well after some more jiggling, fiddling and dropping my shorts (two pairs from the case that is) it now weighs a healthy 10kg on the nose including lenses and the addition of my Manfrotto Pixi........I just don't know what all the fuss was about :)
 
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