Camera gear on planes

N

nc_killie

POTY (Joint) 2016
Messages
1,912
Name
John
Edit My Images
Yes
I have only taken camera gear as carry on when travelling on planes but am going away later this week and the allowance is 7kg per item and you are allowed two items! Hope that they do not enforce it! Have jacket ready to stuff with lenses if challenged! Has anyone seen this enforced on non-budget airlines long haul flights?? TIA
 
This is something which has concerned me on a number of occasions....my strategy is the same as yours.

I have a 'jacket of many pockets' and know it will happily accommodate bodies and shorter lenses if required. I watch as we are queueing to check-in / board and have the items which I know i can move to pockets readily available.

I can only think of 1 occasion where I have had to shift weight to my jacket!

Good luck and enjoy your trip.
 
nc_killie said:
I have only taken camera gear as carry on when travelling on planes but am going away later this week and the allowance is 7kg per item and you are allowed two items! Hope that they do not enforce it! Have jacket ready to stuff with lenses if challenged! Has anyone seen this enforced on non-budget airlines long haul flights?? TIA
Click to expand...
Am I misunderstanding this? When I fly long or short (from UK) its usually 10 kg for the bag total and my 5Div and several lenses and filers etc usually come to below that. Never come across a weight per item restriction
 
It is always a concern in regard to weight and overall size but still staggers me that other non photo gear travellers have (to my eye) large and heavy wheelie cases as carry on. Plus, I have no intention to sound sexist but some women cannot left their bags into the overhead lockers........ requiring the intervention of the cabin crew (male or female) to heft the bags into place.

I use a Lowepro 400AW III which by measurements is spot on for the airlines I have travelled on. Latterly BA long haul and Airlink in Africa.
NB AFAIK many photographers use much(?) larger bags than mine and they still are carry on usage.

I surmise the weight might not pass inspection but I recall reading that you need to carry it like it is not too heavy i.e. don't look like you are 'weighed down' by it on your back and if carrying it use only one hand!

PS I have checked again and Airlink say this....

"One piece of cabin baggage up to 8 kg (17 lbs) with maximum dimensions of 56 x 36 x 23 cm (total 115 cm linear)"

On BA they have a very similar size restriction but don't mention the weight, though do say that you should be able to lift unassisted into the overhead lockers!
 
Last edited:
I recently flew to the U.S with KLM and had no issues at all. Camera and lenses in Lowe Pro backpack. But I think my weight limit was 10kg. Id double check that 7kg limit.
 
Mitzyboy said:
Am I misunderstanding this? When I fly long or short (from UK) its usually 10 kg for the bag total and my 5Div and several lenses and filers etc usually come to below that. Never come across a weight per item restriction
Click to expand...
Yup, it's 7kg per item, 2 items allowed!
 
Box Brownie said:
It is always a concern in regard to weight and overall size but still staggers me that other non photo gear travellers have (to my eye) large and heavy wheelie cases as carry on. Plus, I have no intention to sound sexist but some women cannot left their bags into the overhead lockers........ requiring the intervention of the cabin crew (male or female) to heft the bags into place.

I use a Lowepro 400AW III which by measurements is spot on for the airlines I have travelled on. Latterly BA long haul and Airlink in Africa.
NB AFAIK many photographers use much(?) larger bags than mine and they still are carry on usage.

I surmise the weight might not pass inspection but I recall reading that you need to carry it like it is not too heavy i.e. don't look like you are 'weighed down' by it on your back and if carrying it use only one hand!

PS I have checked again and Airlink say this....

"One piece of cabin baggage up to 8 kg (17 lbs) with maximum dimensions of 56 x 36 x 23 cm (total 115 cm linear)"

On BA they have a very similar size restriction but don't mention the weight, though do say that you should be able to lift unassisted into the overhead lockers!
Click to expand...
Thanks BB - I agree with the appearance is everything approach but my concern is in Edinburgh for flight to Heathrow - they can be pedantic! My camera bag does meet the size requirements, guess I will have to man up!!
 
FWIW, I have taken 3 Airlink flights over the last few weeks (incl. j'burg - Kasane and Maun - Cape Town). No issues with (12kg!!) camera rucksack.
 
whyone said:
FWIW, I have taken 3 Airlink flights over the last few weeks (incl. j'burg - Kasane and Maun - Cape Town). No issues with (12kg!!) camera rucksack.
Click to expand...
You wouldn't want to take much more weight, given how low they fly!
 
I reckon I’ve done 50ish flights in the last 8 years, and once I had a cabin bag weighed, and when I think back, I probably misunderstood an instruction and that’s why it got weighed.
They range from budget airlines to flag carriers.

From other people’s experience, I’d say the budget airlines are where you’re likely to have problems, if at all.
 
Phil V said:
I reckon I’ve done 50ish flights in the last 8 years, and once I had a cabin bag weighed, and when I think back, I probably misunderstood an instruction and that’s why it got weighed.
They range from budget airlines to flag carriers.

From other people’s experience, I’d say the budget airlines are where you’re likely to have problems, if at all.
Click to expand...
That's been my experience too.

Only issue I've had was checking in for an Air Baltic flight from Gatwick to Riga, fortunately my buddy's bag was underweight...

GC
 
The exceptions for me are bush flights...typically 8-12 seater aircraft where it is important for them to know flying weights.

They often weigh everything...passenger and all bags. If they dont, I always show the pilot my photo-gear-heavy carry on.
 
Last edited:
Box Brownie said:
It is always a concern in regard to weight and overall size but still staggers me that other non photo gear travellers have (to my eye) large and heavy wheelie cases as carry on. Plus, I have no intention to sound sexist but some women cannot left their bags into the overhead lockers........ requiring the intervention of the cabin crew (male or female) to heft the bags into place.

I use a Lowepro 400AW III which by measurements is spot on for the airlines I have travelled on. Latterly BA long haul and Airlink in Africa.
NB AFAIK many photographers use much(?) larger bags than mine and they still are carry on usage.

I surmise the weight might not pass inspection but I recall reading that you need to carry it like it is not too heavy i.e. don't look like you are 'weighed down' by it on your back and if carrying it use only one hand!

PS I have checked again and Airlink say this....

"One piece of cabin baggage up to 8 kg (17 lbs) with maximum dimensions of 56 x 36 x 23 cm (total 115 cm linear)"

On BA they have a very similar size restriction but don't mention the weight, though do say that you should be able to lift unassisted into the overhead lockers!
Click to expand...
You'd hate us then ;) my son gets unlimited bags and weight. I generally only take a rucksack that fits under the seat which will have my camera gear in it.
 
Don't forget you are also aloud to take a separate laptop bag along with your carry on. I usually put extras like chargers / cables / hard drives in that one.
What really boggles my mind is if your carry on is over weight you have to pay extra to put it in the hold. . . . .it's on the same f**king plane! what does it make the plane top heavy so it will fly upside down if it all goes into overhead lol.
 
Had it with Qatar from Kochi to Doha 18 months ago, their limit was 7kg and my Tenba 24L was 14 kg. Just mentioned the word 'lithium' and I was allowed to take it into the cabin.

I've carried my Lowepro 600 AW on various BA flights with no issues
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top