Travelling with equipment

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I appreciate this has probably been asked a thousand times but I was looking for some up to date information.

I am travelling to Switzerland on Saturday and want to take some equipment as hand luggage and was wondering if there is anything I should be aware of in advance.

I am planning to take a d7000, a 105mm zoom and a 50mm prime, along with a vertical grip, battery, charger and lens cleaning kit.

I have a standard shoulder messenger bag with a padded camera insert.

I will be flying with Thomas Cook on a chartered flight.

Many thanks for any info.
 
As long as the bag meets their size and weight criteria you should be fine. They might ask to swab the kit though - doesn't cause any harm. I think I'd leave any lens cleaning solution at home - give the lenses a thorough clean before you go then a huff and wipe should be enough to keep them clean.

Enjoy the trip.
 
i've never had any problems travelling with kit, when going through scanners etc they ask you to remove laptops etc from bags. When i asked them each time if they were bothered about camera equipment they weren't at all. I had more fun setting the alarm off with my walking boots :lol:
 
andy1868 said:
i've never had any problems travelling with kit, when going through scanners etc they ask you to remove laptops etc from bags. When i asked them each time if they were bothered about camera equipment they weren't at all. I had more fun setting the alarm off with my walking boots :LOL:
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You and me both. They usually insist I take mine off. As to tithe OP's query I would say you shouldn't have any problems ( I never have) as long as you comply with airline hand luggage requirements. I'd agree about leaving the lens cleaning solution at home though.
 
I've also never had a problem. Well, I once left a small container of Lee filter solution in the bag and they wanted to test it after their scanners picked it up, but apart from that it's been plain sailing. Some times I get asked to open my bag and sometimes I don't. One security guy actually said "wow, it's beautiful" when he took my camera out once, which I thought was a little odd.
 
I've flown to and from Switzerland a few times before with the camera in a shoulder bag as carry on as well as my carry on suitcase. I think if it's a small enough bag - mine was a Think Tank Speed Demon - it counts as your personal item, alongside your carry on - similar to a ladies handbag.
 
Me² said:
I've flown to and from Switzerland a few times before with the camera in a shoulder bag as carry on as well as my carry on suitcase. I think if it's a small enough bag - mine was a Think Tank Speed Demon - it counts as your personal item, alongside your carry on - similar to a ladies handbag.
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I'm not too fussed about the size of the bag, or about having more than one but I think in general I can now see that I shouldn't have any difficulties.
 
Many airlines now stipulate 1 item per person hand luggage, which includes womens hand bags, so last year (also on Thomas Cook flight, but to Greece) my Mrs put hers in a larger shoulder bag with other stuff.
 
Me² said:
I've flown to and from Switzerland a few times before with the camera in a shoulder bag as carry on as well as my carry on suitcase. I think if it's a small enough bag - mine was a Think Tank Speed Demon - it counts as your personal item, alongside your carry on - similar to a ladies handbag.
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Sadly not. Airlines are getting really tough on things like handbags. For example, Easyjet's "guidelines" make it really clear that both men and women are welcome to take handbags - but they count as your single piece of carry on.

I did read a fascinating article the other week on why most airport security is utterly useless (for one thing: why do you need to take a laptop out of a bag but not a 10 inch tablet, USB drive and external battery system?). But the good news is that you'll be fine getting through security with cameras etc.
 
I used to fly to Dublin and back every month with Ryanair who were great but you wouldn't want to get the baggage wrong. I remember on the odd occasion trying to jam all the stuff I bought in the airport into my one piece of hand luggage. The flights were about £15 though so don't think I'm complaining.
 
I invariably travel in my photographers vest. Lots of pockets, and (as yet) they don't weigh the passenger and his clothing.
 
You won't catch me wearing one of them. Mine is a Rohan vest which I've had about 20 years. Never let me down and with five capacious pockets.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Sadly not. Airlines are getting really tough on things like handbags. For example, Easyjet's "guidelines" make it really clear that both men and women are welcome to take handbags - but they count as your single piece of carry on.

I did read a fascinating article the other week on why most airport security is utterly useless (for one thing: why do you need to take a laptop out of a bag but not a 10 inch tablet, USB drive and external battery system?). But the good news is that you'll be fine getting through security with cameras etc.
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Who says you don't have to take out a tablet? You do
 
I'd confirm the airline's policy for carry on bags. It's not standard, some airlines are much stricter than others, and the check in desk isn't the best place to find out about this!
 
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jonneymendoza said:
Who says you don't have to take out a tablet? You do
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Those items weren't picked at random. I had all 3 in my hand luggage when it went through the x-ray at Gatwick a couple of weeks ago. I had already removed my laptop as requested.

Don't expect logic from airport security.
 
Asking passengers to remove laptops from carry on bags is standard, although I've passed through a few transit security checks in Dubai without having to do this. Taking off shoes seems to be pretty random, but they can insist on inspecting just about anything.

UK airports outsource security to private companies. I don't have much faith in it, and suspect that it's more to reassure passengers and deter low level threats, but I go along with it and do as they ask. Arguing is pointless, they're backed by legislation and getting into a confrontation is just going to bring the police into it.

El Al used to have pretty heavy security and probably still do. Amongst other things, they profiled passengers and required early check in to allow for individual interviews by security officers. My mother went through this when she was in her 70s, and said it was done very professionally, but was quite intimidating for an older woman who had never experienced anything like this.
 
MartynK said:
Asking passengers to remove laptops from carry on bags is standard, although I've passed through a few transit security checks in Dubai without having to do this. Taking off shoes seems to be pretty random, but they can insist on inspecting just about anything.
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The usual "sciency" reason is that the EM waves from their metal detectors bounce off the ground and so aren't effective in the bottom several inches. This makes it hilarious that they allow you to keep on your shoes if they are all plastic - they make you take off metal cleated boots and high heels with steel reinforcement. The less sciency reason is Richard Reid (the bomber not the maker of expensive orange juice).

Who knows? The head of security may have seen something on YouTube.

MartynK said:
UK airports outsource security to private companies. I don't have much faith in it, and suspect that it's more to reassure passengers and deter low level threats, but I go along with it and do as they ask. Arguing is pointless, they're backed by legislation and getting into a confrontation is just going to bring the police into it.
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Absolutely. It would be a very brave person who argued with a man armed with rubber gloves.

MartynK said:
El Al used to have pretty heavy security and probably still do. Amongst other things, they profiled passengers and required early check in to allow for individual interviews by security officers. My mother went through this when she was in her 70s, and said it was done very professionally, but was quite intimidating for an older woman who had never experienced anything like this.
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There's a fascinating article by the ex head of security at Ben Gurion - http://www.cracked.com/blog/7-reasons-tsa-sucks-a-security-experts-perspective/ Page 2 is actually scary.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Absolutely. It would be a very brave person who argued with a man armed with rubber gloves.
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A large handful of Haribo sugar free gummy bears could cure him of the rubber gloves! (Probably not a good idea before a flight though!!!)
 
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