Tripod in hand luggage?

Avix46

Avix46

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Just a quick question, Will I have any problems if I try and take my fold up tripod in with my hand luggage on an international flight?

The tripod when completely folded in is about 40cm long, just not sure if the consider it a 'weapon' :LOL: and the airline is virgin?

Thanks in advance!
 
Avix46 said:
just not sure if the consider it a 'weapon' :LOL: and the airline is virgin?
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You laugh, but this is what tripods are sometimes considered tantamount to (and arguably, you can see why, a solid piece of metal with spikes on the end). Depends on the airports you travel from, to, transit through, check the airline website, and you can get the general gist from previous threads on it:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=258960
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=344622

When I flew with mine, I put it in checked baggage, sandwiched in clothes. Came out fine on the other side, both ways.
 
I've taken a tripod on RyanAir hand luggage...
 
Regularly carry a monopod, no prob.
 
Becareful with Virgin, there hand luggage restriction is £$%* 6Kg weight, that's why I used BA in the end for my trip to South Africa. I emailed virgin about camera gear and they weren't willing to budge on the hand luggage restriction so I used BA because they were a bit more flexible about weight restrictions. I definitely wasn't going to turn up to the airport and chance it with Virgin, not if there was a possibility my camera gear could end up in the hold.
 
nigpd said:
My preference has always been to put the tripod and tripod head in the hold luggage and carry on the cameras and lenses
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Depends if you're travelling with any hold luggage. Something we try and avoid doing on RyanAir....
 
I was going through airport security yesterday just behind a guy with a huge bag, who was pulled aside after the x-ray machine - inside he was carrying one of those stabilising body rigs for movie cameras - looked like a rigid body vest, with an arm attachment comprising a number of hydraulic joints (I thought at first it was a complex artificial limb!). After taking a look at it, they let him happily on his way, so I assume a basic tripod would note pose much of an issue.

I assume the guy has made special arrangements with the airline though - this thing was not going to fit in an overhead locker. I guess it was just too expensive to risk putting in the hold.
 
George said:
Regularly carry a monopod, no prob.
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I tried that in the US and got a ticking off. Maybe they're a bit more twitchy than others.
 
pete.rush said:
Becareful with Virgin, there hand luggage restriction is £$%* 6Kg weight, that's why I used BA in the end for my trip to South Africa. I emailed virgin about camera gear and they weren't willing to budge on the hand luggage restriction so I used BA because they were a bit more flexible about weight restrictions. I definitely wasn't going to turn up to the airport and chance it with Virgin, not if there was a possibility my camera gear could end up in the hold.
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Grrrrrrrreat!

I'm taking my gripped camera, 4 lenses, laptop and some other odds and ends in my hand luggage, and I'm flying home, which is, yup...you guessed it..Cape Town! :|

This promises to be a laugh :LOL:
 
I got away with it this summer flying to Vegas with Virgin, but that was more luck than anything else. 6kg is a joke imo. My backpack prolly weighed 20kg fully loaded :LOL:
Just stand square on to the checking clerk, and make like it`s light weight. As for the tripos, I just pack it in the hold case.

Good luck.
 
You can buy tripods in duty free shopping areas, along with all kinds of equipment, which you would have to carry as hand luggage.

So long as it doesn't have any sharp points they can't stop you.
 
I've taken tripods as hand luggage without much probs, only thing is not to take any adjustment tools like Allen keys etc
 
I always take my tripod as hand luggage (usually attached to my Lowepro MiniTrekker AW backpack). Never had a problem, but I haven't exactly flown a lot of different airlines, just easyjet between Luton and Berlin usually. (could do with a proper holiday in the near future... ;) )
 
Just flown easyjet glasgow to berlin. asked at check in desk and was told no problem for tripod in hand luggage as long as was within size restrictions. No worries through security and as was pointed out above, they sell them in the duty free. However always worth checking with the airline prior to booking.
 
With regards to Virgin 6KG hand luggage, the last few times I've flown with the hand luggage has been nearer 15KG & they've not even checked.
 
I'm flying out to Nice with EasyJet next weekend, and only taking hand luggage as I'm only there for three days. My tripod only cost me a tenner, but I pretty much need it for the trip.

I tweeted EasyJet earlier and they said "Tripods are not namely prohibited in the hand luggage. Final decision will be made by the check-in staff."

I've had a look to see if there are any Photography shops out there in Nice/Monaco but it would probably take me the whole weekend to find one. I've also had a look at buying another (only a tenner as I mentioned) to be delivered to my hotel but the company only distributes to the UK. Thought about dismantling it but I don't think that would help.

I'm travelling from Liverpool if it helps. Not sure if they have shops after security that would sell tripods.

This is the tripod.

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=105985
 
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NWT said:
I'm flying out to Nice with EasyJet next weekend, and only taking hand luggage as I'm only there for three days. My tripod only cost me a tenner, but I pretty much need it for the trip.

I tweeted EasyJet earlier and they said "Tripods are not namely prohibited in the hand luggage. Final decision will be made by the check-in staff."

I've had a look to see if there are any Photography shops out there in Nice/Monaco but it would probably take me the whole weekend to find one. I've also had a look at buying another (only a tenner as I mentioned) to be delivered to my hotel but the company only distributes to the UK. Thought about dismantling it but I don't think that would help.

I'm travelling from Liverpool if it helps. Not sure if they have shops after security that would sell tripods.

This is the tripod.

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=105985
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The way i see it you have nothing to loose by taking it with ....if they say it aint going in the cabin then youve given up a very cheap pod...then you have to hope you can pick one up. If it goes ok then happy days..(y)
 
NWT said:
I tweeted EasyJet earlier and they said "Tripods are not namely prohibited in the hand luggage. Final decision will be made by the check-in staff."
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This just confirms the stupidity of these airline people when it comes to answering passenger's questions. Once you've answered their usual terrorist questions on packing your bags etc, check-in staff don't give a rat's ass about what you have in your hand luggage. The people who decide on what you take on board are the airport security people - the X-Ray people. It varies at every airport around the world.

I've had trouble taking a tripod through the X-Ray machines at Gatwick. I spent about 15 minutes waiting for them to hand me my camera bag while they put it through the machine 4 times. When they did eventually give it to me I asked what the problem was. He said it was that tripod that I had in it. They weren't sure what it was. I said why didn't you ask me? He replied, rather strangely, that they're not allowed to. Yes, beats me too. The tripod in question? One of those tiny 6 inch ones with bendy legs.
 
We always sandwich tripods between clothes in our hold luggage. We have taken a head through as hand luggage though and that got some raised eyebrows at security but as soon as they saw what it was we were fine.

Re Virgin and 6kg... it's a right pain. Mostly we have always been fine because the hand luggage hasn't been weighed. The one time it was though, both our bags came up at 12kg. After some "pleading" our bags were issued with special overweight stickers :naughty:
 
I took mine through attached to my Canon rucksack on BA from T5, no questions asked.

Was a bit awkward trying to fit it all in the full overhead lockers though!
 
dan-marsh said:
You can buy tripods in duty free shopping areas, along with all kinds of equipment, which you would have to carry as hand luggage.

So long as it doesn't have any sharp points they can't stop you.
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That's just too logical. They can stop you. They can do anything they want. Try arguing with them and watch the plane leave the runway without you.

Our carry-on luggage at Southampton was too big for FlyBe's gauge by the radius of the wheels. £360 for the two pieces to go in the hold or transfer everything to plastic bags that would fit the gauge with anything left over worn or in pockets. They took the luggage and binned it, and I walked onto the flight wearing two pairs of jeans, several t-shirts, shirts and two jackets with underpants and socks in my pockets. Oh, and three litres of Drambuie I bought in duty free just to make the point (and enjoy!).

They didn't give a t*ss. Jobsworths.
 
If it were me I would take it in my hold luggage, I know someone who had theirs refused by security at an Italian Airport. Even if the airline allows tripods on board, the final decision is made by the security staff.
 
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