Flying with gear

[Michael Fanelli]

I have travelled around a fair bit with my gear, but that has been road/rail travel. I'm planning to travel further afield and I'm a bit concerned about carrying my gear on the plane.
Almost all my gear will fit in a pelican 1600 case - I'm unsure if I should be checking this in or trying to take it on board the flight with me.
Any advice would be appreciated.

All checked luggage must be left unlocked for US flights. If you lock it, they will destroy the case to open it. Theft from luggage has skyrocketed, so don't put anything into checked bags that you don't mind losing.

[SmartWombat]

All checked luggage must be left unlocked for US flights. If you lock it, they will destroy the case to open it. Theft from luggage has skyrocketed, so don't put anything into checked bags that you don't mind losing.

It makes the USA a destination not to travel to for us, if they'd let us in. UK passports don't have biometric IDs in, and I hear the USA is going techie on immigration.
Increased crime, greater inconvenince for travellers?
I count all that as a victory for the terrorists.

How do professional sports photographers with 400 or 600mm prime lenses cope?
Or does it just boost the US equiment rental industry ?

[natefromri]

I would never consider checking my photo gear into a US airline with the increased "security". I would carry anything I didn't want to "walk away" on board with me. Ironic huh?

--Nate

[trog100]

Politics hey.. better keep out of this one.. he he he he

trog100

[tdewan]

Sorry - didn't want to start a political debate but I'm not off to the states (I heard that taking photos of anything there gets you a free trip to Guantanamo ).

Actually off to Indonesia for a few weeks. I'll see if I can put together a carry-on bag with the important stuff ... and perhaps double check my insurance policy.

[Peter_AUS]

Two good ideas tdewan.

I personally wouldn't put any camera gear in a bag that wasn't staying with me 24/7/365. Remember what has happened to that Aussie Girl and the Boogie Board bag and the Marajuana that was found in the bag. I wouldn't take the chance at all.

Don't know if she is guilty, but it all seems very strange that they haven't done any fingerprints on the plastic bag and have been touching it in the trial without gloves on.

Be careful.