Airlines/Airports with strict hand/cabin luggage rules

I just flew Continental from Canada to Roatan. The Calgary-Houston flight wasn't picky, but before departure in Houston someone with a scale weighs your check-in luggage. Mine was 2 pounds over the 50lbs limit and was told it would be a $50 charge. However, they allow you to move some weight into your carry-on which was never weighed and they allow 40lbs for the carry-on and mine was stuffed to the rim. Luckily the Houston luggage screening didn't ask me to take the camera out because it would have been a real mess.

Bart

At U.S. airports, I have to dump the water before passing airport security then refill the bottle before boarding the plane.

Oh, don't get me started on US airports! I'm American, so unfortunately every flight I take includes at least one US airport. Out of the dozens of countries I've visited, none have been so strict--and at the same time so inefficient--as those in the States.

*shakes head*

-Gina

I ogenerally only fly Continental and EVA.

Continental weighs your checked bags and possibly won't allow a third bag on even for money, even first-class. They have never weighed my carry-on.

EVA weighs my carry-on but not my backpack. I simply set the carry-on to 7kg and carry everything in the backpack. I have not tried the camera-in-the-hand bit but it makes sense. Also, many airlines allow a laptop.

I am flying in-country from Manila and Cebu and will be well over their 30kg limit for checked luggage so i expect to pay.

Regards,

Oh, don't get me started on US airports! I'm American, so unfortunately every flight I take includes at least one US airport. Out of the dozens of countries I've visited, none have been so strict--and at the same time so inefficient--as those in the States.

 

*shakes head*

 

-Gina

I guess you have not transited through Japan then.

Not entering from outside airport, but just changing planes after arriving to Narita or Nagoya, they make you go through a security check even when transiting. They took away a partially full bottle of Coke from the person ahead of me. Said "no liquids", unless in the little bag.

I had a pleasant experience the last time I flew on Sunwing Airlines out of Toronto to Liberia, Costa Rica. This trip was a cut rate all inclusive vacation with the air charter operator Sunwing Airlines.

When I checked Sunwing's website for baggage allowances, I was shocked to find that they want to weigh your combined check-in and carry-on baggage to make sure that it is under their 25 Kg weight limit. They will still carry 20 kg of scuba stuff for free in addition to the combined weight allowance.

My Aquatica D2x housing, camera, and Ikelite DS200 Sunstrobes come in at about 13 Kg so that does not leave me very much weight for extra lenses, laptop computer, and a few clothes. Funny part of it is that I purchased some new light weight dive gear for the trip and was able to come in at about 13 kg for the dive gear.

Knowing that I would not be able to make the weight limits imposed on me, I contacted my travel agent for the trip, who coincidentally happens to be a diver and who was also accompanying us on the trip.

Well to make a long story a little shorter, she was able to coax Sunwing Airlines into allowing my dive buddy and I, an extra 20 kg. of baggage allowance free of charge. Baggage check-in staff also had prior knowledge of the extra baggage allowance so check-in was very smooth. The return flight check-in went just as smoothly.

I have to admit that I didn't think there was a hope in hell that I wouldn't be paying excess baggage fees, so I was very pleased with the way things worked out.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, there still is a place in the world for a good travel agent in this world of on-line trip bookings.

I liked the service my travel agent provided so much that I booked another trip with her to Port Hardy, B.C. in October coming.

Kogia,

Singapore and Kuala Lumpur airports both do the "real" security screening at the gate itself, so you will not be able to take liquids through this checkpoint, regardless of where you obtained it (including if you just bought it at the secure part of the airport). Very silly indeed.

Just letting everyone know that Brisbane Airport and I beleive now most Australian international airports are strict on the weight of the carryon baggage. It has to be carry on size and weight less than 7kg. Its not the airlines enforcing this rule its the security before you go through customs.

I had two bags which contained most of my housing, camera's, lenses etc etc and ended up buying a duty free bag and placing some of the heavier camera gear in that.

Bascially the rule is a carry-on bag and laptop bag and a suitable amount of duty free. With each item not weighing more than 7kg.

Checkin wasnt a problem as I flew with Virginblue/pacificblue. One dive gear bag with maxium weight of 32kg and another checkin bag weight 15kg. They asked to see if all my gear in my dive bag was related to diving which it did.

Regards Mark

Hi All,

We recently flew with Emirates from Lon - KL, then around malaysia via Air Asia. No problem whatso-ever on Airasia with the hand luggage (it's the small pelican box that's just on the limit of the hand luggage) but it weighs 11KG. Only issue we had was with the flight out of London where they weighed it and woman said it was way heavy. Took out the body of the housing and put the lenses in pockets and then she said it was OK and we walked off and repacked everything into the box so it did seem a little pointless.

With the restriction to one piece of hand luggage thing - got a tip from someone (can't even remember who) to invest in a small - what us British would call 'bum bag' and our american friends would call a 'fanny pack' - you can pack this with batteries / tapes etc etc (mine ended up weighing about 3.5kg) and they can't see it when you are checking in and the x-ray staff never seem to care.

Although we didn't have any issues - the constant threat of having issues was a killer for all of the flights (about 7 in total) - we decided in the end that it woudl be easier to put the camera in the housing (it's a video camera so housing not small), put on the flat port, stash the other lens in pockets, fill pelican with clothes and check it into the hold and then just take a backpack through to put the camera in when you don't have to carry it past offical looking poeple. Least then you have the potective case to throw on the boat, but don't have to worry that half the handbaggage limit is actually taken up by the expensive box and weridly heavy small wheels.

Anyone had any issue with hand carrying?

I enjoyed all of your stories and great info. I flew Singapore AL SFO/SIN. I had a pelican case that I have been using for 4 years. It is, I think, the 1020, the small one with wheels and is smaller than many other hand carry bags. I was asked to unload the case and switch it with my clothes bag and to use my clothes bag as my carry on. They would NOT allow me to carry the pelican case on. I also had a 50 lb dive gear bag. I was able to make the switch but that left me with my expensive camera gear in a soft duffel bag that had no shoulder strap. I guarded it the entire trip. The pelican case weighed 23 lbs full which was over the 15 lbs allowed but the bag after switching everything was still over the 15 lbs. I have found other AL I will be using from now on that are no problem. Many will allow you to carry it on if they know it is camera equipment.

I flew PAL (Philippine Airlines) Vancouver-Manila-Tacloban (Leyte), return: Leaving Vancouver, carry on was no problem. Manila to Leyte, same, no problem. Leaving Leyte, some of our group had roller bags, porter cases. The PAL guys and airport security started to eye them for check-in. I managed to convince the PAL guy to let the items slide by flashing one of the "Journalist" credentials one of our group was carrying. I stayed an extra week in Manila to visit family and friends, checking in to the airport with a Think Tank Streetwalker Hard drive back pack and a Targus 17" laptop case was no problems. 3 Bags at 50lbs each no problem as I had the PAL Sportsplus Global. Worth the $120 as I had the 3 bags leaving Vancouver too!

Great service from PAL, however the check-in counter in Vancouver is manned by a company hired by the airlines to do the processing, they handle I guess all the flights to Asia. The dumb---ts mis-checked my bag to stop in Manila, and the resort had to assign one guy to wait for my bag.

Cheers

Stu

Oh, don't get me started on US airports! I'm American, so unfortunately every flight I take includes at least one US airport. Out of the dozens of countries I've visited, none have been so strict--and at the same time so inefficient--as those in the States.

 

*shakes head*

 

-Gina

HUH? Last year I flew on at least 140 U.S. flights and never had a carry-on weighed nor did anyone else in any of the lines. Brisbane yes indeed, Makassar once yes, once no but never in the U.S. and people routinely bring on carry-on bags that they can't lift. As for efficiency many U.S. airports are pretty bad, but none as bad efficiency wise as most in Indonesia.

Bill

HUH? Last year I flew on at least 140 U.S. flights and never had a carry-on weighed nor did anyone else in any of the lines. Brisbane yes indeed, Makassar once yes, once no but never in the U.S. and people routinely bring on carry-on bags that they can't lift. As for efficiency many U.S. airports are pretty bad, but none as bad efficiency wise as most in Indonesia.

Bill, if you re-read that post you'll see my comment was in response to another about water bottles. My comment was in reference to having to dump out your water.

-Gina

I flew PAL (Philippine Airlines) Vancouver-Manila-Tacloban (Leyte), return: Leaving Vancouver, carry on was no problem. Manila to Leyte, same, no problem. Leaving Leyte, some of our group had roller bags, porter cases. The PAL guys and airport security started to eye them for check-in. I managed to convince the PAL guy to let the items slide by flashing one of the "Journalist" credentials one of our group was carrying. I stayed an extra week in Manila to visit family and friends, checking in to the airport with a Think Tank Streetwalker Hard drive back pack and a Targus 17" laptop case was no problems. 3 Bags at 50lbs each no problem as I had the PAL Sportsplus Global. Worth the $120 as I had the 3 bags leaving Vancouver too!

 

Great service from PAL, however the check-in counter in Vancouver is manned by a company hired by the airlines to do the processing, they handle I guess all the flights to Asia. The dumb---ts mis-checked my bag to stop in Manila, and the resort had to assign one guy to wait for my bag.

 

Cheers

 

Stu

I just flew domestic PAL today. After shelling out almost $100 for excess luggage (36kg) at the ticket counter, they were weighing the hand luggage after you left the TA. Strick 7kg for a single carryon bag... Cameras did not get any exemption. This was simply ridiculous.

Oh, don't get me started on US airports! I'm American, so unfortunately every flight I take includes at least one US airport. Out of the dozens of countries I've visited, none have been so strict--and at the same time so inefficient--as those in the States.

 

*shakes head*

 

-Gina

In the US they are ruthless about water bottles. I've never had a carryon weight on a US flight and have never seen one rejected. No matter how much over sized. The only times I've seen people made to check a carryon is when it wouldn't fit.

This looks like a pretty helpful gadget!

www.jaktogo.com

I just flew domestic PAL today. After shelling out almost $100 for excess luggage (36kg) at the ticket counter, they were weighing the hand luggage after you left the TA. Strick 7kg for a single carryon bag... Cameras did not get any exemption. This was simply ridiculous.

I take it that your camera carry-on was over 7kg. After you paid the extra $100 did PAL allow you to take your carry-on on board or did they make you check it?

What about Air Pacific from LX to Fiji? I usually carry the strobes, ports in a backpack and the cameras, housings in a pelican case as carry on.

Recently flew EVA LAX to Denpasar and no questions asked about carry on bags either way.

We have a trip planned to Fiji via LAX to Fiji. Cardonna says Air Pacific is very strict about their carry on and will weigh all of it. I have e-mailed Air Pacific to find out if I can take more carry on for a price. There answer was if they have room. So, I will not know until the last minute if I am allowed or not. I have a Think Tank bag that will either be full or not. It will take up the same amount of room either way. I may have to invest in one of those vests you all talk about.

In the US they are ruthless about water bottles. I've never had a carryon weight on a US flight and have never seen one rejected. No matter how much over sized. The only times I've seen people made to check a carryon is when it wouldn't fit.

how about in terms of # + size of carry-on? ie taking a medium-size laptop+lens bag along with a big backpack for housing.

i havent taken a US domestic flight in some time, and just thinking ahead for JFK-LAX flight i'll be taking for a trip later this year on AA (economy and booked as one-way separately).

For HKG: note the critical thing is the bag size right before you go through security/immigration. I used to carry a slightly "taller" backpack and got sent back to the counter (where it was weighed and I had to make noise) all the time before getting a smaller one. (no issues with CX, Air Pacific, MAS, SQ, Cebu Pacific even). I am hearing that Phillipine Air routinely checks carry on recently though.

Intra-asia Ive also had no issues in Singapore, KL, Male, Jakarta, Manila. MAS also quite generous for economy checkin so long as you say "diving equipment" (total 32kg))