Travelling with full SLR set up in hand luggage, Any issues?

I am planning a trip to portugal. I was hoping to bring my pelicase 1510 with aluminium camera housing, camera and ports (wide angle and macro ports, strobes etc), has anyone else done this? If so, were there any issues with security? I can imagine they are not used to such equipment...

Many thanks,

Matt

Be sure to check your size and weight allowances with the specific airline, while FAA approved the 1510 is bigger than most airlines (especially in Europe) allow.

Contents should be fine as long as you don't put in any hand tools.

Hi Matt

I've been travelling with a Pelican 1510 as cabin baggage for many years - and can only think of one occasion (on a puddlehopper in the Caribbean) where I had a problem. As BigJeff suggests, worth just checking the airline's permitted weight/size for cabin baggage just so you know. But provided, by my experience, that you don't make the case look hugely heavy or make a big deal moving it around, it's usually not a problem.

No problem as all in terms of security wondering what the gear might be. I might have been asked half a dozen times over the years what on earth is in the box. But once I explained, the security people were happy. Again as BigJeff suggests, avoid tools (pen knives, big screwdrivers)

Great. Thanks for the advice!

I carry a similar carry-on. Never had a problem with US airlines. Foreign airlines have much more strict carry-on limits and I've had some questions. Once I tell them that it's full of camera gear, they usually leave me alone. It really depends on the gate agent.

For most foreign trips where I get two checked bags at 23 kg each, I now back a small roller bag into a larger duffle bag. It appears to be a standard bag (doesn't shout "valuable contents" like an exposed pelican would), yet affords my housing, strobes and misc. parts extra protection. I bought a carry-on backpack for the camera bodies (2X) and all lenses and other high value gear. i.e. computer. All is insured.

Never had a problem

Good luck.

Don't have a Peli but carry the same kit as you. I usually fly out of Manchester (I see you are UK based), occasionally Heathrow and for whatever reason, usually get turned over by security. Everything out, bubble wrap off, swabbed, shoved through X-ray again. Telling them is camera gear is useless. I just expect it now and try and be patient. Bali, Manado, Sharm, Maldives etc airports all no probs.

Don't have a Peli but carry the same kit as you. I usually fly out of Manchester (I see you are UK based), occasionally Heathrow and for whatever reason, usually get turned over by security. Everything out, bubble wrap off, swabbed, shoved through X-ray again. Telling them is camera gear is useless. I just expect it now and try and be patient. Bali, Manado, Sharm, Maldives etc airports all no probs.

Ahh, that's Manc for you, Jim Must be United supporters on the controls.

Hi Matt,

This is a good question! As you can read in the previous posts everyone has made their own, often very different, experiences with carry on luggage.

I happen to work in a place where almost all of our guests bring heavy camera gear and this is what I can tell you:

1: Bringing underwater housings, domes, lenses, cameras is not a problem. Security might wan't to have an extra look at it because they don't know what it is. I have never heard of anyone being denied bringing their UW camera as a carry on because of having the items deemed "dangerous" or such.

2: More and more airlines have started weighing carry-ons. In fact today I had guests arrive, coming from the US with Singapore Airlines, they had to talk to the local airline manager to be allowed to bring the 13kg of carry on camera gear that they had with them. Max weight allowed was 7kg, but in the past they would never weigh the carry on.

It would be quite interesting to start a thread about which airlines weigh carry-on luggage on which stretches!

Greetings from Indonesia,

-Morten

Hi there,

Orlando airport, brought almost my entire housing with dome in a pelican case, each item was wrapped in bubble wrap, (as I could not fit the foam that comes with said case in with everything else). TSA ladies had me unwrap each piece and they wiped it all down with some special cloths. Almost didn't make my flight, but hey, it's their job and since everything looks like parts for a transformer, I can't blame them. It was probably the bubble wrap that caused suspicion, not sure.

I am used to travel with my photo gear as follows:

1 Loewepro Vortex 300 Photo backpack as carry-on containing:

- one Nikon D800 body + one Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 + one Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 + one Nikon 105mm VR + one Sigma 15mm + 1 Nikon SB-800
- one Hugyfot glass minidome
- two INON Z-240 strobes

- one Nauticam LX100 housing

- several hard disks, chargers, cables, spare parts
- one HP ZBook 17 laptop

Weight is 18-20 Kilos

as checked baggage inside a torn suitcase containing:
one 1520 Pelicase containing one Hugyfot D800 housing filled with spare arts, one Hugyfot 100mm planport, four 8cm. ULCS armsa, clamps, floats
one 3mm long wetsuit, fins, OMS Travelight BCD, optical mask, fins, regulator

Weight 23-30 Kilos

In any case:

- I would get a backpack for delicate and electronic gear as carry-on and put the Peilicase inside the luggage

- be prepared to unwrap everything and repack at the security check, so stow wisely and planned

- triplecheck that your flights allow more than 8 kilo carry-on as here in Europe 8 kilo and less than IATA carry-on size limit becomes more and more normal

Chris

I am used to travel with my photo gear as follows:

1 Loewepro Vortex 300 Photo backpack as carry-on containing:

Weight is 18-20 Kilos

 

as checked baggage inside a torn suitcase containing:Weight 23-30 Kilos

 

triplecheck that your flights allow more than 8 kilo carry-on as here in Europe 8 kilo and less than IATA carry-on size limit becomes more and more normal

Basically you are prepared to pay a lot of money for extra baggage

As you wrote it's normal that the maximum carry-on weight allowed is 5/8 kg here in Europe.

The worst company is Blue Panorama in Egypt: 5 kg carry on and 15 kg checked. you cannot buy extra weight in advance.

 

Basically you are prepared to pay a lot of money for extra baggage

 

As you wrote it's normal that the maximum carry-on weight allowed is 5/8 kg here in Europe.

The worst company is Blue Panorama in Egypt: 5 kg carry on and 15 kg checked. you cannot buy extra weight in advance.

I stopped to fly with cheap offers company's who limit carry-on and checked luggage weight as it is a rip-off.

15 Kilo checked luggage is for a non diver and 2 weeks of holiday simply ridiculous, go figure for a diver!!!

Flying with less restrictive companies like Emirates i get 2 x 30 Kilos for a slightly higher initial price, but as ceap charter sell excess luggage at 15€ per kilo it is far cheaper (and relaxter) to fly with them

than to fly with cheapo charter like blue panorama.

Chris

P.S. Second 30 kilo suitcase is my Poseidon SE7EN Rebreather filled with a few kilos of clothes ...

Amen to that! When you add up the costs for all the extra charges, inconvenient schedules, sometimes nasty charter terminals, and the risk of schedule upsets due to delays and cancellations, its often far better and not much more expensive (if at all) to go with established airlines. Even if you have excess weight, their charges are far more reasonable and they'll let you get away with more since its not their business model to charge for every gram

Ha, Emirates. Can't book excess weight in advance and the per kilo cost to be paid at the airport is $60/kg for Australia to Europe. I had a ship a box of gear with DHL and hope the rebreather passed customs in Paris before I got there. DHL refused to take my Z-knife or my rechargeable eneloop double AA batteries. I actually prefer the low cost airlines who will let you book as much or as little luggage as you require. Or the very legacy airlines who still have that mythical beast called "sports allowance".

I've had two issues when travelling with a complete housing/camera/strobes rig assembled in a backpack. Once in KL when they hand searched the bag at the gate (fine) and then picked it up to transfer to the table behind them and nearly couldn't lift it. They called over an airline guy, I told him it was camera gear and he smiled and waved me through. And once on a domestic flight through Sydney when I was told the housing was very pointy/knobbly and could be used to injure someone. They let me through after I wrapped a jumper around it.

The hand luggage key is to remember that security staff and airline staff are worried about completely different things - dangerous and scary-looking stuff vs weight and size. Adjust your packing and disclosure for each stage of the airport transit accordingly (and always remember to smile).

Not to suggest any form of dishonesty...

If you get on-site airport parking, go and check in without your cabin baggage, and then go and get it from the car once you have checked in!

I general, I would avoid Peli type cases as they immediately advertise that the contents are valuable. ThinkTank type rucksacks look like ordinary bags and provide plenty of protection to the contents in the overhead locker.

I would also suggest rucksack type bags. Wheels bags adverts the fact that the contents are heavy and are more likely to get weighed.

Not to suggest any form of dishonesty...

 

If you get on-site airport parking, go and check in without your cabin baggage, and then go and get it from the car once you have checked in!

Unfortunately i got twice weighted just before the gate and they put a "Checked Cabin Luggage" tape on the cabin carry-on.

Also not to suggest any form of dishonesty...

Once i got caught with 18 kilos when i could bring only 8 flying to Brazil to dive San Fernando Noronha with Condor,

so i said that it was the heavy laptop and if i could go back to pull it out.

So i went back to my GF and where i unloaded all lenses and heavy gear and went back with a almost empty bag to weight again and in fact; It was still 10 kilos, but at least i saved 8 kilos of excess luggage at 10€ ...

Also not to suggest any form of dishonesty V2 ...

A reporter or fishermans vest and cargo trousers or shorts come handy to stow heavy photo gear ....

I just traveled to Puerto Rico and then a cruise with a Nauticam D810 housing, 230mm dome port, a macro port and dual strobes. I used a Thinktank roller bag, which was fine in terms of flying. Going in, no problems. Coming back, the gate agent pulled my wife aside to 'measure her carryon'. It was a new roller bag which had no problems getting into the overhead. They said it was 2 inches too long (tall?) and forced her to check it. WIth my 230mm dome port inside, wrapped up in bubble wrap.

I managed to get all my dive camera gear (except camera, which I carry in a waist bag) into the roller bag, EXCEPT the dome. That dome is just so big it causes major problems with ... well, with moving it anywhere above water. Packing, carrying, getting it to/from the dive boats, etc. There is no way I could get it and the housing in a carryon. One or the other. Next time I dive I'm traveling alone, so the dome will have to go into checked luggage.

I too have had issues with carryons being weighed. In Auckland they were weighing every roller bag, but didn't force me to weigh my backpack. (My backpack was at least double the carryon limit, but I acted like it was nice and light). In Papeete Tahiti, it was more of a nightmare. There was a 2-3 hour line to check in, and the airport is not air conditioned. As we (very very) slowly snaked through the line, there were two guys at one bend weighing all carryons. I took half my camera gear out of the bag and spread it around. Got past the weight check, and put the gear back. But they had a SECOND weigh station prior to security and after luggage check in. I pulled a similar trick there, but I don't know how I managed to get through.

In the past, I've used a Thinktank backpack (no wheels) and a Thinktank Waist bag (Speed Racer). Although heavy (50 pounds, combined) I at least had the convenience of having both hands free. As my wife and I usually have 3 or 4 suitcases, this is a good thing. I found out how convenient when I had the roller bag and suddenly realized we had 5 rollers (2 carryons, 3 suitcases) but only 4 hands between us. Well, I've now discovered the vast convenience of airport porters and $5 tips.