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Massimo Squillace
5-Oct-2004, 05:59
While my camera gear barely fits inside a LowePro Photo Trekker AW, thus adhering to carry-on size limitations, at ~15Kg or approximately 33 pounds the overall weigth is well above what any airline would allow for carry-on luggage.

For this reason I am always nervous when nearing the check-in counter and relax only after passing the security checkpoint.

Twice in the recent past I witnessed check-in operators asking other passengers to check hand-luggage they considered to be overweight, and though the same operators didn't question me the fact doesn't help to ease my worries.

Has anyone been forced to check-in overweight, but size compliant carry-ons? Should such a situation arise, what would you do?

Diane Maher
5-Oct-2004, 06:44
I understand how you feel. I would be nervous if I had to check my gear. I worried about this for each flight I got on during my trip to the UK a few years ago. I have a Nature Trekker backpack that I had my gear in and it was probably over the weight limit too, but I wasn't questioned about it. I only had 35 mm / 6x7 gear with me at the time.

I worried when I went to Seattle last year for a workshop, but had no problems, even with 4x5. Security decided to pull out my M6 and show it to the world (it was in a different bag) along with a loud cry of "camera!". They never once opened the backpack which had a metal Toyo 45AII plus lenses, holders and film in it. Go figure.

If such a situation arose, I'd probably take off my camera's ground glass, maybe remove the lens(es) from the carry on and check the bag. I'm getting one of these lens carrying cases from Gnass gear for some of my lenses.

Marco Frigerio
5-Oct-2004, 06:46
Massimo, I've been asked once...what I've done was to take off my Gandolfi 4x5" from the LowePro and pass the camera to my wife who put it in her almost empty bag (well, the camera didn't fit exactly, it was too big for the bag, but there was enough room to lay it half inside and half outside the bag), then I took off 2 lenses and put it in my jacket's pockets, after that the weight of my LowePro was right...needles to say that after the check in I put everything inside the LowePro again...

This is a good strategy if you don't travel alone and if you "force" your wife to travel with an almost empty bag ;)))))...

Ciao Marco

John Cook
5-Oct-2004, 11:52
To expand on Marco’s theory, I rarely travel with great amounts of luggage, which leaves ample room for photographic equipment. There are three secrets to this.

In the Coast Guard, I lived for years out of one seabag which had everything I required from work clothes to a formal dress outfit in all weather and all four seasons. Everything was all the same color. When you travel with both blue and brown slacks for example, they require different color belts, shoes, socks, etc. One uniform color eliminates a lot of extra accessories.

Second, every time I used to go on vacation as a kid my mother used to provide me with new underwear and lots of toiletries, etc. Now I purchase all that stuff at my destination instead of before leaving. Just travel with hardly more than the clothes on my back. When in London, Marks & Spencer and Selfridges have all the skivies, shirts and jeans anyone might require. And the British use (and the stores sell) toothpaste, just like the rest of us. Why drag all that inexpensive junk on an airplane and through a huge airport?

Finally, the day before returning (to the States) I mail all the dirty clothes back to myself using the cheapest rate. Boxes are available at the post office. On the customs label I write, “excess airline baggage returning”. The half-empty tubes of toothpaste are left in the hotel room.

On two occasions, my wife and I have traveled together from Boston to London for a month-long stay, each carrying only one shoulder bag with no checked baggage.

Neal Shields
5-Oct-2004, 19:22
Quantas is very very strict. We had them take a bag from us one trip and we didn't get it back till we didn't need it any more.

Their limit is 15 pounds per carry on.

On our last trip we had to use very cheap (light) bags and I ended up leaving my underwater video gear at home. (Last time I checked it they broke a aluminum housing that will stand the water pressure at 300'!

I think that people watch the airline's TV ads and get the mistaken impression that they want your business.

John Hennessy
5-Oct-2004, 22:05
It seems to be somewhat arbitrary. I went from LA to Dublin on a Aerlingus plane which was connected to an American airline whose name I cannot remember. That trip was OK. After checking Aerlingus and the US airlines' website I knew that Aerlingus was quite a bit more restrictive as to weight but that the US airlines rules are supposed to govern since that airline sold me the ticket with its name printed on it. Not so. At the Aerlingus counter in Dublin they insisted on telling me to check my LF gear. After politely working my way up a few layers of supervisors a kindly Aerlingus lady put a checked baggage tag on my camera bag but told me to wrap it around the bag's handle and hide it with my hand while actually boarding the plane! It worked.

A prime example of Irish tolerance for ambiguity.

Jorge Gasteazoro
6-Oct-2004, 20:36
So why don't those of us a bit lighter in body weight get to carry more to make us even with the lardbutts? Seems only fair. They spill over into our seats with their flab so why can't we spill over into their seats with lensboards cutting into their sides?



LOL.....I see the crankiness from 6 months isolation has not worn off just yet....:-)



I do agree with you tho....:-)

Chong
6-Oct-2004, 21:06
A sneaky ploy I use is to carry all my lenses in my jacket which have many pockets. I also wear one of those trousers with lots of side pockets, and these carry many things like meters. The films I carry in an open plastic bag taken from the books/magazines store where I bought a magazine. And my 35 mm camera on my shoulder.

The camera bad is left to carry only the 4x5 camera and one quickload/readyload holder. After I clear customs, of course emptying everything for the mandatory checks, I put everything back again in my camera bag!

And all this is perfectly proper because the restriction is on the bag, not my jacket or trousers!

Marie L.Thibodeaux
28-Apr-2006, 20:53
To:Whom it concern:
How much weight to carry luggage on the airplane?
Do you have the list of the weight of the luggage bag?
Sincerely:Marie

DavidFisk
16-May-2006, 09:09
I have 2 ways of dealing with this, although I haven't been forced to give up anything at the gate. (Yet. Although Air New Zealand seems to have started "reminding" passengers of the weight limits before boarding.) I travel with about 35 or so pounds of stuff.
First, I have a separate shoulder strap that I use to carry my Pro Trekker over one shoulder that is long enough so that the pack is mostly hidden behind my back when I go to board. Nobody so far has asked what I was carrying or what it weighed.
Second, there is Plan B. If I think that I might be challenged at the gate, I rearrange my gear. I carry my film and 7 holders in a nylon attache, so there is still room for my 4x5 and a couple of lenses. Then I can toss a couple of lenses in my photo vest pockets. Lastly, a couple of lenses can go in the rain parka pockets. At this point the Trekker is under the weight limit.

Frank Petronio
16-May-2006, 09:55
I gave up and got a Polaroid 110 converted to 4x5 by Dean Jones. I bring a DSLR, a laptop, film, and other stuff in a typical computer daypack. I pass the film through Xray. My checked bag contains 3-4 days clothes which I rinse out and reuse.

That leaves me plenty of room for important things like a skateboard, hiking gear, tennis racquets, etc...!

roteague
16-May-2006, 10:42
Quantas is very very strict. We had them take a bag from us one trip and we didn't get it back till we didn't need it any more.

I think it depends upon whether you are flying Qantas domestic or international. I fly Qantas almost every year from Honolulu to Sydney and have never been asked about my carry on.

roteague
16-May-2006, 10:44
I have 2 ways of dealing with this, although I haven't been forced to give up anything at the gate. (Yet. Although Air New Zealand seems to have started "reminding" passengers of the weight limits before boarding.) I travel with about 35 or so pounds of stuff.

I've only been asked once about carry one, by Air New Zealand in Christchurch last year. I was wearing cargo pants, to I took a lot of stuff out, put them into the pockets, put stuff into my fanny pack and put one camera around my neck. After clearing security, I put everything back into the bag.

Gary Smith
16-May-2006, 14:36
I have flown several times in the last few months with a Photo Trekker AW, with a Toyo 45AII, 4 lenses, film holders and accessories, including a Mamiya 654 and two lenses (tripod went into checked baggage). And no one has said anything about it, it was never even opened at security. Probably depends on the airline line and the mood of the security people.

Gary