Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
Folks keep this to the banning gear itself of flying on airplanes. Drop all The Who, what and where stuff. We are a non political site.
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Airline electronics ban
- Thread starter TimothyHyde
- Start date
V
Vivek
Guest
This could be a grand opportunity for gear rental companies!
No one carries their car while traveling.
No one carries their car while traveling.
If forced to check cameras, I'm sure there is a way to pack them in hard, foam lined cases that will would provide some protection. However, this will not prevent airport personnel from opening these cases and fiddling with your equipment. Theft of cameras worth thousands of dollars is also a concern. Hopefully, if this comes to pass, there will be some type of alternative inspection (swabs for explosives and turning equipment on and off) by TSA that will satisfy concerns.
f6cvalkyrie
Well-known member
Unfortunately, when it rains in the US, folks in the rest of the world better take their umbrellas
C U,
Rafael
JohnBrew
Active member
We photographers have plenty of options. I already have my tickets for Italy to shoot the vendemmia (grape harvest) in September. Depending on developments, I will take my normal equipment backpack sans camera body. Then in Tuscany I will either rent or buy another D810. The cost of another body is a drop in the bucket compared with what the entire trip will cost. There still remains the option of the RM3di w/film back, or just rent everything in Italy and take plenty of CF and SD cards.
We'll just have to see how this plays out. As John said, there are plenty of options out there should camera bans go in effect, and make sure your gear is insured should you have to start checking MF gear. For anyone worried about fragility of gear in checked luggage I'd also travel with a 35mm backup.
-Todd
-Todd
Quentin_Bargate
Well-known member
I'd be perfectly happy checking electronic gear, including cameras, for carriage in the hold if I had an assurance the gear would appear at the other end. The big issue for me is the risk of loss/theft in the handling process. That risk is now thrown in to sharper focus (as it were) by proposed new rules. The airlines need to figure out a far better security option, even if it involves an additional payment, for flights.
I would find it strange if Canadian security did not adopt the same policy as the USA. Otherwise, interesting idea.
You will never get that kind of assurance from anyone at the airport, ever!
shortpballer
Member
This is not happening on non-international flights correct? I got a shoot in Detroit in 4 days (coming from California). I'm still OK to take my camera on the plane right?
I already have my flight tickets to the US, for the solar eclipse. Won't bring my MFDB, but the Canon 500mm f/4 was on my list.
I hope the rules do not change ! I would have to figure out how to rent such a lens over there (I'm certainly not checking that in !).
Perhaps I can check bodies in, but not an expensive lens, no way !
All these rules make flying even more painful, and the US looks less and less an attractive place to spend vacations :-(
I hope the rules do not change ! I would have to figure out how to rent such a lens over there (I'm certainly not checking that in !).
Perhaps I can check bodies in, but not an expensive lens, no way !
All these rules make flying even more painful, and the US looks less and less an attractive place to spend vacations :-(
TimothyHyde
Subscriber Member
If they do it, and it now appears likely, it will probably be similar or identical to the ban that has existed for weeks from 8 African and Middle Eastern countries. It explicitly includes laptops, e-readers, tablets, and cameras. Plus other devices larger than a cell phone. ONLY FLIGHTS TO THE US are affected, not flights from the US to other countries, within the US, or within Europe.
As I said, "crap"!--and that only because this forum is family friendly.
tim
msadat
Member
as long as they have not announced it you are ok, but if happens when u are on the trip!!! it really sucks that once announced this will be permanent for all US bound flights, unless u use your own private jet (which i like very much, no airport hassle, legroom problems...) so what to do what to do
Don't think this ban would extend to lenses? Certainly many are electronic, but no battery.
Well, considering the rationality of all this, it wouldn't surprise me at all if everything that has electronics (lenses do) and are bigger than a cell phone would be banned.
And wasn't it that batteries had to be transported in the hand luggage, because of the risk of fire in the hold ? Go figure...
I can only imagine the pain of people traveling for business, who used to work with their laptops on the plane. Business class travel is going to take a major hit, if executives cannot work on their laptops during transcontinental flights...
I see two viable choices:
1. Insure the expensive stuff and ship it in advance to your hotel by FEDEX or DHL.
2. Fly out of the US with your stuff for carry on, then check it in your luggage on the way back and just be sure it is fully insured. If it's lost or stolen on the way back, it sucks, but it's not the disaster that it would be on the way to your destination.
GrahamWelland
Subscriber & Workshop Member
My thoughts too. I'm off to South Africa at the end of August for a photographic trip and this will be my approach if I use an airline that is affected by these restrictions. It's definitely easier if you're based in the US versus visiting since it seems to be a concern about flights from source airports deemed 'less safe'. Carry on on the way out, Fedex with full insurance back afterwards.
However, the idiocy of many of these policies never ceases to amaze, actually disappoint, me. The first time there's a plane down due to lithium battery thermal runaway in the hold we'll see some other hair-brained knee jerk reaction as normal.
I travel weekly for business - the inconvenience factor of not having a work option on long flights isn't insignificant. Losing my work laptop would be annoying (thieving baggage handlers!) but not the end of the world as I can always get to my data one way or another and a new laptop would just be a business expense. Losing my photographic gear though would seriously piss me off, insured or not.
JohnBrew
Active member
Howard, this is all good advice. However, let's keep in mind NOTHING has happened yet as regards the travel Nazi's. Much is still to be decided. What is to prevent the EU from retaliating from an American ban of electronics from EU countries with a quid pro quo?
I guess what frightens me most is the TSA screeners, whom we know have no common sense and only react to what the "book" tells them is appropriate to a situation.
I could show them the empty battery container on my DSLR or MFDB, but could they not still confine my camera body to checked baggage or even worse, confiscate my photography equipment? Bureaucracy in these circumstances boggles the mind.
Hopefully common sense will prevail and we will all have nice voyages overseas with our precious equipment and return with equipment intact and great images
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