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Author Topic: Avoid Heathrow Airport in London UK at all costs  (Read 92085 times)

jed best

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Avoid Heathrow Airport in London UK at all costs
« Reply #120 on: November 06, 2007, 12:58:39 pm »

I have several of their bags and all are excellent.

Jed
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Mark D Segal

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Avoid Heathrow Airport in London UK at all costs
« Reply #121 on: November 06, 2007, 01:11:08 pm »

Thanks Jed
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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John Camp

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« Reply #122 on: November 06, 2007, 01:50:43 pm »

I've got one of their small bags to hold a Leica system, and it's great.

But IMHO there's a conceptual problem with their large airport backpacks. They need to take at least one of them -- like the Airport International -- and reduce the camera carrying space and add a separate segregated compartment for personal travel gear -- tickets, glasses, cell phones, iPod, car keys, batteries, medicine, notebook, pens or pencils, earphones. Their current larger designs simply let you cram in more camera gear, which is fine, some people need that. But more people, I think, would like to carry one bag on-board that would have space for a modest system (say, two pro bodies and four lenses, a charger), a laptop with a charger (almost a necessity now) and then that personal space. Their International has the space for that, but not the configuration to carry the personal stuff. That needs to be in a separate zippered compartment. It would also be nice if the pack had some external quick release straps that could be used to strap on a jacket. This is one-bag thing necessary because more and more places allow you only one bag, sometimes on an at-the-gate basis -- security lets you through, but then you get to the gate, and the steward tells you that the bins are filling up and that you'll have to gate-check something. That has happened several times on my last few trips.

Something else that would be really cool would be a sophisticated charger that could charge everything. Or a camera battery that could be trickle-charged with a USB line, like an iPod.
 
JC
« Last Edit: November 06, 2007, 01:51:30 pm by John Camp »
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Mark D Segal

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« Reply #123 on: November 06, 2007, 02:15:21 pm »

John,

Yes the one charger for everything - heaven on earth. Not there yet!

To me their "Airport Accelerator" model looks configurable along the lines you suggest.

Mark
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Tim Gray

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« Reply #124 on: November 06, 2007, 02:25:38 pm »

I'm having a serious look at their Airport Antidote.  The one factor I'm mindful of is total weight, I've had my carry on weighed several times by Air Canada.  Some of the "larger" carry on's can weigh as much as 10 lbs empty - that's almost 50% of total allowable weight just in the empty bag.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2007, 02:26:02 pm by Tim Gray »
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jed best

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« Reply #125 on: November 06, 2007, 03:19:25 pm »

Here are some photos of how I set up the airport acceleration for London.  I hope this is of help.

Jed


[attachment=3712:attachment][attachment=3713:attachment][attachment=3714:attachm
ent][attachment=3715:attachment]
« Last Edit: November 06, 2007, 03:21:14 pm by jedbest »
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Mark D Segal

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« Reply #126 on: November 06, 2007, 04:42:43 pm »

Quote
I'm having a serious look at their Airport Antidote.  The one factor I'm mindful of is total weight, I've had my carry on weighed several times by Air Canada.  Some of the "larger" carry on's can weigh as much as 10 lbs empty - that's almost 50% of total allowable weight just in the empty bag.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=150946\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It would take the anoraks in Air Canada to do that kind of stuff. Not surprised. A little trick Michael once mentioned to me is to where a photog vest when traveling by air. Then if the jerks start leaning on you about bag weight, put the camera body in one pocket, the heaviest lens in another pocket, re-weigh the bag, walk through and repack it all beyond security.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Mark D Segal

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« Reply #127 on: November 06, 2007, 04:44:55 pm »

Quote
Here are some photos of how I set up the airport acceleration for London.  I hope this is of help.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=150955\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Very helpful Jed; also their website shows a number of interesting configurations. Its 280 bucks, but it looks as if they have thought it all through very thoroughly. I did notice the bag weighs 8 lbs., which is a bit of a drawback given the limitations on a number of carriers. Means the photog jacket may need to come into play.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Kagetsu

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« Reply #128 on: November 06, 2007, 05:20:52 pm »

Quote
Very helpful Jed; also their website shows a number of interesting configurations. Its 280 bucks, but it looks as if they have thought it all through very thoroughly. I did notice the bag weighs 8 lbs., which is a bit of a drawback given the limitations on a number of carriers. Means the photog jacket may need to come into play.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=150970\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I'd honestly never thought about a photography vest before, but will remember it when travelling overseas next time. Fortunately here in Australia we're not hit with overly harsh restrictions like that.
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Steven Draper

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« Reply #129 on: November 14, 2007, 06:56:16 am »

UK rules to be relaxed:

BBC - News Item
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Mark D Segal

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« Reply #130 on: November 14, 2007, 08:40:00 am »

Yes I saw that - they're finally figuring out that it's costing them money and making them look like fools. Good. Let it continue to do so. Notice it only takes effect January 8th and airports need to ask permission to relax the restrictions. Then we need to observe the style of implementation. Do you trust them to get it right after all this? It ain't over yet.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Rob C

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« Reply #131 on: November 14, 2007, 12:02:13 pm »

Thank God I´m an infrequent flyer: security, in my consideration, is paramount. How sad that somebody might be inconvenienced a wee bit! Some of you people really do need some exposure to a sharp end, any sharp end.

Rob C

Mark D Segal

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« Reply #132 on: November 14, 2007, 12:38:17 pm »

Quote
Thank God I´m an infrequent flyer: security, in my consideration, is paramount. How sad that somebody might be inconvenienced a wee bit! Some of you people really do need some exposure to a sharp end, any sharp end.

Rob C
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=152744\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Rob, I'm NOT an infrequentr flyer, I've been through more airports and traveling situations around the world than I care to think of,  and I have the same concerns about security that every one else has. The point here is that there are different ways of going about it and some are more intelligent and customer-friendly than others, yet just as effective. When people with vested interests that have nothing to do with security or incompetent ideas about what's needed for security do things which create non-trivial and totally unnecessary consequences to passengers on a massive scale, this is a problem which deserves to be highlighted and dealt with. If you are an infrequent flyer be thankful that you are saved the hassles and don't dump on the victims - because what's being discussed here is well above and beyond "a wee bit" of inconvenience.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Diapositivo

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« Reply #133 on: November 15, 2007, 06:57:21 am »

Rob_C, I don't understand what is all this argument you go on making about security.

The point here is: you can't board two hand-held bags, BUT you can board the very same TWO hand-held bags if you put them inside a bigger transparent plastic bag. Or: you can't with the to hand-held, but you can if you put the content of your bags in your jacket (and nothing beats my jackets in number of pockets, they would get half an hour in inspecting it, that is something I can advice).

This has nothing to do with security, I would call this just sheer studipidy. I would get your point if there was any reason why the same two bags can be less dangerous, or can be inspected faster, when they happen to be inside a plastic bag.

Even if it was a security problem, there is nothing on earth you can do - about security just like about any other thing in life - with your brain turned off, which is exactly what Heathrow (or Zurich) customs or security officers seems to do.

I suppose this is the same kind of people who just drives over people who is crossing outside of the pedestrian walk, or the same people who gets rolled over while crossing the street over the pedestrian walk because they expect the car to immediately stop so that they can pass, you know, that's in the rules, they must stop!

Everything in file has to be made cum grano salis regardless of whether you are dealing with terrorists or with preparing food for your pet. Brainless rule-followers can only make damages, also to security.

If I were in London and unemployed, I would buy 100 plastic bags and sell them at a high margin (let's say 5 pounds each) at the security queue... and I am sure people would pay the 5 pounds with joy and add gratitude.

Cheers
Fabrizio

PS And just because I like Latin I would add another bit of past wisdom: Summum ius, summa iniuria, which means that applying rules litterally and without any consideration for circumstances makes just things worse (Absolute law enforcing equals absolute injustice).
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Rob C

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« Reply #134 on: November 16, 2007, 05:51:20 am »

Mark

I don´t see myself as dumping on anybody. What I see myself as doing is asking all of you folks to accept that security is whatever it takes to keep you alive.

I am NOW an infrequent flyer; in my working days I was not an infrequent flyer. I understand only too well the hassle of flying out with 60 cassettes of Kodachrome 64 Pro in a bag and asking for a hand-search in the UK, this backed up with a similar request letter from the consulate of the country I happened to be going to work in, in the wan hope that security would comply in their country on the flight home. I, too, all that time ago, had to open up three packs of film and let them see each cassette OUT of its little yellow box in sweet old Heathrow, so I´m accustomed to search.

On another flight to shoot stock I took my wife and two kids along for the ride - we were going to Spain. My daughter, who was about twelve at the time, was pulled out of line and taken into a room and searched. We never knew why or for what.

On a trip to Singapore as part of a world-wide shoot for a Tennents Lager Centenary calendar (´84)  I had another, greater problem. The model they chose was an unknown entity to me and my fear was that, on getting to Singapore, she might be carrying some sort of drug. They don´t eff about with drug dealers there. Explain that to somebody... As I´ve recounted here before, in Kenya my luggage was weighed along with the gorilla-in-uniform´s foot on the scale and I had to pay excess baggage - would you argue?

Another client of mine had to make frequent visits on behalf of his company to an African state; his experience was that you do not take along your Rolex, because the uniforms like such baubles and you never get to take them back with you. Recently, Glasgow Airport was the focus of an Islamic attack. I can remember flying out of there and noticing that in the lounges there are set-aside areas for devotional purposes! The sight of a several swarthy middle-easter gents going up and down on their knees just prior to boarding a flight with you does damn little to steady your nerves. Any security measure that might exist is more than welcome!

The end point here, Mark, is that both you and I are still alive to moan about it. Long may that continue for both of us.

Rob C

DiaAzul

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« Reply #135 on: November 16, 2007, 06:01:15 am »

Quote
Yes I saw that - they're finally figuring out that it's costing them money and making them look like fools. Good. Let it continue to do so. Notice it only takes effect January 8th and airports need to ask permission to relax the restrictions. Then we need to observe the style of implementation. Do you trust them to get it right after all this? It ain't over yet.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=152687\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

If you really want to be cynical about all of this you could argue that they are relaxing the rules just before the opening of Terminal 5 at Heathrow so that the government can claim how much better and smoother things run in the new building.
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Mark D Segal

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« Reply #136 on: November 16, 2007, 10:43:09 am »

Quote
Mark

What I see myself as doing is asking all of you folks to accept that security is whatever it takes to keep you alive.


Rob C
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153282\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

OK Rob, I hear you. But that statement "whatever it takes" is exactly where the problem resides. Did you read Michael's review of the 1Ds MkIII published yesterday? Did you see that tidbit about the multi-purpose tool inadvertently lost in his hand luggage and how many security screeners it got through? Does it not make nonsense of this whole charade passengers are being put through? Because it is a charade. It's feel-good stuff, not real security. Real security starts WAY up-stream of the airport check-in counter. Our intelligence services are getting much better at it year after year as the data accumulates and they can better trace networks of trouble-makers, their modus-operandi etc., etc. There has been report after report about the actual ineffectiveness of much of what transpires in our airports and it is costing the public big-time. I'm all for staying alive like the next person, but it needs to be done intelligently and the problem right now is that it isn't. Whether your handbag is a little this big or a little that big, or whether you have one or two of them will not affect security one iota provided the checking is structured efficiently. What we're dealing with is a deadly combination of anoraks in government bureaucracies and vested commercial interests - not security.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Paulo Bizarro

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« Reply #137 on: November 16, 2007, 10:56:44 pm »

Quote
Recently, Glasgow Airport was the focus of an Islamic attack. I can remember flying out of there and noticing that in the lounges there are set-aside areas for devotional purposes! The sight of a several swarthy middle-easter gents going up and down on their knees just prior to boarding a flight with you does damn little to steady your nerves. Any security measure that might exist is more than welcome!

[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153282\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I find this this mention about the "middle-easter gents going up and down on their knees" is given in an unnecessary satiric and offensive tone. It is this sort of retort that about different religious and cultural habits that many times leads the way to ignorance and empty-minded attacks.

I have been working in the Arab Gulf States for 5 years now, I have nothing but praise for the common middle-easter gent, they all want peace. It is the politicians that are to blame for playing games and insisting in reducing comments like yours.

mahleu

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« Reply #138 on: November 17, 2007, 04:31:08 am »

Quote
I find this this mention about the "middle-easter gents going up and down on their knees" is given in an unnecessary satiric and offensive tone. It is this sort of retort that about different religious and cultural habits that many times leads the way to ignorance and empty-minded attacks.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153466\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Was also a bit taken back by that statement. Extremists, not the average muslim or christian or anything who pose the risk. Stereotyping and generalising is never a good thing.

As for the terrorist attacks in the states, they succeeded. They have taken away your liberty as you're now so worried about security that you are restricting yourselves.
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Rob C

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« Reply #139 on: November 17, 2007, 05:47:43 am »

Quote
I find this this mention about the "middle-easter gents going up and down on their knees" is given in an unnecessary satiric and offensive tone. It is this sort of retort that about different religious and cultural habits that many times leads the way to ignorance and empty-minded attacks.

I have been working in the Arab Gulf States for 5 years now, I have nothing but praise for the common middle-easter gent, they all want peace. It is the politicians that are to blame for playing games and insisting in reducing comments like yours.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153466\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

So tell me, pbizarro, you wouldn´t feel any question mark rising up in your soul as you watched these guys cleaning their minds prior to boarding with you? If you can honestly claim that, then you shouldn´t be in photography because you have no sense of wonder or imagination whatsoever.

As for getting your knickers in a twist about bringing this into print, it is EXACTLY that sort of wooly thinking that allows the bad guys to flourish: whatever they do it is not politically correctly to question? Great. London is plagued with black on black crime with kids getting shot or knifed every day. Black kids get stopped and questioned but the police get cursed for stopping black kids; Asian people get stopped and questioned because of the current terrorist problems and then complain that more Asians are stopped than Europeans - would the police, then, be doing a better job by stopping more blue-eyed blondes?

I´m sorry, my man, but comes a time when your own survival depends on seeing the obvious.

Rob C
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