Kiboko - The Check In Counter Bites Back.

[gouldm]

I'm embarking on a trip to Las Vegas from London (Gatwick) at the weekend and have been struggling with the hand baggage issue and was interested to read the last part of the Kiboko review in dealing with the check in counter! However, I have concerns with Michaels tactic of taking out the biggest lens and slinging it over his shoulder as well as pocketing a few smaller lenses...

I'm flying with Virgin Atlantic. They have a 6kg (13lb) hand baggage allowance (not very much to start with!). BUT they also have very detailed rules, not only about the size and weight of the hand baggage, but also about 'Aditional Cabin Items Permitted'... these include (to quote from their web site) :
A handbag, pocketbook or purse i.e. which is appropriate to normal travelling dress and is not being used as a container for the transportation of articles which could otherwise be regarded as baggage.
An overcoat or wrap.
An umbrella (pointed or/and sharp prohibited) or walking stick.
A small camera and/or pair of binoculars.
A reasonable amount of reading matter for the flight.

I'm not sure a Nikon D3 and 500mm lens would count as 'small camera'!

Oh and just to rub it in, further down the page of these rules, it says 'It is important however that you pack valuable or fragile items such as jewellery, keys, money/credit cards, cameras, laptops and other personal electrical items in your cabin baggage allowance and keep it with you at all times. If you decide to pack them in your checked in baggage you should have them adequately insured as our liability for damage to these items is strictly limited.'

Thanks Virgin Atlantic!

Mark.

ps I tried contacting their customer services to ask how I was supposed to transport my camera equipment and laptop... it seems their customer services is located in India... and all they did was quote the web site information back at me... verbatim!

pps This isn't necessarily a criticism of Virgin Atlantics policy as I understand it is to reduce the queue at airport security (you can get a lot of stuff in 10kg!)! But just to prevent Michaels chutspa, as the French would say, ending up in the pâté (ya une couille dans le pâté)!

[HiltonP]

I notice VA don't mention laptops in their list of "approved hand luggage".

If they allow business people to take their laptops (and their corresponding bag)
on board without penalty then a DSLR and big lens should get the nod.  

[gouldm]

I notice VA don't mention laptops in their list of "approved hand luggage".

If they allow business people to take their laptops (and their corresponding bag)
on board without penalty then a DSLR and big lens should get the nod.  

Unfortunately I'm flying Economy... the allowance is 1 piece of hand baggage. Infact I am taking my Macbook Pro too and had to purchase a camera rucksack that would hold a laptop (I purchased a Think Tank Airport Antidote). I did email VA's customer services and ask if a laptop could be taken separately but they just quoted the web page back at me and said that I could take 1 piece of hand baggage :-(

I also asked what constituted a 'small camera' (I even told them what type of camera I had and gave them it's dimensions!)... but again... (and this time most infuriatingly!) was quoted the web page... apparently a small camera is, well, a small camera! Sooo I reckon an 8x10 view camera is a large camera, a medium format camera a medium sized camera so a 35mm dslr must be a small camera mustn't it?! I won't go into whether they mean video or still camera either ;-)

Mark.

[Marlyn]

This is why I'm careful/picky about which airline I choose to fly.

British Airways recently changed to allow 1 bag up to 23k, and a Laptop bag/briefcase for carryon.  
This makes travelling with them a breeze.  Just got back on saturday from trip to London, Aberdeen and Dubai with them, no issues at all, Vest stayed in the bag.

Carried a Airpot Addicted for camera gear, and a Targus laptop backpack.

Mark.

[gouldm]

This is why I'm careful/picky about which airline I choose to fly.

Yes, I don't fly that much so was rather naive when I booked our flights! I hope that VA's detailed policy is not a trend that the other airlines will begin to follow.

Mark.

[stever]

fortunately most airlines don't have the staff to enforce these policies and if you have the right number of pieces of luggage and they aren't over the size limit and you act as if they're light it's rarely a problem.  Michaels ploy of distribuiting items to person works as does having an extra lightweight backpack (or shopping bag) to distribute "personal" items to.  just avoid Heathrow.

[michael]

That raises the "Duty Free" shopping bag ploy.

Whatever the airline's carry-on limitation might be, they wll never turn you away with a duty free bag. Of they did they're kill airport sales, which would drive those merchants out of business, which would raise their airport fees.

So, have a duty free bag handy and pop any "overweight / oversize" items into it. Works like a charm.

Michael

[jani]

So, have a duty free bag handy and pop any "overweight / oversize" items into it. Works like a charm.

Yes, this even works at Heathrow (which Steve suggests we avoid, but how can we ... sigh) where airport personnel will happily tell you to shove that camera into your single carry-on luggage. However, they don't seem to be checking the weight of the carry-on luggage, so as long as you have the volume to spare...

The last time I had the misfortune to pass through Heathrow, I took my camera out of my backpack after the security check, and wasn't bothered by anyone for it afterwards.

[Lisa Nikodym]

Heathrow has improved (a little) since the phase of "one item only".  Now, you're allowed one carry-on plus one separate "personal item".

Of course, they occasionally are so zealous in checking for oversize items that the last time I was there they tried to take away my carry-on that was just *within* the limits, and it took about twenty minutes of arguing with a supervisor to be allowed to keep my carry-on...

Lisa