I can offer a thousand suggestions for moving equipment round' da world, but if you want to limit your lighting kit, move to umbrellas.
I had one hell of a quarter at the end of 2009. To address this baggage issue, I took the fees from those jobs, and in the downtime, I've been hopping on international flights. I go on there with a special handmade bracket that I came up with in my one-room cabin in Montana -- it holds two
Canon 5D2s. One is set to Video; the other one is set to still JPG High. (I tested my rig with two
medium format cameras, but they wouldn't shoot at high enough ASA, and there was moire in the underwear pattern, and there was mirror slap from the plane turbulence, and the file sizes were ridiculously large for internet download). I also travel with a writer and a Navy Seal by my side. My plan is to hopefully be seated next to The Next HalfAss Underwear Guy, and when he whips out his untested gear, I'll be there with my double-cable-release, shooting Video and Stills. The plan is for the Navy Seal to take the guy down while I'm shooting my
Canon 5D2's, and the Video footage will be marketed, via the onboard internet feed, to CNN, or anyone else that'll bid higher, and the stills will be marketed thru Getty. Bidding starts at seven figures for each media. After that, the writer that's with me will be downloading his pitch to my pre-arranged Hollywood agents, for movie rights of the story of the takedown by the Navy Seal. I will take the proceeds from these acquisitions and buy my own GulfStream IV, so I'll never have to allow TSA to do a full-body-scan of me, thus exposing my Achilles Heel, and having the girls continue to laugh at me.
If I was on a job, I'd certainly consider shipping the gear in a hard pelican, with ZipTies, in advance, via Fedex or DHL or related. If I was carrying it on, I'd get one of those Marlin Perkins vests, and fill each pocket, and check the rest. I'd also make double-sure that everything was insured, world wide. I've heard lots of stories from photographers, about the gear arriving, and there's a body or lens conveniently missing. We try to walk it over to TSA, and ask them nicely to slip ZipTies into the slots, after they've zapped it. Sometimes they'll do it, if you're nice. Sometimes not, if they're stressed.
I hit the road Wednesday for many cities; I've been researching it too:
Photographers should note the following items
Photographers should be aware that cameras, lenses and electronics are NOT covered by the airline's lost or damaged luggage policy, so if at all possible photographic equipment (and computers) should to placed in your carry-on baggage and NOT in your checked baggage. In fact most airlines won't compensate you for anything that they lose or damage in your checked baggage except for clothing. If you have no choice but to ship photographic items in checked baggage, make sure you either have them independently insured or that you can afford to lose them.
Note that the TSA allows airlines to permit passengers to carry on a bag of photographic equipment (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1248.shtm) in addition to the standard carry-on and one personal item. However most airlines restrict passengers to one carry-on and one personal item only.
Effective January 1, 2008, you may not pack spare lithium batteries in your checked baggage. You may pack spare lithium batteries in your carry-on baggage.
For travelers departing from airports in the USA, the TSA has a list of prohibited items here - http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/pro...ited-items.shtm 
