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6 kilogrammes

S

spluff

Hi Fellow Contaxians,

If you're wondering what my cryptic heading is about; I am refering to the weight allowance on flights for hand baggage.

Has anybody ever had a problem with the weight of their camera equipment when checking onto flights?

I'm off to Switzerland soon (anybody have any tips for taking pictures in Switzerland?) and I want to take a 645 body, two backs, the 80mm, the 45mm and the 210mm, the camera bag it-self, spare batteries, meter, filters and film (and psossibly an NX with a NAM adaptor). I reckon this will take me over the limit, but I'm never sure how lenient (or stringent) the airliners can be.


Also does anybody have a recommendation for a bag to carry this stuff in - I don't want a ruck-sack as I'll be using one for other stuff, so I'm looking for a shoulder bag that is compact but large enough at the same time (sorry if that sounds like an oxymoron!!).

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

Thanks in advance, Saras
 
Air lines have been getting more and more restrictive about hand luggage. I have been stopped and questioned about hand luggage size (lowe pro trekker).After proving that it is legal size I have been let through even though the bag was clearly over the weight limit. My advice, don't let anyone pick-up your bag. Put it through the x-ray machine yourself and pick it up immediately after it has gone through. When going through the checks, handle it like it weighs next to nothing so as not to arouse any suspicions. All the same, no guarantees!
 
Oh Yes! and don't fly BA (British Air) their max weight is 10 lbs I believe! I remember returning from London to Vancouver,CA with my C645 and Leica M6 with 4 lenses. I covered my Mini Trekker with my raincoat when boarding. In the boarding lounge they constantly announced the severe (in my mind) restrictions.
If you bring back to bottles of liquor and carry a decent sized paperback, you're pretty close to the weight limit already! My daughter who joined me in the UK for the weekend had packed a small(17x13x7) suitcase and was forced to "check it" due to weight. I have not flown BA since, due to my desire to 'carry' my camera equipment.
Colin
 
Hi Colin,

Have you tried the Lowe Pro Magnum or Commercial bags? I have seen them in a brochure, and had wondered if they were appropriate.

And Mike, you are right about the restrictions. But they can also be confusing. For instance, Virgin states a 6kg limit and a small camera bag. But what is small - I guess they mean something for a small SLR. The only way around it is to sling a camera over your shoulder - but I'm wary of pranging the camera when buying my duty free :)

Cheers, Saras
 
Hi all,

I move through airports A LOT and have found the hand bagage checks at the check-in counters to be a farce! You can check in with NO hand bagage and then move through to duty free and buy a ton of anything to take to the aircraft! The best practical way to get around your weight restrictions when checking in is to have a bag that conforms to the size limits of the airline AND the weight limits of the airline - then once you have checked in you collect the rest of your heavy stuff and put it back in the bag! Normally you don't have to move through to the departures lounge right after check in so that should give you &le time to repack the bag!!
 
I have had no problems with weight or size with my Lowe Trekker. The Nature Trekker I had earlier (stolen in Africa in 1999) was larger and did not comfortably fit under the seat in front of me on smaller planes or squeeze into those carry-on "size check frames" many airlines use (esp. in Europe). Weight wise my Trekker is always close to 8 or 9 kg (no way around that if you must carry a 400 mm lens and 10x40 Zeiss binoculars for field work). On the last flight to London I got the "special treatment." Everything was taken apart. I had to remove lenses and lens caps. Start up the laptop and the flash gun etc. But they were very nice and patient and let me help open the compartments carefully. No problems with weight/size. I would keep heavy extra batteries in the checked luggage. Maybe put a lens or two in a vest pocket separately from the pack to reduce weight. I agree the duty free regulations make these restrictions look like a farce. -Jan.
 
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