How do people travel by air with birding gear? (1 Viewer)

[rb_stern]

I would be interested to know how people fly (by plane!) these days with birding gear. I generally take binocs, and dSLR with Tamron 200-500 lens in hand-luggage (which doesn't leave any room/ weight for even a toothbrush) and up to now have packed scope + light tripod in checked baggage. Now I have a more expensive scope and I'm a bit more reluctant. So far (touch wood) I have never had anything go missing, or had my hand luggage refused. Everything's insured. What are other people's experiences?

Richard

 

[Stranger]

I generally take all camera gear and Binocs in hand luggage.The scope and tripod go in the hold suitcase well cushioned by clothes.

 

[kittykat23uk]

On my last trip to India I managed to fit both my cameras, scope and bins in my carry on luggage. The tripod went in the hold. But then my new Kowa scope is small.

 

[Fast_falkon]

This year will be the first time i go somewhere birding by plane, so i have no idea yet. think i just keep my binoc's in hand luggage (i dont have a camera, im only 14 so i dont need one yet either) and the rest, cushioned by clothes and other stuff, in my suitcase.
i hope i can get some ideas from this topic.

 

[BobTag]

I travel internationally by air every two weeks or so with my job, and often take birding equipment along. So here's my advice:

- I never, ever, ever put anything valuable into hold luggage. Hold luggage is going missing more than ever at the moment (especially BA), and not all of it ever turns up. How much of your big birding trip do you want to do without your scope?

- Also, on many occasions I've watched bags literally being thrown in and out of the hold. I'd never put valuable optical equipment in there and trust it to baggage handlers, who have no respect for your property

- The recent UK legislation on number of carry-on items is being relaxed in many UK airports (check before you fly), so you can take two items on now, on some planes.

- I will usually put my bins, digitial camera and camcorder into my hand luggage, and carry my 'scope loose as the second piece of carry-on, where permitted. Otherwise it goes into the hand luggage. Tripod is packed in towels/fleece into the hold luggage - so far it's always survived in one piece, although my Dad's was broken in hold luggage two years back. No option, though, with current legislation.

Hope this helps! Luckily I don't have to try and worry about a DSLR, though...

BT

PS - If flying through UK airports, make sure your hand luggage meets the current strict requirements, or else it will be refused and end up in the hold...

 

[halftwo]

Apart from the sound advice Bob has given, I always start birding as I get on the tarmac (or even through the 'plane's window before getting off!) so always have my bins at the ready.
Suitcases are thrown (I work at Manchester Airport) from the carousel to baggage trolleys & vice versa, and it is normal for ten or so suitcases to be piled one on the other. Anything breakable WILL break.

 

[joannec]

I always start birding as I get on the tarmac (or even through the 'plane's window before getting off!) so always have my bins at the ready.

LOL, I do that too but it does get odd looks!!!:-O But it's worth it because at a new destination I usually see at least one new bird before I've even left the airport.:t:

I agree with Bob and Halftwo; I carry bins, camera and small(ish) scope in hand luggage. There is hardly any room for anything else and it's heavy but for the reasons already given I don't trust it to go in the hold. The tripod, I cushion with clothes in my suitcase.

Joanne

 

[antshrike69]

I always carry my bins, scope and camera (small digital) in my hand luggage. They're too essential to any trip to do without. If there are two of us, we have one handluggage bag full of the optics and the other for in-flight stuff.
The tripod has to go in the hold baggage unfortunately, always well wrapped in towel and fleece.
I've had a problem twice - I arrived in Sulawesi a few years ago to find my bag had been thrown so hard that a clip had smashed off one of the tripod legs. I spent the whole trip splaying the leg in order to hold it up with friction - it worked ok till I got back but was a real pain.
More recently, I arrived in South Africa to find the screw which holds the scope base plate on the tripod head had been sheared off flush with the plate itself. The tripod was completely unusable for the entire trip and therefore so was the scope.
For my next trip, I'm planning a sleeve of bubble wrap to slide over the tripod before padding it. Hopefully this was prevent further such disasters.

 

[John Eaton]

Agree with everyone else really. Always carry bins, scope and camera as hand luggage. Without them a birding trip is going to be miserable, and replacing them while abroad can be virtually impossible in some regions. Clothes are cheap and easy to replace by comparison.
btw - best to carry on your field guide and any relevant site literature as well - being without those can also be a bummer.

 

[halftwo]

Agree with everyone else really. Always carry bins, scope and camera as hand luggage. Without them a birding trip is going to be miserable, and replacing them while abroad can be virtually impossible in some regions. Clothes are cheap and easy to replace by comparison.
btw - best to carry on your field guide and any relevant site literature as well - being without those can also be a bummer.

LOL, Yes I'm usually revising on the way - so all the gen, fieldguides etc. essential hand-carried stuff. Got to be careful re the bins on the runway - some Countries are hyper-sensitive to optics at airports (Especially the Greeks!) Nearly got arrested in Kenya! (But at least one tick on arrival!)

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Cameras, bins and scope in hand luggage. Tripod in hold luggage, cushioned by clothes.

 

[Vectis Birder]

I take all I can (DSLR with three lenses, laptop, bins and scope) as hand baggage. If it doesn't all fit then the item of least value gets wrapped up all snugly and goes in the hold baggage.

 

[gareth_blockley]

On a similar subject.. How do people go about insuring their kit and who with? My camera is insured with a photography brooker but what about the other stuff??

Cheers
Gareth

 

[Corax67]

I took the precaution of investing in a wife to go on birding holidays with and it's worked out great |=)| |=)| - with the current "single item" hand luggage restriction, 2 pr's bins, scope, DSLR, Lenses, iPods, birdguides & laptop are split between our hand luggage with everything else into the hold. Normally strip my Manfrotto CarbonOne into its constituent parts and wrap leg sections + centre column in the centre of our clothes.

Have heard horror stories aout customs checks but we have travelled extensively and never experienced anything other than courtesy and understanding when questioned on the nature of the birding items.

Would not put anything of value in hold baggage, we even split our clothes in such a way that if a case goes missing we both have complete changes of clothes available (I am indebted to my wife for packing expertise).

All of my kit is covered on an "extended contents" basis with my home insurance provider with the scope, DSLR and lenses being listed as "specified articles" due to their value - over £1000 each - limit is set by my insurer.

Never had to claim but hope they are as good as they say they are if I did.

 

[halftwo]

Again, as Karl says, home insurance cover with items of value specified & covered world wide. Travel Ins. will cost you more (unless you only ever do one trip in your life.)

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Like most others, I pack my bins and scope into my hand luggage and my tripod into my case cushioned by clothes. However, a friend of mine also lost a tripod which had been packed that way - the head had sheared off completely and it was unusable. It has made me wonder about trying to fit the tripod into the hand luggage somehow because although it has less value it would still be a pretty rotten holiday without it.

 

[Mono]

I usually keep my bins in my hand luggage for purposes of tarmac spotting, I once got 16 speices at a stop off in Jo' berg.

Everything else goes in the hold, well padded in the centre of the bag. They are much better protected there and statistics would suggest that theft from and off hand baggage is of a similar level to theft from and of hold baggage.

 

[BobTag]

It has made me wonder about trying to fit the tripod into the hand luggage somehow because although it has less value it would still be a pretty rotten holiday without it.

Hi Helen - The vast majority of 'birders' tripods are too larger even when folded to fit into the dimensions currently allowed for hand luggage. Certainly my Manfrotto can't. I'd be amazed if anyone could fit anything other than a small monopod or clamp into hand luggage. Shame, of course...

Everything else goes in the hold, well padded in the centre of the bag. They are much better protected there and statistics would suggest that theft from and off hand baggage is of a similar level to theft from and of hold baggage.

Hi Mono - got to say I totally disagree with this, and would strongly recommend anyone to not put anything of any value or possibly breakable into hold luggage, especially expensive optical equipment. The key problem is not theft, rather that hold luggage is mis-treated by baggage handlers and the frequency of it getting lost or delayed is increasing - not an issue with carry on bags.

 

[BobTag]

On a similar subject.. How do people go about insuring their kit and who with? My camera is insured with a photography brooker but what about the other stuff?? Cheers, Gareth

I've got friends who use their home insurance, however mine doesn't cover theft from a parked vehicle over a certain amount (£1k). So, I use that for my bins, and then use Golden Valley Insurance (PhotoCover Plus) for my scope, digital camera etc.

Other home insurance might be different, so pays to read the small print.

BT

PS - Hope you're not still in a bad mood over that Owl

 

[halftwo]

Mono,
It's a sad fact that in many airports thefts from hold baggage are rife. Mostly small portable things are stolen - of high value & easy resale. Cigarettes the commonest item, then small valuables.
This is especially prevalent where bags are in transit through an airport - as the theft is not detected until the bag reaches the final destination. You'd be amazed what people put in there & then wonder why they go missing.
Also - anyone who has a combination lock with three zeroes: that's what everyone tries first - DON'T DO IT. There's no point in locking it!
And if you put a lock on a zip-sided bag - that's like putting a lock on a paper bag.