Carry on Electronics

[steverhodes]

This was my concern! I can't sleep on a plane and my Kindle lights up and carries me through the night. I hadn't even considered the cameras until reading this thread.

Now to consider that.....cheap camera, yes Expensive one? Maybe not.

 

I will put everything in the luggage if required and purchase the insurance -- if I don't already have it -- to cover it all (big camera and lenses, 2 iPads, etc.). My only concern would be losing the camera on the way over, in which case, finding the right camera and lens I want quickly enough to use it on the trip might be very hard to do. Photography is the main reason I go.

[dogsarepeopletoo]

There are also several luggage shipping services. We have not used them before, but this may the time. Has the extra benefit of expediting your travel to and through the airports.

 

I checked one in Amsterdam and got a quick quote which was $159-ish (to Oregon).

 

I emailed our agent today -- I will hopefully get extra coverage for this trip; and if this becomes the travel norm I will likely buy a "travel only" inexpensive tablet so if it is stolen, I am only out the equipment, not data or personal information.

 

Someone (in this thread?) sounded like he knew what he was talking about. He said it will likely be announced this Thursday (Thursdays are when airlines meet with security types). I have no idea if he knew what he was talking about.

[sharkster77]

If I have to check my camera, you can bet the SD card comes out and is in my carry-on. Losing the camera is far worse than losing the images from my travels.

[Mark_T]

If you do manage to get insurance for expensive cameras and electronics in your checked bags, do make sure the value limits are high enough, generally the limits are around $500 or so which is not going to be enough in most cases.

 

Don't depend on the airline stepping up as these items are routinely excluded from their cover, so this change is going to be challenging...

[Canal archive]

Check out the UK Reuters site May 12th, US., EU set meeting on airline security. Looks like there could be a meeting either this week or next but some concerns about lithium batteries.

Let's hope common sense prevails CA

[dogsarepeopletoo]

If I have to check my camera, you can bet the SD card comes out and is in my carry-on. Losing the camera is far worse than losing the images from my travels.

 

Someone on another thread said to leave a blank card in the camera in case you need to prove functionality when going through security (unless your camera has internal memory).

[dogsarepeopletoo]

I sent an email to my Farmers insurance agent. 1) Am I covered for equipment in checked baggage? 2) If not, I need to add coverage post haste.

 

He said I would be covered for theft but not damage; and "I have no way to provide coverage for damage." I asked for clarification on why but haven't heard back yet.

 

Obviously, insurance companies and policies are different but that was my initial dip in the pool about it.

[steverhodes]

Read two interesting articles today.

 

In the first article, one expert predicted the ban would not last long, reasoning that it would generate such chaos and anger that it would be abandoned. Don't know if I agree. We are still taking off our shoes after a decade ago one idiot tried unsuccessfully to blow up a plane with his shoe.

 

In the second, an expert reasoned that the ban would be trading off a slight risk of a plane explosion by a terroist for a significant risk of a plane explosion caused by all the lithium batteries in the cargo hold. It mentioned incidents in 2010 and 2011 of explosions in big cargo (Fed Ex and UPS) planes caused by a large number of lithium batteries. Later both carriers stopping carrying large number of lithium batteries because of the risk.

[gnome12]

If I have to check my camera, you can bet the SD card comes out and is in my carry-on. Losing the camera is far worse than losing the images from my travels.

 

I assume that you got this backwards. Losing the camera is not as bad as losing the images.

[pinotlover]

If the US persists in this nonsense, and forces me to put my camera into checked luggage, I will do future bookings to Europe through Canada and on Air Canada, which has direct connections to Nashville from Toronto. Both AA and UA will be the losers with the ban. The President shipping US jobs abroad.

 

For the cruise this Fall, flying on AA. I will immediately pull my camera out of my luggage as soon as it comes on the escalators. I will have it safely in my carry on before rechecking/forwarding on to BNA.

[Daisi]

Just curious, do they not screen (x-ray) carry on luggage, but the checked just goes into the hold unless they suspect something? It's been a while since we have flown. I did see that KLM has a notice on it's site that flights to Canada & US require that all electronics (tablets/phones) be out of their cases and turned on to clear. I'm thinking that they would be more likely to see something that has been screened than just checked....

[Mark_T]

Just curious, do they not screen (x-ray) carry on luggage, but the checked just goes into the hold unless they suspect something?

 

All hold bags are screened these days.

[sharkster77]

I assume that you got this backwards. Losing the camera is not as bad as losing the images.

 

 

Thanks gnome--I guess telepathically everyone knew what I meant!!!!!

[Daisi]

All hold bags are screened these days.

 

 

Thanks Mark. Are all the checked bags screened as well?

 

 

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[Mark_T]

Thanks Mark. Are all the checked bags screened as well?

 

Any bags that you carry on or check in are screened, it has been this way for a while now.

[polabear]

Thanks Mark. Are all the checked bags screened as well?

 

 

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Checked bags are screened as well. Different countries have different requirements in terms of what has to come out of the bag.

 

In the US, if you have TSA precheck or Global Entry, nothing comes out of your checked bag at all. Otherwise, for regular security, you only need to remove your laptop.

 

For example, in the UK, pretty much all electronics need to come out of your bag, including your kindle and small tablets. I always take my phone out as well, because why not. I learned the hard way in Birmingham after I didn't remove my fire tablet once, and they explosive tested everything. Which, of course, came up positive (probably from an ingredient in my hair gel). Then, I had to go through extra screening (which I don't blame them for!), and I had extra screening in Brussels as well before flying home to Chicago.

 

In Brussels, they completely emptied my carry on bags, and asked me very probing questions with a LOT of eye contact. I was actually impressed - much better than the typical TSA motions.

 

In Europe (other than the UK), I believe kindles and phones are usually fine in my bag, but honestly, I just pull it all out since I'm usually in there anyways to get out my laptops (work and personal, ugh), and that way I don't have to worry about it.

 

Also, if you are flying through a country with "lax" security, you'll often get an extra search before you board. When I flew threw Thailand on my way to Australia, my carry on bags again were completely rechecked by hand (everyone's was).

[Mark_T]

In the US, if you have TSA precheck or Global Entry, nothing comes out of your checked bag at all. Otherwise, for regular security, you only need to remove your laptop.

 

I think you intended to say 'carry on' rather than 'checked bag' ...

 

The spot checks right before boarding can happen pretty much anywhere including the USA/UK etc. it is just a matter of current security alert levels and if you have received the dreaded SSSS designation on your boarding card :)

[Daisi]

Thanks for all the replies. We haven't flown for almost 30 years, so things have changed. This cruise will be an adventure of firsts for us.

 

 

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[squarevanman]

Recently son and his other half travelled to Miami with children aged 3 and 4. Both little ones had Ipads with their "special" cartoons and games pre loaded. I would hate to be the one who tells them they cannot have them on the plane.

[Hydrokitty]

I would hate to be the one sitting in front of or behind you after you've told them they have to just sit still and do nothing for 6 hours! Very bad idea.....I can understand laptops, but make owner turn it on...but an e-reader or game player? ;p

[Mark_T]

I would hate to be the one sitting in front of or behind you after you've told them they have to just sit still and do nothing for 6 hours! Very bad idea.....I can understand laptops, but make owner turn it on...but an e-reader or game player? ;p

 

One side effect will be to focus attention on the in-flight entertainment systems offered by the airlines, some are a lot better than others ...

 

Unfortunately, if you read between the lines, the specific threats they are reacting to relate to anything electronic and large enough to contain sufficient material to cause a problem and the believe is that current screening methods are inadequate to reliably identify the problem devices, Although it would seem they are confident that they need manual intervention to be dangerous, hence having them in the hold does not present the same risk.

 

I fly a lot more often for business than I do for vacations and these potential changes are going to play havoc with my normal flying, so I'm waiting to see just how much I'm going to need to change my business plans.

 

Vacation is a little easier to deal with for us as we tend to carry a lot less electronics at those times...

[gnome12]

There are airlines that are doing away with their inflight entertainment systems in favour of systems that use your own smartphone or tablet. These will be a major problem. I have flown 2 of them recently, Air Canada Rouge from Lisbon to Toronto (a fairly long flight), and WestJet between Toronto and New York (at least fairly short).

 

I'm sure these aren't the only companies that have done this.

[Mark_T]

There are airlines that are doing away with their inflight entertainment systems in favour of systems that use your own smartphone or tablet...

 

... mostly for domestic flights so far fortunately, but yes, it is a growing trend.

[Gourmet Gal]

United is also doing away with screens at least on domestic flights. I guess we'll have to go back to lugging books and magazines...remember those?

[gnome12]

... mostly for domestic flights so far fortunately, but yes, it is a growing trend.

 

I was lucky enough to be flying premium economy on my Air Canada Rouge flight from Lisbon to Toronto, so they handed out tablets. Otherwise, I'd have been trying to watch a movie on my phone. It would be an issue.