Idea for camera gear in checked bags

[likelite]

Hey folks, recently I did a Great Barrier Reef trip, and had an UW housing, strobe and gear I had to put in a checked bag. (Qantas is DEATH on weight limits...be warned!) Anyway, went down to the Guitar Center and picked up a couple of those aluminum cases they make for record albums. Packed my camera gear inside, then put it in the bag to be checked. Nothing got broken.

Right now our local store has 'em for $30. Lightweight and the perfect size to pack camera gear, with an extra layer of protection in case suitcases get flung down the baggage belt upside down.

Was in the Guitar Center today, happened to remember this tip and thought I'd pass it on to my fellow divers. Happy New Year!

 

[Allison Finch]

You are right about Quantas. They are weight nazis. They made me remove my strobe from my rolling carry-on camera case (pelican 1510) and put it in my personal bag. Wait a minute......same overall weight.....going the same place......Well, as soon as I got out of sight, the strobe went right back in as I'm sure they expected. Much ado about nothing.
They will often make me gate check my camera equip, which doesn't bother me. I know it's on the plane and it bypasses the sticky fingered bag checkers.
Any way you can post a picture of these record bags? I would like to see what it looks like.

 

[Cacia]

I know I should not say this but I have noticed that if you tip the curbside baggage handler, the overweighted bags almost always go through. Also, I am not sure if this is true, but someone told me once that the per bag allowance was a product of union baggage handler contracts regarding how much they are required to be lifting.

 

[Charlie99]

someone told me once that the per bag allowance was a product of union baggage handler contracts regarding how much they are required to be lifting.

... or simply the result of the airlines trying to cut down on workplace injuries ... Even at the companies that do allow more than 50 pounds, the >50 pound bags are supposed to get a "heavy" warning tag attached at check-in.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Charlie is right, it's more about personal injuries. Gone are the days when I could stuff 85 pounds in a single bag.

My housing and strobes can go into checked luggage, my camera and lenses? Never and when I tell them the costs of my equipment they always allow me to hand carry it aboard.

 

[gert7to3]

Here's tha link to Guitar Center's page for those cases. Pretty snazzy.........

http://www.guitarvision.com/mf/mf_frameset.htm

 

[gert7to3]

Hmmmm, just checked that link and it only went to their home page. Search for "aluminum record cases". Sorry about that bad lead.

 

[oly5050user]

I know I should not say this but I have noticed that if you tip the curbside baggage handler, the overweighted bags almost always go through. Also, I am not sure if this is true, but someone told me once that the per bag allowance was a product of union baggage handler contracts regarding how much they are required to be lifting.

right on the curbside check in..I was told the increase on overweight allowance is to cover workmans comp insurance on baggage handlers...anyway now with the airlines going bankrupt I am sure to stay in business they will be enforcing things like this that in the past were overlooked..