UK air travel: Practical solutions?

I could use some advice on this:

I'll be leaving in 2 weeks for the Wainwright coast-to-coast hike (Cumberland to Yorkshire). Unfortunately booked via Heathrow instead of Manchester. I've planned to use 5D & 24-105.

Plan A, taking the big camera: If cabin-baggage restrictions continue, I'm torn between either (1) a Pelican case for check-in, or (2) FedEx-ing the large camera with 'serious' bubble-wrap to my point of departure - the advantage being that I can insure for full value. (The hitch will be packing & FedEx-ing it back again - staying in small towns & then getting to London on a Saturday afternoon. Haven't figured this part out yet! )

Plan B, substituting a small camera: I've also considered buying a Panasonic LX1 pocket camera to use instead - easy to pack safely in checked baggage. But apparently they're between models, with a new one coming out in September that tackles the noise problem. So I decided not to go this route. What would be second-best in small cameras?

Are others facing similar practical issues/decisions?

Most airlines have/had a "counter-to-counter" mail type service. A type of FedEx but not door-to-door but rather airport-to-airport. One can take a package to the airline counter, check it in and then pick-it up at the destination counter. I would see if this service is still available and what the requirements are for said service (size of package, what's involved for check-in processing, et cetera). Counter-to-Counter may be easier than DHL/FedEx/Et Al and the package could even be on the same flight as yours.

Gary

Kirk I assume you know that the rules have changed for carry on in the UK:

Each passenger is permitted to carry ONE item of cabin baggage through the airport security search point. The dimensions of this item must not exceed: a maximum length of 45 cm, width of 35 cm and depth of 16 cm (17.7"×13.7"×6.2" approx) (including wheels, handles, side pockets etc.).

Sadly the pelican case 1450 is just too big.
http://www.pelican.com/cases_detail_specs.php?Case=1450


UK DOT
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_about/documents/page/dft_about_612280.hcsp

Kirk Thompson said:

I've also considered buying a Panasonic LX1 pocket camera to use instead - easy to pack safely in checked baggage.

Click to expand...

I'd not be so sure of that. A friend of mine had a Canon digital IXUS, among other items, go missing from locked (and now broken) checked baggage somewhere on the path from Sydney to Chico, CA via SFO. Both Sydney and San Francisco have known problems with theft by baggage handlers, as do many other places. Over the years I've had enough problems that I put nothing of any real value in checked baggage, ever. Don't know what I'll do as/if the rules for carry-on change, but air freight and Fed Ex are starting to look good.

...Mike

Thank you, Sid - I didn't hear until today; found it on BBC site:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4789593.stm?ls

So I'll be taking camera & zoom lens, bubble-wrapped separately & fastened with rubber bands, in the bottom of my soft briefcase. And a book - what a privilege!

Kirk

Kirk,

I was right in the middle of the madness at Heathrow a couple of weeks ago. I can tell you it was a mess and something to be avoided if at all possible. Let me clarify a couple of points.

1. The "no carry-on" restriction that was imposed several weeks ago applied to all UK airports, so it wouldn't matter if it was Heathrow or Manchester.
2. The restriction applied to departing flights only. Arriving flights had no such restrictions, unless some were imposed by the departing airport. If you arrived at Heathrow for a transfer/connection with carry-on luggage you had to go to the front of the airport and check in as if you walked off the street (or leave your carry-on luggage altogether).
3. Although the restrictions are lifted now, they could revert back with no notice whatsoever.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

I'd bring my equip in a container you can ship if needbe. You should be fine taking your equip there as a carry-on since the US airports govern the rules over departing flights. If there is a change in the rules while you are there, I would recommend you ship your container via Fed-Ex or UPS. I had to check my camera, 3 lenses & multimedia drive and pray they made it home safely. My bag got lost at Dulles airport; then when it arrived it had been opened & left unlocked. But by some miracle it was unharmed and everything was there. Thank you Patron Saint of Photography (whoever you are).

A word about insurance - Get insurance on your equip through your home ins policy. If you don't own, call State Farm, who I've been told, have a stand alone policy. Make sure it applies to international travel. These policies are relatively cheap and you worth every penny. Looking at the fine print on several travel insurance policies, I see many have a limit of $500 damage to photography equipment. United Airlines' fine print noted that damage limits were around $2500 for domestic flights but international flights (including domestic connections/transfers etc) were limited by the international law to like $400-500 total.

Best of luck to you.

It might be worth just slinging the camera with lens attached over your shoulder and walking on to the plane like that. The advantage is that you will still be allowed a normal carry on bag on top of it!

That is if they let you take stuff on board at all at the moment, I'm not up to date on that.

I heard on the news today, something like the uk gov. have 'relaxed' the recent restrictions a tad. I expect more info. may be found at www.bbc.co.uk, or similar. iirc they mentioned that musicians could carry on instruments, but still a restriction on fluids. I think it will be a daily change thing, maybe different rules for different airlines. (a more direct link & video on this page http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?tab=all&go=homepage&q=airline&Search.x=16&Search.y=7&Search=Search&scope=all

Best wishes,

Ray

Since much of this thread is not of current concern, unless there is any good reason, I will 'unstick' it in a few days time.

The current regulations for travel from airports in UK are here -
http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/airtravel/airportsecurity?view=Standard

Note that some countries in Europe will be going this way later this year, if not the same now.

Just in case our American visitors can't take all their gear out of the country, I am prepared to look after it for you ;-)

Best wishes,

Ray