New security arrangements and Camera bags

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Have any of you travelled since the introduction of the new security arrangements in Nov 2006?

Now you can only have one item of hand luggage.
Those of you with "proper" cameras
i.e. DSLRs and lenses/flash guns etc. how have you got on? My interpretation of the new rules regarding hand luggage means that the camera bag would be your single pice of hand luggage? what do you do if you have to take your laptop etc with you?
What has happened at the airport?

The reason I ask is that my pilots case is 1cm (yes 1 CM!) too big and they would not let me take it through security this week! See them stop pilots with ths same damned case?? no they didn't

There is no way I am putting my camera and lenses into the hold!

 

[tashasmum]

We travelled at Christmas and I used to take a small backpack and my handbag and this time I was only allowed 1 bag so the backpack went .

DH has a DSLR but uses a Lowpro bag which is a rucksack at the top and a camera bag at the bottom so his camera and two lenses went in that, don't know how you would go on with a Laptop.

 

[CoralCayTownhome]

We travelled at Christmas too and yeah it was only one bag per person. DH has now just purchased a new lightweight laptop (lightweight so he can bring it on hols) and a DSLR so not sure what we will do next time

Tracey

 

[tashasmum]

We travelled at Christmas too and yeah it was only one bag per person. DH has now just purchased a new lightweight laptop (lightweight so he can bring it on hols) and a DSLR so not sure what we will do next time

Tracey

DH has suggested a Lowepro Compuday pack which fits laptop and DSLR

http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Backpacks/notebook_camera/CompuDaypack.aspx

 

[CoralCayTownhome]

Thanks tashasmum - didn't know there was such a thing. Mind you I bet DH has that on his list of things to buy next

 

[MorningGlory]

I was planning on taking my mini-DSLR in my flight bag, and the laptop in its own cae.

I wont be allowed to do this now?

 

[Boss Hogg]

Always take my camera bag as hand luggage and it has space for a few other bits, not that I have an awful lot else to worry about after the SLR, lenses, flash gun, our compact camera, psp and 2 iPods! But I can manage with just that.

Admittedly don't ever take a laptop. As Tash says Lowepro do a laptop/camera bag, as do Crumpler.

 

[Ali and boyz]

what size of bag is it you can take. i.e. our boys have bagpacks like the ones to school are they still allowed these

 

[wayneg]

3 of us go, we take camera bag packed with all cameras, lenses, video, phones, game boy etc etc.... Then DS and DW have a laptop each in standard laptop bags. In one of the laptop bags goes all the documents and passports.
We then always take a small packed lunch in a carrier bag as I am not thrilled with Virgins food or airport sandwiches, This Easter was the first time at security check(where they hand little bags out) they told me 1 bag each, I put the food half in half out of the camera bag until we got around the corner took it back out and went thru xrays with 4 bags no problem. It was just the first jobsworth lady that moaned nobody in actual security cared how many bags were going thru.

 

[AliceGardner]

I was planning on taking my mini-DSLR in my flight bag, and the laptop in its own cae.

I wont be allowed to do this now?

Only one or the other - try to find a bag that fits both in and stays within the dimensions dictated by the BAA (shown at www.baa.com).

I take a rollerbag and a very small seperate handbag - the handbag goes in the rollerbag for the various security checks (so is, effectively, one bag).

what size of bag is it you can take. i.e. our boys have bagpacks like the ones to school are they still allowed these

www.baa.com has the latest hand luggage restrictions/requirements on it (sorry I can't post a link to the exact page - they have some form of long/dynamic page indexing ).

Yes some people get away with slightly bigger bags or extra bags, but I find it saves any arguments (and the nightmare of having a bag refused) to just stick within the BAA requirements.

Alice

 

[Twilight Terror]

When we went last year, we went like a couple of weeks after the main terror threat. For our trip they had just started letting people on with their own bags, although at that point it was still no liquids, not even those bought after security checks.

Anyway, we each had rucksacks, which were stuffed to the point that they JUST fitted in their little wooden box tester thing What we were told then was anything inside it's own bag, like cameras and laptops, just had to be removed when you went through security/xray, so the camera and it's bag and laptop and it's bag get scanned seperately.

Although this year I've got extra - a laptop and a DSLR/lenses - they will just go in their normal carry bags and then inside my rucksack. I'll just have to unload and reload at security. I hope the same still applies. I cannot imagine the restrictions to get tighter than they were when we last went!!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

That's where my concern is coming from. Normally on flights I don't have the camera, but on vacation, the camera and video go. Checking for Spain in three weeks Monarch had the info, then I checked Virgin and it was the same, i.e.

"Passengers departing from UK airports are permitted to carry one item of cabin baggage each. Cabin baggage must not exceed a maximum length of 56 cm, width of 36 cm and depth of 23 cm including wheels, handles, side pockets etc. Other bags, such as handbags, may be carried within the single item of cabin baggage. All items will be x-ray screened and must not exceed 6 kilos in weight in Economy and Premium Economy, and 8 kilos in Upper Class."
and
"All laptops and large electrical items (e.g. large hairdryer) must be removed from the bag and placed in a tray so that such items neither obscure nor are obscured by the bag. A laptop bag will be regarded as the one item that is allowed in the cabin."

Not happy

I have a whole set of carry ons that now do not meet the new requirements. More expense. I will have a look at that Lowpro bag Thanks

 

[MorningGlory]

Only one or the other - try to find a bag that fits both in and stays within the dimensions dictated by the BAA (shown at www.baa.com).

Thanks Alice

I will stuff junior's smaller backpack inside mine, and get him to carry the laptop case or backpacks

Like any good father, I will of course try to convince him to carry the heaviest

 

[arieliwish]

Hi all,

my friend at work hasn't long been back from cyprus with first choice and they were told only 1 item of hand luggage. Her DH had to cram his new DSLR into his backpack and she had to squeeze her handbag into hers. They didn't know about this before and he works in the tower at our local airport.

Lynn

 

[Twilight Terror]

I've got my sister on packing duty, so despite having to take loads of stuff, including a giant sharps box for my mum (for her injections), I have no worries that between the three of us, we will be able to get everything in 3 bags! She can get all of her clothing and mine (except shoes) for 2-weeks inside one of those small wheelie suitcases (the ones just a little too big for carry-on!) so getting laptop, cameras and valuables in 3 rucksacks should be a total breeze for her!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Just ordered one of those Lowepro Compudaypack rucksacks. Jessops and other companies wanted £99 for one, (that was also using Price check web sites) even EBay was asking £69.95 + £7.95
Cheapest place (though only available in Grey, OK for me at this price!) was Amazon at £54.75 plus £5.00 P + p!!

Anyone who wants one the url is
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lowepro-349...6?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1179688579&sr=8-1

Thanks tashasmum XXXX

 

[Claire L]

Yes only ONE piece of hand luggage per person. At New Year DH had the laptop bag and managed to get in his Ipod, travel documents, two books (average novel size), mobile phone and a a couple of adaptors plus electrical lead. I took my ruck sack with digi camera, camcorder, all adaptors/power leads, travel documents, travel pillow and my small handbag. In all it is not too restrictive.

Claire

 

[Goofyish]

Just ordered one of those Lowepro Compudaypack rucksacks. Jessops and other companies wanted £99 for one, (that was also using Price check web sites) even EBay was asking £69.95 + £7.95
Cheapest place (though only available in Grey, OK for me at this price!) was Amazon at £54.75 plus £5.00 P + p!!

Anyone who wants one the url is
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lowepro-349...6?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1179688579&sr=8-1

Thanks tashasmum XXXX

Looks good - I've gone for one too

 

[AlanUK]

I can vouch for the Lowepro bag as well as it's what I bought to take for our last trip, and i didn;t have any problems

Fair enough it was filled to bursting but it did fit everything in!

 

[wifey]

Ohhh I'm so glad I've looked at this thread it makes me glad that we always try to pack light.We never take our Mac book we update everything on our return.
In the past DH has taken the camera camcorder and the usual accessories in a Timberland backpack which had a few pockets and extra padding I took the travel documents sweets and snacks etc and DS had his Nintendo DS with games etc.
All our clothes went in just 2 suitcases and still had a bit of room for anything we bought over there, people in the airport used to say "Is that all you have?" Quick and easy we get through check-in in about 5 minutes even the hand luggage is scanned in under 10 minutes at the security screening and most of that is waiting in the queue so far we've not had any problems although DH is always pulled out of the line and scanned again
This year DH has a man's small brown shoulder bag (£8 in Peacocks) for the camera and camcorder and accessories and I have an expandable handbag for the paperwork etc and Ds will have his usual stuff (which will have to be removed from the bag for screening but it's fine).
All our bags will be smaller than the dimensions stated on the VA website and will not take up much space in the overhead storage compartments. We have a few more clothes this year but we'll still only take 2 suitcases