Baggage allowance problem

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Erasmus667

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As you may know from a previous posting I'm going on a safari/temples holiday to India later this year. I've discovered a problem about which I'd appreciate your comments and suggestions. I've been advised by the tour operator that the allowance for cabin baggage for internal flights in India is 5kg. This morning I did a test weigh of the kit to go into the cabin to see if there was a problem. I'm planning to take my Z7ii/Z 24-120 and a D500/200-500. The total weight was about 8kg with nothing else. The question is 'what do I do?' My initial thoughts are these a) pack the D500 body in checked luggage which has a T.S.A approved padlock and hope that it doesn't get 'lost'. b) Sell the 200-500 lens and get a combination which might be lighter e.g 1.4TC with 100-400 c) bite the bullet and pay the excess charges on the grounds that i) I know that everything will be safer in the cabin and ii) I'm very unlikely to go to go to India again so pay up to get photos I won't ever get a chance to take again d) pair the D500 with a TC and my 70-300 4.5/5.6. I see this as a last resort as it appears that the D500/200-500 is one of the best combination to use on safari. I also plan to use it for airshows but this is a minor consideration. There may be other options and I'd be delighted as ever to hear them. I'm retired on a fixed income so if I can avoid buying yet more kit (it would have to be secondhand) then so much the better. Thanks for taking the time to read all of this. Kind regards
 
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Is it just a small plane flight? Like a single engine, ten seater or something? If that's the case, just walk your gear out to the plane and let them load it in cargo, no biggie. It's not subjected to anything worse than the passengers. Where you get in trouble is when they start tossing stuff around. I've had to put my camera bag in regular storage before, not a big deal at all on a small plane. They handled it very carefully and put it in a secure place.
 
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Although the 5kg limit to carry-on baggage raised by Erasumas667 may be on in-country flights on small planes, some airlines are now imposing a 7kg limit to carry-on baggage, even on international flights on Airbus and Boeing jet aircraft. I first encountered this on Fiji Airways when flying LAX - NAN - LAX, in premium economy seating. My wife and I are UW photographers and check all the dive gear and UW photo equipment such as housings, strobes, etc. I carry-on a laptop computer plus 2 DSLR bodies and 3 or 4 lenses, and cannot possibly comply with a 7kg weight limit. My wife also carries on a DSLR body and several lenses exceeding 7kg. On Fiji Airways we were lucky in that our photo backpacks were not weighed when we checked in, but I know of other traveling scuba divers who did have their carry-on baggage weighed during check-in.

There are other airlines I know of imposing a 7kg carry-on weight restriction too, even on international routes conducted on full-size or wide-body jets. I was recently surprised to learn that Singapore Airlines is also showing a 7kg carry-on limit. I have not flown on Singapore Airlines since they put this limit in place, but was told by a dive-travel agency who regularly books clients on them that they weigh all carry-ons. Every time I explore air travel overseas the checked and carry-on baggage limits are one of the first things I consider before purchasing tickets. Of course in some instances there are no alternatives and the only options are to hope to find a way through the situation at check-in or don't go.
 
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I have used my Domke Photographers jacket with its very large pockets to carry lenses and speedlight onto a plane. It is 100% cotton and not waterproof at all so I added an unlined British game jacket that has large pockets for shotgun shells and these hold large items. In the Domke there is a rear pocket large enough for 70-200mm f/2.8 lens and inner pockets for a pro camera body and small lens and the front outside pockets can hold a 14-24mm f/2.8 and a 24-120mm lens.

After I board the plane I stuff the jacket with its contents into a nook in the overhead bin and it can fit places that a conventional piece of luggage could not. When I get to my destination I move the gear from the jacket to the backpack as its weight no longer matters.

I have flown in small planes where baggage weight was limited but not the weight of passengers that weighed 50 kilos more than I did.

Worst case is to gate check a bag so it does not go through the TSA people and so theft is greatly reduced as is damage to the bag. Last on and first off works quite well.

I have only been actually weighed along with my carry-on bags on three occasions. Once flying from Guam to Palau and once flying from Fiji to an outer island and once when flying from the King Salmon airport to Brooks Falls. Never in my flights to Asia or South America has the carry-on weight limit been enforced by the airline personnel at the boarding gate.
 
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On another forum when this is discussed a vest with multiple pockets is suggested. One that members seem to like is the Domke. Members put camera bodies, lenses, etc in the pockets for weigh in and then replace in backpack once they board. Had a 7kb weight limit when I flew EVA last fall. Pretty sure my backpack was over weight, but thankfully never got weighed. Also when you carry it, act like it weighs nothing.
 
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The jacket makes the full pockets far less obvious and as I never use a vest in the field, I prefer a jacket. The GAME brand one I use has no lining and is completely waterproof and has a hood. Even when out shooting the large pockets are convenient for holding teleconverters or a snack.

The best vest designs I have seen for photography are the ones made for wading fishermen as they have larger pockets. Many also have nylon mesh and so are a lot cooler to wear in hot and humid conditions.

 
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We’ve had quite serious weight restrictions, from 5-8kg on internal domestic and even some charter flights. Eg Santiago, Chile to Porto Williams, Chile on Latam for Antarctica. Similarly in Norway en route to both Greenland and Svalbard. Last weeks Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth then Maputo, Mozambique, to Johannesburg. It’s common really.
 
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Erasmus667 said:
As you may know from a previous posting I'm going on a safari/temples holiday to India later this year. I've discovered a problem about which I'd appreciate your comments and suggestions. I've been advised by the tour operator that the allowance for cabin baggage for internal flights in India is 5kg. This morning I did a test weigh of the kit to go into the cabin to see if there was a problem. I'm planning to take my Z7ii/Z 24-120 and a D500/200-500. The total weight was about 8kg with nothing else. The question is 'what do I do?' My initial thoughts are these a) pack the D500 body in checked luggage which has a T.S.A approved padlock and hope that it doesn't get 'lost'. b) Sell the 200-500 lens and get a combination which might be lighter e.g 1.4TC with 100-400 c) bite the bullet and pay the excess charges on the grounds that i) I know that everything will be safer in the cabin and ii) I'm very unlikely to go to go to India again so pay up to get photos I won't ever get a chance to take again d) pair the D500 with a TC and my 70-300 4.5/5.6. I see this as a last resort as it appears that the D500/200-500 is one of the best combination to use on safari. I also plan to use it for airshows but this is a minor consideration. There may be other options and I'd be delighted as ever to hear them. I'm retired on a fixed income so if I can avoid buying yet more kit (it would have to be secondhand) then so much the better. Thanks for taking the time to read all of this. Kindm
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Erasmus667 said:
As you may know from a previous posting I'm going on a safari/temples holiday to India later this year. I've discovered a problem about which I'd appreciate your comments and suggestions. I've been advised by the tour operator that the allowance for cabin baggage for internal flights in India is 5kg. This morning I did a test weigh of the kit to go into the cabin to see if there was a problem. I'm planning to take my Z7ii/Z 24-120 and a D500/200-500. The total weight was about 8kg with nothing else. The question is 'what do I do?' My initial thoughts are these a) pack the D500 body in checked luggage which has a T.S.A approved padlock and hope that it doesn't get 'lost'. b) Sell the 200-500 lens and get a combination which might be lighter e.g 1.4TC with 100-400 c) bite the bullet and pay the excess charges on the grounds that i) I know that everything will be safer in the cabin and ii) I'm very unlikely to go to go to India again so pay up to get photos I won't ever get a chance to take again d) pair the D500 with a TC and my 70-300 4.5/5.6. I see this as a last resort as it appears that the D500/200-500 is one of the best combination to use on safari. I also plan to use it for airshows but this is a minor consideration. There may be other options and I'd be delighted as ever to hear them. I'm retired on a fixed income so if I can avoid buying yet more kit (it would have to be secondhand) then so much the better. Thanks for taking the time to read all of this. Kind regards
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Are you certain about that reading? I would be surprised if that kit weighed 8kg. In fact I would have thought it would be within the 5kg limit.
 
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Alistair said:
Are you certain about that reading? I would be surprised if that kit weighed 8kg. In fact I would have thought it would be within the 5kg limit.
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The carry-on case with the kit came to 7.81 kg. The 200-500 lens in its Ape Case alone came to 2kg. I like the idea of the Domke jacket. The other thing that I might consider is trying to get a lighter carry-on case although I'm not certain how much weight this might save.
 
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For a domestic flight in Costa Rica in a small plane with a limit on carry on, I purchased a seat for my camera pack. But after being present and watching the crew load baggage, I would take Steve's advice and feel safe checking it. Never being out of sight gives great confidence.
 
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EarthImages said:
For a domestic flight in Costa Rica in a small plane with a limit on carry on, I purchased a seat for my camera pack. But after being present and watching the crew load baggage, I would take Steve's advise and feel safe checking it. Never being out of sight gives great confidence.
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My gear has resided in the bottom of those little planes more than once :)
 
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Not just for this trip but for a long term carrying solution, it might make sense to ditch the F mount 200-500 and replace it with a Z mount 100-400 Nikon or 150-500 Tamron. Either of these will be lighter, sharper, and allow you to eliminate the added weight and bulk of the FTZ adaptor.

When I bought my Z8 last year, I sold all my F mount gear and started building up Z lenses one at a time, since I did not want to bother with the adaptor.
 
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In my experience with flying into and around India, I found the camera bag/electronics security checks to be thorough, i.e., open everything and remove all. But I dont remember the weight checks. I did not cary a long lens and missed out on the Tiger shots, so I understand your dilemma. I can tell you it’s a bit hectic in and around the airports, so it’s best to be organized and ready roll when you get there.
 
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I worry about this weight limit. The only time I've had a problem was flying on Sri Lanka Airlines When I took their flight from Colombo to Kochi they never weighed my camera backpack which was close to 20 lbs. Then the agent in Kochi when we were flying back insisted on weighing it and said the limit was 7 kg. and that I'd have to check it. I told her no way because it had about $20,000 worth of equipment. She wasn't going to back down and neither was I. Then she said to put some equipment in my partner's bag. We turned our backs to her and started to do that but in fact he had no room. We already had our boarding passes so we just walked off. But very stressful. Now I'm super concerned. I bought a Think Tank Airport Advantage based on recommendations here and love it but it already weighs 2.68 kg. That doesn't leave a lot of weight left over for equipment. When I go to Costa Rica my plan will be to put the most essential equipment in it, and maybe push the weight limit a kilo or so. The rest I'll put in my checked lugged and have insurance that covers loss.
 
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Speaking of weight restrictions, I am looking for some advice. My wife and I travel with groups that are not photography focused. For many years I carried a couple of point and shoot Canon cameras. Now that I’m hooked on bird photograph, I like to take a camera that is capable of getting some decent shots of birds and animals, but small and light enough to fit I’m my carry on (along with “Meds” and other necessities required by an old man). I packed my Z8 with the 100-400, along with my Z6ll and 24-200 for Africa, and it made for a heavy carry on. Fortunately, I was able to persuade our guide to carry my bag on the aircraft, thus working around the weight restrictions.

However, I’d like a smaller, lighter kit. Ive been shooting Sony gear recently, and tried the Sony 70-350 cropped sensor lens on my a1 and found it works pretty well. The lens is tiny and gets you out to 500+ mm in crop mode. So my question is this: Has anyone tried the Sony a6700 body and what do you think about the view finder and rear screen. I hear the viewfinder and screen are not good. But, if people are satisfied with the a6700, I’d pick one up and take the a6700, 70-350, and 16-55 on my next trip… and feel a bit more comfortable around the rest of the tour group who are using mobile phones for photography.

I'm not interested in adding another system like a micro 4/3rd, just hoping that someone has had success with a a6700.
 
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Many thanks for all of your comments. They're very much appreciated. I think that the solution will be to get a vest made by someone like Domke or Rothco and put the bodies in that and the lenses in the carry-on case. I had thought about putting the large lens in the checked-in and relying on insurance if it got lost. However, the baggage allowance for checked-in on internal flights is only 15kg which I'll need for clothes and toilet paper which I've been told must be taken as in some places it's not available.
 
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There is often a choice of aircraft to get to a particular destination. We fly into San Jose Costa Rica on a large passenger jet and then rent a car and drive to our planned stops. I cancelled a trip to Osa by plane when the agent told me that the photo gear would need to checked and that they could not guarantee our checked baggage would arrive on the same flight but might not arrive until the following day. As we needed to get picked up at the small airport that was not an option.

The same with flying to photograph the Spirit Bears in Canada where a leg required flying on a very small plane with restrictions on baggage carried on. I decided to not go and avoid the risk. Arriving at a destination and finding gear missing or damaged can kill a trip at the onset. I have come very close on enough trips to give it serious consideration when planning a trip. If using a guide we arrive two days early so if something goes sideways we have a good chance of still connecting with the guide on schedule.

Flying out of the King Salmon airport to Anchorage our checked luggage was off loaded to make room for more fish and so we had to spend the night in Anchorage and return to the airport the next day when our luggage arrived to pick it up. If we were not in control of our travel we would have been in a world of hurt as we would have missed a cruise ship departure or that of a tour group. One reason why we try to avoid tours.

As I mentioned, in all my travel I have never had myself and my carry-on bags actually weighed except on 3 occasions with very small aircraft. All the airlines I have used to fly to Asia have a 7.5 kg limit but I have never seen it actually enforced by the gate agents. How an airline operates varies widely. In the USA all my problem interactions with their gate agents and restrictions on baggage dimensions (OK for a golf bag but would block a backpack) were with United Airlines and so I quickly learned to chose alternative carriers whenever possible.
 
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I went on a photo tour and the leader travels internationally about 200 days/year and brings a lot of equipment. He says he puts lenses (not bodies) in his checked bag and hasn't had a problem. His perspective is that the electronics/bodies is where you have troubles with thefts. Not sure I'd try this, but thought I'd pass it along if you decided to check something.
 
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Calson said:
There is often a choice of aircraft to get to a particular destination. We fly into San Jose Costa Rica on a large passenger jet and then rent a car and drive to our planned stops. I cancelled a trip to Osa by plane when the agent told me that the photo gear would need to checked and that they could not guarantee our checked baggage would arrive on the same flight but might not arrive until the following day. As we needed to get picked up at the small airport that was not an option.

The same with flying to photograph the Spirit Bears in Canada where a leg required flying on a very small plane with restrictions on baggage carried on. I decided to not go and avoid the risk. Arriving at a destination and finding gear missing or damaged can kill a trip at the onset. I have come very close on enough trips to give it serious consideration when planning a trip. If using a guide we arrive two days early so if something goes sideways we have a good chance of still connecting with the guide on schedule.

Flying out of the King Salmon airport to Anchorage our checked luggage was off loaded to make room for more fish and so we had to spend the night in Anchorage and return to the airport the next day when our luggage arrived to pick it up. If we were not in control of our travel we would have been in a world of hurt as we would have missed a cruise ship departure or that of a tour group. One reason why we try to avoid tours.

As I mentioned, in all my travel I have never had myself and my carry-on bags actually weighed except on 3 occasions with very small aircraft. All the airlines I have used to fly to Asia have a 7.5 kg limit but I have never seen it actually enforced by the gate agents. How an airline operates varies widely. In the USA all my problem interactions with their gate agents and restrictions on baggage dimensions (OK for a golf bag but would block a backpack) were with United Airlines and so I quickly learned to chose alternative carriers whenever possible.
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Funny you should say you have had issues with United. Generally they are considered to be one of the most lenient. Two weeks in Africa with clothes and photo gear (granted only one Nikon body--family trip not photo trip) was able to carry on with me for United flight until I got to Lufthansa flight in Frankfurt, then had to check one bag even though I got complimentary Premium Economy. Two weeks in Australia with clothes and photo gear--United all the way and never checked a bag. Went to Asia for 3 weeks last fall. Had to fly EVA, but if it had been Untied am quite sure I would not have had to check a bag and would have had no issue. United is considered to be one of the most lenient airlines when it comes to carry-on. (One of the reasons it take so long to board their planes.) There are gate agents who will sometimes give you a hard time, but generally they do not. I now have life time status, but for above flights I did not. Life time status does not make me immune from rogue agents going forward.
 
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Calson said:
I have used my Domke Photographers jacket with its very large pockets to carry lenses and speedlight onto a plane. It is 100% cotton and not waterproof at all so I added an unlined British game jacket that has large pockets for shotgun shells and these hold large items. In the Domke there is a rear pocket large enough for 70-200mm f/2.8 lens and inner pockets for a pro camera body and small lens and the front outside pockets can hold a 14-24mm f/2.8 and a 24-120mm lens.

After I board the plane I stuff the jacket with its contents into a nook in the overhead bin and it can fit places that a conventional piece of luggage could not. When I get to my destination I move the gear from the jacket to the backpack as its weight no longer matters.

I have flown in small planes where baggage weight was limited but not the weight of passengers that weighed 50 kilos more than I did.

Worst case is to gate check a bag so it does not go through the TSA people and so theft is greatly reduced as is damage to the bag. Last on and first off works quite well.

I have only been actually weighed along with my carry-on bags on three occasions. Once flying from Guam to Palau and once flying from Fiji to an outer island and once when flying from the King Salmon airport to Brooks Falls. Never in my flights to Asia or South America has the carry-on weight limit been enforced by the airline personnel at the boarding gate.
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I do the same as you. in my last trip to Africa. i carried in my jacket ( I have the same one as you) all my batteries ( 4 for the Z9 and 5 for the Z8, Grip for the Z8, all the chargers, my z105 macro, a power bank, 4 Sandisk drives for backup, memory cards, two memory card readers. Medication for malaria and others stuff for Africa, and other accessory. The Weigh of my jacket alone was 9 kilos. It was so heavy on me. Nobody asked me questions and I was able to get all my camera gear with me. I only checked my monopod and its head.
for my next trip, I will do the same. This jacquet is a must for me When I travel
 
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I like the idea of the Domke jacket. However, it seems to be almost impossible to get one, certainly in the U.K. It seems that Tiffen are the distributors for Domke but they've advised that they don't know when the jackets will be available which might indicate that they've been discontinued. I've seen vests which have had good reviews. However, some of the dealers I've messaged, mainly in the U.S, have said that they don't ship to the U.K. I'm be very grateful if anyone can let me have the name of a retailer which still sells the Domke jacket.
 
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Erasmus667 said:
I like the idea of the Domke jacket. However, it seems to be almost impossible to get one, certainly in the U.K. It seems that Tiffen are the distributors for Domke but they've advised that they don't know when the jackets will be available which might indicate that they've been discontinued. I've seen vests which have had good reviews. However, some of the dealers I've messaged, mainly in the U.S, have said that they don't ship to the U.K. I'm be very grateful if anyone can let me have the name of a retailer which still sells the Domke jacket.
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B&H carries them......and say they ship to the UK.................
 
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