Hey guys a mistake happened and now I have to travel with 6 bodies and 6 lenses on round trip flight (4 total flights) most of which being baby planes. Any advice on traveling with them and what to say so my pelican doesn’t get gate checked?
Make sure your pelican fits the carry on sizes. Make sure you’re not flying on any E-145 or CRJ-200/700 or similar tiny planes because many of them cannot even fit a normal roller bag in overhead in which case you may need to “valet check” which is only slightly better than “gate check”… they still take your bags and put them in the cargo hold, but instead of having to pick them up at baggage claim, you’ll pick them up at the end of the jetway when you get off the plane. (and sometimes they’ll just gate check). A standard roller bag or pelican 1510 will fit into the overhead of a E-175 and maybe a CRJ-900 but space is limited so get on the plane as early as you can, if you’re not in premium boarding, be a jerk and camp at the line until the millisecond they call your boarding group. But keep in mind that I’ve seen situations where they’ve just said “we’re making everyone gate check cause we’re tight on time to board” so you may end up being forced to check regardless (you can try to play oblivious and get the tag and try to bring your bag onto the plane and it may still work but you can get shut down).
Keep in mind you’re allowed one overhead and one under seat… so if you can break up the equipment that way and check your cloths (which worst case you can buy at your destination if that gets lost).
Look into if you can rent some equipment on location. It might not be bad to investigate what your options are for renting at your destination, just incase something does happen in travel.
If you have an iPhone get some AirTags to put in the case. If you’re android, check out Tile trackers.
Check exactly what type of aircraft you are flying on. Embraer ERJ 170s and 175s (65-76 seats) have bins large enough that most normal-sized carryons will fit. E145s and CRJ-200s (50 seats) are tiny with tiny bins and almost no normal-sized carryons fit, they are usually valet checked and given back on the jetbridge. CRJ-700s and CRJ-900s (65-79 seats) are somewhere in the middle and smaller rollarboards may be OK.
If more than one regional jet flies to your airports and you are able to switch flights to one operated by an ERJ 170 or ERJ175 or a mainline aircraft (Airbus, Boeing) you will be much better off.
I travel with a Backlight 26L camera bag and it fits under airplane seats. If your lenses are small, you might be able to get three camera/lens combos in one. Then you might be able to fit the other three into a smaller rollarboard.
This. Two smaller bags or backpack and bag, each with 3x bodies/lenses. Bodies without lenses pack pretty compact, lenses just depend on size, obviously. They should be small enough to fit under the seat or overhead in a CRJ. One can go into a rollaboard, set up so you can pull it and keep it if forced to gate-check. As others noted, say ‘lithium batteries’ if hassled, but don’t say ‘huge amounts’, airlines have a max amount you’re allowed to carry on, though it’s rarely enforced.
Ship it.
I can’t they’re rentals and the timeline makes it nearly impossible. They got shipped to my city instead of the one I’m working in and the person who did it is basically like “oh well” after I told them the cameras can’t come to my city
Hell, buy 2 seats and twice the carryon for such a high paying gig that needs 6 goddamn cameras and flies you out as the expert. And bill it to the client/whoever fucked up gear shipping.
Consider a carnet if you’re flying internationally - 6 bodies won’t look great to customs if you don’t have one