[ramseybuckeye]

I've not had any problems, , I don't travel that much, but with cameras I've been through airports at Columbus and Dayton, Ohio, Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington DC a few times in the last couple of years. I've not had a problem. I have been designated TSA precheck on most if not all of those flights so that may have helped. At Dayton a few weeks ago they did make me take off the air boot I was wearing for a broken ankle, but they did not on the return trip from Reagan National.

[johnmflores]

I've been asked to step out of line into a little private room where a TSA agent inspected my bag and gave me a pat down.

I've had my camera bag pulled aside and inspected very carefully by a TSA agent.

A number of times I've had my bag given the special swab and tested on the spot for chemical residue.

[Kodiak]

I'm the notorious fellow member that expressed concerns about what I've been reading recently about disassembly and putting items loose in security bins. Based on such I'm probably just going to travel with a "good enough" super-zoom that I'm OK with getting knocked around. I'm not going to unpack my sole bag (I only ever travel with what fits in a 30L pack) and let TSA manhandle my DSLR gear*.

* All bets are off for those once-in-a-lifetime shooting locations. I'll probably take the risk then. For everything else, there's a cheap 1" super-zoom.

[MadMathMind]

I fly at least once a month. Only had to take stuff one once for an inspection. They didn't make it be rerun through the x-ray machine, merely wanted to look into the bag. Otherwise, never had an issue. Airports: Houston Hobby, Detroit, San Diego, Phoenix, LAX, Montreal, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta.

[aslyfox]

I'm the notorious fellow member that expressed concerns about what I've been reading recently about disassembly and putting items loose in security bins. Based on such I'm probably just going to travel with a "good enough" super-zoom that I'm OK with getting knocked around. I'm not going to unpack my sole bag (I only ever travel with what fits in a 30L pack) and let TSA manhandle my DSLR gear*.

* All bets are off for those once-in-a-lifetime shooting locations. I'll probably take the risk then. For everything else, there's a cheap 1" super-zoom.

" notorious "

not based on your behavior here at the forums

elsewhere ????

[Kodiak]

" notorious "

not based on your behavior here at the forums

elsewhere ????

Ha! You'd kept it vague (assuming to protect the identity of the foolish) in your OP when you alluded to another member mentioning new TSA problems. That's all. Tongue in cheek. Nothing about me is notorious on any front.

I still have concerns and think that if I'm not operating out of my own vehicle I'll probably be leaving the full DSLR behind - if not for the safety of the gear at least to save a few pounds!

[TwoUptons]

At the Rome airport in spring 2016, they had everyone put all of their electronics in a single clear bag.

That was a trick as the bag wasn’t very large and started splitting...

That’s about as weird as I’ve had it so far...

I’ve had more problems traveling with cheese than with cameras 🙂

-Eric

[KA5TXL]

I was on holidays in August/September and took 10 separate flights. No security screening issues with my camera gear (two film bodies & four lenses) and this included flights into/out of the USA. Everything was left in my carry-on camera bag for the pass through the x-ray machine.

My x-ray proof pouch containing my film was another story.

Phil.

@ Phil, what is this film of which you speak? 8-)

[pakinjapan]

from what I remember, any where i go, my laptop and large tablet need to be in separate bins. My camera and lenses are ok to be in a backpack. I only have one body and 2 lenes with me at max anyway. Some airport ask me to remove belt. Milano-Malpensa asked me to remove shoes. [hopefully I could keep my socks on!] I guess now, many large airport use full body scanners. it helps safe a lot of their time and everyone else time too.

[aslyfox]

thanks for all responses

I would suggest that if you carry on your photography equipment when you fly, you consider the Precheck program

https://www.tsa.gov/precheck

if you are here in the US and your local Airport uses it, some don't,

to avoid this:

TSA Requires a Separate Screening of Cameras in Airports Now

" There’s no change to what can be brought through checkpoints, so you’ll be able to still carry the same camera equipment onto your flight. Also, if you are enrolled in TSA’s PreCheck program, you won’t be required to remove cameras and other electronics from your bag. "

there is a fee and procedure you must endure, currently precheck last 5 years

I also check any tripod or monopod with my other luggage, so far no problems with doing that.

plan ahead, even with precheck and consider placing your lenses in clear plastic bags before attempting to go through security and then remove the plastic bags afterwards

you might go as far as to take photos of the gear before you leave on your trip to show, if necessary, any damage that happens during inspection was not preexisting

finally investigate the costs of any add on program that allows you to be one of the earliest boarders to grab your proper share of the overhead bin space. You can't help if the bins are too small but if you are toward the back of the line entering the plane you might find the same guy I did who claimed three bins on an international flight leaving no space for others.

[dstar]

I just back from vacation fly from USA to Italy and return to USA
My K3 with 2 lenses and charger for camera battery and i pad was in my backpack all time
nobody look camera or accessory small box /battery filters /only was asking show ipad and turn on
Not in US or Italy even did search my back back.I use pacsafe backpack /

[alamo5000]

I guess it all depends on where you are going and how often you do it. I am known to kind of fly by the seat of my pants when I go places. IE 'hey, I hear XXXX is nice this time of year, you should go...' and then 3 days later I am on a plane going to XXXX...

I have also done a lot of international travel. In fact primarily international travel. For me my biggest problems always results in size and weight. As soon as you land in another country all those TSA rules no longer apply that much. Especially if you are flying between two international destinations.

I would probably say my biggest 'fear' which ultimately turned out to be nothing was when I booked a puddle jumper from Manila to another outer island in the Philippines. To say that the overhead compartment was small is an understatement. You could probably fit a woman's purse up there but not much else. Fortunately I stuffed my bag under the seat as best as I could while hiding from the cabin crew.

The biggest problems I personally have ran into is when you fly overseas from the US they give you tons of weight limit and baggage. However when you catch a flight from that city to a third destination your total baggage limit gets chopped in half.

I have been through a lot of airports and nobody has ever gave me trouble over what I was carrying, only how much of it. Yes I have had to take things out of the bag or turn my camera on to prove that it's real... or remove my laptop or any number of things like that. It basically boils down to where and how you are going to travel. Every country is going to be a little different. The only commonality is that they will nail you if your stuff is too heavy or if you have too many bags or whatever.

In my case for the non essential gear don't get too attached to things. I have left some otherwise pretty good stuff or gave it away to people on my journeys. If you stay in a similar weather countries then you can plan for what to pack. Otherwise you will need to give stuff away, mail things home, and/or shop for new things at other destinations.

[Evie]

I have not flown very recently (only in spring), but I fly both through US and international airports and cannot have pre-check. I usually ask if I have to take the camera off (usually they ask that more in Europe) or simply take it off. The only time they asked to pull out the lenses was when I was moving to different country and was bringing my 8 or so lenses together. But had to pull them out to one separate box, and did not need to detach the one on camera. I recently bought a backpack which has a separate zipper and compartment (which can be removed, btw) for the camera, so for me it is more difficult to stuff the laptop back in, when the backpack is full, than to remove/pack back the camera and lenses.

[aslyfox]

just read an article regarding the new " smart " luggage

Can?t remove the lithium battery from your smart luggage? Consider it grounded. - The Washington Post

and found the link to this

New TSA rule: All electronics must go in screening bins - The Washington Post

" What do cameras, e-readers, Game Boys, tablets, CPAP machines, DVD players and Barbie B-Books have in common? They are all electronics that go on vacation and must now join laptops in the security checkpoint bins.

Since July, travelers at 10 airports have been removing electronics larger than cellphones, as part of the Transportation Security Administration’s security enhancement plan. (The airports are in Colorado Springs; Detroit; Boise, Idaho; Phoenix; Boston; Los Angeles; Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Fla.; Las Vegas; Lubbock County, Tex.; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.) Now, it’s the rest of the country’s turn. Over the next few weeks and months, TSA will introduce the procedure at airports around the nation; the three Washington-area airports have already converted several security lanes. The agency installed signage to help travelers, though the practice will ring familiar to most passengers. . . .

Members of Pre-Check, the trusted-traveler program, are exempt from the new rule "

so be prepared to remove your cameras ( and lenses ??? ) in the check in line unless you are

1 enrolled in Pre-Check

TSA Pre✓® | Transportation Security Administration

2 hope the air port has such a line operating

[aslyfox]

another issue possibly affecting you and your equipment when flying:

air lines enforcing carry on weight limits:

" . . . Australian airline Qantas (QUBSF) is cracking down on people who travel with heavy carry-on bags, according to a report published this week by Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph. Passengers whose bags exceed the airline’s carry-on weight limit — 7 kilograms (15.4 pounds) — will be forced to gate-check them. . . .

Weight limits on carry-on luggage may seem a tad unusual to American travelers. Stateside, Hawaiian Airlines (HA) and Frontier Airlines are the only two major U.S. carriers to list limits on how heavy carry-on items may be — 25 pounds and 35 pounds respectively . . .

Overseas though, weight restrictions are fairly standard. Indeed, most international airlines based outside the U.S. have some sort of weight limit, including popular carriers such as Lufthansa (DLAKY) British Airways (UK:IAG) KLM (KLMR) Air France (AFLYY) and All Nippon Airways (JP:9202) These rules are also commonplace among budget carriers —besides Frontier, Ryanair (MX:RYAN) WOW Air and Norwegian Air all have limits in place.

Nevertheless, an airline actually enforcing its carry-on weight restrictions across most of its itineraries is somewhat unusual. “Lots of airlines have carry-on weight limits that either aren’t enforced or are enforced inconsistently,” said Brian Sumers, senior aviation business editor at travel website Skift. Some airlines only weigh carry-on luggage if a passenger checks in with an agent at the airport rather than online.

‘There is no end to the race to the bottom

But that spotty enforcement doesn’t mean such policies won’t become more prevalent, . . . "

link:

This airline is now weighing passengers? carry-on luggage

so if your carry on has more than your photography equipment ( or yours is heavy ) you might be forced to gate check