Pending Airline Ban on Electronics - including Cameras! This afternoon, a ban was initiated for a number of airlines flying into the US from the Middle East and North Africa, for any...

d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA

This afternoon, a ban was initiated for a number of airlines flying into the US from the Middle East and North Africa, for any electronics larger than a mobile phone. A CNN.com article is posted here, for your review and convenience: http://money.cnn.com/2017/03/21/news/airline-electronics-ban-explainer/index.html

The article goes on to say that the UK is looking at also copying this practice.

It is not time to panic, but it is something to carefully monitor. The damned airlines lose, have frequent thefts and generally bash luggage now; what would they do to protect large volume camera gear, if this is more generally adopted?

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

d2b2 wrote:

; what would they do to protect large volume camera gear, if this is more generally adopted?

A Pelican case with a TSA compliant lock and a bluetooth tracer.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Better update your camera insurance and review the documentation that actually proves you packed your camera in a check-in bag. When airport baggage personnel handle your bags, do they scan and put secret marks on certain bags so their buddies know which to steal from?

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

A Pelican case with a TSA compliant lock and a bluetooth tracer.

Good choice. Another option is to ship it ahead, insured, by Fedex to your destination. I did that with luggage as well. It really speeds up getting through an airport.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I've done that a few times. It seems to alert the TSA agents of something suspicious when one is traveling somewhere for an extended period of time and not taking any luggage. Perhaps it was my truthful answer inferring that I shipped it ahead with a reputable carrier, to prevent their associates from stealing anything, that irked them.
--Bob

BBurns wrote:

Good choice. Another option is to ship it ahead, insured, by Fedex to your destination. I did that with luggage as well. It really speeds up getting through an airport.

d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA

rmalarz wrote:

I've done that a few times. It seems to alert the TSA agents of something suspicious when one is traveling somewhere for an extended period of time and not taking any luggage. Perhaps it was my truthful answer inferring that I shipped it ahead with a reputable carrier, to prevent their associates from stealing anything, that irked them.
--Bob

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

BBurns wrote:

Good choice. Another option is to ship it ahead, insured, by Fedex to your destination. I did that with luggage as well. It really speeds up getting through an airport.

Hi,

I have considered this many times but have not done it. It obviously worked for you? Were you sending it to a hotel? I'm just afraid it will get lost. Would appreciate your thoughts on this.

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

via the lens wrote:

Hi, I have considered this........ Would appreciate your thoughts on this.

You have a number of options. The safest is to a Fedex office. I have shipped directly to a hotel many times with no Issues. It is wise to call the hotel manager in advance to give them notice of the inbound. I did a lot of travel for work and sometimes had it sent directly to the facility I would be at. Logistics to keep in mind are things like when you arrive, is the facility open, are they closed on Sunday, etc. You pay a healthy price but the piece of mind is worth it.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

BBurns wrote:

You have a number of options. The safest is to a Fedex office. I have shipped directly to a hotel many times with no Issues. It is wise to call the hotel manager in advance to give them notice of the inbound. I did a lot of travel for work and sometimes had it sent directly to the facility I would be at. Logistics to keep in mind are things like when you arrive, is the facility open, are they closed on Sunday, etc. You pay a healthy price but the piece of mind is worth it.

Thanks for your info; I might actually do this next time instead of just consider it!

fuminous Loc: Luling, LA... for now...

I got tangled up in the Istanbul airport attack last year and was forced to check my carry-on bag- which included cameras, several lenses, hard-drives, cards and flashes, laptop... and two bags of pralines from New Orleans. THIRTY-NINE days later, well into the replacement process- and publicly posting my unhappiness on Turkish Airline's Facebook page... I got everything back - everything... except the pralines...

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

d2b2 wrote:

This afternoon, a ban was initiated for a number o... (show quote)

If you are not flying into the US from the Middle East and North Africa what do you care?

mainshipper Loc: Hernando, Florida

d2b2 wrote:

This afternoon, a ban was initiated for a number o... (show quote)

Remember, for now this is just on flights from certain countries and certain airports with a direct US flight. I just returned to Orlando from Dubai on Monday and am glad I was ahead of this change as I was carrying a backpack w/laptop and a shoulder bag with all my camera gear. On this trip I had eleven different flights in SE Asia and had no issues with checked or carry on luggage. I generally put a plastic tie on the zippers just to let me know if someone opened the bag. I really hope that this about security and not about the airlines from these countries being subsidized by the government which is not liked by the US/UK airlines. I cringe when I have to fly on a US carrier and try to only fly Southwest as they still have some semblance of customer focus. The airlines targeted in this ruling offer superior service at a reasonable price and I will continue to fly them as long as I can.

mainshipper Loc: Hernando, Florida

billnikon wrote:

If you are not flying into the US from the Middle East and North Africa what do you care?

It might spread and never go away like the shoes off policy.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

This ban is only for the 6 countries that the government says terrorists are coming from.

berchman Loc: South Central PA

nimbushopper wrote:

This ban is only for the 6 countries that the government says terrorists are coming from.

No it's not. It includes Turkey which is not one of the six countries.