wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

I also work for a retailer and will confirm that your assessment the majority of people are honest is correct. But why play the odds if one doesn't have to or want to? Most of us just don't want to play the odds no matter how small they are. It would cost more in time and money for me than what is required for preventive action.

Eberhard Brunner Loc: Alaska

I travel regular and my experience with air lines is not the best. Last year my luggage was lost on the flight from Anchorage to Europe.
It had very expensive binoculars stolen on a flight from Amsterdam to Seattle.I had shoes lifted on a flight to Nairobi. I lost stuff while flying to remote sites in Alaska.Trust my words. In a short time all airlines will have the same restriction as the 1o airlines I mentioned. Blame ISIS.

avmoran Loc: Maryland

I check no cameras. I have special backpack for cameras and equipment that also has room for laptop and tablets

ragatazz Loc: Michigan

I would NEVER trust checked baggage. If not for the theft factor, I saw from my window as we were waiting to get off the airplane, one of the baggage attendants kick a back so hard, it busted opened. Then they just shoved all the things back inside of it and threw the open luggage on the buggy.

Veccia Capra Loc: Alabama

"So - we all need to avoid traveling to those places that require it? Maybe that is the purpose for the new rules?"

No, the reason for the ban was intelligence gathered during a raid in the region that indicated the bad buys intend to use electronic gear to house their newest nefarious terrorist tools.

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

It would be just as easy to remove the items from checked baggage, install their nefarious terrorist tools and put it back into the check baggage. The checked baggage might get delayed and sent on another flight. But remember where there is a will there is a way.

rugerbearcat Loc: Newport Beach, Calif.

Nope. Carry on.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

Not as long as they put a $500 liability limit on a checked bag!

Shutterbugsailer Loc: Staten Island NY (AKA Cincinnati by the Sea)

Would you trust Michael Jackson to be Your sons's cub scout troop leader?

Dun1 Loc: Atlanta, GA

I worked at the airport for several years, on most of the majority of smaller planes the luggage is loaded directly from a bag cart into the airplane. That required employees to be in the cargo area to the airplane. So many times it provided opportunity for someone to open a bag to see it there was anything in the bag that was worth taking.
On larger planes and longer flights, luggage is placed in cans or containers to be placed in the cargo area, providing less opportunity to "bust open" luggage, almost everyone has seen the video that shows how to take a ball point pen or similar object and open the zipper.
I know one professional photographer who travels for photo shoots domestically and internationally. He usually has his equipment shipped by FedEx or UPS to an assistant, to the actual location of the shoot. The value in most instances of his equipment is over or near $50,000. No camera gear of course not photo shoot. On the other hand Trey Ratliff travels extensively and has no sophisticated camera bag, uses a simple back pack to carry his gear, never uses lens caps. A great portion of his camera bodies are mirrorless bodies and lenses that are much more compact and weigh less.
Transporting your camera equipment in a bag that meets air line carry-on requirements is an alternative. You must know the airlines size limitations.
In some instances now airlines give the customer the ability to track the location of a bag. In some instances if you arrive early enough you flight leaves at 10:30, and there is a flight destined to the same destination that might be leaving early, your bag may be placed on the earlier flight.
An old sage baggage manager was standing in the baggage office one day and middle aged lady walked in the said I can't find my bag. Trying to relive her frustration, he said "Maam, your bag always arrives before your, it's on the bottom of airplane, so it lands first, and is usually off the plane before you get to the baggage area. Her bags had arrived on an earlier light and been taken from the baggage turnstiles to be held until the flight she was on for her to claim
If you don't have deep pockets and your camera equipment is valuable enough, and you would fund the replacements if it were lost or stolen, you may wish to purchase some specific insurance, or check with your insurance provider to see what the limitations of your homeowner's insurance are.

DU WANT 1 2 Loc: West Virginia

Never! If no other alternative to hand carry, I ship my gear ahead of time with insurance as well as tracking. Even this is not certain, if the ship-to is a residence.

Jesterman

Quick answer NO!

kmielen Loc: Eastern NC

Six years later?
Quick?

2buckskin Loc: Wyoming

I agree with you, the airlines are now lowering the qualifications standards for pilots in the name of equality and diversity. It's scary and I'm done.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Absolutely NO!