I am flying on Emirate Airlines to South Africa for 12 days, two of which will be in an open vehicle on safari, and they have a strict one bag rule in the cabin. One, not a carry-on and a personal item, only one bag on board with a weight limit of 15#. I am stressing about putting bubble wrapped items in the belly of the plane, even with additional insurance on them. My list contains two bodies, two 28-135mm lenses, one 100-400mm lens, a 100-300mm lens, an a 20mm lens, plus batteries, chargers, etc. In addition I will have my Mac for transferring images nightly. In the bag it weighs about 25#, and to get the things I need on the long flight, Kindle, inflatable pillow, eye covers, sani-wipes, ect. I cannot take it all on board. I will be wearing a photo vest, and could put some lenses in the pocket, but I cannot get all equipment in the vest and camera backpack. After boarding the plane it will be necessary to move items from the pockets into the backpack, and there will not be room along with my other things. Should I cut out one 28-135 lens? Should I opt for the lighter 100-300mm lens? Shall I eliminate the 20mm lens? I need advice from others who have encountered a similar situation. I have called Emirate to double check and see if they have special rules for photo equipment, and the answer has been no twice. There is always a chance they will not weigh it, but it they did I would be in trouble. Please advice.

I am flying on Emirate Airlines to South Africa for 12 days, two of which will be in an open vehicle on safari, and they have a strict one bag rule in the cabin. One, not a carry-on and a personal item, only one bag on board with a weight limit of 15#. I am stressing about putting bubble wrapped items in the belly of the plane, even with additional insurance on them. My list contains two bodies, two 28-135mm lenses, one 100-400mm lens, a 100-300mm lens, an a 20mm lens, plus batteries, chargers, etc. In addition I will have my Mac for transferring images nightly. In the bag it weighs about 25#, and to get the things I need on the long flight, Kindle, inflatable pillow, eye covers, sani-wipes, ect. I cannot take it all on board. I will be wearing a photo vest, and could put some lenses in the pocket, but I cannot get all equipment in the vest and camera backpack. After boarding the plane it will be necessary to move items from the pockets into the backpack, and there will not be room along with my other things. Should I cut out one 28-135 lens? Should I opt for the lighter 100-300mm lens? Shall I eliminate the 20mm lens? I need advice from others who have encountered a similar situation. I have called Emirate to double check and see if they have special rules for photo equipment, and the answer has been no twice. There is always a chance they will not weigh it, but it they did I would be in trouble. Please advice.

You posited a scenario with very specific constraints which do not leave a lot of available options for people to suggest. There are NO options which would meet your obviously preferred solution - let me take it all in the cabin - within your original parameters of specific airline and seating class, with the limits those impose. Those options which WERE suggested are about all that's left, and after they were offered you then added ADDITIONAL constraints which make some of the options non-starters.

So one wonders - what "types of comments" DID you expect, given the decision box you set up in the first place? It looks like the ones you got pretty well exhaust the options.

That upgrade would cost $5,000 business classs and $16,000 first class each way. I looked into that option last June.

I traveled Orlando JFK, Dubai, Johannesburg on Air Emeritus a380a. Fantastic flights.

My daughter and I checked on one bag but each carried on two bags. I had two camera back packs. No problem and they did not weigh our carry on bags.

Return flight JBurg, Dubai, Orlando. In Dubai I had to turn in all electronics before boarding. I could bring my cell phone. They packed my cameras in a sealed box which was returned to me in Orlando. I did keep my memory cards with me.

I take all my crap with me and have not yet considered putting it all into the luggage....I am in your camp.
The vest is a good idea. If you are travelling with others, have a distribution plan to even the weight if needed (vest, friends purse etc).


GET ON EARLY ...be first to line up for your zone. Worst case scenario is having to skycheck your luggage at the gate due to no overhead space (and the equip you are describing likely wont fit under the seat)....I would not get on the flight at that point (15k of equipment in my Lowepro Protastic450....great bag but long lenses will still get damaged as it is being tossed around by the baggage handlers.

You may want to consider a hybrid solution if you are not travelling with a friend.
Bubble pack your redundant body and lens (make sure they are seperated and packed individually otherwise you create a stress point at the mount).
Carry the rest.if you lose the redundant stuff...you will still have a great photography trip.
...and split the accessories between carryon and packed. Same reason.

I went to Hawaii and Jamaica this year and took most of my crap with me. 2/3 bodies 5 lenses. Flashes, tripod, laptop, backup HD, lots of accessories...lunatic :-)

All worked out as I travelled with my wife and a 2nd pack. I think I may have packed 1 lens in the end.

...and used them all :-)

Totally agree with this suggestion. No need for more than the two lenses. On safari I would use 2 bodies so no lens changes. On my last safari I used the 100-400 for 99% of my shots.

I have no experience with your airline, but encountered the same type of restrictions on 6 internal flights in South Africa using 5 different airlines. In one instance my solution was to strap the 100-400 lens in its case to my belt, thus removing it and its weight from my carry-on. As it turned out not once was my bag weighed and the majority of passengers on all of the airlines had far larger carry-ons than I did. Lots of worry and concern for nothing.