mackphotos Loc: Washington, DC

Delta has agreed to pay to damages:
See petapixel 6/29/2017 blog post.

mackphotos Loc: Washington, DC

Link to camera damage blog post
https://petapixel.com/2017/06/29/delta-airlines-8000-damage-camera-gear/

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

A very long journey, but I hope you are pleased with the ultimate result.
You were 800x more patient than I would have been. /Ralph

Marionsho Loc: Kansas

Good thing they are going to pay. Must have been extremely frustrating to go thru.
I admire your patients. I'm so glad I seldom fly anymore.
Marion

krl48 Loc: NY, PA now SC

I'm happy this has worked out for you. It raises the question of whether, had the same damage happened to the gear of someone who wasn't a Delta Silver Medallion flyer, would the outcome have been the same?

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Too much drama...

jcboy3

I see two lessons:

1. Make sure you get your gear into an overhead bin, even if you have to wait at the back of the plane for everyone to find their seat. The amount of time you spent dealing with this issue is HUGE compared to that small delay. And really, get on the plane as early as you can.

2. Do not under any circumstance travel with a lens mounted on a camera, especially not a huge telephoto that with the slightest provocation (you can, in fact, drop your own bag accidentally) will rip the mount from your camera.

These are the rules I follow, plus this one:

3. If possible, be sure that you can separate the expensive from expendible in the event you have to downsize carry on gear. For example, I travel with a roller bag carrying cameras/lenses and flash gear. The camera/lenses are in one case, the flash gear in another, and all in a roller. Not all planes can accomodate a roller bag (think small regional flights) and I have many times pulled the camera/lens bag and gate-checked the rest.
This probably won't help with your 500mm lens, but who knows.

If you're really going to be checking gear, get a Pelican style case. I have several, don't travel with them often, but with the new TSA restrictions I might start again. Of course, that will also mean upgrading insurance coverage to cover damage by gorillas (or am I slighting gorillas by comparing them to airport baggage handlers?...yes, I beleive so).

I saw baggage handlers drop and run over 2 guitar cases from one flight.

"The farm...immediately" - A Boy and His Dog

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

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