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flying with gear 2015


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flying in the u.s. with my gear soon and it's been a while. was planning to take or-30 mixer bag lightly stuffed as my carry-on and a medium laptop bag on wheels (planning to stuff underneith seat in front) with boom mic, wireless link, erx's, batteries, etc for quick setup if required when we land. will pack the checked bag with cables, chargers, bu gear, etc.google searched the topic and came across great advice including this discussion on batteries - great tips! http://http://jwsoundgroup.net/index.php?/topic/21016-worldwide-lithium-ion-battery-air-travel-regulations/

 

will definitely print out the latest rules on batts and carry with me.

 

in some of the other discussions, it was mentioned a boom pole can be carried on under the regulations for tripods - still possible? was planning to check one and carry on the shortest one i have.

 

any tips/tricks/suggestions on anything for air travel as of late?

 

-Ken

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warning, Delta now has a smaller size luggage template at gates for carry on size for non first class passengers.  Also, they are very arbitrary on who gets to bring a carry on at all.  If you are an economy class passenger, and are not early, they can and do refuse a lot of carry ons  that are small enough to comply with their template..

This also occurs if you are in the over the wing rows, because those bins are the ones the cabin crew uses.

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warning, Delta now has a smaller size luggage template at gates for carry on size for non first class passengers.  Also, they are very arbitrary on who gets to bring a carry on at all.  If you are an economy class passenger, and are not early, they can and do refuse a lot of carry ons  that are small enough to comply with their template..

This also occurs if you are in the over the wing rows, because those bins are the ones the cabin crew uses.

good point - preparing to gate check accordingly. thanks for the input!

 

-Ken

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Just flew with Delta yesterday and there was a guy at the gate force-checking everyone's bags. But remember, you cannot allow them to check a bag full of lithium ion NPs. I just politely said 'I'll hang onto this one, thanks' and there was no argument. Easy breezy. Also, if you haven't done it yet, I highly encourage TSA Pre. 2 minutes through security. No gear tear downs, no belt removal, just breeze through.

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Just flew with Delta yesterday and there was a guy at the gate force-checking everyone's bags. But remember, you cannot allow them to check a bag full of lithium ion NPs. I just politely said 'I'll hang onto this one, thanks' and there was no argument. Easy breezy. Also, if you haven't done it yet, I highly encourage TSA Pre. 2 minutes through security. No gear tear downs, no belt removal, just breeze through.

 

Haha nice.

 

+1 TSA Pre. TSA Security checks are a breeze that way!

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+1 for global entry, which also gives you Tsa pre check domestically. My home airport is small so I always fly express jets to bigger connections. Thus there's always an issue with my 1510 carry on which is practically handcuffed to me. Somehow I've always managed to get it on the plane with me after explaining how sensitive and expensive the equipment is! Good luck with your gig!

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For the international travelers, or those who travel domestic frequently, I recommend Global Entry. All the bennies of TSA PreCheck, but with expedited customs too...

 

http://www.dhs.gov/comparison-chart

 

<<U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents and citizens of certain other countries>>

 

And that list of certain other countries does not include mine. damn... 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I carried mine on no problem in my duffle bag with the mixer bag. it was a ktek traveler and fit well. I was all prepared to defend its right to be carried on and had no issues at all. I have heard stories of large poles carried on as well without issues.

-Ken

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Fact is you need to have a plan to check your boom pole/s. If you get a great TSA / security agent and they don't harass you then good for you. But you get someone with a power-trip complex or a shitty attitude and you'll be missing your flight while you take a cab to find a FedEx to mail it to your destination or find a bag to buy and check it safely. I always just check my poles. Remember, in the US the droolers sometimes consider it a potential 'clubbing weapon'. (if my loathing for the TSA isn't clear, feel free to insert it here)

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I just bought a great bag from 'Stand Bagger' called PRISM. Very well made, super easy transaction and fast shipping. I bought a 1m PVC plumbing pipe plus end caps to store my boom in (K-Tek K-152). Enough space in the bag to fit a stand, a backup pole, and any soft items (windjammer, Neopax belts etc).

As a bonus, I can pad it out with bulky winter clothes leaving me more room in my personal bag, or separate my dirty laundry from my clean.

Can't recommend this bag enough.

http://www.standbagger.com/products/prism/

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Yeah Boom poles have become an issue. I always check them in now as about 25% of the time I'm finding TSA agents are demanding it be checked for fear I may use it to crack someone's skull. Some of the remaining time when I was allowed to bring it carry on it was only after a long discussion involving supervisors that I was eventually allowed to bring it through. Not worth the time or trouble. My K-tek traveller collapses down small enough to fit into a medium sized suitcase. If I'm bringing slightly longer pole then if I'm traveling with the camera guys then my 12' normally fits into one of their tripod bags.

 

Also as I've mentioned on another thread- If you use Lav bullet make sure you check that too- if not that thing can cause you all kinds of problems with the TSA.

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I should clarify I flew with 2 poles, the shorter one being in my carry on duffle and my main pole in my checked suitcase. Maybe the pole conforming to standard size carry-on dim's helps i.e. The pole fits in that size chart thing at the gate. And maybe being all inside a dufflebag helps.

-Ken

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If you check your boom pole, I highly recommend finding some sort of very durable tube if it cannot fit inside your suitcase. I used to use the "Boom Tube" but every one of them has been destroyed, usually on their maiden voyage, by TSA or just being knocked around with everything else. Once TSA managed to not close it properly and the boom pole slid partly out and was broken in half while being shipped around. You can imagine how of the rest of that show went! <-- If you experience this on company dime, don't be afraid to have production upgrade your pole… whether they know it or not…. I started that show with an aluminum pole, came out with a graphite one!

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I use a flyfishing rod case that is just a fancy pvc tube with a zippered end to travel my boom poles.

I always get comments from other fishermen about what I have in the case. I never carry on my gear,

just my batteries and a very basic kit as a back up in case the 1650 case doesn't make the flight.

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