Remember When I Said Don’t Check Gear with your Baggage? Here’s Why…
Just read a totally heartbreaking story from our friend Matt Mullenweg… my ultimate camera nightmare. On a recent trip from Philadelphia to San Francisco, a US Airways scumbag baggage handler stole his Nikon D3, Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF, Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED, Leica M8, Leica 50mm f/1.0 Noctilux and various cards, cases, etc. from his checked baggage. Thats just about $20k worth of gear. Matt, my heart goes out to ya… I can’t imagine the pain you must be feeling about it… it would kill me. Read his story here and read my post about gear safety while travelling here.
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I will NEVER, EVER back my gear in my luggage again.
Ouch – that’s going to hurt! I hope he had it all insured.
One of the reasons I’ll never check in my camera gear is because I don’t want it stolen. However, the other reason is that I don’t want it damaged – the baggage handlers are not renowned for handling luggage gently…
OMG, that is horrible. I want to do some serious damage to that US Airways scumbag baggage handler!!! *using mind power* I hope he gets captured and sentenced and all that… Is there a chance that maybe he can get his gear back?
I had a similar thing happen to me last December. Flying United from San Francisco to Palm Springs. My checked bags had a Nikon D50, 18-55mm, Sigma 10-20mm, Nikon 55-200mm, Nikon SB-28DX flash, misc cables, all my big memory cards, tripod, etc. $2500 worth of stuff, gone.
The TSA had inspected my bag, I had the certificate with time, date, agent number, etc. Covenant Securities (The TSA contractor at SFO) never would return ANY calls, a claim filed with them resulted in a form letter bascially saying “too bad about your loss, but we had nothing to do with it”. Letters to the CEO of Covenant went unanswered.
Same deal with United, “too bad about your loss, we had nothing to do with it, and by the way, you know we don’t cover ANYTHING valuable when it’s in your checked luggage”
My homeowners policy instantly said “no coverage, once I told them that I used the equipment for business. The adjustor told me if I told them that I claimed that the camera equipment was used for just 1% business use, that fact would instantly negate my claim with them.
luckily, I did get reimbursed for about 75% of the value from my business insurance policy.
I do graphics for corporate events and travel with a lot of computer gear and and camera equipment to do my job, I’ve turned into a damn pack mule to try and stuff everything of value into my carry-on bags
arrrrgh
I’d never check anything without an apropriate policy.
So, I know some people may not like this idea, but if you just can’t travel without checking your gear here is a solution that a friend of mine told me about. ** Check airline regs first to be certain.
Friend of mine was going on a trip and did not want to carry on his gear so he went to a sports store and bought a race starting pistol. Which looks like a real revolver. He uses hard shell pelican cases so said “pistol goes in case with camera. Go to check in at airport and advises that he is checking through a firearm. Procedures for firearms are that the bag/container is locked, airport sealed. It is delivered by two people to the aircraft and removed from the aircraft and you have to pick it up in a special place at the airport.
Guaranteed to be there when you arrive.
I work at a Canadian Airport and I see how peoples baggage is handled. It’s always seen laying around the tarmack in the rain. the handlers are always throwing it like it’s garbage. If you have to go on an airplane. Carry on is the only way to go. Or Fed Ex your stuff to where your going. they handle it better.
And remember to check to make sure you have everything when you get off the plane. You would not believe what is left behind.
All that gear gone that must be heartbreaking. Dave Duister that idea is pretty brilliant. I’m sure it can work if you plan on transporting other items..great tip
Dave Duister: Great info on the gun…is the gun REALLY necessary? (just in case some foreign country decided the whole bag is dangerous or something) I suppose bluffing isn’t a good idea if they open the ‘gun’ bag and find ‘it’ has gone missing.
Does anyone else know much about firearms in checked luggage? Probably fine on domestic flights, what about international?