Flying with heavy photo equipment

mdebets

I regular fly with Lufthansa and normally carry a Peli Case 1510 plus an additional larger backpack (both full with photo and laptop equipment), which weight together between 25 and 30kg. Lufthansa never had a problem to allow this as cabin luggage (even so their official policy, when phoning them was 'no way are you allowed to carry on so much').

Has anyone has experience with Aer Lingus and Ryanair carrying such an amount of equipment? Do they allow to exceed the cabin allowance, if it is photo equipment, or do they insist on you checking in the excess weight?

Stephen P

Not sure about Aerlingus but Ryanair won't allow anything above 10kg in the cabin and only one bag per person.

Paddy@CIRL

Lufthansa are one of the easier carriers to deal with, SAS & KLM aren't bad either. Aer Lingus / Ryanair are the worst in my experience. Arrived into T2 one morning at 5AM, wanted to add a second checked bag (which I had done with no issue two weeks earlier) and was told it was €60. No problem with this, but was then told that I was still only allowed 20KGs in total (so it was €60 for 2 x 10KG bags or free for 1 x 20KG bag) and they wanted some extortionate amount (think it was around €600 return) to pay for each extra kilo.

Ended up flying out four hours later with SAS, and been using them ever since.

FYI, usually check in a general suitcase with clothes, chargers, tripod & monopod and an extra Peli 1510 with bodies, short lenses and misc. accessories. The rest comes in a Lowepro laptop back pack with a body & 300mm. Never had any issues (except with Aer Lingus) with this setup.

mdebets

Paddy@CIRL wrote: »

Lufthansa are one of the easier carriers to deal with, SAS & KLM aren't bad either. Aer Lingus / Ryanair are the worst in my experience. Arrived into T2 one morning at 5AM, wanted to add a second checked bag (which I had done with no issue two weeks earlier) and was told it was €60. No problem with this, but was then told that I was still only allowed 20KGs in total (so it was €60 for 2 x 10KG bags or free for 1 x 20KG bag) and they wanted some extortionate amount (think it was around €600 return) to pay for each extra kilo.

Ended up flying out four hours later with SAS, and been using them ever since.

FYI, usually check in a general suitcase with clothes, chargers, tripod & monopod and an extra Peli 1510 with bodies, short lenses and misc. accessories. The rest comes in a Lowepro laptop back pack with a body & 300mm. Never had any issues (except with Aer Lingus) with this setup.

Thanks Paddy.
How are you checking in your PELI case, just the case or do you disguise it in another bag? I was thinking about that, but would be to afraid that it's going missing.

Paddy@CIRL

mdebets wrote: »

Thanks Paddy.
How are you checking in your PELI case, just the case or do you disguise it in another bag? I was thinking about that, but would be to afraid that it's going missing.

It's pretty conspicuous to be honest, lots of stickers that say 'MEDIA' on them too. Just put two locks on it, hand it in at Oversized Luggage and collect it at the other side. I'm long past trying to sneak it on as hand luggage, way too much effort / worry.

It is insured BTW

the_doctor199

Paddy@CIRL wrote: »

Lufthansa are one of the easier carriers to deal with, SAS & KLM aren't bad either. Aer Lingus / Ryanair are the worst in my experience. Arrived into T2 one morning at 5AM, wanted to add a second checked bag (which I had done with no issue two weeks earlier) and was told it was €60. No problem with this, but was then told that I was still only allowed 20KGs in total (so it was €60 for 2 x 10KG bags or free for 1 x 20KG bag) and they wanted some extortionate amount (think it was around €600 return) to pay for each extra kilo.

Ended up flying out four hours later with SAS, and been using them ever since.

FYI, usually check in a general suitcase with clothes, chargers, tripod & monopod and an extra Peli 1510 with bodies, short lenses and misc. accessories. The rest comes in a Lowepro laptop back pack with a body & 300mm. Never had any issues (except with Aer Lingus) with this setup.

Recently got caught with this with FlyBe too, had no option but to pay the extra bag for 60 or so then 15 per kilo of extra weight, I had something like 18....went down well with client!