I always check my clothes bag and carry on my camera bag. I want it with me, in the cabin, safely nestled above me in the overhead bin. In an emergency landing, I would save my bag first, and worry about women and children next. Especially when traveling to a wedding, this is my insurance (and my clients’ insurance) that my equipment will arrive with me, in one piece, for their wedding. Almost every town has a discount clothing store, but replacing the contents of my camera bag before a wedding would be difficult, expensive, time-consuming and often impossible.
Right now, I’m on a plane to Maine . . . A small plane to Maine. Sometimes they warn you, but today it was a complete surprise that they were issuing gate bag-check tags for all bags larger than a ziplock baggie. I started to sweat a little, especially when I saw baggage handlers throwing other people’s gate-checked bags onto their cart. I tried everything I could think of to diminish its apparent size and sneak it on the plane. Nothing worked. I knew there must be an alternative, so I began to carry my bag onboard. I really didnt know how I could talj my way out of this. Before she could finish her scowl, I blurted out to the flight attendant “I have over $10,000 worth of sensitive camera equipment in here.”
Did I really? She seemed to understand where I was going with my outburst . . . with few words and minor hesitation, I was granted access to the magical flight crew stowage. I felt like a rock star after she rearranged the closet for my stuff, never questioning the contents of my bag. Maybe it was the panic on my face.
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Tags: airplanes, baggage, flying
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