Transporting HVX and laptop to U.K. and back?

puredrifting

puredrifting

Major Contributor
Hi all:

I know that this has somewhat been addressed in previous threads but I need some advice from someone who has done it.

Is it possible to get a backpack that will fit an HVX, P2 cards, batteries, AC adapter and a 15" PowerBook that will meet Virgin Atlantic's very restrictive carry on bag policy? In the U.S., they let us carry on two pieces of luggage and if you are just "in the neighborhood" as far as size and weight, nobody seems to care as long as it will fit into the overhead.

Flying to the U.K., Virgin lets you have a single piece only and it has to be 22" long by 14" wide maximum and weigh in at 13.2 lbs? I don't own a hardshell case and would not feel comfortable checking my clients HVX anyway and I obviously wouldn't trust checking my laptop.

Has anyone carried on one of the KATA 207 bags or the equivalent Petrol. Seems like we will definitely go over 13.2 lbs and probably on size as well.

What's a Scotland bound shooter to do? Looking to hear from people how have actually done the LA to UK and or UK to LA route on Virgin. How big of a stickler are they on exact sizes and weights? Are their overheads smaller than U.S. domestic carriers?

Best,

Dan
 
HI, Dan

In part, check out my article in DV Magazine about airlines, flying with gear, and nightmares.

I was able to fit an HVX, Firestore, batteries and tons of things into a standard sized roll aboard with the MBPro in the outside pocket. If Virgin weighs the bag, you are out of luck. In my case, neither AA nor BA weighed the bag. I also fly business class, so that might be a factor.

The rule is 1 carry-on to/from/through UK. It is absurd but the government is not budging from the position at the moment.

A roll aboard should fit. Beyond that, so much depends upon the ticket counter agent.

Flying is not nice these days.

Ned
 
I also fly Virgin upper class, Ned. With ff miles to upgrade, it's quite the bargain for truly flat seats.

The way things are right now, they are following their rules pretty tightly.

I've not taken my camera to London yet though. But I've been all over Africa, where weight restrictions are often a big deal. The solution there is to get a photographer's vest (or fisherman's) and put the batteries, Firestore, all the heavy small items in the pockets. Of course you take off the vest/jacket before going through x-ray.

BTW, Delta was very strict this summer following their restrictions, even if you were in first-class.
 
As far as I know, there is no restriction for weight. Only size. I got my Information from British Airways. But your Hand luggage will not be checked at your check in, only by the security and customs check and they dont weigh your handbag.

I checked through heathrow in february this year and I will go again on 1. of september. I will also carry my HVX and my notebook in a bag as hand luggage. So when are you going?

UK Department for Transport restrictions relating to size and number of cabin bags
Restrictions relating to the size and number of bags allowed through security search remain in place for all air travellers departing a UK airport.
Passengers must comply with UK Department for Transport restrictions, which are:
ONE cabin bag, no bigger than 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm (approximately 22 inches x 17.5 inches x 9.85 inches).
In addition, customers may now carry musical instruments through security search provided they can be x-ray screened.
Customers transferring onto an onward flight in the UK (domestic and international) must also comply with UK Department for Transport restrictions, which are:
ONE cabin bag, no bigger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (approximately 22 inches x 17.5 inches x 9.85 inches).
Important: Any other bags such as a handbag (purse) would count as one additional piece of hand baggage - therefore this item would need either placing inside your main piece of hand baggage or checking-in, when departing from or transferring through the UK.
Customers travelling from the rest of the world and ending their journey in the UK
ONE cabin bag, no bigger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (approximately 22 inches x 17.5 inches x 9.85 inches).
plus one laptop or briefcase

Please Note. You must be able to lift your bag unaided into the aircraft overhead locker. However, our cabin crew will assist customers with additional needs.
Click to expand...
 
I use a regular carry-on for my camera and I've never had anyone weigh it (flying coach). If it looks bigger they may have you put it in the thing that measures dimensions so if you use a back pack don't over bulge the thing. What ever you do, don't check it going through London the odds of it making it with you are not very good these days. I had to wait nearly 4 weeks for all of my lost baggage going through London. I can't speak for Virgin specifically but as long as it doesn't look suspiciously over weight or over sized you should be fine. I've made the trip many times with my boom sticking out of my carry-on a foot and a half or with a carry-on that was over weight by about a ton and haven't had any trouble. I've not done that with Virgin but an HVX, a lap top, some batteries wouldn't worry me too much. What other choice do you have?
 
This also might be of interest for you:

LAPTOP BATTERY RESTRICTIONS


Customers wishing to use an Apple, Dell or IBM laptop on board can only do so once the laptop battery serial number has been checked by a member of the Cabin Crew.

- If the battery is permitted for use, the laptop may be used as normal on board, with no further restrictions.

- If however the battery is identified as being from the affected batch as identified by Apple, Dell or IBM, the battery must be removed. In cabins where the seats are fitted with In Seat Power Supplies, leads/adapters will be offered. Where no ISPS is provided or no laptop leads/adapters are available, the use of these affected laptops is prohibited.

Any removed or spare batteries must be individually wrapped/protected and placed in your Carry On Baggage. This is limited to two batteries per passenger.

Virgin Atlantic is in communication with Apple, Dell and IBM. As soon as this safety issue is resolved these restrictions will be lifted.
Click to expand...
 
Hi all:

Thanks for the advice and thoughts. I ended up hunting down the ever popuiar OGIO Ty Video 2 bag today. It's a bit bigger than the CineBags DV-20 I have been using but I like it's layout better overall and it will carry my Powerbook as well. The Virgin Atlantic weight limit is 13.2 lbs and this bag is way over that, but then again, I weigh 180lbs. What if I weighed 215 lbs? Same difference, in the end, it shouldn't really matter. With the HVX, eight 16GB cards, six laptop hard drives, the PB G4 15", six batteries, AC adapter, iPod, headphones, passport, paperwork, filtters, etc., this thing must be pushing 35lbs. I have my fingers crossed. I guess if worse comes to worse, I will stick all of the P2 cards into my pocket along with the drives and hand carry the camera and laptop and check the backpack. Seems stupid to have to do, hopefully the folks there will be reasonable.

The Ty Video bag does barely make their size restrictions too, I am trying to not overload it, but it's tough not to. I will report back as to what happens and if I am successful at LAX tomorrow.

I am probably not planning on using the laptop on the plane so the battery issue doesn't look like a big concern. I have checked the serial number and it is not a recalled one either.

Dan
 
Dan, rereading this, I wasn't sure if you were aware that the British carriers flying to and from Heathrow and the states have become very strict not because their overhead storage is smaller, it's due to the somewhat recent terrorist problems originating out of London (not that it would stop me from flying, it hasn't, I'm just explaining why Virgin is so strict now).

Have a great trip and let us know how the flight was.
 
Hi Cbin:

I am writing this from Heathrow, I am waiting to grab my flight to Glasgow. So far, no problems. This bag weighs a ton though, it's killing my shoulder. An HVX, PB G4 15", six hard drive, eight 16Gb P2 cards, filters, AC adaptors, this thing must weigh 50 lbs.

I am crossing my fingers for this BMI flight from London to Glasgow. I suspect that the next plane is going to be one of those smaller ones. If it is, I may be holding the HVX and laptop on my lap!

Best,

Dan
 
Hi Dan,

I'm telling you, that's why photographer's vests have so many pockets! You could have distributed some of that weight around your body. Flash a smile to the attendent taking your boarding pass and have the bag on the opposite shoulder so it's not so obvious. This is why I went with a smaller, soft bag for the HVX so no matter what, that bag was going to be close to me at all times.

I want to hear how cold Scotland is. I remember once being surprised at how chilly it was in summer. Are you going to the Fringe Festival or is that over? Happy travels!
 
It just so happens that today's LA Times has an article on the cover of the business section: "Heathrow becomng a hub for flier woes." It says that this weekend will be tough has it is Britain's bank holiday and Americans are heading home before Labor Day. It said 25% more bags are being checked since the security crackdown last year when they limited carry-ons to one per person.

They mention a family who, at LAX, Virgin rejected their 25 lb carry ons as too heavy. The family complained they'd traveled around the world and never had their bags weighed before.

They paid $120 in excess baggage fees and left 3 bags with someone at the airport who will ship for $300.

At the Alitalia desk in London, they had to pay $272 in excess baggage fees because they removed items from carry on and put them in their checked luggage. Alitalis didn't care about the weight of the carry ons.

They were also shocked to learn that the one carry on bag rule is strict - nothing else in addition, no laptop or purse, etc.

Then they tell horror stories of missing checked luggage... (good luck, Dan...)
 
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