Packing for Small Commercial Airplanes

[Travis Edwards]

I have some travel coming up that we'll be flying to small-market US cities, and are stuck flying on small regional planes (driving is unfortunately not an option). I have a backpack for my cameras and lenses, and a small bag with batteries and chargers, but they're both too big to reliably fit under the seat and don't fit in the overheads (and I've been on a flight where a colleague had to put his camera in a trash bag and put it in the overhead).

Anyone have any tips for traveling with gear on these types of small planes?

 

[Matt Uhry]

Regional Jets suck as far as bin space goes. Maybe look into a Think Tank "Airport Essentials" ? I ended up getting 2 Think Tanks - one for the Red and one for all the Sony A7Rii and A7III stuff. It's crazy how much stuff you can wedge in there. Also love how it's totally stealth, very few people would recognize it as a camera bag.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com

 

[Patrick Tresch]

I love this bag.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...s_corp_cl58068_dslr_pro_pack_nylon_black.html

I have the 20,24,35,50,85,135, A73, batteries, filters, mic, Macboopro15, Gimbal dji ronin s, Headphone HD-25, 1x 4tb usb3 harddrive, and gunner shoulder kit in it.

No RED in it though... I do prefer to use a hard case for that




But I use this backpack for the lenses I use with my Weapon MG

Pat

 

[Jeffrey Wright]

For the most part I shoot ski and snowboard movies so I work out of a backpack 95% of the time and probably travel on planes about 80% of the time. I live in the Lake Tahoe area so most of my travel always starts and ends at the Reno airport on small commuter jets so I'm very familiar with these issues.

I use the FStop Shinn with their biggest camera block insert. The pack is way too big for a CRJ or turbo prop but what I’ve started doing is taking the block/insert out and checking the pack part. It’s nice because I can leave my tools and avalanche shovel and probe in the bag (all things that you can't carry on) and all I need to do is stick the block back in the pack and it's ready to go.
https://fstopgear.com/products/packs/shinn

The one problem with this setup is there really isn't a good way to carry the block by itself (there is a strap on the top of the block but I don't think I'd trust carrying a full kit with it) so I use a luggage strap system like this: https://www.amazon.com/Darller-Luggage-Straps-Suitcase-Accessories/dp/B07H2C39RY
I did just order a backpack setup that is made for carrying an Inspire case that should be here soon: https://www.amazon.com/Fasmodel-Sho...kpack+adapter&qid=1551816831&s=apparel&sr=8-1


For my checked bag I use a north face xxl basecamp duffel for the pack (without the block) part which leaves me room for clothes or other gear. https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/base-camp-duffel-xxl-nf0a3ets

For my other carry on I use a Lowe Pro Stealth Reporter for a still body, drone batteries, laptop, primes, drives
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._LP34950_PEU_Stealth_Reporter_D300AW_Bag.html
that is made to go with a separate luggage cart like this, it works well because it takes just a second and I can take the wheels out and it makes it quite a bit smaller for overhead/under the seat : https://www.amazon.com/DANSPEED-Por...id=1551814449&sr=1-43&nodeID=2477389011&psd=1

It's a little sketchy but I normally set the camera block on top of the lowe pro and can wheel it around (I'm careful about what is in the lowe pro when there is weight on it).

I used to use a wheeled cary on sized 1500 series Pelican case which they would always say wouldn't fit and would want me to check. Out of frustration I finally took a picture of it fitting in the overhead while holding up the flight safety information card in the pic with the aircraft model showing that I could quickly pull up on my phone to show them.

 

[Travis Edwards]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I always love seeing people's travel setups, because there's clearly no single "correct" way to pack, and everybody's gear and needs are different depending on the gig (I've never needed to bring an avalanche shovel to a shoot...).

It looks like the overheads on the CRJ-200 regional planes are 7.5" high, and 15.5" deep, so some good options here to get the essentials on board (I'm also planning on bringing a heavy winter jacket and loading the pockets with my v mounts if I can't bring two bags on).

 

[RobMNeilson]

Why not use the airlines cargo vendor? Currently sitting in the airport after a job Florida, and we used Southwest Cargo to get our gear here. It was so simple, and relatively cheap (you pay by the pound). Yesterday after we wrapped we dropped the gear off at the airport, which took a total of 10 minutes on-site and we've gotten an email that our gear has already arrived back home and is waiting for us. Works out to be quite a bit cheaper than checking bags at the media rate and then dealing with carrying on a ton of crap.

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Why not use the airlines cargo vendor? Currently sitting in the airport after a job Florida, and we used Southwest Cargo to get our gear here. It was so simple, and relatively cheap (you pay by the pound). Yesterday after we wrapped we dropped the gear off at the airport, which took a total of 10 minutes on-site and we've gotten an email that our gear has already arrived back home and is waiting for us. Works out to be quite a bit cheaper than checking bags at the media rate and then dealing with carrying on a ton of crap.

Is it really cheaper than $50/bag at the media rate?

 

[RobMNeilson]

Is it really cheaper than $50/bag at the media rate?

I think a few of the airlines have raised their media rate prices. I believe either United or Southwest is $75/case without a weight limit. We shipped 6 cases (3x Pelican 1620, 2x 1600, and a big tripod tube that weights a ton and it was around $250 and takes quite a bit of the stress out of travel (assuming you have the time to go to the cargo location). Now we just carry on our AB batteries and we're good to go.

It ends up being alot quicker than informing the check in folks of their airlines media rate policy.

 

[Travis Edwards]

I think a few of the airlines have raised their media rate prices. I believe either United or Southwest is $75/case without a weight limit. We shipped 6 cases (3x Pelican 1620, 2x 1600, and a big tripod tube that weights a ton and it was around $250 and takes quite a bit of the stress out of travel (assuming you have the time to go to the cargo location). Now we just carry on our AB batteries and we're good to go.

It ends up being alot quicker than informing the check in folks of their airlines media rate policy.

I hadn't heard of Southwest Cargo before, but it looks like for some gear loads it could be cheaper, and some more expensive:

https://www.swacargo.com/swacargo_c...s/pdfs/11NFG_Rate_Sheet_Domestic_20190101.pdf

Not having to deal with the media rate discussion/argument with airline staff would be a nice change, though.

 

[Chris McKechnie]

I think a few of the airlines have raised their media rate prices. I believe either United or Southwest is $75/case without a weight limit. We shipped 6 cases (3x Pelican 1620, 2x 1600, and a big tripod tube that weights a ton and it was around $250 and takes quite a bit of the stress out of travel (assuming you have the time to go to the cargo location). Now we just carry on our AB batteries and we're good to go.

It ends up being alot quicker than informing the check in folks of their airlines media rate policy.

That's probably one way or round trip in terms of cost?

 

[Shaeden Gallegos]

I have a Pelican 1535 Air that is released for standard carry-on size for commercial planes.

 

[RobMNeilson]

That's probably one way or round trip in terms of cost?

pricing is one way (billed to the client).