Tripod On Plane

[Atlas]

Hi All,

my darling wife and I are off to a trip to Darwin (top end of Aus) this week for our anniversary and as the wet season has begun they have great lightning shows, and I really love lightning !

Anyway, I borrowed some tough cases for my camera gear, but I have never traveled with a tripod before.... I am guessing in this day and age it won't be allowed as carry on baggage...

So how does one transport it ? Wrap it in bubble wrap and hoe for the best ? It's a $500 piece of gear so I am not keen to just throw it in the baggage compartment....

Any help appreciated.

[I @ M]

I have had a tripod quite happily travel inside a suitcase ( between the pull up handle tubes ) and padded with clothes between Melb. and Bali.
Just throw it in with the socks and jocks, it will be right.

[mrslodger]

Yes, in you suit case surrounded by clothing, I took mine to the US in my case, wasn't a $500 one but it travelled quite fine, would do it that way again.

Have a great trip.

[Atlas]

Thanks Guys,

Wasn't planning on taking a big case, just a carry on one.. Maybe have to re-think that...

[Wayne]

I traveled to Bris last week with CF tripod including spike feet attached to my Kata 3N1-30 in the tripod carrier as carry on, they didn't even bat an eyelid on either journey. According to CASA regs, they are no prohibited as carry on, and Qantas have nothing in writing, so I would argue solidly if you are questioned about it.

[kddeb69]

I personally have never had a problem getting a tripod onto any flight as carry on, normally I still pack mine into a tube made of pvc pipe that a friend made up for me years ago fitted with a foam sleeve, been one of the best bits of kit as its water/dust proof and only cost me a 6 pack and its been dropped, submerged, dragged through mangroves and dust storms and even thrown around in a truck roll over as well as being trashed when I totalled my motorbike.

Just a suggestion but to ease your mind maybe ring the airline you are flying with or your travel agent to get a definitive answer

[gerry]

I traveled to Bris last week with CF tripod including spike feet attached to my Kata 3N1-30 in the tripod carrier as carry on, they didn't even bat an eyelid on either journey. According to CASA regs, they are no prohibited as carry on, and Qantas have nothing in writing, so I would argue solidly if you are questioned about it.

I would like to see the CASA regulation that states they are not a prohibited item

sporting goods that could be used to harm including bats, sticks, poles, rods and spikes.

that one might get ya!

I would advise on being preplanned and the only real way to know is to contact the airline you will be flying with, rocking up with your tripod that could well be bigger than the carryon baggage limit and trying to 'argue solidly' is a sure fire way to piss people off, not only staff.

I still pack mine into a tube made of pvc pipe that a friend made up for me years ago fitted with a foam sleeve, been one of the best bits of kit as its water/dust proof and only cost me a 6 pack and its been dropped, submerged, dragged through mangroves and dust storms and even thrown around in a truck roll over as well as being trashed when I totalled my motorbike.

yep I agree, if you cannot get it into your suitcase, make a case up from some PVC piping from bunnings and throw it in the hull, for example;






20 odd bucks from bunnings from memory.

[Wayne]

I would like to see the CASA regulation that states they are not a prohibited item

"sporting goods that could be used to harm including bats, sticks, poles, rods and spikes."

that one might get ya!

The simple fact CASA does not explicitly state that a tripod or photography equipment is a prohibited item is sufficient, remember when we make regulations we define what is encompassed by the rules, not what is not encompassed by those rules.

I would love to see where a photography tripod is deemed a piece of sporting equipment



From the Oxford concise..

Tripod-;
"1 a three-legged stand for supporting a camera or other apparatus
2 archaic a stool, table , or cauldron resting on three legs
historical the bronze altar at Delphi on which a priestess sat to utter oracles"

Photography-;
"the art or practice of taking and processing photographs"

And only someone silly would try and argue solidly if their tripod was in excess of the maximum allowed dimensions that they should be permitted to take it onboard, I never mentioned anything about dimensions, rather it being prohibited by legislation or not.....

that one might get ya!

[Tony Farlie]

I've never had a problem travelling FROM Singapore (and all around Europe and parts of Asia) to come back home, but was forced to check my tripod in when travelling OUT of Perth back to Singapore... something about it being a potential weapon. Think the airline was Jetstar.