Heathrow hand luggage

[victor]

My wife was traveling out of Heathrow with Singapore Airlines this weekend.
They were very strict on the size of hand luggage.
She was carrying my PT-023 housing inside a small rucksack and they would not let it through. It was marginally to deep, They were very friendly, stuck fragile stickers on all flat surfaces of the rucksack and put it in a special container for fragile only objects.
But it was not going hand luggage.

Apparently it has arrived Ok, but I will do the first dive without a camera to be sure.

I am going to have to be creative to get my camera, regs and consol, etc into that container when I go out in a few weeks.

 

[kapula]

There was an article in diver magazine about that. The guy who wrote it carries his camera inside the housing in his hands during the flight. As one is allowed to take a camera with him on top of hand luggage it had worked so far. He was wondering about the new rules though...

 

[sylpha]

Yes they are strict about hand luggage from ALL UK airports (and who can blame them) the sizes are on the British Airways website along with all other restrictions, i'm not sure about the camera as a seperate article i would check that with the airline first. I don't want to scare you, but hold baggage may not be as slick as normal. a friend decided last Monday to check his overnight bag as toothpaste was an essential, he finally got it back on Friday. The chaos of a couple of weeks back has not been sorted yet, the baggage collection at Brussles airport is stacked with unclaimed baggage. coming back the restrictions are not so strict

 

[victor]

No very strict application of the rule single item rule.
No second item of hand luggage, no camera unless it would fit in the hand luggage.
No handbags unless that was the only item of hand luggage.

Now that was Singapore Airlines, not all may be as strict.

 

[kapula]

Here's the story I was talking about http://www.divernet.com/opinion/0806deepb.shtml
Looks like Singapore airlines are quite strickt when it comes to luggage. Or should I say money aware

 

[victor]

Copied from the BAA Heathrow Official Airport Website

Hand baggage restrictions
Passengers are now permitted to carry ONE item of hand baggage, no larger than the specified size, through the airport security search point.

45 centimeters long (approximately 17.7 inches)
35 centimeters high (approximately 13.7 inches)
16 centimeters deep (approximately 6.2 inches)

No separate camera, No separate handbag, No extra umbrella
Very interesting is No Weight Limit that I can see and the height limitation is very generous.
Looking at the airline web sites they have weight limits but allow cameras, handbags, etc so I assume these are post the current security crackdown.

I don’t know how strictly the security officials are sticking to these limits but it could be difficult to find out.
If you have checked in your luggage then go to security where they say you can only have 1 item of hand luggage, what do you do then?

I was going to take my flight briefcase, you know the one that pilot's, flight engineers all use. Nope that is too deep (approx 18 cm), bummer as the camera fits inside that. It is going to need some careful packing to get this all to fit.
I am on the hunt now for a soft bag with those exact measurements. There must be one available by now. Most of my dive gear can go in checked luggage but I want my regulator and dive computer with me.

This is a bit like playing a game of Russian Roulette with my dive gear, it does not make me feel very comfortable.

 

[JamesD]

I can pretty much guarantee that you will NOT be allowed to carry a camera or similar item in your hand (of course jacket pockets are always a potential option if you have big jacket pockets?)

I flew out of Heathrow yesterday and my girlfriends very small handbag needed to fit in her main bag, or would not be allowed.

 

[sylpha]

Victor you are absolutley right on the restrictions, and they are the latest allowances (check again nearer the time - things change). As someone who knows Heathrow better than any sane person should do I can tell you it's not just Singapore airlines. You will have to empty your pockets as you pass to airside, it's very inconvenient, terrorism has won, BUT no-one has been hurt! I don't care what that O'Leary bloke from Ryan Air says i'd rather have the restrictions and lose my dive gear & camera in baggage handling than be blown up mid air!

Try 'Travelling Light' a company who specialise in travel clothing, bags etc. I was in their Romsey shop yesterday they have some nice stuff.

 

[victor]

Sylpha; thanks for the advice I will look them up.
It seems that the Airport security now overrides the airline limitations.

I will check closer to the day but I doubt it will change in time. I will just have to check more gear than I had hoped to.

Dive compass, oil filled, SPG, etc. I have always carried these as hand luggage but I think I will need to check them this time.

 

[Mariozi]

I am an Airline Pilot, and have some experience with this.
These problems might not happen only in Heathrow but everywhere, as handbag restrictions are mostly an "airline restriction" and not "airport restriction", and can vary according to what plane is doing what route, number of passangers onboard, etc...
If Heathrow is doing that now, it's because it is on a terrorist-hunter-frenzy now.
Best thing to do in a crazy world as ours?
Buy a good size Pelican, the smallest one that fits your equipment into,a pair of locks for it and sleep well. But do not forget to lock it as it clears through X-Ray, the security personel have been very understanding of it, and you can do it in 2 ways, lock it and watch them clear it, or leave it unlocked an ask the guy to lock it afterwards.
Another best advice: Normally check-in procedures start at least 5h before the flight, in other words "the flight opens 5h before ETD (Estimated Time of Departure)" and it "closes" or finish the check-in at about 30min before ETD (thats whats on the books of many airlines).
So arrive as early as possible, plan to have lunch/dinner at the airport after checkin-in, so you have plenty of time to do everything. This is good either for reserved tickets AND courtesy (depending on seat availability). If you have a reservation arriving early you will never be left on overbooking. If you dont have a booked ticket, you should put your name on the waiting list as soon as possible, some airlines use this waiting list, others use a priority system and within your priority, you will augment your chances of getting aboard.
Another thing is that at the beggining of the check-in the attendants are more friendly as most of the problems have not happened yet.