travel security with strobe

[walt williams]

Has anybody experienced any problems yet carrying on a strobe (Nik SB-105, in my case)? Reading the current news, it looks like most electronics will be more closely scrutinized. I don't want the thing confiscated because somebody can't identify it as a piece of photographic equipment!

 

[Dee]

No problems at all. Take the batteries out, which has always been suggested anyway when flying. My last trip, I packed my strobe in my regular luggage, padded with clothes. On the return it was in my carry-on, again with no problems.

 

[chippy]

I'm off to Antigua on the 28th, flying from the UK.

I was going to take all my camera gear (housing, lenses and strobe) in an Aluminium padding filled cases - will it be strong/safe enough? I'll keep the C5050 in my hand luggage though just in case.

I was hoping to find some big "fragile" stickers to stick on it, but I haven't had much luck so far!

Paul

 

[bgonderi]

My wife and I recently flew to North Carolina - I had my cameras and strobe in a Pelican case. On the way out (from Denver), they checked my reg bag, but not the cameras (this was before the "warning"). On the way back, both bags caused quite a bit of consternation to the guy at the X-ray machine. He called over a couple of people to look, and one of them took both items (reg bag and camera case) over to a table to hand-check. They then also did the little "wand swipe" chemical check on the camera case and everything in it. Oh, he also looked through one of my cameras (looked through the viewfinder), but not the other one (not sure why that was). They did allow me to repack the camera after the swabbed it (they took all the parts out of the foam and checked them). Thankfully, they didn't remove the regs from their bag at all (pretty difficult getting them to fit back in).

Regarding the "Fragile" stickers, I've got to imagine that, to baggage handlers, this translates into "See how far you can throw me - c'mon - I dare you!" Obviously, we take the cameras and regs on as carry-on.

 

[TheAvatar]

They don't normally confiscate anything unless they think it can be used as a weapon (screwdrivers, etc, anything that can be used to cut or slice or stab)

 

[Charlie99]

TheAvatar once bubbled...
They don't normally confiscate anything unless they think it can be used as a weapon (screwdrivers, etc, anything that can be used to cut or slice or stab)

LOL. I've seen 4" crescent wrenches taken since there is a general prohibition on tools (terrorist going to take apart the plane??), but they don't have any objection to a 2 pound chunk of metal on the end of a 3' hose. To me, a first stage at the end of a reg hose looks to be a pretty good weapon, but I'm not complaining since occasionally I take mine in carryone --- like last week when I had no checked baggage.