First itme on Air Canada going from Toronto to Costa Rica
Is Air Canada tough on heavy bags (600 Ver II, 1DX, 1D4, 400 5.6, etc.)

Lloyd ....

Lloyd,

Are you going to carry your gear on with you? I have traveled Air Canada many times and I can tell you that they are the worst airline I have ever been on. They have lost my luggage several times and are rude and unhelpful when it happens. Search the net, there are websites set up specifically to voice complaints about Air Canada. No way would I check that kind of gear with them. Just Google "Air Canada Sucks" or "Air Canada Problems"

lancemoreland wrote:
Lloyd,

Are you going to carry your gear on with you? I have traveled Air Canada many times and I can tell you that they are the worst airline I have ever been on. They have lost my luggage several times and are rude and unhelpful when it happens. Search the net, there are websites set up specifically to voice complaints about Air Canada. No way would I check that kind of gear with them. Just Google "Air Canada Sucks"


I would not check that kind of gear with any airline

Sven Jeppesen wrote:

I would not check that kind of gear with any airline

This!! I always do carry on for my photography equipment, any electronics too. I've had things stolen from my luggage before and just not worth the risk. There was also a thread on here, where someone's luggage got drenched inside the hold or something. The last time I flew, my checked in bags were freezing cold when I got them from the baggage claim, I would not want my babies to be subjected to that.

Dudewithoutape wrote:
There was also a thread on here, where someone's luggage got drenched inside the hold or something.

Funny you said that. That is exactly what happened to a piece of luggage that Air Canada lost of mine. When it was finally delivered 3 days later it was totally drenched. There were just clothes and books in it but the books were ruined and the cloths were soaked. This was a flight from Denver to Toronto.

On any airline I have flown, just sitting by the window watching them load or unload baggage is all I need to convince me to never check camera gear, unless you've got it secured military style in Pelican cases or better.

I agree that traveling with Air Canada is generally an unpleasant experience. In the past year or so, my luggage has arrived on the same plane as me most of the time, but that never used to happen. I believe they are fairly stringent on heavy luggage; i.e., they won't hesitate to charge you for it. Good luck with your travels.

Air Canada is one of the best airlines I have been on. I have Star Alliance Gold privileges, which means I have travelled on a lot of airlines, to a lot of destinations.

I often take 1DX, 1DIV, 70-200/2.8L IS II and five or six shorter (expensive) lenses on Air Canada. No problems. I recently purchased a TT Airport Commuter bag (see list below), which will take a 500/4L IS without camera or 300/2.8L IS with camera mounted. I'll be taking my 300/2.8L IS and shorter lenses to the US early next year. I don't know if you can wedge a 600/4L IS into the Commuter, but there are many other options that could do it. I've moved away from roller bags, as they often have to be checked in the smaller commuter airplanes operated by most airlines, including Air Canada, United, US Air, Delta and etc. I figure the Airport Commuter is small enough to stay in the cabin with me on almost any aircraft. I've been using the North Face Recon II daypack for this purpose for years, but it's just not well suited for camera access while you're actually shooting an event.

I try to stick to the 10kg weight per carry on bag. You can have a 'standard article' carry on and a 'personal article' carry on, giving a total of 20kg over two bags. As shown in the attached table, the 'personal article' bag can be substantial. I use a MEC shoulder bag that can easily hold a 1DX, 70-200/2.8L IS II, 24-70/2.8L II, 85/1.2L II and an X-Pro 1 system. I'll often load more than 10kg into the 'standard article' bag, as it has decent shoulder straps, but I can reload across the two bags to balance the load within the 10kg-per-bag limit, if I have to.

Some airlines, notably vacation charter airlines, have much more restrictive size and weight limits. Don't forget, no matter what the airline says on its web site or even in person at the start of the trip, the rules can change during transit, especially if there is a security scare. I was in Heathrow a few years ago when something was happening and they announced that only one small carry on article was allowed per person. If you couldn't live with that, you couldn't get on an airplane.

lancemoreland wrote:
Dudewithoutape wrote:
There was also a thread on here, where someone's luggage got drenched inside the hold or something.

Funny you said that. That is exactly what happened to a piece of luggage that Air Canada lost of mine. When it was finally delivered 3 days later it was totally drenched. There were just clothes and books in it but the books were ruined and the cloths were soaked. This was a flight from Denver to Toronto.

The thread I'm thinking of had gear involved. Sucks to hear nonetheless.

I have nothing to say (bad or good) about Air Canada, but I think there is a growing consensus to carry-on gear rather than checking it in.

Dudewithoutape wrote:
... there is a growing consensus to carry-on gear rather than checking it in.

+1

dwweiche wrote:
On any airline I have flown, just sitting by the window watching them load or unload baggage is all I need to convince me to never check camera gear, unless you've got it secured military style in Pelican cases or better.

I've watched them literally toss bags, musical instruments and boxes as hard and far as their muscles could manage. NW broke my well boxed and padded Sherwood receiver and I actually witnessed the toss from my seat...

I have travelled across Canada several times with Air Canada and WestJet.
Using a Guru Kiboko 22L I can pack 2-Canon 1D bodies, 70-200/2.8, 17-40, 50mmm and a 500/4.5 along with a few electronic odds and ends. I rent the $2 cart to transport my bags from car to the check-in line where I then put the Guru bag on (it has awesome shoulder straps!) and proceed to the counter.
Never has an airline attendant asked me to remove my "back pack" to weight or check it in.
I also carry a shoulder bag for laptop, reading materials, etc, between the 2 bags it amazing how much you can carry-on.
Neither Canadian Airline has been a problem.

Doesn't every airline have it's share of horror stories, same goes for cruise lines, postal companies, courier services and of course camera manufacturer's

cheers
Len S
www.ttlphoto.com

Gochugogi wrote:
dwweiche wrote:
On any airline I have flown, just sitting by the window watching them load or unload baggage is all I need to convince me to never check camera gear, unless you've got it secured military style in Pelican cases or better.

I've watched them literally toss bags, musical instruments and boxes as hard and far as their muscles could manage. NW broke my well boxed and padded Sherwood receiver and I actually witnessed the toss from my seat...


Ever heard "United breaks guitars?" It's from a local Halifax guy, Dave Carroll. One of the Sons of Maxwell. I saw him perform a pre-release version at a local house party, before it went viral. Very talented person.

http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/story/united-breaks-guitars

I took 48lbs of camera gear onto Air Canada and wasn't looked at twice. Kiboko 30L and there was an 800 in the bag. I zipped up the backpack things and just carried it by the handles.

I've done the same thing on KLM and Cathay Pacific and never had a problem.

My ever ready solution, should the weight problem arise, is a Tamrac vest to which I can add several kilos of gear. Worth its weight in lenses when travelling. About the only place I don't wear it is poolside.

jcolwell wrote:
Gochugogi wrote:
dwweiche wrote:
On any airline I have flown, just sitting by the window watching them load or unload baggage is all I need to convince me to never check camera gear, unless you've got it secured military style in Pelican cases or better.

I've watched them literally toss bags, musical instruments and boxes as hard and far as their muscles could manage. NW broke my well boxed and padded Sherwood receiver and I actually witnessed the toss from my seat...


Ever heard "United breaks guitars?" It's from a local Halifax guy, Dave Carroll. One of the Sons of Maxwell. I saw him perform a pre-release version at a local house party, before it went viral. Very talented person.

http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/story/united-breaks-guitars

Yes, a great song. Actually got on CNN some years back and combined with YouTube gave United a darn good lickin' they so deserved.

I've taken 45 pounds of gear on Air Canada a couple of times, always in a Think Tank Air Port International. I've done it with star alliance gold and without, never with a problem. Last time the plane was crammed and they were taking carry on for gate check. The phrase "lots of camera gear" got my case on the plane without a second look.

In terms of service, AC may not be up there with Singapore, New Zealand or Emirates, but then who in North America is?

I've flown with AC 3 times. They at least have a fairly generous carry-on policy in terms of number of items and weight per item as was pointed out above (2x10kg). Here in Aus Qantas only allow 1 item of 7kg which is hopeless if you want to take a reasonable amount of gear. All 3 AC flights I was overweight with my main Kiboko but was never asked to weigh it but I was travelling with my wife and daughter and could have distributed weight to their packs if needed - travelling solo is more risky.

My wife and I took a quick 45 flight one Christmas via Air Canada. We put everything in a single suitcase and checked it, even stuff you would normally take as carry-on like cell phones and a laptop computer. After all, what could go wrong with such a small, quick flight?

On the way back our bag did not arrive with us. It did not arrive the next day or even the next week. Two weeks later we still had not received it and we had to travel to India. About a week after we were in India we finally got notification that they were forwarding our luggage via British Airways to us. When we finally got it (more than 3 weeks after having it lost) most of the items were looted and the case was in bad enough disrepair that it wasn't usable after that.

Since Air Canada had used British Airways to forward our bag, both carriers claimed the other was responsible. No reimbursement was ever provided. All this from an innocent 45 minute flight (4 hours driving distance) in which we thought "how could we possibly lose our luggage in this case?"

Moral of the story: if it goes into the luggage hold on the plane don't ever expect it back.

Thanks to all who applied
Loading up a Think Tank with about 40 pounds of gear to take on board -- hope it all works out

Lloyd ..........