Solutions to gate check for hard cera cases at airport? Soft case that fits under chair or firearm trick? Also a vent about recent air travel with gear.

Hey there r/photography, I just got back from domestic US air travel that was absolute shit.

The long story short is I'm tired of being forced to gate check my camera gear and having to shove it in my bookbag with no padding. This happened on my way out and on my way back this trip.

So I'm looking at my options- it looks like a soft bag with compartments that can fit under a seat or doing the gun trick to get it locked and handled carefully- or at least not lost and/or rummaged through. A flare gun or starter pistol would be cheaper than a good soft bag, but I don't know how much of a hassle going through TSA with a firearm is, nor do I know how effective and hassle-free this method is with the current TSA.

The biggest caveat here is I'm a wildlife photographer and have a Sigma 600mm, so I might need to either get a big bag that might not fit or shave down my gear for trips. I also have an Canon R7, a 18-55mm, two raynox clip ons (usually leave one on the 18-55mm), a 75-300 mm lens, an Olympus TG-7, plus cleaning gear, an SSD hard drive, 2 extra batteries, a wall charger, a USB charger, and a shoulder strap clip. It all fits in a Harbor Freight Pelican knockoff easily so I've stuck with it the whole time, but it's a mess to unpack and shove all that in a bookbag when they force me to gate check.

So I'm wondering, have you ever done the gun method for US domestic flights? Is it easy? Or is it just easier to keep everything in a soft bag that can go under the seat instead? Of course, this is for domestic US travel. International travel with a camera is a different beast that I'll tackle sooner than later.

If you want the long story here it is-

So all of these flights were American Airlines flights. The first gate check happened because they filled up on overhead space, so by the time I was in line to board they forced me to gate check my case. I know this can be prevented by paying more for better seats but I'll admit I'm cheap with air travel. I also am airline agnostic- I'll take whatever is easiest for me, which means loyalty cards and such don't make a ton of sense for me.

I knew better than to leave any glass or cameras in the case and I was lucky enough to have a mostly empty book bag, so I just shoved it all in my small book bag. When I got on, there was overhead space still. Apparently they'll do this if the plane is running behind schedule - which it was by about 30 minutes. I've been firm with gate agents before and they've allowed me to take my case on even after they say it's full, but this one just handed me a tag and wouldn't listen to me about the li-on batteries and gear. So I took a couple minutes to unpack everything and hold up the plane even more. Sorry people on that plane.

Then I missed my connection to my destination due to a delayed take off even after I got on, a medical emergency when we landed, having the connection plane moved to a new gate in a different terminal and being in DFW and having to rely on that rail to get in-between terminals. But my check in luggage and camera case made the connection by the original OKC plane, so it all got there before I did. Thankfully it was just an hour earlier. But this meant that I ran through DFW trying to catch my connection, which jostled my gear. Nothing broke, but the outside of some of my gear got scratched up due to lack of padding. Really not a big deal for me since I hike with my gear and have been rough with it. Still though, frustrating.

When I finally got my case back and opened it up to put everything in, it was obvious someone had been digging around because the top foam layer was put in upside down and just shoved in there.

Then on the way home, I was forced to gate check again because my flight was delayed by 5 hours and we were put on a smaller plane that couldn't fit overhead bags the size of my case. So I shoved everything back on my bookbag again. This time I missed my connection in CLT due to further delays once I was in the airport, the fuel truck running out of aviation fuel once we were all boarded, and a storm changing flight patterns. This time not even my luggage made it to the next plane and there were no more flights to my home airport of PIT until the morning, so I at least got to collect my case at the gate.

So when my partner was getting a hotel and everything in order to catch a morning flight, I went to put my gear back in and noticed that not only was it not latched all the way, that when I opened it up there was a wet paper towel left in it. Just in the middle of the case. I was so incredibly livid that they treated my empty case like a trash can. I should have taken a picture but I was tired, angry, hungry and just forgot to.

So yeah, that's the long answer of why I'm looking into alternatives. I don't want my gear stolen and I don't want my case treated like a trash can.

And to all the new photographers that want to travel with your camera and gear- DO NOT PUT CAMERAS AND GEAR IN UNLOCKED CHECK IN LUGGAGE. Hell, don't put anything valuable in it. Airports have a theft issue big time. I know that this is all over this subreddit but I think it can always be said more to prevent theft.

Thanks for reading and responding! I'm going to go take a nap after that awful experience! 🙂