Securing Your Camera Equipment at the Airport Especially during Long Layovers

Here’s a little advice for camera toters to help ease the pain during one of these long layovers. Lugging 30 pounds of photo equipment around an airport during an eight to twelve hour layover can be a real drag. I am assuming here that you choose to keep your camera gear with you as carry-on luggage.

I wouldn’t trust it as checked baggage with any airline. One thing to do, if you are up to it is grab a cab and check out the local sights. That doesn’t solve the weight problem, but it helps pass the time. Depending on time and budget you could even grab a motel.

When it comes to lugging…try to find a wheeled bag large enough to fit your camera bag inside that still fits airline regulations for carry-ons and overhead stowage. This “adapts” your camera bag and makes for easy transport when trotting through the airport.

Some airports have hotels next to or near the airport terminals that offer day rooms where you can rest up. They even have regular shuttles to the terminals. There are also airport lounges that can be found at some airports that are intended for lengthy layovers and they do come with a price.

Based on my experience, airport lockers are few and far between. Of course if you are one of those folks that have the “miles” or some other privilege then staying at an airport club for frequent flyers is another option that makes the eight hours more bearable. If you are military sometimes you can find a USO outfit within the airport where you can get some rest.

Unfortunately most of us don’t have nor can we afford one of those options. So, you need to be vigilant with your camera bag during the grueling eight hours to avoid its theft. In all likelihood you’ll want to nap, eat, and use the bathroom sometime within the “dreaded eight”.

It pays to transport your camera equipment in a case or bag that is not readily recognizable as a camera bag. No brand name camera or camera related equipment manufacturer names should be visible from the outside of the bag.

Some airports have baggage holding areas that are manned by airport staff. If you trust them with possibly several thousand dollars worth of equipment then leaving them your gear can free you up for several hours. The one time I considered leaving my bag the staff at that particular airport looked like they had just come off skid row.

At a minimum I wouldn’t leave my bags in a holding area unless I had a lockable case, at least not a holding area with the likes of the staff mentioned above. Then for insurance I would prefer to have an itemized accounting of what I left behind were it not for having to let them know what was in the bag. Therefore the itemized list is out of the question.

My bag is soft-sided and pliable enough to reach into the top if enough force is used, so locking it would be pointless. There is one solution I know of for soft sided bags when leaving them in holding areas for some added assurance. It wouldn’t prevent theft, but you would have sure evidence that they “broke into” the bag and thus it would point the finger at the staff. It is not a theft preventative, but only a deterrent. I keep two tie wraps handy.

Large tie wraps exist that would fit around a sizeable bag. I have never used them, but always carry at least two with me in case I want to. They also double as a method to hold other baggage together should one become damaged in a way that it rips at the seams or zipper where it can no longer keep your clothing and other belongings inside. Tie wraps can be used to temporarily “fix” your bag.

Tie wraps have many uses and if you can’t put a face to the name so to speak they are often used to hold wires together and to secure them away from other objects to avoid entanglements. They are generally made of plastic and one end is flat and tapered while the other end has an opening through which the tapered end fits.

The tapered end is inserted through the opening at the other end and then the end is pulled through until it is tight against what you are wrapping. It is virtually impossible to reverse the direction of the pull. It is necessary to cut the tie wrap to get it off and once cut the tie wrap is no longer useable. They say a picture is worth a thousand words:

If you are thinking a locked case is the way to go and just treat the case as checked baggage then you need to know at least two things. The Transportation Security Administration(TSA) can search all checked bags and must have access.

TSA approved locks can be purchased that the TSA can unlock and relock. Secondly, there are documented incidents of theft by TSA personnel. I wouldn’t trust my camera equipment to be gently treated by a baggage handler either.

Never let your camera bag out of your sight. It can be tempting, but don’t trust some stranger to watch your bag for you while you make a quick trip to the restroom or wherever. One, you don’t know if they might steal it and secondly you have no idea how vigilant they might be.

They don’t have anything at stake except maybe your wrath if something happens to your gear and then you only have yourself to blame. They could also place something inside your bag that could be a security threat.

My bag has a carrying strap, so even when I’m awake I make a point of slipping my foot through the strap just as an extra measure. Don’t become lax however since someone can cut the strap.

Soft-sided bags can be used as makeshift pillows and this is one way to reduce the possibility of theft while you sleep. If you are a heavy sleeper I wouldn’t experiment with this however. Personally I’d stick my arm through the strap too while using the bag as a pillow.

You might figure that a thief would be reluctant to try to lift a bag with lots of folks around. Bear in mind that depending on the airport and time crowds are not always around within terminals. Sometimes they work in teams and cause distractions so crowds may not deter them.

Besides the other folks aren’t mindful of whose bag is whose with so many around, so they wouldn’t necessarily know a theft was occurring even if they saw it happening.

If you find yourself in need of a toilet stall try to find a free stall with at least a wall on one side. This eliminates one access point for thieves who can try to grab your bag from the next stall over or from the front if the stall door has high clearance above the floor.

Some stalls have ledges at the back of the stall above the toilet where your bag can be placed which is safe as long as the stall walls are adequately high. If you must place the bag on the floor and it has a carrying strap then place your foot through the strap for added security.

Never hang your camera, bag, or jacket with valuables in it on one of those door hooks on the inside of the stall door. Thieves are notorious for reaching over the doors, grabbing, and fleeing. If you happen to be carrying a spring loaded steel bear trap these hang very well from the door hooks!

Two more tips. Some folks recommend tying Christmas-type bells on your bag to catch your attention when the bag is disturbed. If I am at a ticket counter where it is difficult to focus my attention on both my camera bag and the agent or computer screen, I’ll place my foot against my bag. That way I can detect its presence and movement.

There are no sure-fire ways to avoid theft. These are techniques and practices you can employ to minimize the possibility. Most of this advice can be used whether you are in an airport, train station, or bus terminal, etc. Make them a part of your routine and a thief will go for the easier take.

authored by Lon Britton