Report from Canada

OBOW poster Lucy provides this helpful report (via post comment) from Canada;

I got caught by the carry on ban while visiting my family in Vancouver for the holidays. Fortunately, I had enough time to pick up some locks for my bag before returning to LA on 12/30. My black Tom Bihn TriStar held up well to being checked. I used to have a red suitcase that would always end up with black scuff marks if it was checked.

I also bought a purse because I had only brought along a teeny purse (just big enough for a compact camera, a slim wallet and some lipstick). Since they were allowing “small purses”, I bought a shoulder bag that could carry a small book, my iPod and the power cord for my laptop.

Laptops were also permitted and I carried mine in this sleeve. It fits my 11” laptop perfectly! I love the sleeve because it has both a handle and strap. My previous one didn’t have either so I always worried about dropping it when I was getting it out for the xray. With this one, I can wear it cross-body until it’s time to put it into the bin (the bag is checkpoint friendly).

Cameras were also permitted. I saw one person with a camera bag but most others had their DSLRs “loose”, either in their hands or around their necks. I don’t know if the people with their cameras out had separate camera bags that had to be checked though. They all looked like they had kit lenses so perhaps they didn’t have any other camera gear.

Update on January 7, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Transport Canada says travellers can bring “common sense” carry-on articles on flights to the United States despite a list suggesting only 13 approved items are permitted.

In the wake of a failed terrorist plot to blow up an airplane on Dec. 25, the federal government banned carry-on luggage for U.S.-bound flights with the exception of 13 items. The list – which includes small purses, laptops, coats and medication – left travellers confused about whether they could take other things, such as books, iPods and computer cases.

In an interview Thursday, a Transport Canada spokeswoman said U.S.-bound travellers can bring additional items not on the list that are “essential” during flights. - Globe & Mail

Indefinitely:

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Those strict carry-on restrictions on U.S.-bound flights are the hot topic today as the Canadian airline industry meets with the agency in charge of air security.

The National Airlines Council of Canada, which represents carriers like Air Canada and Westjet, would like to see policies go back to the way they were before the attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines jet on Christmas Day. Canada is the only country still enforcing the new rules banning carry-on luggage.

Transport Canada says the ban will stay in place for now, but is now letting passengers take books and magazines on the plane.  International meetings are also happening to see if the patchwork of rules in difference countries can be turned into one, cohesive global policy.

Comments

[Birch]

Last year my wife lost 2 checked suitcases while travelling domestically (US). We discovered the hard way in the fine print that the airlines do not cover electronics or jewelry, and they say that you should always carry those things on. If we can't take carry-ons will they start covering those items? Sure some electronics can fit in a small purse, but when we travel as a family (of 4), for extended stays overseas, we carry a lot of electronics. Our typical travel time separated from our checked luggage is 40+ hours. We have 4 laptops, a dvd player + dvds, 3 backup hard drives, an e-reader, 2 cameras, 2 ipods, 4 sets of headphones, 2 extra laptop batteries, and a white noise machine. Plus my son has to take meds 4 times daily. He is too young to swallow it with water, so it has to be mixed with apple sauce. We've never had a problem fitting this and some books, magazines, and toys into 4 standard carry-ons and a smaller bag. Also my company would like me to start travelling with a projector, but I've resisted because of the size and weight.

If this ban gains acceptance it will be extremely difficult for families to travel, to the point that it seems discriminatory to people travelling with children. Frankly, I would rather go to the airport even earlier for increased security checks than lose our carry-ons for nearly 2 days.

[Till]

A boy who can only swallow meds with apple sauce has his own laptop? Or somebody is taking two laptops? That electronics load could probably be reduced by half in volume and weight with a little thinking. Laptops have DVD-drives and video out. With the right cable you can hook them up to a TV easily, no extra DVD player needed. A netbook will do fine for entertainment purposes and websurfing. Probably one laptop at least could be kicked out without substitution. And one could be substituted by a netbook. Cameras, Ipods and headphones go in jacket pockets. Unless you have really sensitive ears or are an audiophile who can't stand in-head imaging no huge headphones are needed but probably you take some big Bose circum-aurals along. Try the in-ear monitors that provide at least as much noise reduction but are 20 times less bulky and 20 times lighter. Three back-up hard drives? Do you generate enough new data while on family vacation to need three back-up hard drives? Just take a single small drive and back-up all computers with it. Or get a cloud. Possibly you take the PSU for each laptop? Not necessary unless you all work for the same four hours or more each on his computer, and even then you have the extra batteries. That wouldn't be much of a family vacation. How about a good old game of cards?

I agree with you of course on the fact that it would be a pain to lose carry-on completely and that airlines and TSA can't be trusted with luggage. But this sounds to me like a serious case of a family taking the kitchen sink with them. With some sensible down scaling all of this fits easily in two briefcases. Unless you are a professional photographer and an IT specialist who work while they are traveling with their family, I don't really see the NEED for all this stuff. Not trying to tell you how to live but in the interest of convenience and time saving there seems to be a huge potential for healthy shrinking.

[Kate]

Til,l I think that Birch meant that when the family goes overseas for extended periods of time they bring all that stuff, not just for a casual vacation. If that is the case then it certainly seems like a reasonable amount of stuff to bring, especially if they have use the computers for work. The child's fourth laptop might be because the other three people need theirs for school/work and don't want to risk it being damaged. I don't know if this is the case, but it certainly seems plausible.

Back to the OP, Birch, if the ban continues have you considered the possibility of mailing things you don't want to check? I would think that any professional shipping company such as UPS, Fedex or even the Postal Service would be able provide padding, pack & insure laptops, hard drives and cameras with very minimal chances of it being broken or lost. After all most laptops that people buy online are not picked up in a store, they are sent to a house or business through a shipping company. When I bought my new laptop it was sent to my house, I believe through Fedex, and was very well packaged so that there was pretty much no chance of damaged. In fact, when I move to Ireland for several months next year I may consider doing this if there is any reason to believe that I may not be able to carry on my laptop and other important electronics.

I realize that this may not be cost efficient, but I would think that it wouldn't be much more expensive than checked bag fees, especially if you are traveling overseas to one place and won't need to fly between countries once there, and if one saves the packaging materials to reuse then you only have to pay for those once and just postage the other times.

Also, in regards to the projector, I have recently seen advertisements for a smart-phone that contains a projector. I don't know how well it would work but it may be a viable option, esp if the company is willing to pay for it.