Delta Air Lines caused $8,000 worth of damage to my camera gear, but they don’t care
Jun 29, 2017
Jake Mosher
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I’m breaking tradition here, both in style and also in asking for help. Please, if you read this, share it. Link to it. Copy from it and Tweet about it and post it. Help me get the word out where, perhaps through the power of social media, a wrong can be righted. Thank you!
The Wells Fargo banker cocked his head, bit his lip, and spoke slowly.
“You want a personal loan for a camera lens?”
I grinned. “Yep,” I said.
“$5000 must buy a heck of a lens,” he said.
He was right about that. After a decade in semi-corporate America, after countless hours of researching, after much drooling over photos taken with arguably the best dedicated telephoto in the world, I was in a position to put my name on one.
“Well,” the banker said, “you’ve got great credit. I can give you a cashier’s check or it can go straight into your account.”
I had him put it in my account, where I knew it would remain for all of about twenty minutes, the time it would take me to go online and order my Nikon 500mm F4 VR.
It arrived at my Billings, Montana, home from Seattle a couple of days later, a nine-pound piece of flawless optical engineering which, when mounted to my Nikon D810, revealed parts of the world in detail I’d never seen.
An entirely different ballgame, I thought to myself when it locked focus on a flying short eared owl a few nights later.
Even before I realized I could see the tongue of a yellow-headed blackbird, count the individual down feathers on a great horned owl chick, see the claws of a rough legged hawk in crazy sharpness or freeze a Montana sunset like never before, I was in love – more than convinced that the monthly payments were entirely worth it.
I bought a Tamrac pro-model lens case to hold both camera and lens and have been nothing short of thrilled with its performance. It fits snug, has plenty of padding, comfortable backpack-style straps, and a great waist belt. If there’s a better way to carry this camera/lens combo I’d be surprised.
On June 7th, I showed up at the Burlington, Vermont, airport with it after a week in Northern Vermont where I grew up. I was flying Delta back to Montana by way of Detroit and, after seven days of nearly continual rain was happy to have clear skies for the trip over the Adirondacks and Great Lakes.
I was seated in 01D – a long way ahead of the wing seats I seem always relegated to – on a regional jet, flight 4058, and I was perhaps the fourth person to board the plane. My Tamrac, containing my Nikon D810 with my 500mm lens fits in all overheads, including the smaller ones like the jet I’d just stepped aboard. While there was no overhead compartment above my seat, there was one across the aisle, and I lifted its lid to find a pair of green, oxygen-style containers already in it. With people backed up behind me, needing access to their seats, I stepped into my seat with my camera bag. Almost immediately, Delta’s flight attendant, Salvador, noticed me standing there with my bag and said that I would have to gate check it along with my much smaller Lowepro camera bag containing a Nikon D500, MacPro laptop, and three Nikkor lenses. I have flown numerous times, almost exclusively on Delta, and have used overhead space for my telephoto while placing my Lowepro under the seat ahead of me. Both are within Delta’s size limits for carry-ons.
I explained, very carefully, to Salvador what my bags contained and my desire to use overhead space for at least one of them once the aircraft was fully boarded. I said that if I traveled to the rear of the plane now I would have to fight my way back through a steady stream of passengers to my seat or remain there until everyone was on board. I told Salvador, word for word, that my bags contained “very expensive, very fragile, professional camera gear, lithium batteries, Nikon lenses, and a laptop.”
Salvador nodded, and placed my bags immediately behind the cockpit door. I said I have flown many times with them, have never checked them, and wasn’t comfortable with that. I said I was certain there would be ample room for them when people finished boarding and that I did not want them going with general cargo.
From less than four feet away, Salvador looked at me and said, “It will be fine.”
The flight was fine, and I want to say that I’ve always been impressed with Delta’s pilots. They do an amazing job, not always in the best of conditions, and I’ve never felt anything less than completely at ease aboard their jets. Hat’s off to these men and women.
When we landed in Detroit, I waited on the jet bridge for my camera bags. I noticed a man looking out a small window onto the tarmac, waving his hands, obviously agitated. I approached, looked out the window with him, and saw two men unloading our gate-checked luggage. One pulled pieces from the aircraft and, with gusto I find difficult to believe wasn’t intentional, slammed them to the ground, while the other worker stacked them onto a cart. I watched both my camera bags come out this way, treated absolutely as poorly as they could be, short of simply heaving them out from cruising altitude. I took pictures and video with my cell phone.
The instant I had my bags, I went to Delta’s customer service counter in the Detroit airport. I complained to a woman working there about the treatment of my luggage, and she was helpful. She gave me an 800 number which I called and relayed what had happened to a Delta employee on the other end of the line. I then opened my Tamrac case to find that my 500mm Nikon, the crown jewel of my photography equipment, had been sheared off from my camera. The better part of $8000 worth of damage had been done.
I was shocked. I went immediately back to the customer service counter and demanded to speak with someone there, in person. The woman who had given me the 800 number called her supervisor who showed up shortly. I showed her the damage to my camera and lens, and was repeatedly told Delta would “take care of it.” She got online, made some notes, presumably in some record of my flight, gave me a meal voucher and a $100 credit toward a future flight. She told me that the flight attendant in Burlington should never have insisted my bags be checked into luggage.
I told her that I wanted to speak with a supervisor for the company Delta uses to unload its luggage, Simplicity, and she was helpful arranging that. I voiced my extreme displeasure over what I’d witnessed and the damage incurred. Again, Delta’s supervisor told me that Delta would “take care of it,” and to be sure I filed a claim when I got to my final destination in Montana.
Shortly before midnight, after two more excellent flights, I landed in Billings. At the Delta ticket counter, I spoke with Jamie Robinson and carefully told her what had happened, showing her my camera and lens. Like the woman in Detroit, she said my equipment should not have been placed in luggage. She asked me to leave my camera and lens with her so that she could show Bryan Bochy, the person who handles claims from Billings. I left the equipment with her as she requested.
The following day, I spoke with Bryan, told him everything that had happened, provided him a detailed, written statement, and let him know my damaged camera and lens were there at the airport for his inspection. I told him, as I’d told everyone I’d spoken to up to that point, what replacement cost was.
On Saturday, June 10th, I received a “do-not-reply-to” email from Delta, addressed to “Mr. Moser,” outlining a claim, including a comments section written by someone other than myself. It was, as I told Bryan Bochy in the email I forwarded it to him in, devoid of so much critical information that no one could make a reasonable judgement of fault based on what it said. It appeared as though I had completely disregarded Delta’s policies against checking electronic equipment into luggage and had done just that of my own accord.
The comments section is attached here.
My gate checked bag number 9006861497 arrived in to Detroit and my Nikon D810 was damaged the connection between the lens and camera was broke it has a 500 mm lens…
Bryan told me he would begin another claim, sending it directly to “Delta Corporate.” I told him that there was some urgency here because without my equipment I can’t take the photographs which I am trying to supplement my income with.
Five days passed. On the morning of June 15th, I received this email from Delta, pasted here in its entirety.
Dear Mr. Moser,
Please accept our sincere apologies for the difficulties you must have encountered when your luggage did not arrive with you on your recent trip. We realize it was a trying experience, and we regret that it happened.
We are equally concerned by your report as we place a great deal of emphasis on the care and protection of baggage and other checked items. Please be assured that every precaution is made to have a passenger’s luggage arrive in the same condition as when it was checked into our care. We succeed with few exceptions, and regret the mishandling on your trip.
The tariff rules and the ticket contract covering your travel exclude responsibility for cash, medication, securities, negotiable papers, irreplaceable documents, jewelry, silverware, precious metals, works of art, camera, electronic, and computer equipment, as well as any other items that cannot easily be replaced, in checked baggage. Consequently, we must respectfully decline your request for payment.
If you have insurance coverage that will provide reimbursement for the excluded items, we will be glad to cooperate with your insurance company in their investigation.
This, we know, will be a huge disappointment to you but trust that you will try to understand our own position as well.
Sincerely,
Name removed
Consumer Affairs – Baggage
Evidently, luggage which I had checked, containing items Delta won’t cover if lost or damaged, “didn’t arrive,” but I should try to understand the airline’s position when it comes to claims denial.
Yes, I do understand that, and I find it quite reasonable. Which is precisely why I travel with my camera equipment in hand. What I don’t understand, and what I don’t find reasonable follows…
I’m a Silver Medallion flyer on Delta (which means basically I’ve spent a lot of money on their flights). I will readily acknowledge that their service as a whole has been exemplary. But when their flight attendant insisted I gate-check my camera bags, knowing full well what they contained, against my strongest argument, Delta then took responsibility for their safe transport.
The two men I saw working for Simplicity in Detroit, both acting as agents of Delta, have zero regard for the property they handle. They have difficult jobs, no doubt. It’s a noisy environment at the mercy of the elements, and I hope they’re paid appropriately, and I hope more that their supervisor has taken steps to ensure future flights’ baggage is treated with more care.
I didn’t choose to check my camera and lens. I was given a crew member’s instructions, and I think everyone knows how scenarios play out when those instructions aren’t followed. I have been professional with everyone I’ve dealt with, never so much as raising my voice, making certain to thank each Delta employee who I’ve talked to.
In light of these facts, my treatment is outrageous. Ten days have passed since my equipment, through absolutely no fault of mine, was ruined. The only communications I’ve had from Delta Corporate, where any compensation must come from, were form letters addressed to my misspelled name full of inaccuracies, sent off with no fact checking whatsoever. That’s not acceptable.
I understand making mistakes. I’ve run a big job for the past decade (not nearly on the scope of Delta), and I’ve made my share. But I’ve owned them. I’ve looked my customers in the eye on more than one occasion and told them I was sorry, asked how I could make things right, and went out of my way to do it. The world hasn’t changed so much that this isn’t still the best way to run a business.
On August 4th, I’m leaving my job. I’m walking away from a good salary, excellent benefits, and a wonderful retirement plan. I’m doing it because my soul longs to work more with photography and writing, and I believe our lives our best spent trying to do what we truly want. Following a dream.
Delta’s CEO is Ed Bastian. Who knows, perhaps if this gets enough shares, tweets, posts, and links some of it will work its way through the clouds, through the servers, the coaxial cables, the dongles and monitors, and come across his desk. If it does, then Ed, I believe you know that your customers have names and faces. Mine’s Jake Mosher, spelled with an h. It’s the name of my father and his father before him, and if I don’t deserve the respect necessary to spell it correctly, those men damn sure do.
Some of your customers fly with dreams. Mine involves photography, in particular the natural and rapidly-disappearing world around us all. Check out my website sometime and take a look. And then think about your company’s response to the damage my equipment – equipment I hold near and dear to my heart and dreams – suffered on one of your flight through the negligence of your employees. Think about owning a mistake. Maybe these pictures will help.
#deltadoesntcare
Update 18th June : A Delta rep called me – 6 pm MST Sunday 6-18 – and asked that I take my camera and lens to a certified repair center for a quote to repair. Things are moving… finally. And I don’t think it’s at all a coincidence. Thousands and thousands of views for this blog, for which I’m extremely grateful. Remains to be seen what Delta will do and when, but the outpouring of support from you all has been appreciated beyond words. I will keep everyone updated here. In the meantime, I’m asking people to continue sharing this.
Update 30th June : Delta Corporate have just called and are fully reimbursing me for a replacement Nikon D810 and the cost of the repair to my 500mm lens.
About the Author
Jake Mosher is a wildlife and landscape photographer based in Montana. Jake has written for the New York Times, Outdoor Life, a number of other magazines, and published a couple of novels. You can find out more about Jake and his work on his website, This article was also published here, and shared with permission.
We love it when our readers get in touch with us to share their stories. This article was contributed to DIYP by a member of our community. If you would like to contribute an article, please contact us here.
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85 responses to “Delta Air Lines caused $8,000 worth of damage to my camera gear, but they don’t care”
Well, I don’t have anything as nice as a 500/4, but as someone who’s travelling overseas with large camera equipment in a few days, I’m now terrified. I hate that you essentially have no recourse when the flight attendant tells you something that is clearly false, because your options are a) to comply and risk this or b) not to fly because you won’t follow instructions. That’s a shitty pair of options.
United breaks guitars, Delta breaks camera.
Everyone knows you’re not supposed to travel with your lenses attached to the camera. Especially with a heavy lens like a 500mm. You say you’re the fourth person to board the plane, but you couldn’t find an overhead bin? Not excusing Delta, they’re a horrible airline, but you don’t seem very bright.
Not reading the whole article, or not comprehending it does not seem very bright either. Please go back and read again. Everything is explained.
I read the whole thing. nothing I said in my original comment is wrong.
“I explained, very carefully, to Salvador what my bags contained and my desire to use overhead space for at least one of them once the aircraft was fully boarded. I said that if I traveled to the rear of the plane now I would have to fight my way back through a steady stream of passengers to my seat or remain there until everyone was on board. I told Salvador, word for word, that my bags contained “very expensive, very fragile, professional camera gear, lithium batteries, Nikon lenses, and a laptop.”” Copy-pasted from the text above. He did explain why he did not get to the overhead compartment.
Right. He was lazy and didn’t want to walk to the next bin because he didn’t want to stand and wait for people to board. Dudes an idiot.
Wow.
So far you’ve called me stupid and lazy. We could compare credentials, but it would be a hell of a lot more fun to just toe the line with you. Look me up if you’re ever out in Montana.
Sorry, I have to agree – you said you were the 4th person to board so I would have walked back 1 row and put your gear there! or 2 rows – not just stand there looking helpless to the flight attendant.
The author was being kind to fellow travelers by not getting in their way. His gear was packed adequately for transport as intended, by him personally. People like “doge” and “expert” here are the reason there is so little kindness among strangers. Hindsight know-it-alls who elbow others out of the way but are the first to whine and call for help when it happens to them.
when you’re #4 to board you’re not in anyone’s way. And you’re wrong, I regularly help people stow and get their bags down from overhead bins. But people do have to take 1% initiative.
Flying your kit…. use a proper case.. end of story.
Individual hard cases for lens and camera, wrapped in foam and then packed into an ATA case.
shoulda used a proper hard case.. not sure this is the airlines fault… TBH.. It is his fault.
Yep, I most certainly deserved Delta to violate their own policy (which states expensive electronic equipment) NOT be checked but instead be carried on in approved-size bags. And then it’s also clearly my fault that, once Delta insisted on checking it, knowing full well what it contained, it was hurled to the ground as though Kevlar coated and containing feather pillows. Sure seems logical to me.
that’s was long winded article
All these airlines are full of miserable people that could give a shit about anything you have or need or paid for while on flight or handling your personal property. That’s why I never listen to them when they tell me anything. If you kick me off the flight then fine. I would argue that the overhead space above my seat is my over head space and the bag that took my space should be put in checked. Fuck that and fuck the airlines. That’s why they are all a joke in the business world and investment world. Soon they will be obsolete and we will have quicker and safer ways to travel great distances.
If I have to check my camera it is in a hard case with padding. To be honest, I didn’t read the whole article. It was too long and I skipped around. Did they use a hard side camera case?
Delta states they will not be responsible for any “expensive electronic” gear checked into luggage. Regardless of what case it’s in. They recommend carrying it on in approved-size luggage. And that’s exactly what I did. I was on board, waiting for overhead space, when a flight attendant insisted my bags be checked. I made that person fully aware of what was in them, and didn’t win my case to keep them on board. I’ll argue to the end that when Delta violated their own policy regarding transporting equipment like mine in luggage that they became responsible for its safe transit. If I was going to willingly check it, then heck yeah it would have been in a Pelican case. But when it’s damaged or lost then, I’m 100% to blame. They are upfront with their regs, and this particular flight attendant either didn’t know them or rolled the dice thinking it would, as I was told, “be fine.”
They think that what we carry is a piece of sh… They are trained like robots and behave like robots even to help. Sorry, but if one tells them what one carries they should show care not rejection.
Absolutely unreal. I do agree that proper protection is a must for any eventuality, but it’s not always possible. Just this year I had to travel to the US for work purposes and I had to bring my camera, microphone, LED lights and a bunch more accessories with me. In order to still be able to have a carry-on with me for this short trip, it would simply be unfeasible to take a proper hard case, which would void the backpacking ease the rucksack provides and would risk the loss of one of two bags by the airline for the few days I was abroad. The thing is, airlines don’t make life easy for travelers of any kind. If you want to load up on luggage, you’re penalized one way or another. So it’s not really an end-user problem, it’s ultimately an airline problem. One with which we are all stuck with.
Why in the world would you leave your 500mm lens attached to your camera when traveling?
Seriously….
That’s the big problem. Anything bigger than a 50mm on my camera comes off while being transported by any means
Did you look at the bag? It’s designed to transport your camera attached to the lens.
…while it is being worn on your back.
Perfectly safe if it was transported by him personally, as intended.
Obviously not.
You need to work on your reading comprehension.
Obviously not.
I do not think the same as you, but everyone can think as they want. :)
The point is that he should not have had to check his camera equipment. He had the camera and lens in a very safe case. The other point is that he witnessed and recorded the baggage handlers purposely throw those bags to the ground. Delta owes him the money to repair or replace the lens and camera. Don’t comment if you haven’t read the entire article. It is well written and Delta was very disrespectful in their handling of his claim. He filled out all the forms and jumped through all their hoops. I would definitely refuse to have my camera equipment put in with checked luggage. Not only can it get damaged but it can easily be stolen – hard-side case or not.
Thank you. I’ve learned a lot form this experience, including the wisdom of traveling with my long lens detached from my camera. Delta’s policy for traveling with gear like mine is to carry it on in approved-sized bags. They clearly state they will not cover any loss or damage to it if checked, regardless of what it’s packaged in. My position on it is that once they knew what my carry-on bag contained and still insisted it be checked they assumed responsibility for its safe transport. Seems logical to me……
Yep. Airlines are great. After being delayed in Chicago (an airport that I avoid at all costs now) I was told that my luggage had been sent on ahead on another flight. Luckily, I had my cameras with me and hadn’t been forced to check them. When the baggage attendant told me they would be glad to deliver my luggage to me, I asked, “at my house in Romania?” She replied, “Yes, sir. We deliver luggage anywhere in the United States “
My worse nightmare, when travelling!!!
Really bad, no one cares about luggage in air lines -.-
Moral is don’t check in valuable equipment carry it on the aircraft with you, Its not that difficult carrying the camera over your shoulder and putting len’s into a pocket. I travel quite regularly on long haul flights and have never had a problem doing this.
I was on board with my gear in approved carry-on cases. A Delta flight attendant insisted I hand it over to be checked.
He did though, the attendant then took it from him even though he argued against it.
It’s not like he didn’t try to do things the right way, they told him he wasn’t allowed!
Read the whole story next time!
Not meaning to pile onto Delta, but just sharing that we’re experiencing a bit of runaround with them, too. We flew from Denver to Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise. However, our bags went to Seattle, instead. It was a TransAtlantic cruise with 7 days crossing followed by 7 days in Spain and Portugal. When Delta did not get our bags to us from our flight, we boarded the cruise with nothing but our small carry-ons. Princess Cruises was terrific, giving us some onboard money to buy clothes and toiletries. But with no ports for seven days, options were limited. Delta apologized, got our luggage to us on the NINTH day, but has not responded to our requests for compensation. I suspect we’ll end up having to sue to recover the lost value of our cruise.
My worst nightmare. Terrible way to treat any customer. Sadly, the norm in domestic air travel today.
Is there a short version of this story?
There is. Delta broke my camera and damaged my lens. On June 30th, they agreed to reimburse me, penny for penny. The end.
update the story to say they agreed to reimburse you please.
It’s updated here, and also on my website. The update reads at the bottom of the piece here and right at the top on my own site. End of story.
I’m glad Delta stepped up and did the right thing!
Of course they don’t care. You carry on at your risk.
Does he have insurance? (he should)
Why did he leave such a large lens attached?
Why wasn’t it in a hard case?
I have not traveled extensively with my equipment, but I would not have let it be checked under any circumstances. I see way too many mistakes by the photog to feel bad. Yes, Delta mishandled his gear, but it is basically known that they will not handle it with care.
Their own policy – just for this reason – is that it not be checked. They recommend it be placed in approved carry-on bags and stay with the passenger.
Unfortunately, this could have been alleviated if he’d simply continued to walk back until he found the space to put his gear overhead. Having to wait towards back of the plane until everyone was boarded before he could return to his seat would have been a small price to pay for keeping his gear safe.
agree 100%, he chose to stand there holding his bag and look helpless so the flight attendant intervened instead of walking further back on the EMPTY aircraft – he already said he was #4 to board.
Well, it goes without saying that’s what you’d have done. After all, you’re the “expert.” Personally, if I’m going to call someone out in a self-righteous, sanctimonious manner, I won’t hide behind a cute screen name. Oh….. Delta Corporate called me today and has issued a check for complete replacement of my camera and repair of my lens. Their reasoning? Same as mine – their flight attendant should not have required this to be checked. Wow. A whole company agrees. Delta and I must both be stupid. Sadly, we aren’t experts.
so you got reimbursed – good for you – did you learn your lesson? I hope so.
I chose to be courteous and allow people by me. Helpless is an adjective I’ve never been described as. Hey – where can we see the work of “expert?” Surely it’s phenomenal and worth sharing. Do tell….
expert flyer, 150K every year for the last five years – enjoy!
It is a shame that people blame companies for their shortcomings. How can you spend $5000 on the equipment but it cost $8000 to fix, hmmm. It is sad that people are so money hungry that they look to sue for any and everything, take responsibility people and protect your things that coat so much and so dear to your heart????..
perhaps the camera body (the d810) was damaged, as well, not only the lens
My claim with Delta, is for 3.5K. Looking at an invoice from Forster’s Camera Service, who examined my camera, the D810 is “irreparable” due to damage to the face, mirror box, and prism. My lens is repairable and needs at least a new AF motor and face plate. When in my control – as Delta recommends – my equipment is perfectly safe. Their own policy states it’s not to be checked.
For the record, Jae, I’ve never filed a lawsuit against anyone – or any company – anywhere. Not Ever. If insisting that property of mine destroyed by another be replaced is being money hungry, then I’m guilty as charged. If you would like, at any time, to donate funds to Delta to help them cope with the growing demands placed upon them by people like myself who, as you say, fail to take responsibility, I bet they’d be happy to accept.
My goodness. Travelling without travel insurance (or any type of insurance), on gear as expensive as this, and you’re surprised the damage occurred? My camera gear is similarly priced. Listed individually on my home insurance to travel anywhere in the world and if damage happens, even accidental, it’s covered new for old.
Only person I see here to be to blame is the owner for not having the foresight to remember that accidents (or rough handling) happens and insurance is a good idea. Costs me about $5 a month.
Pretty sure I’ll get roasted for this, so #flameon
It would have been fine had he not been forced to check it. He didn’t need insurance until the attendant said “it would be fine”
For the small cost that I pay, my question is why wouldn’t you insure. It’s covered for Everything. When you think about it, you insure a car for similar values.
I’m not saying they deserved to have their gear damaged, I’m saying they’re silly for not insuring thousands of dollars worth of expensive equipment because anything camera related can be hugely expensive! And either way, seeings as they got a loan to be able to afford some of the gear in the first place, anyone in that position should be smart enough to know that insurance is a good idea!
As an insurance adjuster, I agree! Folks don’t take advantage of really affordable policies that can save tons of $.
(I’m unable to buy insurance through my employer) do you mind sharing who your camera is insured through?
Yeah , Mr, Mosher, I travel all over Asia with camera and lighting gear profoto strobes and MF camera. I use a pelican 1510 and a typical camera backpack for the lights . Never had a stew suggest my gear go in the belly . If I had a 5k lens that was bread and butter I wouldn’t allow some stranger to relegate where my gear goes or carry in a soft case . I’m sorry to hear of the problem and it must have been gut wrenching .
Mr. Mosher’s mistake was that he trusted them. I travel fairly often with a Nikon D810 and a Sigma 150-600mm among other lenses, Not in the same class as the 500/4 but expensive equipment none-the-less. I carry the bag with me on the airplane … always. I don’t let ANYone else handle that bag. I would never ever allow it to be checked. I haven’t run into this problem yet but I would get off the flight before I would check the bag containing my camera equipment. It’s not just Delta…which, for the most part, is a pretty good airline. It’s the same everywhere. The folks who handle baggage, often contractors, are way past caring how they handle your baggage. Watch them next time you fly. You will be shocked how they throw bags around, drop them on the ground, etc. I can’t speak for all baggage handlers but from what I’ve seen in the past several years of frequent flying, I have yet to see a single baggage handler treat ANY baggage with anything approaching “care.” This was an expensive lesson for Mr. Mosher. He made an honest mistake. Now he knows better.
It’s not a matter that he trusted them. Well-intentioned regulations have given flight crews a license to arrest anyone who challenges their presumed authority for interfering with the operation of an aircraft. He could have fought it more strenuously, but then he’d be under arrest.
That’s true. You can only resist to a degree before you risk arrest. My point is, when it becomes clear they will not allow me to keep my bag with me, it’s time to get off the aircraft. Domestically, the ticket in economy is usually a few hundred dollars. Just about ALL flights are overbooked these days. I’m certain I can exchange, pay a change fee or at worst lose my ticket. That’s better than losing my camera gear which is worth nearly $10,000. Bottom line…for me there is no option, my gear stays with me.
I treat my camera bag like the satchel with the nuclear launch codes. It stays with me. I was at Pike Place Market once, and a store clerk told me that I would have to leave my camera bag at the counter, so I just walked out.
Jake, I’m sorry this happened to you. I’ve known you for 43 years and you’re the most kind, generous, and selfless person I’ve ever known. So many people on this thread are finding rude and arrogant ways to say “you were wrong” or worse yet, “you deserved it.” What a hateful bunch. You are nothing but classy and good, and I hope the people who broke your equipment will rectify this.
I fly a lot, but, I don’t take any flight with a commuter / regional jet. I’ve refused to board a plane when they said I had to check my carry-on camera bags. The fact that I had three checked cases already on the plane, they let me carry them on. There were other times I also had the argue. Now, no small jet. Sometimes, I fly into a different airport and drive a little further.
Its only a Nikon. No one cares.
On one of my flights they managed to crack my Storm case?! Don’t ask me how… On positive side I didn’t have any camera gear in it, nor will I ever check any of it unless they are willing to take full responsibility for it and give it to me in writing. If not I will refuse to board and just do a charge back on my credit card…
is it normal to travel with such an expensive lens attached to the camera? Shouldn’t it have been detached and put in its own case?
Hate to sound harsh, Delta owes you nothing. You have to read the fine print on your ticket. Cameras, jewelery, electronics and several other categories are specifically excluded from any liability by the airlines. How do I know this. Well Northwest airlines destroyed my Hasselblads once. They where packed into a Zero Halliburton aluminum case in foam. I to had to check it after boarding, no room for the case. Well it apparently got lodged under one of the wheels on the baggage cart and was dragged from the aircraft to the terminal in Anchorage. So about 20% of the bag thickness was filed off the bag and the cameras inside.
So ultimately I did the indignant thing at the baggage office, where they showed me the disclaimer. They would replace the bag, but the cameras inside where not their problem. Thankfully, I insure my equipment and that covered the damage. So screw having the proper bag, they can still destroy it. Get insurance! Now after I got the large print version of the back of the ticket, I found a whole lot of things I was entitled to when they did make a mistake, delay me or loose my luggage and so on. Ever since, I have held the airlines feet to the fire over any small infraction and get whatever vouchers and payments I can. I keep different PDF files of the different conditions.
So bottom line, if you travel, get insurance on your equipment. The airlines have no responsibility, no matter what they do to them, for your cameras. Get a decent case but don’t go overboard, it will not make any difference, get insurance, its cheaper and ultimately protects your equipment better. Get a Personal Articles Floater, you can insure for replacement value. You list the equipment, serial numbers and replacement value. I use USAA, who also does my house and cars. They just replaced a camera this year that fell out of my aircraft, no hassle, took 48 hours to get a check. I don’t think any case would have protected it.
The fine print says they won’t cover those items IF CHECKED IN LUGGAGE. Which is why, ultimately, they covered mine. Their employee insisted they get checked.
They insisted for me as well and ultimately paid for nothing, except the case. Ergo why I always have had insurance. BTW, glad Northworst Orient no longer exists.
It’s been said repeatedly, but wtf man? What did you expect to happen? Delta is craptastic, but you’re a little cavalier with you $5k lens. jesus
I expected, rightly so, to keep my gear on board. With me. As I’ve done dozens of times. Ultimately, that’s why Delta covered it. Wtf do you think would have happened to it had I been allowed to use overhead space?
Be careful about insuring your gear, too, as a friend of mine notes:
“Interesting that the writer is insured with USAA-I wonder if he’s a Pro. The main reason I joined NANPA was they offered great insurance thru Chubbs. I feared, after speaking with a USAA agent, that if the underwriters for the camera policy could prove you used your equipment for anything other than personal use they could deny the claim. Knowing Insurance companies as we do their primary mission is to avoid paying claims. With the policy from Chubbs everything is covered for replacement value regardless of the intended use of the gear-we may have talked about this.
Regardless, although the author of this article is correct in his premise-get insurance for your gear-he should have stated whether he was a pro or a hobbyist, it could have a huge bearing on the outcome of a potential claim.”
Jake, I had similar situation with American and they refused to handle it too. I am disabled and had my carry on (bag was within their requirements for a carry on.) and an employee took the bag for me as I tried to climb the stairs. When I got on top and turned around for my bag, it had been thrown in the cargo hold. I explained to the attendant that it had camera lenses in it and that it needed to come up with me; it was my carry on and they had no right throwing it in the cargo hold. I was told if I didn’t immediately shut up and sit down I’d be thrown off the plane. When I arrived, I immediately reported the incident to the people at the ground. They took my bag off the plane, carried in to the airport and opened the bag with me to see that my Nikon 16mm lens had been damaged. They documented the incident and told it would be taken care of. They even gave me a copy of their report testifying that they opened the bag to witness first hand the damage. American has refused to lift a finger and neither did the government when I reported it. Seems the airlines have the right to do as they please and abuse and violate us any way they wish. I have not been able to get a lawyer to lift a finger either and even though my disability was involved and my ADA rights violated, ADA refuses to lift a finger either. Maybe what we need is a multimillion dollar law suit filed against the airlines or maybe everyone should just refuse to fly and let those planes sit on the ground until the airlines stop their abusiveness. I learned a long time ago the only way to get corporations attention is to hit them in the pocket book. Let’s see how they feel when their wallet is attacked.
I’m really sorry about this! I think, from many of the comments that I’ve read on here, we’re in danger of going in the wrong direction with all this. Yes, we certainly need to protect our equipment, and there are better ways to do than I did. BUT, we can’t simply throw our hands up and say, “Airlines are going to treat our property with disrespect.” That doesn’t make sense to me. I believe a continued, vocal, combined effort from passengers who insist on a little respect for the items they check, isn’t unreasonable.
All you critics here insulting Jake’s intelligence are way off base. He did nothing wrong; it’s Delta that did all the wrong here, on more than one step Too bad something like this hasn’t happened to you; then you’d change your discriminating pompous attitudes real quick. Grow up for crying out loud.
Looky gay!!
I’m glad they’re finally reimbursing you. Love the photos btw. Cheers. Highly recommend a hard case even if you continue to take it with you inside the plane. If that ever happens again, my Nikon D810 has travelled in the bottom of the plane on a hard case with various lenses and everything A Ok.
Lol! :D.