will LowePro ProRunner 450 AW fit on a plane?

<p>I've been using a LowePro FastPack250 for a few years now. The bag has been one of the best purchases I have ever made. Every time my kit has evolved I thought I would outgrow it, but I always figured out a way to reconfigure the bag. It has grown with me and been an absolute gem of a purchase. Until I got a 70-200 f2.8, I could even use the upper compartment for bike shoes, a helmet, and/or my lunch.</p>

<p>I have finally busted out of the seams and need something bigger. I just picked up a LowePro ProRunner 450 AW. It looks like it will easily fit my now ridiculously large collection of lenses, bodies, strobes, and accessories.</p>

<p>Sunday I am on a plane. The LowePro manual states "airline carry-on (check specific airline for restrictions)". I'm flying United to Munich. Has anybody ever had any issues getting this on a plane? I'm on a mileage seat, probably a middle seat, so I may not have overhead compartment access. Will this fit under the seat?</p>

<p>Is this the right bag to be taking? Here's what I will be filling it with:</p>

<ul>

<li>D3</li>

<li>D90</li>

<li>24-70 f.28</li>

<li>70-200 f.8 VR2</li>

<li>16-35 f4</li>

<li>105 f2.8 micro</li>

<li>maybe a 50 f1.4</li>

<li>SB-600</li>

<li>SB-900</li>

<li>TC-1.7</li>

<li>laptop</li>

<li>batteries, cards, various little stuff</li>

</ul>

<p>Any chance I can get my tripod on the plane? (Yeah, right! It's a Bogen/Manfrotto 3021 boatanchor.)</p>

<p>Maury -- if you see this, please email me as I want to ask you a question about the ProRunner 200AW. I lost your email address!</p>

I had found Lowepro Fastpack 250 to be a tight fit under seats of Hawaiian & United planes. Extrapolating that I doubt ProRunner 450 would fit as such.

 

If the ProRunner bag is smaller than or the same size as a Pelican 1500 series case, then that bag would fit in the overhead compartment (won't fit in most of (US) regional jets|prop planes; don't know about other planes).

<p>I use a Kata Owl 272 DL which is actually deeper than the Lowepro Pro Runner 450 AW, and I would agree with parv that it won't fit on some regional jets but over the last year it has fit in the overhead on any other plane used for domestic and international flights. That's with a laptop and at least one long-ish (70-200) lens so it's not able to be compressed very much. On a flight to Munich the overheads in any of the United equipment will accomodate your new bag - probably with some room to spare.<br /><a href="http://www.lowepro.com/prorunner_backpacks">http://www.lowepro.com/prorunner_backpacks</a> dimensions 12.2 X 6.7 X 18.5<br /><a href="http://www.kata-bags.com/product.asp?p_Id=19805">http://www.kata-bags.com/product.asp?p_Id=19805</a> dimensions 13.8 X 11 X 17.7</p>

<p>I was worried about the same thing when I first got it, but haven't had a problem other than those three-seat regional jets. And on those I've been able to get it under the seat in front - fortunately usually short flights since I'm too tall for any comfort on those things.</p>

<p>Allan,</p>

<p>can you fit the tripod into your regular luggage? That's what I usually do. The other option is to hand-deliver it at the airplane (which may prevent abuse by the cargo staff) or to check it in regularly (pack/wrap it well before you do this).<br>

About the backpack: I'm traveling with a larger Kata backpack with a ridiculous amount of equipment ;-) and I've never experienced problems dragging this thing onto a plane as hand luggage. The only hassle they give me at select airports is the test for explosives (Frankfurt is great at that...), but usually they limit themselves to asking me to open the backpack so they can take a peek inside.<br>

I leave this thing on my back when I check in my other stuff and try to look like I'm carrying something utterly lightweight on my shoulders, and so far, I got away with it. Even if regulations ask you to check in items larger then xy and weighing more than xyz, airlines also advise you not to check in expensive camera gear as luggage to prevent theft and damage. If they stop you, start insisting. It may be that in American airports, the way of dealing with things is different to Europe, where things are a bit more relaxed. (Ehem... sort of... in Turkey, they declared our 24" Istanbul ride as highly dangerous...)</p>

<p>If you come to Munich, drink a beer for me. I love that city.<br>

Greetings from Germany,<br>

Monika</p>

<p>Oh, and I forgot: yes, it does fit into compartments, and also under the seat.</p>

<p>I had forgotten about the tripod - Monika makes a good point about that. If I'm travelling with a large suitcase I send the tripod that way. This will probably cause me bad luck, but I will say that I haven't had a piece of luggage go missing for more than a few hours in 40+ years of travel, including some very out-of-the-way places. If that doesn't work for you, carry the tripod on board lightly wrapped - I use the Manfrotto cloth bag that came with mine - but take the head off and put it in your camera bag. It will fit just fine in the overhead, and as long as it doesn't have big spikes on the feet you should not have a security problem.</p>

I travelled from Canada to Peru last fall

with my daughter and used a tamrac

expedition 8bag for my gear. It just fit

the o/h on the commuter jet and the

intl flight, only problem was I had to

take a couple of batteries out for the 50

lb limit. Gear included a sigma 170- 500

lens.prop planes are too small on the

o/h but it fit under the seat.

Allan,

Don`t sweat it, I have flown with that bag to Rome,Koln,Tokyo and more and it fits in the overhead compartment and as far as the tripod goes, with your main luggage in the cargo area is the way to go...

Enjoy your trip!