Premium Members Brian Freesh Posted February 24, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 you'll get the big reward the day you get in a yellow case in that has a big STARLING stenciled on the sides! Don't overestimate the PAs! I've had them try to give me cases clearly labeled for other rental houses, and I've definitely had large, bright yellow cases NOT returned. Just today a FIZ didn't make it to us for some reason. Only thing that wasn't returned. And a few months ago a Lambda head. Both in large yellow cases. Don't stop keeping great track of your stuff. The second you let something slide is when you're gonna see something disappear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Alfeo Dixon SOC Posted February 24, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 Delta Airlines First/Business Class allows 3 free bags limited to 70lbs instead of 50lbs, not to mention you have no change fees and your ticket holds value for a year. You are still limited to 62" in size... my Ultra2 sled & vest case are 64" but a nice tip may help that 2" difference. I was also told that media rate for Delta is still in affect, but only applies to gear cases, not personal luggage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted March 14, 2009 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Been back a while but never posted a followup. In the end I didn't end up paying anything for 2 oversize and overweight cases on southwest. Flying out of LAX I didn't get past saying my cases were overweight before the woman at the counter told me not to worry about it. In Austin I had a bit more trouble as they had no idea what I was talking about and couldn't find it in the system. I told them that it was on the southwest webpage where they found it then had to show my business card and a call sheet but in the end it wasn't a problem. In the future I will carry a printed copy of the page from their website. I carried on one case of equipment which ended up containing a couple of AB batteries. The batteries resulted in my bag being searched every time. I ziptied my checked cases shut and neither of them was opened on the way there and only one on the way back. They replaced the zipties on that one. ~Jess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Alec Jarnagin SOC Posted March 14, 2009 Moderators Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 "I carried on one case of equipment which ended up containing a couple of AB batteries. The batteries resulted in my bag being searched every time. " I've had airlines let me check batteries as another case at no charge rather than have me go through security with them because they look so damn scary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted March 15, 2009 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 The funny part was that for some reason based on the x-ray they thought I had a large number of coins and kept asking me if I wanted a private screening so that no one would see them. ~Jess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Alfeo Dixon SOC Posted March 15, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 The funny part was that for some reason based on the x-ray they thought I had a large number of coins and kept asking me if I wanted a private screening so that no one would see them. ~Jess DON'T GO INTO THE BACK ROOM!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Alfeo Dixon SOC Posted October 16, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 So I just flew to São Paulo, Brazil on Delta for a show and I only took my Preston case (flew the Tango and Tiffen flew all the other gear down.) I got hit with a $200 extra bag fee because I didn't have a media credential. Luckily I had extra time due to an iCal entry for my 'got to the airport from set' that I had mistaken for flight time. So I was at the airport four hours early... better than the other way around! Anyway, I went upstairs from curbside checkin and asked for a red coat, two nice ladies came out and told me that there is actually a list of agreed 'media rate' companies... they still took off the $200 and would not allow me to pay the media rate at all. So my case went free and they gave me a hand full of drink vouchers. What I would like to do is gather statistics on how often we travel and which airlines and the pricing of the tickets... I'm sure if the SOA approached these major airlines, then we would be on the list and just provide some sort of SOA travel ID card to save us the hassles in the future when we don't have 4 hours to think creatively. -Alfeo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Stone Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 Capital idea Alfeo. Just sent a note off to Jay about your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted October 16, 2010 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 I have some upcoming flying so I have been thinking about this myself lately. The SOA credential sounds like a great idea. I have heard from a number of people that they have used various websites to create media credentials. Anyone here done this? Not looking to lie or anything just need something more official looking than my business card. Southwest has told me multiple times that my business card should be enough but I have had some trouble before. Luckily the time they were really giving me a hard time I was on my way to an ESPN shoot and had a call shoot for it which they accepted as proof. ~Jess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mike Germond SOC Posted October 17, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 It's all subjective in my experience. I went for Delta on my last trip because of their $50 rate and they wouldn't take my official Golf Channel ID as a credential, much less a call sheet or anything to do with the film. I ended up complaining to Delta (after talking to several levels of supervisors that stood by their agent) and they refunded the $235 baggage charges and gave me some free flight miles, but it was unnecessary harassment at check-in. I had no trouble on the return trip because it was out of a smaller airport and they frankly didn't care. I've had several agents that had no clue what a media rate was! It all depends on the 'tude of whoever you get on that particular day. It's still funny to see the expressions on the staff's faces when you put em on the scale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members jay kilroy Posted October 18, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Guys this sounds like a great idea. Any info you can forward me would be great, I would be more than willing to look into this and provide if we(SOA) can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Wesley Garrison Posted October 19, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 I just flew last week with Delta and their $50 media rate still worked for me. All I had to do was show my business card. The Delta employee didn't know about the rate so thank goodness I printed out the information from the Delta website. They didn't even say anything about my oversize Ultra2 case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members David Baldwin Posted October 20, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 20, 2010 There is no consistency in air travel anymore in my opinion. Ticket agents having never heard of a media rate is just one of the many fun things we put up with while traveling these days whether that travel is for business, pleasure, funerals, etc. Picture TSA for a moment. Every single airport has different standards when it comes to their passenger screening processes. They don't even know what their own standards are. Not knocking what anybody does for a living, but these folks make $8/hr. They don't know their own standards, they don't give a shit, nor should they for $8/hr. If all else fails and credentials from NBC, HBO, BBC, fancy business cards, pretty pleases and handwritten letters from Jackie Chan aren't doing the trick I say do what Jess suggested and print out their own policies from their website and politely show the counter person that. But I'm sure they'd find a way to play dumb even in that case. BTW, I've noticed that they don't really seem to care about bags being slightly oversize (pelican 1650). I don't know about overweight because my cases weigh exactly 50 lbs when I fly. To the mother loving ounce. Enjoy the friendly skies. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members David Baldwin Posted October 20, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 20, 2010 (edited) I guess showing them their policies if they are being sticklers on the credentials might not get you very far... I guess we're back to square one on what constitutes a proper credential! Edited October 21, 2010 by David Baldwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Kevin Andrews SOC Posted October 21, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 I flew Southwest in June to LAX and checked an 80lb pelican and a 55lb pelican. Both free. Print out their policy and bring a business card or credential. The lady at the check in counter looked at me funny at first when I mentioned media, but then after asking a near by supervisor, my cases and luggage all went free. They even gave me the blue pre board ticket holder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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