The Vortex Nets of SFO – Tripods on Airplanes

The Long Legged Vortex Nets of SFO

A year or two ago I was coming home from a trip somewhere, might have been a speaking gig I had in Dallas. Anyway, my plane landed at a terminal at SFO which was new to me.  What a great welcome home! There was delightful whimsical art hanging from the ceilings all along the corridor from the gate back to the main terminal.  Since I always carry my camera gear with me on flights, it was easy enough to stop and pull out my Nikon to memorialize the vortex nets of SFO.

Does TSA Allow Tripods in Your Carry-On?

That’s been a question I’ve had often.  Answering it for myself has caused me to leave it home. For some silly reason I made up this story that the friendly people who screen us so thoroughly every time we board a plane would take one peek at this big lethal-looking shiny conglomerate of metal tubes and kindly relieve me of my gitzo weapon.  Has that thought ever gone through your mind?

Well, last Fall, on my Asia trip I was flying Air Asia on several flights to get around Southeast Asia and Indonesia.  On one leg I had forgotten to pack my tripod inside my checked bag.  When I got to security I saw the tripod strapped to the side of my backpack and thought, okay, let’s test this theory of mine.

Not a blink from any of the security guys… I think this was in Padang, Sumatra. Huh? So that was in Asia, but now the question becomes, are American TSA people okay with tripods in the cabin too? Well, since then I’ve not worried about it and always carry it with me on the planes anywhere I go.  Why did I ever worry about that?

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