Originally Posted by
tkey75
Unfortunately what the insurance doesn't solve is the problem of your gear being broken when you get to your destination. I know I would not have time to replace the contents of my bag when I arrive before I need it to make my living.
The point of requesting the insurance is to motivate the GA or FA to take the path of least resistance, which is finding room for YOUR bag. On two particular flights I ran into this issue, my bag was stored in the coat closet up front as all bins actually were full.
I'm in the same line of work, and often travel with two medium format digital camera backs that together are worth the value of a Mercedes. It's never easy. If the flight is looking like it's packed, I've requested to pre-board. I've also purchased early boarding on airlines other than Delta, to increase chances at overhead bin space.
Bottom line is, I find a way to get the gear on board that is most crucial to the job. If needed (like on an RJ sometimes), I'll pull the backs from my roller and place them in my briefcase, as they're the hardest to replace on short notice, along with a camera body and a lens. That way, worst case scenario, I can still do something if all of my luggage is destroyed.