Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
If you're willing to pay, would it be practical to use FedEx for the stuff you really need? That would require shipping it a day or more before your day of departure, so you would need to be organized about this.
I've used shipper services in the past, but it can add a LOT of cost, given the size, weight, time involved. There's the potential security concern of gear sitting someplace waiting for you. And as you pointed out, there needs to be "down time" on both sides. It's not unusual for me to fly through multiple cities on the course of a gig.
I LOVE the carriers' accommodation for media professionals' baggage, it's really outstanding (eg, I can check up to 23 (!!) gear cases at $50/ea). But I'd pay... I dunno... another $50 to put an "uber-critical-gotta-get-there" tag on a few of those bags.