In addition to the benefits POMA membership already offers, using your media membership card could potentially save money on transporting camera and video gear, or provide additional baggage allowances, on your next flight.
The list below provides information for most major airlines and is current at the date of posting. The information is subject to change based on each individual airline’s policies.
Website links are provided so that you can visit the airline’s site to get the most up-to-date information and regulations.
***The information provided is not meant to be a comprehensive listing of each airline’s policies. Acceptance of POMA membership credentials as a valid press id is at the airline’s discretion and not guaranteed by POMA. Please verify with the airline of choice before traveling.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/baggage/specialty-and-sports.jsp
Preferred entertainment and media companies and eligible travelers are offered a special rate and generous baggage allowance for cameras, film, lighting, sound equipment and other baggage.
Eligible travelers will pay $50 per piece, per one-way domestic trip, or $70 per piece, per one-way international trip. Fees for overweight and oversize baggage will be waived.*
*Baggage may not exceed 100lbs/45kg or 320cm in total dimensions (max length of 190cm).
Each eligible organization/company may travel with up to 25 pieces per flight, subject to seasonal and permanent baggage embargoes. The maximum size and weight allowances are subject to the policies in place for the destination. Equipment is subject to seasonal and permanent baggage embargoes.
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/baggage/before-your-trip/special-items.html
Camera, film, videotape, lighting and sound equipment that is tendered by representatives of network or local television broadcasting companies or commercial film-making companies will be accepted as baggage at the fees noted below. Valid photo ID with company insignia is required.
UPDATE 12/2019: 72 hours before flying you have to send an email to media.bags@delta.com letting them know that you’ll be flying with media baggage. They’ll send you back an email (example below) and note it on your itinerary. This change has been implemented due to travelers taking advantage of the media rate in the past.
Sample of email that may be received from Delta:
This reservation has been documented for the airport to honor media baggage rates.
Please note, because a Delta Mainline will be doing the physical act of checking in the bags, up to 25 total checked bags (within the size guidelines outlined below) will be permitted. Every bag after this initial amount will be tagged as “stand-by” and will be loaded on the aircraft dependent on capacity levels on the day of the flight.
This will ultimately be a decision made by airport staff day-of based on present load factors and conditions. If bags are sent through on a later flight, your travelers will see this on their Delta app in “checked baggage information.” Bags sent through on later flights will land and be sent through to the normal baggage carousels for that flight and must be picked up by your travelers returning to that station at the landing time of that other flight. The airport will do everything possible to accommodate but we can really only guarantee that a total of 25 will be loaded.
Please be sure the customers check in at the Baggage Drop rather than the Skycap at the curbside as the Skycap will not have access to my documentation. Have them reference the Media Baggage pre-authorization documentation in the flight reservation upon checking in. Travelers should not assume check-in counter agents will default to looking for these notes as such discounted baggage rates are not the norm for the general public.
If they are planning on taking lithium batteries, be sure the batteries are in carry-on baggage only and are packaged in a way to prevent crushing, puncturing, or putting a high degree of pressure on the battery. The amount of spare batteries is limited to 20 per person for batteries that are no more than 99 watt hours and two batteries per person for batteries between 100 and 160 watt hours. More information can be found on Delta’s Restricted Item page and the FAA’s Pack Safe page.
Domestic:
1st and 2nd bag same as regular baggage allowance if no more than 50 lbs. (23 kg)/62 inches. If overweight / oversize, flat media rate of 50 USD/CAD*.
3rd-25th bags 50 USD/CAD* each if no more than 100 lbs. (45 kg) and 115 total linear inches*
International
1st and 2nd same as regular baggage allowance if under 50 lbs. (23 kg)/62 inches. If overweight / oversize flat media rate of 70 USD/CAD* or 60 EUR* applies.
3rd-25th checked bags 70 USD/CAD* or 60 EUR* each if under 100 lbs. (45 kg) and 115 total linear inches**
(Exception for travel to/from/through Europe, South Africa, or United Arab Emirates: maximum weight is 70 lbs. [30 kg])
*CAD amount will be charged exit Canada, and EUR amount will be charged exit Europe.
**All baggage charges are each-way. Maximum number of bags on Delta aircraft is 25. Maximum number of bags on Delta Connection carriers is four. Total linear inches equals length plus width plus height per bag.
Note: For standard weight baggage, customers will be charged the lesser of the standard baggage fee or the media bag fee.
https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/baggage/special-luggage-pol.html
Camera, film, video, lighting, and sound equipment will be accepted when presented by a representative of a network or local television broadcasting company or a commercial filmmaking company. A fee of $75 will be charged for each item in excess of the free baggage allowance. Media equipment will not be assessed oversized or overweight charges.
The screening equipment that inspects your checked luggage may damage undeveloped film in camera equipment. We recommend that you put undeveloped film and cameras containing undeveloped film in your carryon baggage. The screening equipment will not damage camera images.
Camcorders are allowed in or as carryon baggage. If carried separately from the one allowable carryon baggage, the camcorder will be counted as your one personal item.
Media cameras are exempt from the sizing box restriction imposed on other carryon luggage, and, if carried onboard, must be stowed in accordance with FAA safety regulations. If the camera is to be secured in a seat, however, a ticket must be purchased for that seat.
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/baggage/media-bags.html
Representatives from network television, broadcasting and commercial filmmaking companies will be charged a flat service charge to check camera, film, and lighting and sound equipment. The items must be checked by the media representative and the charges are per item at the prices listed in the chart below. The discounted service charge applies for worldwide travel on flights marketed and operated by United, and is subject to seasonal and permanent baggage embargoes. For flights connecting to other airlines, baggage charges are subject to the connecting airline’s baggage policies.
Prices for all bags up to 99.9 lbs., including oversized baggage
Within North America (including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America)*: $50
Outside of North America *: $70
*All charges are calculated on a one-way basis.
To obtain media checked bag service charge rates, media representatives should provide United airport check-in counter representatives with media credentials; company personnel identification for an entertainment, media or production company; or clearly identified media equipment cases labeled with company identification. If the media representative is unable to provide such verification, customers will be charged standard checked baggage service charges.
SAME AS AMERICAN AIRLINES
NO MEDIA RATE
NO MEDIA RATE