Taking photos of aircraft while boarding?

[Andrew R]

Does anyone know if your allowed to take photos of the aircraft your boarding whilst on the tarmac. For example most airlines no longer use jet bridges so you can usually walk around the aircraft when your boarding.... Would the ground crew or airline staff mind if you stopped for a bit and snapped a few photographs? I'm not talking mobile phone shots, proper DSLR photographs.

Also are you allowed to take photos in the air? I know the cabin crew say no electronic devices on takeoff or landing.

Thanks

[Skipness One Echo]

I got yelled at a couple of times but there is a knack. Be set up and ready to shoot before setting foot on the apron and mentally be prepared to stop, shoot and walk on smiling innocently like an excited tourist.

I know staff are not supposed to shoot on aprons but many do, I got yelled at by BA groundstaff boarding the last Air Southwest out of LGW and told "no photos". I didn't argue even though I had seen a camera crew from the TV there a moment ago. In JFK last month, I had a seven foot tall black rampir get borderline frightening with his gestures. I had dared to shoot an American B757 at the gate, he actually started running towards me at one point and I though he was going to come inside! 9-11 casts a long shadow indeed.

[Johnny Tightlips]

Reminds me of a funny incident I saw last summer. A young boy asked me if he could take a picture of the cockpit and of course I let him, I remember when I used to be like that about 15 years ago! Anyway he went to the cockpit door and suddenly the in charge cabin crew member said no photos were allowed to be taken in the aircraft. Captain told her to mind her own business and the little lad got his pictures and a small tour of the switches as well

It's sad really that some people make life so difficult for everyone else......

[transmitforDF]

Only in the UK this seems to be a problem, but every time I go on hols I just can't resist to get a snap. I usually try to time my walk, prime the camera then SNAP que bollocking from the ground staff but its worth it! On the ground at LHR I was bollocked by three ground staff for getting a shot of the cx A340 never mind ey

[750XL]

Depending on the airport, then I think it all depends on the dispatcher / staff watching the passengers. At military airports or places like Dubai, Saudi Arabia etc then it's obviously a big no-no but in the UK I see no problem.

Personally, I have no issue with any passengers taking pictures on the ramp while boarding / de-boarding my flights as long as they use common sense and don't do anything stupid. For a lot of people, flying is all part of the 'holiday experience' so I see no reason why they can't record that 'moment' on a photo.

Generally, as long as the passenger takes a few quick snaps then continues walking into the terminal building / aircraft then there's no harm. The few times I will say something is when people take it upon themselves to stand in front of the engine () or stand at the bottom of the steps while they get some photos, therefore causing a backlog of pax.

I quite often handle football flights and for some reason the Italian / Spanish supporters always seem adamant on getting a photo taken with myself / other ground staff

[Hotel Tango]

At BHX last year I got yelled at by a young ground staff lady for taking a photo of my 6 year old grandson with the nose of the Dash-8 (which we had just disembarked from) as background. I did this without causing an obstruction or leaving the designated pax walkway. Her tone was so rude that I just told her not to be so rude and so ridiculous. I got my photo anyway. It took just 2seconds. Did she really need to make such a scene? Also once had an overzealous member of ground staff (at BHX again) tell me I couldn't use binoculars inside the terminal building (looking out). I told her that no such regulation existed and if it did she could call the cops. I continued to use them waiting for the cops to arrive. They didn't. It's often a case of using common sense but sadly that's a thing of the past with many staff members these days.

[750XL]

At BHX last year I got yelled at by a young ground staff lady for taking a photo of my 6 year old grandson with the nose of the Dash-8 (which we had just disembarked from) as background. I did this without causing an obstruction or leaving the designated pax walkway. Her tone was so rude that I just told her not to be so rude and so ridiculous.

I think lack of training and strict rules / regulations can cause ground staff to act like this. Generally they're barely earning more than minimum wage in ****e conditions and working horrible hours. Sadly I know from experience that they're usually accountable for anything that happens to passengers on the ramp and usually suspended until it's been investigated, even if it was nothing to do with them and wasn't preventable.

Personally, I was never specifically told during training if photos were allowed on the ramp or not, and how to deal with passengers who may start taking photos on the ramp. As I said in my previous post, I tend to use my common sense and let them get along with it unless they're causing a problem.

[MKY661]

Ive never got shouted at... yet. Done it a couple of times at MAN and no problems. Same with GIB. In fact I even asked if I could tae a picture of the plane and they said yes.

[Dave Barnshaw]

We are not all "witless spotters" as Jamesfern suggest,some of us do actually fly aircraft believe it or not. He adds that he can see no problem taking photos inside the aircraft-can't see the point of that one. Folk like to see photos of the aircraft concerned,and not of passengers or wing and engines of the said plane-

[donnlass]

We tried to take a picture of the Aer Lingus we had just left when we got to Dublin and the reaction we got you'd think we tried to fire a rocket at it or something.

Mind you I did check the website some time after and it said anyone intending to photograph aircraft had to notify them and pay 200 euro for the privilege!

But I havent seen that on the site since the airport was expanded and a Viewing Platform included in the expansion so I dont know if that is still the case.

[Navy_Adversary]

I wasn't allowed to take a piccie of a VS 747 which I was about to board groundside at LHR, on my way to the USA where i took piccies of SR71s, U2s and F117s, strange world we live in.

[Cymmon]

I can't take photo's on board.
My camera is part of my mobile phone.

[Espada III]

Yes you can. Simply turn the wireless receiver off (or turn the phone onto flight mode) and you can use all the other functions including camera and MP3 player.

[gmidx]

I asked this very question to the head of airfield operations at the airport that I currently work. My response to this was pax can take pictures anywhere in the airport/airfield so long as:

1) it's not at securoty, border control, customs and
2) pax are not taking pictures of sensitive areas eg fuel farmers etc (possible terrorism survey lance).

I work for an airline as a aircraft dispatcher and often get groups posing for pics at gates, on the ramp and a/c stairs. I often take the pictures for them. I have experienced colleagues and cabin crew shout at pax to stop taking pictures because of "security!". As mentioned as long as it is not in and of sensitive areas, I don't see a problem and so does my airport authority.

[Denti]

Most pilots i fly with and of course myself as well have a camera with them during their normal duty. We shoot quite a lot of pictures, from inside the aircraft and running witless around fuelers, baggage handlers and so on outside the aircraft as well.

As long as it is done in a common sense way we do not mind at all if pictures are taken during boarding and deboarding, and we don't mind if someone takes a picture from the flight deck on the ground. However in the latter case we usually insist of the picture being taken in such a way that we are not identifiable and that it isn't posted freely on the internet (well, we can't really enforce that of course) since our company doesn't really like that and has given out reprimands for pictures of company property that appeared on the net.

[MAN777]

The anorak in me insists on trying to grab a shot of everything I fly on (don't know why, I just do)

My system is as already stated, have the camera ready to shoot and just go for the shot as if your just a tourist, IF someone objects dont argue just nod, drop the camera to the hip and carry on shooting discreetly. Shooting "from the hip" is a recognised technique that pros use in sensitive situations and with practice can give good results. A wide angle lens and keeping the shutter pressed will give you a better chance of getting the shot.

If you know it's going to be a no-no such as in Doha or Dubai just go straight from the hip.

Works for me !

[KBPsen]

It should be realized that airports and aircraft are not public spaces. Besides being full of passengers they are also places of work and both passengers and those who work there, should be able to go about their business in the expectation that they will not be photographed either openly or on the sly unless they agree to it.

[Andrew R]

Hi thanks for the responses.

I'm the anorak too and try and take a photo of everything I fly on. All my photographs are usually taken using an iPhone so it's not too much hassle to pull it out whilst walking up to the aircraft, pausing for a second to take a picture. However in the past at Southampton and BHX I've had ground crew give me the stare of death for pausing to take a photo.

Anyway next week I'm flying out of BFS and wanted to bring my DSLR and test out my new fisheye lens. I really don't want to get yelled at cause it would be extremely embarrassing .

[NutLoose]

KPBSen Mate in the real world you are photographed every hour of every day going about your normal life,

There are some anal security, saw them badgering some guy with steps so he could get a picture over a fence of an arrival, his steps were nowhere near the fence, I remonstrated just let him get his picture and he will be on his way, happy, don't and you will be playing catch up while he tries to get it elsewhere... I got the well he might try to get over the fence... He would of needed to be able to leap small buildings to have reached the fence and as I was on the other side (Airside ) also taking pics of the rare visitor, it was not likely to happen..

As for security and Installations... the average terrorist isn't exactly going to make a visible look I am casing the joint with my camera approach, are they...

As for when boarding, I can understand the staff sort of hurrying people along as they need to make the slot times and having one pax taking pics of the aircraft can result in the lemming effect and delays boarding.... But that is no reason to be rude.

[ZFT]

It should be realized that airports and aircraft are not public spaces. Besides being full of passengers they are also places of work and both passengers and those who work there, should be able to go about their business in the expectation that they will not be photographed either openly or on the sly unless they agree to it.

So you never photograph anything because there is always someone working just about everywhere you go.