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Airline Drops Photographer’s $20,000 Camera Kit

Imagine getting off a flight, walking over to get your (unwillingly) gate-checked case full of $20K of camera gear, and seeing a baggage handler walking up holding a few lenses and yelling “whose are these?” That’s exactly what happen to Crown Heights photographer Yosef Shidler of CJ Studios.

From PetaPixel:

The incident took place on June 5th while Shidler was traveling to Detroit to cover a wedding. After being forced to gate-check his Pelican case, he walked out onto the ramp to see his case open and gear everywhere. “All of a sudden, the lady walks out holding on to my lenses asking ‘whose are these?’” he told us over the phone. “I was like ‘What the hell!?’ It’s unbelievable.”

Shidler claims his Pelican case was dropped from the loading ramp as it ascended, from a height of “about 7 or 8 feet.” The case burst open and camera bodies and lenses went rolling around on the tarmac. The story is going viral today thanks to a video Shidler captured immediately after the incident took place:

Click here to continue reading at Peta Pixel.

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26 Comments

  • serial suer

    Isn’t this the same guy who was suing an airline company for something?

  • Strange

    Something is up with this guy. He is always busy filing suits and fighting with airlines. Does photography not pay enough?

  • Here we go again

    Seems like its always the same people who have issues when flying. I have travelled as a photgrapher for over 20 years and never had such an issue. Pelican cases are almost indestructible, so unless the case was not sealed correctly, I doubt it was the fault of the baggage handlers.

  • Former Bochur

    Seems like the airlines are out to get Mr. Shidler, or Mr. Shidler is out to get the airlines

  • suing is obviously good business

    same dude has problems with airline and its news. slow news day.

  • Oh Please

    No smart person owns $20,000 of equipment without having insurance.
    Also, there some people who yearn for opportunities to sue.
    BTW, do you know if he won his other lawsuit?

  • Dov bennish

    I have known Yosef for a year he is very honest so I don’t think he is out to get anyone. If someone broke thousands of dollars of my equipment I would also be ticked.

  • 1st southwest

    now American airline, Egyptian air your next, I spoke with CJ Studios manager.

  • Chilul Hashem

    Why are you making a Chilul Hashem? You didnt take the right precautions and now you blaming everyone for your own negligence.

  • Mendel

    He is just not keeping quiet compared to other people he is 100% right yossef

  • Cory

    And same guy who tried suing Chase for his account being closed. What’s new? (Yawn)

  • his mazel

    suing 2 airlines and a bank he has bad mazel i think he need to check mezzuzas and tefiilin or somehting

  • oh boy

    i hate to be the one. Is it just me but i see him on Facebook always making issues. I know this prob not the case here but its not shocking how all theses “issues” always happen to the same people. may I say they are petty.

  • good on him!

    most of us have things happening to us and we cant be bothered suing. and the banks, airlines get away with it. Good for you for suing!! we pay for services, and if it is not done properly ; we should sue!! but most of us can’t be bothered,dont have the time etc.

  • shlomo

    it seems to me he should sue pelican. it should not open in this situation….

  • gee when you have a problem

    and upset,you would do the same thing, let’s just wait till you all get the same treatment, how is it you have no empathy for someone else

  • Rivky

    Ho hum. Why does he start out by threatening to sue? A mentch, even an angry one, should first discuss this with the on site supervisor and file a claim with the airline and his insurance company. The insurance company will go after the airline. Therefore he presents himself as an opportunist rather than a victim