New TSA policy regarding photographic equipment

New policy from the TSA (thanks to the ASMP)

 

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1248.xml

 

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

 

Thanks to the efforts of the American Society of Media Photographers

(ASMP)

and the cooperation and understanding of the Transportation Security

Administration, working photographers and other members of the

traveling

public may now take on board an additional piece of carry-on baggage

containing photographic equipment. This means that you are allowed

to carry

on two bags � when at least one is photographic equipment � along

with a

personal item. This accommodation will make it easier to travel for

working

photographers with sensitive and valuable equipment. Document

Checkers

are being informed at this time of the change in Transportation

Security

Administration (TSA) regulations. The TSA has said to go ahead at

this time

and take advantage of the new policy.

 

Be advised that some Document Checkers may not be aware of the change

in

policy and this will require your speaking to the airline's customer

servic= e

personnel. Also, the additional bag must conform to the carry-on

regulatio= ns

for size and weight. There will still be occasions when there simply

is no=

space available on board for additional carry-on and this will

require chec= king

a bag.

 

-0-0-0-

 

Travelers & Consumers

Transporting Special Items

 

Film and Photographic Equipment

 

Traveling with Photographic Equipment

 

You may carry one (1) bag of photographic equipment in addition to

one (1) =

carry-on and one (1) personal item through the screening checkpoint.

The

additional bag must conform to your air carrier's carry-on

restrictions for= size

and weight. Please confirm your air carrier's restrictions prior to

arrivi=ng at the

airport.

 

In cooperation with the American Society of Media Photographers, this

policy

was expanded primarily to accommodate working photographers traveling

with sensitive, valuable equipment. Working photographers, and other

members of the traveling public, are encouraged to carry photographic

equipment and film as carry-on luggage.

I really needed that when I went to the Solomons in August. I ended up leaving my underwater video equipment behind, in favor of my wife's still equipment.

 

In my case it wasn't the extra bag I needed but the extra weight that the extra bag would have provided.

 

Qantas limits each carry on to 15# and underwater camera gear is very heavy.

 

Note: we were on business class and it was the TSA policy that limited us to one carry on and one personal item. However, in coach we would have only been allowed one carry on and one personal item anyway, so the TSA policy change won't matter in many cases.

 

Better late than never I guess.

<p>tim - "photogorpahic" pretty funny, it's nice to see i'm not the only dislexic typer here...</p>

 

<p><i>The title was later revised by a moderator....</i></p>

Not mentioned, but I guess they are still going to want to inspect or xray our film boxes?

thats ok for travel within the US, but in needs to be copied elsewhere to be really useful.

<p><i>Not mentioned, but I guess they are still going to want to inspect or xray our film boxes?</i></p>

 

<p>The TSA is supposed to inspect film without x-rays upon passenger request. See <a href="http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1035.xml">http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1035.xml</a>.

In fact (see link), the TSA <b>recommends</b> hand inspection for "Sheet film", "Large format film" and "If the same role [sic] of film is exposed to X-ray inspections more than 5 times before it is developed, however, damage may occur. Protect your film by requesting a hand-inspection for your film if it has already passed through the carry-on baggage screening equipment (X-ray) more than 5 times.".</p>

 

<p>This has been the policy all along. In fact, it is the law in the USA. <a href="http://ecfrback.access.gpo.gov/otcgi/cfr/otfilter.cgi?DB=1&ACTION=View&QUERY=1544.211&RGN=BSEC&OP=and&QUERY=49&RGN=BTI&QUERY=5797&RGN=BSECCT&SUBSET=SUBSET&FROM=1&ITEM=1">

Paragraph 4 of section 1544.211 of Chapter XII of Part 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations</a> is "<i>If requested by individuals, their photographic equipment and film packages must be inspected without exposure to an X-ray system.</i>". I am not a lawyer and don't know if some other rule supersedes this one. The quoted regulation seems crystal clear.</p>

 

<p>However, many of the screeners seem ignorant of the TSA policy and Federal regulation (even though that one may request hand inspection is on signs along the waiting area to be screened!) and will insist on x-raying boxes of sheet film if they show metal content when tested with a wand. I can understand their concern about a box that can't be opened. Usually if the metal content is low (plastic rather than foil bag inside), one can persuade them to test with the wand and explosive trace test instead of with x-rays.</p>

 

<p>The sign mentioned in the previous paragraph are always present in the US because they are also required by Federal regulation: paragraph 3 is "<i>The signs required under this paragraph (e) must notify individuals that such items are being inspected by an X-ray and advise them to remove all X-ray, scientific, and high-speed film from accessible property and checked baggage before inspection. This sign must also advise individuals that they may request that an inspection be made of their photographic equipment and film packages without exposure to an X-ray system.</i>"</p>

 

<p>A previous thread on this topic, with arguments both ways about the legal situation: <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005dEg">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005dEg</a>.</p>

 

<p>P.S. A clickable link to the new extra-bag policy: <a href="http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1248.xml">http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1248.xml</a></p>

This policy has to be set by the individual airlines not by the TSA. It has been allowed for sometime by the airlines to permit passengers 1 carry on plus a camera bag of reasonable size.

 

But again it's a call made by the airline. One thing to keep in mind is if on a multi carrier itinerary the first carrier might permit it, but the next might not so in that case you will have to check the camera bag. Best to make sure your travel agent finds this out for you ahead of time.