More Airport/TSA problems (new regs?)

[mark_gatehouse]

gleaned from a couple of lists over the last few days:

 

 

"Hey guys. Just got back from a shooting trip down in LA. At the

Seattle

end they did what they always do-- swab my boxes of sheet film and

let me

on through. On my return, however, I had a box of exposed film that

the

security people at LAX insisted on opening. They that said because the

factory seal was broken, I could have a plastic knife in the box, and

they

couldn't let me through without either x-raying the box or opening it

for

visual inspection. Only after summoning the supervisor of the

supervisor

and getting into quite a shouting match, did they finally let me pass

with

my film... etc"

 

Maybe they were going by these apparent new regulations (forwarded

from

another list):

 

"My wife, flew today (4-28-04) from Anchorage to Nashville. Going

through security she identified herself as a professional

photographer and

politely requested a hand inspection of her medium format camera and

forty

plus rolls of 120 format film. She stopped the inspection when she

saw

the TSA employee ripping open her foil-sealed rolls of Fujifilm prior

to

wanding them for trace chemical sniffing. She was told that this was

now

standard operating procedure as per a new bulky TSA manual that was

just

delivered yesterday to Anchorage International Airport. The inspector

stated that all film that was not 35mm in see-through plastic

containers

had to be opened. Randi explained that the manufacturer's foil

packaging

protecting the individual rolls keeps the film clean, light tight and

dry

over a long trip. By working through TSA supervisors and having a full

hour and a half prior to her flight leaving, she was able to convince

them

to let her through without opening each roll of film.

 

For those of us with travel and assignments that require us to shoot

medium and large format film, this sounds like a real problem flying

with

your film. I shoot mostly 4x5 and TSA inspectors opening sealed

boxes of

4x5 inch sheet film will ruin the film through fogging. Up until

now, the

inspectors have been content with wand sniffing the outside my light

tight

film boxes and sheet film holders, but it sounds like this policy has

changed."

[jbq]

#1 - why not just let them x-ray it?

 

#2 - why not fedex it?

 

#3 - that's just the price of security - film is light- and x-ray sensitive, so until we find a reliable solution to examine packages that doesn't fog film (or films that aren't sensitive to x-rays), we'll have to live with it.

[crispin_agnew]

#1 - why not just let them x-ray it?

 

TSA now uses higher doses of xray for carry on baggage. They previously recommended a max of 5 runs through the xray - otherwise request a hand check (apparently now no longer an option). This film was going to go through more than 5 checks.

 

#2 - why not fedex it?

 

Fedex also won't say what they do and don't xray and won't guarantee film against dmagae. And when they do xray it they are using CAT type scanners which wreck film. In additon - on a multi stop assignment like this was, logistics of making sure the film is where you need it when you need it can be considerable.

 

#3 - that's just the price of security - film is light- and x-ray sensitive, so until we find a reliable solution to examine packages that doesn't fog film (or films that aren't sensitive to x-rays), we'll have to live with.

 

Bummer if this is how you earn your living. In additon to which test results announced only last week by the government have shown that the the current efforts by the TSA and civilian security contracters gives a security level of almost exactly the same as was found 15 years ago i.e. all the extra hassle has led to no actual improvement in levels of security. So it's pretty much a wast of time anyway...

[tim obrien]

Bummer if some bastard gets a small knive or other weapon through in an opened but not examined box of sheet film. It's only your life or someone elses life at stake here. Security isn't much fun, flying isn't much fun either. I have no problems with them having minimum security requirements and I have learned how to minimize their impact on me. Everything is sealed when I am leaving home. I always bring an xray pouch with me and mail the film home. It's worked so far.

 

tim in san jose

[crispin_agnew]

"Bummer if some bastard gets a small knive or other weapon through in an opened but not examined box of sheet film. It's only your life or someone elses life at stake here. Security isn't much fun, flying isn't much fun either. I have no problems with them having minimum security requirements and I have learned how to minimize their impact on me."

 

Tim, I worked in counter-terrorism and counter-revolutionary warfare for 17 years before retiring and becoming a photogtapher - IRA, INLA, Red Army Faction, Baader-Meinhof even the PLO (back when they were real terrorists) you name em. I'm glad you feel a bit more secure. Unfortuntely you are living in a fools paradise. There are plenty of things that could and should be done that would increase security and safety one hundred fold. Unfortunately the US Government isn't apparently interested in them. Also, checking sheet film boxes isn't even up there in the top 500.

 

Sadly, the US cizitzens are now more at risk from the threats you mention than they were on Sept 10 2001

[tom_oldfield1]

FedEx has not been using the xray machines on film if you indicate on the outside of the package that it is exposed film. As far as I have been able to determine they are still the best bet, even if you have to send packages from several different locations on the same trip.

[paulr]

I have had film go through these machines several times both here in the US, China, and Poland to name a few countries. No ill effects. Speed of the film was 100 and 400. I travel about 75,000 miles per year and have film with me on these trips most of the time.

 

I purchase my film from B&H in NY. They ship the film to me via UPS and FedEx. Never a problem.

 

I would like to hear from someone that has had their film fogged by going through these machines.

[jtuck]

I was in las vegas with my 4x5 gear just last month and I let them x-ray the film and they did a swab on it (the bag). No problems other than on the way in I walked through the xray at detroit (3am) with shoes and watch on... after a little friendliness with a wand-man

I was on my way. Really if you just shut your mouth and let them xray it they'll be happy to pass you (even after seeing equipment that looks like a shoulder-fire RPG)

 

BTW In the terminal where we purchased fudge (past security by the way)we needed something to cut it with, thankfully the burger king also in the terminal had plastic knives, forks, spoons. I guess you don't have to bring your weapons to war, they give them to you pre-flight!?!?

[j.w.]

"FedEx has not been using the xray machines on film if you indicate on the outside of the package that it is exposed film."

 

Reminds me of when I was given an insider's view of UPS. If the package is marked "fragile", there's a higher chance that it will be targetted for "special treatment". No worries; that's what insurance is for, right?

 

I just travelled this week through LAX. The TSA operator of the X-Ray machine advised we take out any undeveloped film from our check-in luggage.

 

The unspoken assumption was that we would be safe in carrying said film through the carry-on security checkpoint. Which we did. But there, all the carry-on items get X-rayed anyway. And no warning by the TSA personnel as to the risk to film. Oh, well.

 

One possible solution:

 

Perhaps I should use only 120 film when travelling. Most have plastic film spools. Using black plastic to keep the exposed film clean and light-tight, I should be able to stuff my pockets with said film and walk right through the metal detector, avoiding all risk of X-rays to the film, while avoiding setting off the detector.

 

Has anyone tried this strategy?

[jbq]

Jon - The X-ray machines used to checked-in luggage are significantly more powerful than those for carry-on luggage. I've had ISO 800 film going through several carry-on X-rays (4 passes) without any visible difference. Definitely makes me feel safe about ISO 100 film. If something looks odd in a checked-in piece of luggage, they really need to be able to see what it is. If something looks odd in a carry-on, they can easily do a visual inspection (which they do).

 

Has anyone had issues with Quickloads and their metal clip?

[tim obrien]

Mr. Agnew, nowhere in my post do I say I feel secure flying. And checking everyones LF film boxes isn't going to make me feel secure. But NOT checking everyones film boxes is going indicate one more step that they aren't serious about flight safety. And maybe they aren't, but I want your personal items checked just like mine.

 

 

tim in san jose

[wayne_crider4]

Crispin, if you ever want to do a documentary on what your saying let me

know. I have heard this info too often, and feel at this point that it should be

brought more to light.

[steve_markham]

Be careful with LF film @ Airports in Australia !

 

Although most of my travelling with commercial quantities of MF/LF Film has been limited to Sth East Asia/Hawaii I can only say that Australian(my home county !)customs authorities can be rather "paranoid & difficult" when it comes to Film inspection & handling. EG : The last time I took out a batch of LF (5x4 x 10 boxes of Velvia & Kodak VC in Y2k = pre Sept 11) they wanted to select a box at "random" and shock horror "open it" to comfirm its contents. (even though all factory seals were in place) After coming to an "agreement" my wife spent 40 minutes waiting for me to go to a suitably dark room (no windows & horse blanket at the door seal) and for the chap who spoke broken English to "open" a chosen box in the "dark" at one end of the room whilst I sat nervously at the other until he exclaimed "I theenk is ok meester!)I was duly handed back my other 9 boxes and we were on our way. ( I also had to surrender the ice gel packs as they thought they may leak and they put them in the check in luggage. I shouldn't really complain when I think of all the times I have got away with carring on 60 pounds = UW Housings, Nikonos Strobes & Cameras, Dive Regulator & once weight belt with 18 pounds of lead !

 

PS : Have never had any film fogged (50 to 400 ASA) = rarely gets Xrayed as I always put in clear plastic bag & pass on for hand inspection well in advance of being close to machine. I also carry an old roll of 3200 ASA so that when I get read the riot act re "Its ok for up to 800 ASA" I can point out that they have to "hand check any way. I suspect I'm on a "black list" somehere now ? (some of the 3rd generation machines may use higher/variable hots spot/focussed power & the magnetic sensitivity varies a lot with the walk through metal detector machines)

 

Aussie Steve :-)