Domestic flight X-ray machines & India

[jon_warwick1]

Off to India in a few weeks. Will be taking a domestic flight from

Udaipur back to Delhi. I normally put my films without any thought

through international X-ray machines for carry-on bags and have

incurred no problems. Was wondering if anyone has put films through

Indian domestic airport X-ray machines for hand-held luggage and had

any fogging issues, etc? I would guess not, but just wanted to check!

[james_ogara1]

The mor ebackward the country the more reluctant I'd be to use their X-ray machines. And often they are the first ones to point out that the machine is not film-safe.

[preston_merchant]

The carry-on x-ray machines in India are fine.

[scott_davis5]

I had Infrared film that went through the carryon x-ray machines in Cambodia, a far more backward place than India, and had no ill effect. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, unless you're shooting some very high-speed transparency film or something (asa 800 or faster).

[warren_huang]

Jon,

 

I actually took the flight from Udaipur to Delhi, and ran my film (100 ISO) through the x-ray machine for carry-on luggage (and, overall, through about a dozen x-ray machines for flights to and within India) with no ill effects. Enjoy your trip to India. Udaipur and the surrounding area are enchanting.

 

Regards,

Warren

[james_ogara1]

Somebody named RML wrote: Oh, India isn't as nearly a backwater as some people believe it to be. No need to patronise and generalise.

 

Who's patronizing now?

[dhrubo_gupta]

Indian Security checks are very thorough but if you have a bunch of films in a clear pack they generally are happy to oblige and do a hand check - specially if you are a visitor. But do not risk having the filims developed here - unless you know where to have this done.

 

Udaipur before November can be steaming hot - but it has some of the finest hotels (the Oberoi there is rated among the ten best worldwide) - so if you are booked into one of them, it should not be too much of a pain.

 

Enjoy the surprise that is India.

[stuart_whatling]

All the Indian x-ray machines I ever saw on domestic flights were the same kinds as you'd expect to find in Europe, except for the one at Patna Airport, which looked like something Wilhelm Roentgen might have made. But that was a few years back and unlike Udaipur, Patna isn't exactly a tourist town.

For some reason Air India security always used to insist on you removing batteries from cameras before the flight but don't know if they still do.

 

If the heat of Udaipur gets too much, head up to the old hill station of Mt Abu for some cool breezes and pleasant treks. Plus of course the spectacular Jain temples at Dilwara.

[dhrubo_gupta]

Batteries inside a camera are no longer a problem ? the spare ones should be in the check-in bag. Irrespective they confiscate nothing here - if it is not dangerous they hand it to the pilot to be returned at the end of the trip. If they think it IS dangerous they arrest you!

[preston_merchant]

I've carried huge stocks of film through India and multiple cameras. The security screeners are a bit curious. When they ask if I am a 'professional photographer' and I say yes, everything seems to make sense to them and I am afforded every courtesy. So if you really want hand-inspection, just say you are a professional--and, really, aren't we all?

[msitaraman]

James, James...:-)

 

My dear fellow, the term to use is 'less-developed', not 'backward'.

 

Thus it has been in polite society, oh, these last forty or fifty years.

 

Whatever else it might be, it is not, surely, "ebackward"?