Bravo TSA! Another experience - 2 thumbs up!

[michael_j._kravit1]

Upon returning from a recent trip I feel compelled to write this

list regarding my experience with the TSA folks. Hand checking film

was requested and performed couteously and with high regard for my

personal items. Cameras bags were opened and CAREFULLY checked.

 

In the past, others on this list report varying experiences. Some

good some bad. I think that each encounter with airport security

also depends on the attitude of the traveller. Expecting a

confrontation will certainly result in a sour experience. My

experience was positive as these guys and gals were nothing but

professional and extremely helpful.

 

My suggestion when travelling with photo gear or just in general is

rather than cop an attitude, understand that these people are doing

a job to keep us all safe and secure. Give them a break, put a smile

on your face and be overly acommodating. A little good will goes a

long way.

 

Travel with our large format geat can be a real pain, however, on my

trip the TSA helped to make it easier.

[bob fowler]

It all depends on the worker that you happen to have inspecting your gear. I recently flew to an assignment in Savannah, GA from Newark, NJ. I was carrying a Lowe-Pro Nature Trekker with 3 Nikon Bodies, seven lenses, and a bunch of accessories and film, plus another carry on which had a couple of Vivitar 283s, a flash bracket, and assorted gear. At Newark, it took me about 30 minutes to get through inspection after my carry on stuff went through the x-ray machine. The TSA employee emptied my Lowe-Pro and did a wipe down test on everything - and I mean EVERYTHING. My other carry on bag didn't even get touched, though I can only imagine what strobes, sync cords, and a Quantum Turbo battery look like on the x-ray machine. When he finished inspecting the contents of my Lowe-Pro, he was at a loss as to how I had all of the gear packed in, so I was allowed to repack my equipment myself. On the return trip it was a quick pass through the x-ray machine and I was on my way - it hardly even slowed me down.

 

My only experience flying post 9/11 with large format was a disaster so I won't be doing that again any time soon (40 sheets of 4X5 Ektachrome were ruined).

[terence_m.]

I travelled through Newark and Seatac (Seattle/Tacoma) last week. Seatac actually had signs up on the way to the inspection point saying that you can have a hand inspection of any film and specifically recommending it for any film over 400 speed. A changing bag was even seen at the inspection table. I didn't bother at either spot as I haven't seen any difference in my mediocre results anyway. Last year the inspectors at Denver were so polite they were scaring this New Yorker. We prefer a little hostility and indifference in our personal interactions.

[Aoresteen]

Which airports did you pass through?

[roger krueger]

I'm not sure I'm entirely thrilled with the TSA, but they are so immensely better in training

and attitude than the burger-flipper-rejects they replaced I guess I'll give them two

thumbs up too.

[yance_marti]

I thought the wipe test was used to check for residue from explosives? It seems extremely redundant to wipe everything.

[michael_j._kravit1]

Anthony,

 

I passed through West Palm beach, Atlanta, and Greensboro, NC, then through Dallas, and Albuquerque. Then back to West Palm Beach.

[dean_cookson]

It's so hit-or-miss with the TSA.

 

On the way through Boston Logan last weekend, one of the agents asked us to take the

small, terry-cloth bib off our 6mo old baby and pass it through the x-ray machine...

 

I've spend most of a week trying to think of any way that could have possibly been useful

but I haven't been able to come up with one.

[daniel_jolicoeur]

Dean, I had to read that one several times. Was getting a little worried thinking they wanted to pass the baby tru, not the bib!,,,what a laugh!

[aaron_rocky]

When I asked for handcheck at RDU and Vegas, they said it's ok if film speed below 800, so my Provia 100f and Elite 200 went twice through x-ray machine. I didn't notice any problem after film is processed.

[eric rose]

I avoid TSA at all costs. My last trip was to Costa Rica this month. Went from Calgary to Toronto to San Jose. Missed the US all together. I had all my LF gear packed into a rolly carry on and all my film in a backpack I also carried on. Both went thru xray in each center and at no time was I pulled over for an additional search. Also in my LF bag I had Grafmatics, electronic spotmeter, GPS unit and PDA. The film processed just fine.

[brian_kennedy]

Good news, since I'll be flying with sheet film in a few weeks.

[brian_ellis16]

I was told by the TSA rep in Albuquerque that they are cracking down on "tools" of any kind, doesn't matter how big it is or how sharp it is or whether it could possibly be used as a weapon. If they manually inspect your backpack and find a "tool" in it they'll take it unless you can go back to your car and leave it there or in some other way avoid taking it through the check-in line. In my backpack I carried a very small - maybe three inch long - metric wrench that I used to tighten bolts on my tripod. It was confiscated along with several little Allen wrenches used to tighten quick release plates. I had to do some fast talking to keep them from confiscating my little spanner wrench too.

 

I didn't put up a fuss, all the items can be replaced at little expense and I'm glad to see them doing hand inspections of weird things like large format gear, but the inspector admitted that they weren't sharp and couldn't be used as weapons so why they took them is kind of a mystery. My toothbrush is better suited to do damage than these things were.

[dave_moeller]

On a recent trip to Europe, I flew out of Pittsburgh and returned through Atlanta. Since I was going for two weeks, I put anything that was remotely tool-like into my check-through bag. A few things that I noted:

 

1. I carried my film on board in my camera bag, and none of it (up to 400 speed) shows any damage after going through the x-ray machines at airports in Pittsburgh, Paris, Milan, Paris again, and Atlanta, and also taking a trip through the x-ray machine at St. Chapelle in Paris.

 

2. In business class, meals are served with metal forks and spoons but with plastic butter knives. I would have through the forks were more dangerous than metal butter knives.

 

3. Along with my other gear, I carried my Bronica S2 with me. Had anyone tried to hijack the plane I think I could have taken them out with one good whack.

 

All in all, I found the security personnel both in the US and in Europe to be curteous and helpful. In the US they looked over my film, but no requests were made to unbox or unwrap anything. In Europe they just passed my bag back to me after they'd x-rayed it.

[j.w.]

"I was told by the TSA rep in Albuquerque that they are cracking down on "tools" of any kind..."

 

I'll be selling a bunch of tools at the flea market next weekend. See you there.

 

-Joe from Albuquerque

[shotz]

So far I've been nice to them and they've been nice to me. If I ask for a hand search (politely) I get a hand search and no film through the X-ray. They swab the little packets that contain the 120 roll film and evrything is OK.

 

Be nice. Smile. Give them a little understanding and patience. They are on our side. Get it?