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Re: [OM] Flying in the US (film and security)

Subject: Re: [OM] Flying in the US (film and security)
From: T.Clausen@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 20:15:40 +0200 (CEST)
On Tue, 20 Aug 2002, Mike Veglia wrote:

<SNIP>
 
> We'll be flying from San Jose, CA to Dulles airport in DC. As far as I know,
> we won't need to pass through security checkpoints anywhere else (when
> changing planes one usually doesn't). If I opt to carry film, what are my
> chances of getting my film hand checked at these two airports?

Ahh...a "travelling by air with film" question....FINALLY an area where I
have some experience to share :) Here goes...

In San Jose: slim, if existant atall. I have not flewn through there in
the past year, but before that I only managed to get hand-checked films
once - and only after insisting and showing them that it was 3200 ISO
film, and only those (the 3200 ISOs) were hand-checked. All else had to go
through the xray. At Dulles, I have not yet managed to get anything
hand-checked - even before the incident in New York last year.

In summary, I think that if you need anything sensitive (i.e. any serious
photography with financial value), then get a few days ahead and go pick
up films at your destination (call ahead to make sure they have the number
and kind you need). Also, stay a few days extra in wherever your
destination is, and have a local lab process the stuff for you.

Also notice that you, when changing planes, actually may need to pass
security checkpoints. I do not recall if that is needed at Dulles (it's a
while ago I was there), but I know that I more often than not have to pass
security in Chicago O'hara when changing planes (often when going from
"domestic" to "intercontinental" between different carriers)

> Also, can
> someone forward me the link to the FAA paper that helps persuade them just
> in case?
> 

Sorry, no. I am not up-to-date with the FAA information - considering that
I am European :)

However in general, the security staff has become *very* annoying
recently, and their supervisors very insisting in backing them up, no
matter what.

Example: I was *required* to check a GPS receiver on a Continental flight
as some "specially dangerous item" - a demand supported both by the
security personel, his supervisor and the local police, who happened to be
there when I passed security. It wasn't really a problem for me to do so,
however I have carried such before with no problems - both before and
after the New York incident - so I was just surprised and asked for
justification (or a paragraph of law/regulations - which I couldn't get
from them). Asking both Continental ground staff, airport security
personel and the local airport authorities in the destination
(Minneapolis, St. Paul) and making a call from the airport office to the
FAA revealed that there was no restrictions prohibiting such a device in
the cabin (just that I couldn't turn it on - like a mobile phone). The
general concensus in the airport office in Minneapolis was that the staff
in my departing port (which shall remain nameless since I am sure it is
not general for the staff there) was plain nuts :)

Anyways, the point of all this is this: do not expect any FAA rules to
help you a damm thing :) If the security personell and his supervisor make
up their mind, then you may have a reason for a complaint afterwards - but
if you want to catch your flight in time, you better comply to what
they say...

I make about 40 intl. flights a year, and I rarely have any problems since
I try to pack as "tolerant" as possible (read: compact and insensitive to
whatever treatment it may get) - the above example is the worst I have
experienced thus far.

> My original plan was to have my film shipped from B&H (my normal Provia F
> supplier now) directly to a club member in the DC area who can bring it to
> me at the event. This person is also helping me find a semi-local E-6 lab to
> get the first couple day's film processed at, and will FedEx me slides from
> the rest. This has been arranged already. However, in thinking about this
> some more...won't it look odd if I am bringing a Lowe-Pro Mini Trekker full
> of film gear and no film???? (I'll also be carrying a Lowe-Pro Orion bag
> full of E-10 digital stuff.) Should I just bring my film back and forth
> after all and ask for a hand check (and present the letter if required)?
> 

Well, I would suggest that you grap films locally and have it processed
locally. If you are willing to pay the price and stay 1-2 days extra, then
it should be possible to find a pro lab to process the films such that you
can bring them home (heck, it might even be cheaper than the fedex stuff 
and you will get to see a little more of your destination).

As for bringing cameras and no film...no, not suspicious to the security
people. They don't care about that. But to the customs, if applicable, you
may appear strange. If you go internationally (dunno how it is inter-state
in the US) then you may be suspected to bring the gear for sale purposes,
in particulary if you exceed the usual "one body, two lenses, one flash"
kit :) 

All this can be avoided by registering the stuff with your local
authorities (they make an imprint in your passport or something). It is a
good idea to register such with the local authorities, in general, since
it does happen that someone in airports wonder why 3 bodies and a horde of
lenses really are necessary travel-equipment, especially if you go "for
work reasons" and you are an engineer (this is a very "been there flewn
that" experience, I can tell you).

Anyways, bring 3-4 rolls of PanF b&w film. That's fairly tolerant, not too
expensive and makes for good bw pictures...while you are there anyways
:) It may also make you feel less suspicious :)

> This leads me to my next question. How vulnerable are the smart media and
> compact flash cards to the Xray machines? (I'm guessing not at all...but
> would like to know for sure.)
> 

Well, they are not sensitive as far as I know. I have a PDA which has been
through, uhmm, I'd say about 100 Xrays this year and about twice or three
times that last year, and none of the Compact Flash'es have been damaged
yet.
 
> TIA for any BTFT (been there flown that) advice!
> 

Been There Flown That....well....hope it helps :) and if you need anything
else, then just ask again :)

--thomas

-- 

-------------------------------------------
  Thomas Heide Clausen
  Civilingeniør i Datateknik (cand.polyt)
  M.Sc in Computer Engineering

  E-Mail: T.Clausen@xxxxxxxxxxxx
  WWW:    http://www.cs.auc.dk/~voop
-------------------------------------------


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