Airport Trouble!

[nobbylon]

Hmmm.... Dear Fred, lets try again! Firstly, yes I am English speaking. Secondly, in reference to the quote replicated again below for reference, I will repeat; the operator cannot just increase the amount of xray to find out whats inside.

Playing scenarios such as repeated passes has nothing to do with the original statement. Which still, remains incorrect. This falsehood has been propagated over the internet for years. Its just plain wrong; operators do not have any ability to increase the level of xray to look deeper into a dense object.

Correct as far as i'm told and I have asked. the metal detector walk through's can however be adjusted for sensitivity very easily.
Being a flyer I probably walk through and put my bag through more machines than most. On a busy week maybe twice a day and i've never had a problem with fogging. I quite often have an odd roll of tri-x in my baq for a couple of months and i've never had problems.
As for lead bags, I think a good idea. As pointed out by someone else, it can force a hand search. Your biggest problem is over enthusiastic, un educated security workers and I apologise to all the educated ones! If you don't like the way you are being treated at security, ask for the duty supervisor. You can always demand a hand search. Remember that people given power and a stick usually like to wave it around. I am frequently amazed at how rude these people can be. They just need to be reminded where their wages are actually coming from. UK airports are def the worst in this respect.
In summary, don't worry about any low to medium film, high speed should be ok but to be sure for multiple pass, use a lead bag.
The thing that causes me the most bag searches is the solid looking lump of metal picked up by the detector in my bag, Leica M !!!

 

[wdeskiew]

Scanners checking personal things taken on board with a passenger are rather safe, certainly they don't harm anything like 400 and less. I sometimes use 3200 and than I ask to check them separately.
Big scanners for suitcases and bags that go to luggage compartment on an airplane are different: they use much more power. My kodak BW 400cn films have been damaged with that.
Using opaque bags for films have in mind that airport security may want to open your bag to see what is inside, so you'd better leave your suitcase unlocked...

 

[nevin]

I've took a bag of films to Australia this year and so far this is the only country in Asia Pacific that I've visited denies hand check. I went to three cities during the trip (so 3 domestic flights, 3 times went through xray). Every time I expressed my concern and request for a hand check (because I have a mixture of 100,1600 and 3200 films) and not even once they give a darn (oh pardon me .

This photo is taken with a ISO1600 color negative:

See the reddish block at the bottom of the picture?

 

[oftheherd]

Just to share with you all my experience.

I always thought that getting a X-ray bag can solve all these airport trouble. So, I go ahead to get a Domke X-ray bag. During my last trip to Taiwan (from S'pore), I put my film in the X-ray bag, of course, and put my FM2 (without lense) beneath the X-ray bag.

When I put my hand-carried luggage into the X-ray machine, guess what. The officer detected the X-ray bag and show to me on the screen. Opps! I could see very very clearly my film rolls inside the X-ray bag and more importantly my FM2 beneath the X-ray bag!!

So, by now, I'm not so sure how much can the X-ray bag protect our film from the x-ray.

Do you remember what kind (brand) of machine it was? There is one manufacturer that "sees" more than the others. Without using a very strong (which most do not do) x-ray scan, I don't know what else would do that.

 

[andrewmore]

Airports and film

Some low speed is X-ray sensitive especially that made by Fuji - the warning is in a red box on the film pack.

At Gatwick here in the UK they will do a hand search if you book in advance - the process is this. Phone the general number and ask to speak to the security people at the releavnt terminal about hand searching the film. They will put you in touch with theeir security advisor - you phone/e-mail him with the details - he sends back an e-mail - he advises the security checkers - you turn up with the copy of the e-mail exchange - the security people fetch their specialist and the film gets checked by hand - it is best to take the film in sealed bulk packs. The process worked very well. (The terminal security people also advised that if I couldn't get hold of the security advisor they would help further.) The security bods don't like arriving unannouced with film to be hand checked as the speciast may be busy and all you do is clutter the place up waiting for him to deal with you.

Returning to the Uk was via a small greek airport - a hand searched was asked for and given.

Other films went through the hand luggage scanner okay.

I hope this helpd with UK folks leaving with x-ray sensitive fim.

Regards

Andrew More

 

[TheHub]

I wonder if using the lead bags in your carry on luggage will cause you to be pulled out of line and subject to extra scrutiny.

It almost always happens to me. I've travelled four times with x-ray bags and almost each time they were taken out, examined, and then my carry-on sans x-ray bag was scanned again.

In Nagoya & Tokyo every plastic canister was opened and checked.