Airport security, a rant.

[p.giannakis]

I'd love to see a source for this, because my research tells me otherwise. I also flew through Munich and Heathrow earlier this year where I was not allowed a hand check and my bags protected my film just fine.

Airport X-Rays: Will They Ruin Your Film? – Carmencita Film Lab

carmencitafilmlab.com

In Heathrow, they saw a bag that couldn't see what was inside and they didn't do any further checks? 😳 Last time I flew from Heathrow they asked me to open the bottom of my IIc to check what was inside !

There are multiple stories online where security staff asking people to remove the contents of the bag to x-ray them again. If they can't see what is inside, they pull it aside and call you to explain. Then the bag goes back through the scanner.

Also, in certain airports (I.e Poznan) when they cannot see what is in the bag they will crank up the intensity until they see. I had my films in a decorative metal cuttle (souvenir) and the security staff explained to me that they had to check.

If anything - if this is true, it's great we have an option to keep our films safe. Unfortunately I have my doubts.

Some information here , here and quite a bit of discussion here.

 

[p.giannakis]

Please expla

Please explain how you know this…

Ilford is well aware that film safety is on the security staff hands, not ours. That is why they start an education programme for them. If there is something in a luggage and security cannot see what it is, bag or no bag, they will make sure they find out.

That's my 2c - over and out.

 

[mollyc]

In Heathrow, they saw a bag that couldn't see what was inside and they didn't do any further checks? 😳 Last time I flew from Heathrow they asked me to open the bottom of my IIc to check what was inside !

There are multiple stories online where security staff asking people to remove the contents of the bag to x-ray them again. If they can't see what is inside, they pull it aside and call you to explain. Then the bag goes back through the scanner.

Also, in certain airports (I.e Poznan) when they cannot see what is in the bag they will crank up the intensity until they see. I had my films in a decorative metal cuttle (souvenir) and the security staff explained to me that they had to check.

If anything - if this is true, it's great we have an option to keep our films safe. Unfortunately I have my doubts.

Some information here , here and quite a bit of discussion here.

Of course they did further checks. But they would not hand check BEFORE it went through the conveyor belt. In the US you can ask for a hand check and avoid the machines altogether. I’ve even had gate agents see me with a camera and ask if they can help me.

My experience was that internationally I was gruffly told everything had to go on the belt through the machine. No chance of avoiding them. But once through, the lead bags were then pulled and hand checked as usual.

Look, you can do whatever you want with your film but I’ve never heard an actual, first hand, story that they just crank up the xray. And even if they did the lead is still dampening the effect. I will always use a lead bag going forward, even in the US. Because I’m still separating my film anyway so I might as well use that.

 

[John King]

I cannot personally go through any x-ray machine at an airport.
My pacemaker wouldn't like it, apparently ...

 

[Iron]

That's such a nice airport with what I'd call a laid back atmosphere. Sorry to hear that happened to you.

The worst experience I've had was at Paris CDG. I was pulled aside and literally a forensics team with white gloves searched my Billingham bag very thoroughly before wordlessly waving me through. Awful. I thought I'd miss my flight

Ah. The thing is some airports/countries are usually biased against journalists so they group hobbyists/casuals with journalists altogether. I have heard stories about Billingham bags being a bit too hot for security.

However, testing has shown damage to all film thru the newest Security CT of carry-on baggage, which is being rolled out around the world.

The newer CT scans, which don't require anything to be taken out of any bag, are usually very, very damaging to some film. With good enough training, some officials ask camera gear, analogue or digital, to be hand-checked by them instead of scanned though the CT. Many 5-star hotels do this, too.