Re: [Leica] Airport X-RAY report

["Joe Stephenson" <joeleica@email.msn.com>]

I, too have been shocked at the carelessness and lack of training
(stupidity?) encountered when going through airport security checks. I carry
cameras in a Pelican case so that they can't be dropped. Twice I have had my
backpack with encased cameras pulled off the line after being X-rayed. I was
asked if I minded if they opend the case. WHen I said no, and told them
cameras were inside, they let me go without looking at the bags. Several
times I have asked to have film hand inspected, only to have the security
person throw it on the belt and into the maws of the xray machine. I'm all
for security, but not for stupidity and bad manners. After all, consider who
pays these people.
Joe Stephenson
- -----Original Message-----
From: Ted Grant <tedgrant@islandnet.com>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Saturday, October 24, 1998 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Airport X-RAY report


>Francois wrote:
>
>>Do you know if a film has gone through a couple of times in the hand
luggage
>>X-Ray machine it would bother the emulsion?  ie. You go once through the
>>security as you leave (film unexposed) and once again on your way back
(film
>>exposed.>>>>>
>
>
>Francois,
>I've had film go through hand baggage scanner's three or four times before
>I've reached my final destination and never seen any fogging etc. I'm not
>going to say it isn't possible, however, it has been my good fortune to
>escape any fogging from carry-on bag scanners.
>
>Sometimes if I'm really dragging my butt with patients as a tight wire, I
>don't even blink when arriving at the scanner, I just place the bag on the
>belt, say a couple of Hail Mary's and send it on it's way.  Besides having
>to deal with the usual dim wits that guard our airplane wouldn't know a
>bomb from a piggy bank! Not all of them!
>
>For example!  My assistant Sandy and I just had an interesting case of
>bungling brilliance by a "bright savior of frequent flyers" on our return
>from the Leica Cape Cod seminar.
>
>I took the clear plastic container (18 rolls) of film out of my equipment
>bag and handed it for inspection, then placed the camera bag upright on the
>belt.
>
>The "MORON" flipped the bag on it's side like a sack of coal and pushed it
>into the scanner. Then threw the film container in after it, even though he
>could see it was just film! So much for hand inspection!
>
>As happens sometimes, my bionic ears beeped the machine as I walked through
>and I had to go through a couple of times to ensure my safety!
>
>Sandy, having taken her exposed film out of her bag, leaving her brand new
>M6 and 35 1,4 aspherical lens inside followed me. She was some upset
>because the "MORON" had thrown her film in for scanning. But there was a
>delay in her bag and jacket coming through and we waited while the scanning
>screen operator went to the front of the scanner and appeared to be in
>heavy duty discussion with the "MORON"  Returning to his position, Sandy's
>camera bag appeared shortly.
>
>Now we get to the interesting part to illustrate, that whenever you put
>your bag on the scanner belt, stand there and watch what happens, even if
>you hold up the line!!
>
>We get into the air, she opens her bag to get out her new "M6 toy" and it
>wont work!!!  She can't rewind the film and the lens has become extremely
>stiff and binding.
>
>Now without being able to find an eye witness here is what happened:
>
>The "MORON" in flipping the camera bag on its side some how dumped the
>camera out onto the floor.....that was why the scanner operator was having
>the heated discussion and the delay of her bag coming through......  Nobody
>said anything!!
>
>When we arrived home I managed to get the film out of the camera, but it
>was a hell of a job, what I didn't notice was the impact marking on the
>base plate for one and I couldn't figure out why the rewind crank was
>binding along with the lens.
>
>So now we have a brand new M6 that has "just gone hay wire" for no apparent
>reason whatsoever. Sandy with 4 days before leaving on a 3 week assignment
>in Korea is just frantic, not to say how she was feeling about buying her
>very first Leica!
>
>Good folks at Leica, KINDERMANN (Canada) and the good guys in New Jersey
>worked out some fast arrangements. We shipped the camera overnight to
>Toronto. The next morning we are given the horrible news, " This camera has
>suffered major impact and it shows on the base plate along with the rewind
>crank shaft bent!!"
>
>"Did she drop it?"  Absolutely no way not in a million years, then we put
>things together and figured out exactly what happened... the ever diligent
>security guy had dropped it on the floor and never said a word.......!
>Neither one of them!
>
>So a tough lesson learned about the Knights who guard our security in the
air!
>
>And yes, in time for the assignment departure and a test roll, she received
>a  replaced rewind crankshaft in the M6 and it completely checked out &
>returned with a brand new lens!!! The original had to be sent back to
>Germany!
>
>So without question Leica, when they can, look after their equipment
owners!
>
>Latest report from Sandy in Korea? She's doing just fine for a first time
>ever overseas assignment and the camera is working fine! She's anxious to
>get home and film souped! More later next week.
>
>So be careful out there when you get on airplanes!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>ted
>
>