Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/03/08

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Airport Hand Check
From: Herbert & Lee Kanner <kanner@acm.org>
Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2002 23:42:47 -0800

Having followed this topic in rec.photo.equipment.35mm for a long time, and
having downloaded a copy of the FAA regulation regarding cameras and film
from the web, it is clear that the FAA regulations state unequivocally that
you have the right, for domestic flights, to demand hand inspection of film
and loaded cameras.  It is also clear that a great many security folk
violate this regulation.

The advice that has been given in the newsgroup a) to demand that the issue
be referred to the FAA agent at the airport, and b) to request the aid of
the airline's customer service people.  It is even suggested that one first
take the matter up with customer service before approaching the security
point.

All of this assumes that you are sufficiently early that starting a hassle
won't make you miss the flight.  What I, personally recommend, is that,
after the fact, you lodge a complaint with the FAA about this refusal,
naming the airport, airline, flight number and date.

One thing has been stated many times: the operators cannot crank up the
xray intensity.  And, when they stop the treadmill to take a long look at a
piece of baggage, they are not exposing it to a constant xray beam; they
are simply freezing a previous image on the display and studying it.

While the consensus has been that one passage through the xray is probably
ok even for 1600 film, remember that exposure is cumulative, so that if you
take the same film through a security station four times, your 800 film
would suffer the same as 3200 film going through once.

Herb
- -- 
Herbert Kanner
kanner@acm.org
650-326-8204

Do not meddle in the affairs of cats,
for they are subtle and will pee
on your computer!
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