[Leica] What would you do if this happened to you?

[shino at panix.com (Rei Shinozuka)]

i am so sorry for your experience.

my own experience fedexing my cameras was not such a success.  i think
maybe the best compromise is to fedex out film and very well wrapped
lenses, carry unloaded bodies on board.

or maybe just good old-fashioned chevrolet vacations.

-rei

> Ted Grant wrote:
> 
> What would you do under these circumstances?
>
> You use a black heavy duty plastic foam filled Halliburton case to
> carry 3
> M7's and a half dozen M lenses.
>
> You are not allowed to lock the case because the TSA security staff
> may want
> to look inside. And if you do use locks they'll cut them off anyway!
> So to
> make life easy you I didn't lock the case, but run black duct tape around
> the edges as I kind of feel good safety thing. Very easy to open by
> pulling
> the tape off, flipping two catches, that's it into the case and
> equipment.
>
> You cross your fingers & wave the case good bye as it's checked along
> with
> your other bag. Landing in Seattle from Victoria bags were claimed,
> through
> customs, then turned over to baggage handlers for the connecting
> flight at
> which time the black tape was intact.
>
> Arrival in Phoenix we pick-up case and bags, black tape is gone and
> silver
> duct tape replacing it. Obviously the case was opened for TSA inspection.
> That's cool I'd rather have them check things as I'm a million air
> miler and
> I'd like to make it two million.
>
> However, upon opening the case and attempting to load the cameras, two of
> the M7's were damaged beyond use with the shutter releases jammed
> right into
> the body of the camera. Nothing could be done at all. Those of you who
> use
> M7's know there's a shutter release lock to avoid accidental release
> and the
> camera shutter can't be tripped until the switch is moved to release it.
>
> So OK lets think about what happened here as all three cameras were in
> perfect working order when packed in their foam solid cut out positions
> where they'd traveled more than a few air miles previously without any
> damage.
>
> One of the cameras didn't have the lock on the release and it was OK and
> functioned perfectly. The other two ? Well lets put it this way I
> screwed-in
> a soft release and tried to pry the shutter release up out of the
> body, it
> wouldn't budge. I mean it's just hammered right in there. The other
> body I
> managed a slight lift up, and that's it! Solid jammed in the camera body.
>
> Now those of us who've flown with our carry on bag have seen air security
> officers look through an SLR, trip the shutter and as it goes click
> that's
> cool for them and  makes it a real camera. However, we're talking
> about M7's
> with shutter release lock and there's no way you can make it go click
> without releasing the lock out.
>
> By the same token I've seen them hold up M7's and M6's sort of look
> through
> the view finder releasing the shutter to go click because the lock out
> wasn't on. So what do you think they did with the two cameras they
> couldn't
> make go click?
>
> I mean these two cameras are really done and on their way for hopefully
> repair and not replacement. Yep they're covered by warranty, I hope under
> these conditions. But that's not the point because if they aren't, I'm in
> for a big-time repair bill.
>
> You might also be interested in the wording on a neatly printed card
> left in
> your bag explaining the opening of your bag and what responsibility they
> have if any damage is done. :-(
>
> Quote from "NOTIFICATION OF BAGGAGE INSPECTION":
>
> "If the TSA screener was unable to open your bag for inspection
> because it
> was locked, the screener may have been forced to break the locks on your
> bag. TSA sincerely regrets having to do this, and has taken care to
> reseal
> your bag upon completion of the inspection. However, TSA is not liable
> for
> damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution."
>
> This of course means they would not be responsible for any internal
> damage
> to the contents in the case. Because how could one prove they were in
> perfect working order when packed?
>
> Let me make it very clear, the case was not locked and quite easy to
> open by
> pulling off the tape. They did this and replaced it, as I said
> previously,
> so it was a piece of cake to open it.
>
> But what happened to the cameras during their inspection handling?
>
> ted
>

-- 
Rei Shinozuka shino@panix.com
Ridgewood, New Jersey