Taking Film on an Aeroplane?

[BradS]

Just carry the film in your carry on bag and let it go through the scanner at security.

I've travelled the world with film and have made many flights into and out of many airports. I used to ask for hand inspection and they will do it in the USA but, it is frankly not worth the trouble, and worse, some of these TSA agents have no idea what film is. They want to open the box and look inside....In Spain, asking security to do a physical inspection of you film, bypassing the xray machine will get you in some trouble...even if you do ask in proper (latin american) spanish.

On several trips, I've run tests. I take two sheets of film, expose them both identically. Leave one at home and carry one with me..letting it go through the xray machines with my carry on bag(s). When I get home, I develop both sheets together in one drum....I've done this many times and have never seen any noticible difference. Even after a trip with several international stops. It just isn't an issue anymore.


So again, the best thing to do all around the world is...
Just put the film in your carry on bage and let it go through the scanner with your carry on baggage. Do not worry about it. It will all be fine.

What ever you do, Do not put the film in the checked baggage!

[alavergh]

They make changing bags and tents for loading film. Is there a TSA office that you can call at the airport? It seems as though they should be able to use a changing back to feel around a little to their hearts content as long as you have the film in the foil package. Maybe have an empty box containing the same stuff but no film so you can explain before going into the bag?

[BradS]

They make changing bags and tents for loading film. Is there a TSA office that you can call at the airport? It seems as though they should be able to use a changing back to feel around a little to their hearts content as long as you have the film in the foil package. Maybe have an empty box containing the same stuff but no film so you can explain before going into the bag?

I've done that too. You do not need to call ahead. They train with a bag like a changing bag. Some TSA agents are really cool with this. However, one time the TSA agent pulled his arms out of the bag without putting the film back in the box! So, again, it very simply isn't worth it. Just let it go through the scanner with your carry on items and do not worry about it.

[BradS]

Is it a bad option to put the film inside a lead bag within the luggage that goes on the belly of the airplane?
raul

YES. Bad idea.

[David Swinnard]

In June I traveled to England and Ireland from Vancouver with roll film in a lead bag that I obtained many years ago and none of the screening agents in Vancouver, Heathrow, or Dublin batted an eye. (This was carry-on bag, NOT CHECKED) The Vancouver lady just said, "oh, film in a lead bag..." and passed it along without comment. Similar, without the comments, at the other two, both in and out.

It was in a backpack full of Hasselblad gear and nobody raised an eye, but they did run the carry-on with the "in case they lose my bag clothing" a few times puzzling things out.

No issues on the film at all (Acros)

[sanking]

Just carry the film in your carry on bag and let it go through the scanner at security.

[/U]

+1 to this, and to the rest of what Brad wrote.

[Tim Meisburger]

+2

I travel for a living. Just don't forget and put it in your checked bag! Security guys are much more confused by my cameras. If you call attention to your film they will just want to open it. Just send it through the scanner.

[cdavis324]

The TSA agents at the NYC area airports all seem to know what film is (even sheet film) and are fine to do a hand check. Just make sure to ask them to wait until you get through security til they start swabbing your stuff. That way you can tell them to stop if they try to open the boxes. I travel a bit, and alternate between sending film fedex(or even priority mail), getting hand checks, and just putting it through the scanner. The one thing that really pisses off tsa agents is putting a lead bag of film through the xray machine(don't ask how I know!). If you do put the film through the machine, pull it out of your bag and put it in it's own bin. The only time I've seen xray damage was on a few sheets that went though the scanner in a camera bag and were underexposed.

Lead bags are really for preventing damage to film while in the air - and I have only used them on very long trips... apparently the radiation at high altitudes can slowly fog film.

[jnantz]

dont go through basel / mulhouse ...
they refuse to hand inspect ( first time this happened to me in 5-6 times in this airport ... )

[Jim Andrada]

+1 (or more) on "just leave it in your carry on bag and don't worry about it"

Only time I had film fogged (badly) was flying out of Auckland NZ in 1986. We'd taken a lot of photos and decided to wait to get them processed in Sydney. Bad choice. But times (and X-ray machines) have changed.

I've carried 8 x 10 film from Tokyo to Tucson several times. No problem! But, as people are saying, DO NOT put film in your checked baggage. The X-Ray machines are MUCH stronger. And it might give them an excuse to open your bag and rummage around in your stuff. And if you're connecting through Milan you probably won't see your checked baggage for a few days anyhow. We got to Rome with what we were wearing, period. Luggage caught up with us in a "town" of 60 people in Umbria a few days later. Our friends just shrugged and said it was almost the norm and we should just think of it as a free luggage delivery service. I won't forget the nice young Alitalia lady in Rome shrugging her shoulders and saying that baggage ALWAYS goes missing in Milan, so why were we getting excited?