SFO near-horror story

[Jan Becket]

I just returned from Scotland w/ 350 sheets of exposed 4X5 TMX 100, all in the original boxes, inside the opened foil packages, two foil packages per box. Since the film had received six scans at various airports in France and the UK I foolishly asked for a hand inspection at SFO, before boarding a plane for the final leg of the trip. Iʻve never had a problem with a TSA hand inspection in the US, but apparently the folks at SFO are a private, outsourced firm, Covenant Security.

The guy took my film to where I could not watch and opened all the three-part Kodak boxes, the ones labeled "exposed film." He claimed he was doing his job and "had" to open them out of my sight, without first giving me the option to send them through the scanner.

Fortunately, In a moment of paranoia in Scotland, I had bought some black electrical tape in a hardware store and had done my best in the changing bag to re-seal each foil packet of 25 sheets. Iʻve developed about a quarter of them. So far so good.

Paranoia can be a good thing. Next time it will be x-ray all the way.

[richardman]

Oh geez... glad it worked out. I have never have to scan my film more than twice so far...

[vinny]

I've had them open the boxes right in front of me even after I explained what was inside. They just don't get it. I yelled across the room at a tsa person once to stop. I thought they were going to cuff me on the spot.

[Nicolasllasera]

I've had them open the boxes right in front of me even after I explained what was inside. They just don't get it. I yelled across the room at a tsa person once to stop. I thought they were going to cuff me on the spot.

I've done the same thing and thought they were going to cuff me. Now i just put it thru the xray and so far so good.

[tgtaylor]

That's strange. So far I have never had a problem asking for hand inspection at SFO. In fact on my last trip I was carrying a lightweight Toyo 4x5 field camera and the TSA agent and a coujple of other TSA officers came over to look at it and wanted to know how it worked, etc. The hand-inspected the film putting some kind of chemical sensor on the boxes.

Thomas

[Kodachrome25]

I have ruled out traveling overseas with LF for this reason, plenty of image quality to be had in MF film. John Sexton now does the same for the same reason.

[gth]

Hmm, thats strange.. I have asked for hand screening many times at SFO and always been treated very nicely. And the film treated correctly. As I recall, security there has always been manned by TSA, so these Covenant guys must be new on the job…. Once they even let me through with a bottle of liquid electrical tape that I stupidly had packed in my carry on. I've run into problems at European airports where I have run into must-follow-the-rules blockheads who insist that the X-ray is safe for anything under xxx ISO….. Which probably is correct…BUT!

In general I find US TSA folks accommodating if you treat them accordingly.

[MonkeyBrain]

I flew through SFO last week with 15 boxes of 4x5 Portra. There are notices everywhere saying something like "our x-ray scanners are film-safe up to 800 iso, but if you want your film inspected by hand, just ask". I asked, they inspected. One of the easiest airport film experiences I've ever had.

Elsewhere I normally end up having to beg for 10 minutes and ask to speak to the boss before I can get a hand inspection.

With the exception of Japanese airports (security at Narita once asked me if I wanted the film inspecting by hand before I'd even pulled it out of my bag). And Schipol.

I was leaving SFO with film though, rather than arriving, so who knows. EDIT: Oh, now upon re-reading I see you were also leaving SFO. Very strange.

I always get processing done in the country where I've shot the film. Always. . Would never risk traveling with exposed film.

But then I shoot color neg and have zero desire to waste my time deving it myself. I feel for you B&W people though...

[Vaughn]

...But then I shoot color neg and have zero desire to waste my time deving it myself. I feel for you B&W people though...

That's okay, we B&W people are quite understanding of photographers that for some reason need color to overcome some lack in their own images...

[Regular Rod]

For travellers in the UK you could always try ILFORD's darkroom location service and process your films before flying home...

http://www.localdarkroom.com/

RR