Flying (Air France) with processing chemistry?

[joelio]

Does anyone have any experience flying with dry chemistry packed in their checked luggage? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[jnantz]

i flew british airways, not air france ..
and i had dry cyanotype kits in my luggage,
(going), and washing soda and vit c (returning)

from what i was told,as long as they are sealed and well marked
i don't think you will have trouble ...
but then again that was a few years ago, things may be different now ...

have safe travels !
john

[Tim Meisburger]

I have flown often with liquid and dry chemicals with no problem. Just put them in your checked bag. I often fly with small amounts of chemicals in plastic baggies and worry sometimes this will be misinterpreted, but always figured I could mix them up and develop a sheet if needed....

[joelio]

Thanks for all of assurance - I really appreciate it. I am flying out soon and have about five packets of D76 / Fix / Hypo and two little bottles of Stop. I am hoping that nobody finds it too interesting!

Luckily, all of my processing gear will be shipped over to my destination.

[Doremus Scudder]

The stop bath is really the only thing you list that might get you into trouble. If it is concentrated, then it is too acid for the airline regulations. You might think of getting stop at your destination. If your stop containers have the hazardous materials symbol on them, then they will surely arouse interest if your bags are inspected. European packaging for concentrated stop baths always has the characteristic black "X" on an orange field indicating that it's a hazard. I've heard of people being taken off of planes for transporting concentrated stop baths...

I live in Vienna most of the year, and have no trouble getting stop and fix locally. Certainly you can get basic photo chemicals in large cities in Europe. I do transport developing chemicals (mostly PMK kits) and ferricyanide from the US to Europe in my checked baggage. I've never had a problem with those, but they have no hazmat markings. I leave things sealed and in the original packaging and often give an extra couple of layers of bubble wrap (this tends to make them harder to identify as well).

Best,

Doremus

[Arne Croell]

Apparently it can also be a matter of the amount. When I fly from the US to Europe I often bring TMAX RS developer in one quart bottles with me, since its hard to get it (at least in that size) in Germany - the last time I bought it in Germany I had to buy a 2x5 liter package and none of the standard mail order stores lists it. TMAX RS has that black X on orange ground symbol mentioned by Doremus. One time I had three bottles in one suitcase and they got pulled out by TSA. They said it was too much for one suitcase. Since then I had 1 bottle per suitcase several times, they were inspected, too, but got through.
The other way round I used to import Tetenal Neofin blue into the US (now its available from Freestyle, thankfully) and I got called and questioned about it by the German security guys. They actually read the spec sheet to determine the chemicals and checked them against some database. Finally, they let it go through (10 small 30ml bottles).
As for the stop bath, if you can't find it at your destination, get white vinegar at the grocery store and dilute 1:1.

[joelio]

Hello all -

I am writing from my new home in Morocco and wish to thank everyone for all of the input. All of my processing kit ended up being packed by the shippers and is being sent over here as I type, so I have little to offer in terms of recent horror stories.

I have much to report with regards to Air France, though. I have never flown a worse airline in all of my life. Aside from losing luggage and offering us no help in tracking down the missing suitcase, they over-charged us for additional checked luggage - our phone quote was $80 per suitcase, though at the airport the price was $100 for the first suitcase, $200 for the second and $275 for all suitcases after that. Awfully cute considering the phone representatives refused to allow us pre-pay for extra baggage.

Also be prepared to have your carry-on pulled for looking too heavy and, despite it passing the first "scale test" at check-in, being forced to check your camera equipment to "pass weights and measures" as if an item is lighter under the plane than in your overhead. Thank god for photo-vests.

I have much to complain about our service. Feel free to PM me if you are considering flying Air France (or Delta).

[Ari]

Don't get me started on Air France; of all the larger national airlines, it is one of the worst.
I used to fly them a lot, they lost my baggage so regularly that I knew the claims people at Montreal Int'l on a first-name basis.
At the time, I had to use them, as bookings were made by someone else and I had no say in the matter.
Since then, I refuse to fly with them.

But at least you're in Morocco now

[Eric_Francais]

I have flown Air France around the world many times and it is one of the best airlines I have experienced.

[joelio]

I have flown Air France around the world many times and it is one of the best airlines I have experienced.

I have flown with them since my comment posted above. They are still horrible - no gate rep until ten minutes after published boarding times, flights that show up two hours late without any explanation, horrifying food, etc.

I am happy that you've had such a positive experience with them. I hope that it doesn't let up and lead to lost luggage that, while intended to arrive in Morocco, tours the world and then ends up in Fargo, ND, without ever having been scanned during its journey.