From: epona (acolyta@napc.com)
Date: 10/04/02-08:18:35 AM Z
I had trouble with this long before Sept. 11.
Coming back from New Orleans we stopped off in North Carolina to change
flights. Of course, The plane was late so we were rushing. The
terminal was so designed that I had to go through a baggage check again
and was detained because I did not want them to X-Ray my 100 sheet box
of Tri-X 400 4x5. They insisted if it did not go through the scanner it
had to be hand inspected. I tried to explain to the lady that it was
photographic film, and therefore light sensitive, so she could not do
that unless she was in a darkened room. She did not get the concept at
all. She said if she did not get to hand check it or scan it, it had to
be checked with my luggage, which had, of course, already been put on
the darn flying machine that was about to leave in one minute. In
exasperation I ripped the 4x5 box open and pulled out sheets of film,
exclaiming, "Look! It's film! Now it's exposed! See, no bombs!" She
let me on the plane.
In the current climate I would definitely not lose my head as I did that
day. Luckily, there were only a few sheets left in one of the 25-each
bags conatained in the box, so I didn't lose that much film. It has
been suggested to me that for future travel I should mail my film ahead
of me, and pick it up when I arrive at my destination. Do international
mail services also X-Ray packages? I am planning a trip to Ireland next
year and this is a concern.
Cheers,
Christine
James Young wrote:
> >I have had trouble with this recently, where the guards insisted
> >that the boxes had to go through the X ray machine. I wonder if
> >it's better just to put film in your bag that you are going to be
> >checking. Most airports I think still don't scan luggage that is
> >going to be checked onto the plane, do they? I think the Nashville
> >airport is getting a huge baggage scanner for that purpose, but last
> >time I was there they didn't have it.
> >
>
> Putting film into checked baggage is a major no no. Although some
> airports don't have the big machines, more are getting them, and they
> don't exactly announce it. The checked baggage machines are very high
> energy and will ruin you film. see kodak's web site and read their
> warnings about it. AND DON'T CHECK that film.
> Jamie Young
-- "Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar." ~Julius Caesar
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