On Mon, 12 May 2003 22:28:38 -0400
Gregg Iverson <golftooter@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> The best success I have had while traveling is to state that the
> film I am carrying is "Professional film". When they see the
> Provia name they always comply. Often even without seeing the name
> if I say it is professional film (having the film in the Black OM
> 4T helps too!
>
> gregg
Yeah, well.....I was carrying Provia and some Technical Pan. Had an
Ilford 3200 ISO in the bag as well, just for good measure (and to
have something that read "really fast film" on the label). And I did
state "professional film" but that did not help much.
The security guys at Gatwick were not understanding to either of the
above. In most other airports they are.
--thomas
>
>
> At 05:56 AM 5/12/03, you wrote:
> >Guys,
> >
> >Just a warning for those of you flying in and out of the
> >UK.....don't:) !
> >
> >I recently had an urgent (and time-wise pressed) visit to London -
> >of course on a day when the Eurostar train connection was not
> >running due to scheduled maintenance. Thus, I picked a British
> >Airways flight from Paris to London Gatwick. I believe I was
> >leaving a wednesday from Paris, returning (also by air) sunday.
> >
> >I brought a minimal photo setup along, including some "fast" film
> >which I knew that I would get to use on this particular occation.
> >In Charles de Gaule Airport, there were no problems: requesting a
> >hand-check was accomodated with a smile (I was at the gate well in
> >advance, of course and I had a reasonable 5 films to have
> >hand-checked) and once clear of security it went into the led
> >bags for protection while flying to the UK. All fine and good.
> >
> >Return was a different matter, though. I did not have time to have
> >the films processed while in London, so I had to carry them home.
> >Again, I went early and asked to have a hand-check. This was
> >bluntly refused with "the machine is film safe". I refused,
> >quoting previous experiences with fogged film and asked again for
> >a hand-check.
> >
> >This time, the security guy thought it appropriate to state that
> >"passengers like you are really annoying me, our machines do not
> >fog film, I do not know where you have that information 'cause it
> >is not true". Again, quoting past experiences caused this
> >particular individual to utter further unpleasanties about my
> >person - at which point I gave up and accepted to have the film
> >xrayed. Well, almost all of them. I had one roll in my pant pocket
> >(one with important shots on), which I hoped would not set off the
> >metal detector. It didn't :)
> >
> >Once clear of the checkpoint, I asked to see a security
> >supervisor, who basically backed up what his front-line-man had
> >said, adding that"while in the air, your film will receive more
> >xray than our machines will give it" and "Kodak certifies this
> >machine to be safe" - as well as "we are not allowed to hand-check
> >films, all has to go through xray" !!!
> >
> >Sighs....
> >
> >In the lounge, I did the usual "repack into led bags" and marked
> >the film that had not been through X-rays. Then flew home.
> >
> >Now, having had the films processed, let's play "guess the
> >outcome":
> >
> >Of the 5 "fast" films I was carrying, 4 were fogged to a point
> >where they are effectively wasted. One is perfect.....that being
> >the one I had in my pocket while clearing security.
> >
> >Time to write a letter of complaint to the british airport
> >authority, I think.
> >
> >So in summary: do not fly out of the UK with sensitive material.
> >The security people are anal, apparently enforcing rules which are
> >not corresponding with those of other european countries (and even
> >in the US, I have no big issues getting hand-checks when I ask
> >politely). One would assume that the UK would allign itself with
> >either iths European peers or with the US - but no :(
> >
> >Ohh...the famous "fast" film, you ask? Provia 400 pushed to 1600
> >ISO. Yep, that's right, nothing exotic and well within what "they"
> >usually claim is safe. Yet it is not the first time that I have
> >had this film fogged by airport xrays, hence my reluctanse.
> >
> >Of course, I did lug OMs along too, but they were cause for no
> >alarm:)
> >
> >-
>
>
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>
--
-------------------------------------------
Thomas Heide Clausen
Civilingeniør i Datateknik (cand.polyt)
M.Sc in Computer Engineering
E-Mail: T.Clausen@xxxxxxxxxxxx
WWW: http://www.cs.auc.dk/~voop
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