Hand Inspection of Film at Charles De gaulle Airport?

RattyMouse · Mar 2, 2013

From some of my reading, it seems that De gaulle airport in France might have more extreme security. Has anyone had a problem getting film hand inspected there? Anyone have experience there?

Thanks!

cowanw · Mar 2, 2013

Yes, I asked for a hand inspection and they filed a police report on me. They did do the hand inspection, though.

hdeyong · Mar 3, 2013

It will depend on the mood of the inspector that day, if he's had his coffee, and if he likes your looks.
Good luck. I've gone through that airport more times than I can remember, and gave up a long time ago. For what it's worth, I've taken 400 film through as many as 6 X-rays, and have never had a problem. A number of years ago, they fine-tuned their machinery to get around this problem, because hand inspections slowed the lines down.

hoshisato · Mar 3, 2013

For what's worth: I have put ISO 400 and ISO 100 film in my hand luggage at CDG and not had a problem. With hand inspection, my worry is that they might remember what a 35mm canister looks like, but what if they have never seen a 120 roll film?

RattyMouse · Mar 3, 2013

cowanw said:
Yes, I asked for a hand inspection and they filed a police report on me. They did do the hand inspection, though.

Are you kidding? What did this report say? My goodness.....I almost wish I didnt book this trip to France..

RattyMouse · Mar 3, 2013

hdeyong said:
It will depend on the mood of the inspector that day, if he's had his coffee, and if he likes your looks.
Good luck. I've gone through that airport more times than I can remember, and gave up a long time ago. For what it's worth, I've taken 400 film through as many as 6 X-rays, and have never had a problem. A number of years ago, they fine-tuned their machinery to get around this problem, because hand inspections slowed the lines down.

Thank you, that's good to know. Maybe I'll just give up on hand inspection. I had no problems in Japan. They were happy to help me.

StoneNYC · Mar 3, 2013

hdeyong said:
It will depend on the mood of the inspector that day, if he's had his coffee, and if he likes your looks.
Good luck. I've gone through that airport more times than I can remember, and gave up a long time ago. For what it's worth, I've taken 400 film through as many as 6 X-rays, and have never had a problem. A number of years ago, they fine-tuned their machinery to get around this problem, because hand inspections slowed the lines down.

For what it's worth (since everyone is saying it now haha) I went through many airports on my 2010 Kodachrome trip, and never had a problem with hand inspection except the flight home they insisted on ripping open my last 6 rolls of film that were still in their boxes that WERE in perfect condition.... HOWEVER they WILL NOT allow hand inspection of cameras if there is film inside and will insist on sending that through the x-ray, and I hadn't finished a roll TWICE and BOTH rolls had TERRIBLE banding on them, they are the only 2 rolls that were bad, and this is K64 ... 64 ASA film. I don't know if there's something in the design of the camera that heightens the x-ray or something, or they spent an extra long time on it because it had all sorts of gears and object s inside they had to be sure I didn't have something bad hidden, whatever the case may be, make sure if you HAVE to send the film through the x-ray, it's not IN the camera... just my advice. Maybe ask if they can send it through fast so there's less damage and separate it out from everything else. I usually have it all in one zip lock bag, I HOLD the bag when I send everything else through, and then I wave at the lady and ask really sweet and with a gentile smile on my face "can you please hand inspect these" (learn to say it in french!).

You can also get those lead bags, which will FORCE them to open the lead bag and hand inspect the film, but they are super expensive.

cowanw · Mar 3, 2013

RattyMouse said:
Are you kidding? What did this report say? My goodness.....I almost wish I didnt book this trip to France..

They called over two policemen, took all my identifying details, name, address, phone numbe,r passport number, occupation etc.
They recorded why I was causing a difficulty over and above the usual. All on a triplicate form and left. I presume the form got filed in case of future reference. I am not aware of any difficulty within the system subsequently.

Ghostman · Mar 3, 2013

I nearly missed a flight in France despite being early. I asked for a hand inspection and I was made to wait, and wait then then wait some more. I realised I was going to miss my flight. Then they said I needed to fill in a police report and that the films would be scanned anyway. The hand inspection also involved opening every box AND the foil wrapping, at which point I told them to stop.

Two lessons:

1) Don't bother trying to reason with a French airport guy
2) Just scan your film and move along

I do use the lead bags and wrap my film in two of them. Those have never been treated as suspect and have never been inspected.

benjiboy · Mar 3, 2013

I would just remind them that we got France out of two World wars, and if it wasn't for American, British and commonwealth troops they'd all be speaking German now, so I want my damned film hand checked :devil:

jeffreyg · Mar 3, 2013

With all my travels both domestic and foreign, Charles DE Gaulle Airport has been the only one that refused to hand check my film. The x-ray caused no problem and I have since had film x-ray checked a couple of times because we were too rushed. None of the times has it caused fogging but if possible I have it hand checked.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

BardParker · Mar 3, 2013

in September, 2012 I asked for a hand inspection at CDG Airport and they were polite and efficient, checking 20+ rolls of 120 film. It was early in the morning, 7:30 am, however. No problems.

Kent

TimFox · Mar 3, 2013

To my knowledge, only the USA has explicit regulations that require hand inspection of photographic materials upon request.
I have sometimes encountered courteous operators at foreign airports that would honor that request, but usually not.
To get from the sidewalk in front of Munich Airport to the physical aircraft for a non-stop flight to Chicago, my hand baggage was x-rayed three times: front door, when checking in at the ticket counter, and just before boarding.
Luckily, I had no film with me on that trip.

Ghostman · Mar 3, 2013

If you are a professional and can prove it, it helps. The first thing the French asked me was if I was a professional. South Africa have stickers on their machines stating that also though the Xray will not affect low ISO film, you may still ask for an inspection. It can't be such an extraordinary request.

How does film get distributed world wide? Is it ever Xray'd? Are we paranoid (I know this has been whipped to death). If you're that paranoid, buy and develop on location.

Diapositivo · Mar 3, 2013

benjiboy said:
I would just remind them that we got France out of two World wars, and if it wasn't for American, British and commonwealth troops they'd all be speaking German now, so I want my damned film hand checked :devil:

If it wasn't for the Soviet Union, we all would be very fluent in German by now

RattyMouse · Mar 3, 2013

Fascinating reading here. Any other countries that give film photographers a problem? Just to repeat, I had no issues at all in Japan and Hong Kong. They were very friendly.

benjiboy · Mar 4, 2013

Diapositivo said:
If it wasn't for the Soviet Union, we all would be very fluent in German by now

Very true, the most of WW11 was fought in the Soviet Union, Germany had about 176 divisions there,and only around 76 in the rest of the World, if they, Italy, Finland, Romania and the rest of the Axis powers had not invaded the USSR and concentrated on Europe the outcome may have been very different, but I digress

jernejk · Mar 4, 2013

Not really CDG related, but: I recently traveled in Middle East. In a country where UN blue helmets are present and you see army with guns in public places.
At the airport, everyone has to put their all bags through an oversized (not the normal cabin baggage size) X ray scanner even before checkin. I unloaded the film (HP5+ @1600) and put it in my pocket (in a plastic can). But, given the circumstances I figured this could put me in far more trouble than it's worth... So I just put the film in the bags and let them scan it.

I assume it was a good thing to do given that the security pats-down everybody, even if the metal detector does not beep.

I haven't developed the roll yet, so I don't know if it's been ruined or not.

hdeyong · Mar 4, 2013

Benjiboy, obviously, you have little experience with the French. They really appreciate what the Allies did, (which includes myself, being Canadian), but, like most people, don't want it shoved in their face after two generations, (including myself, being Dutch born).
Can you get Taylor Landlord where you are? God, I miss that beer!

mooseontheloose · Mar 4, 2013

RattyMouse said:
Fascinating reading here. Any other countries that give film photographers a problem? Just to repeat, I had no issues at all in Japan and Hong Kong. They were very friendly.

Actually, I find most of Asia quite accommodating. But I've never been granted a hand inspection in Europe, even though a few people have reported otherwise. The most frustrating thing I found at CDG is that they would refuse a hand inspection every time, and then do it after my camera bag went through the X-ray because of all the camera gear in it. That being said, I've had film scanned (up to 1600) up to ten times, and have never had a problem.

Get a hand inspection when you can, but don't stress about it if you can't.

Diapositivo · Mar 4, 2013

hdeyong said:
Benjiboy, obviously, you have little experience with the French. They really appreciate what the Allies did, (which includes myself, being Canadian), but, like most people, don't want it shoved in their face after two generations, (including myself, being Dutch born).
Can you get Taylor Landlord where you are? God, I miss that beer!

Besides, without French help, the Americans would still be a colony, subjects (the awful word!) of a monarch (the awful word!) and pay taxes on tea...

steven_e007 · Mar 4, 2013

I asked for a hand search at Heathrow. Not only did they refuse, but when they realised the x-ray film bag I was carrying contained film, they insisted on removing the roll films from the bag and passing them through the scanner individually. When I complained the security guard said the scanner was film safe because it was low dose and chucked a photocopy of a Which? Magazine article at me. I tried to point out that the magazine had tested 100 asa colour films in metal cans and he was scanning Delta 3200 in paper - but I would have had more luck trying to explain it to my cat. He would at least try to listen. I think the moral s put them in a metal foil bag and keep quiet.

Actually, I am travelling overseas this week. I could fly, but because I am not going so far, I am going by ferry. This is because ferry companies treat their passengers as customers. Airports treat passengers as criminals.

dreamingartemis · Mar 5, 2013

RattyMouse said:
Thank you, that's good to know. Maybe I'll just give up on hand inspection. I had no problems in Japan. They were happy to help me.

Narita or Haneda?

dreamingartemis · Mar 5, 2013

steven_e007 said:
I asked for a hand search at Heathrow. Not only did they refuse, but when they realised the x-ray film bag I was carrying contained film, they insisted on removing the roll films from the bag and passing them through the scanner individually. When I complained the security guard said the scanner was film safe because it was low dose and chucked a photocopy of a Which? Magazine article at me. I tried to point out that the magazine had tested 100 asa colour films in metal cans and he was scanning Delta 3200 in paper - but I would have had more luck trying to explain it to my cat. He would at least try to listen. I think the moral s put them in a metal foil bag and keep quiet.

Actually, I am travelling overseas this week. I could fly, but because I am not going so far, I am going by ferry. This is because ferry companies treat their passengers as customers. Airports treat passengers as criminals.

In regards to your last paragraph, I couldn't have said it better myself!

benjiboy · Mar 5, 2013

hdeyong said:
Benjiboy, obviously, you have little experience with the French. They really appreciate what the Allies did, (which includes myself, being Canadian), but, like most people, don't want it shoved in their face after two generations, (including myself, being Dutch born).
Can you get Taylor Landlord where you are? God, I miss that beer!

Actually I have spent a lot of time in France my aunt was married to a French lawyer and I visited them often at their apartment in Rue St.-Marc in St. Dennis Paris where they lived all through the Nazi occupation.
The allies don't easily forget two generations of their young men's blood spilled on the soil of Continental Europe, my father was an infantry officer who helped to liberate France, Belgium and Holland who was one of the lucky ones who survived.

Taylor s Landlord is available about two miles away from my home at a real ale pub who stock many excellent beers made by small independent brewery s like Theakstons Old Peculiar
http://www.britishbrewer.com/2010/02/recipe-theakston-old-peculier-version-1/

Hand Inspection of Film at Charles De gaulle Airport?

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