ICAO or IATA regulations for airport x-ray screening?

[cway]

Yep, another thread about screening. For reasons explained in this message I need information about ICAO (or IATA, or related organ) regulation for film screening in airports.

Last week, taking a flight, I asked PSA (Argentina Airport Security Police) for a manual inspection on T-max 3200 and Neopan 1600 rolls. The police officer say that everything must be screened, and the x-ray device could'nt harm my film.

Back to my city, PSA officers @ Buenos Aires repeated the scene. I went to PSA office, asked for the regulatory body of this procedure, they say they don't have it in the airport, and PSA uses the ICAO regulation. But they called the "materials specialist", he ordered the other policemen to make a hand inspection of faster films. I lost some money with this rolls. It's hard and expensive to find 3200 or Neopan in Argentina. I have see some damage in previous screened film, so I wanted to stay firm and try to "adopt" U.S. TSA procedures in my country. I'm angry. I don't like people who don't know anything about film sensitivity and forces me to burn my rolls in the scanner, so I want to make some serious complain to autorithies.

Thanks. Luis.

 

[Matus Kalisky]

Unfortunately I am of no help, but I had similar experience when flying from Bratilava (Slovakia) - the security guys refused hand inspection of my 2 rolls of Delta 3200. They were not aware of possible problems and did not accept my request. They were just told that "all film is fine". I plan to shoot a few rolls and will eventually complain if the film will be fogged.

 

[Ronald Moravec]

Authorities constantly repeat their "special" x rays will not harm film. You and I both know otherwise.

Use low speed film to minimise damage. They are still damaged, but it will be just a slight background fog and most people do not notice it. Buy film on location and process it there. With the latest bombs found on cargo aircraft, shipping film ahead to your hotel will probably no longer be an option because cargo will extra heavy dose x rayed starting very soon.

Some very nice digital cameras are made today. Consider them for travel.

 

[cway]

I love to use available light, that's one of the reasons I always carry some fast film with me. The other reason is that good film it's hard to find in Argentina. I have a digital camera, but I use It as a second body. Anyway, everyday it's getting harder to carry some film thru airports.

I couldn't find the ICAO resolution, I think it's in Appendix 17 o 18, but still with no luck.

 

[Vlad Soare]

Be careful with hand inspection, too. The monkey might pull your film out of the cassette to "inspect" it.
I'm not making this up. Several people have reported having their 4x5" film boxes opened when they asked for hand inspection.

You could either use 120 films, or reload your 35mm films into plastic cassettes, then stuff them in your pockets and carry them through the metal detector.