New (as of 2019) airport CT scanners

[Samuel Dilworth]

I will add this to my long list of reasons to avoid flying.

For land travel I don’t fly anymore. The horror of getting to and from the airport in (or nowhere near) big cities, the security pantomime that gets worse every year and justifies any infringement of freedom and dignity, the CO2 emissions from burning vast amounts of aviation fuel (untaxed so that it distorts the transport market), and now the film-nuking scanners.

Why acquiesce in all of this if you have any reasonable choice in the matter? Let the airports know their policies have costs.

 

[thefizz]

Dublin airport has confirmed to me that they do not currecntly have CT scanners but will be introducing them sometime in the future. They could not confirm when that will be.

 

[titrisol]

I found a couple of HAMA FilmXSafe that I had....
I wonder if they still work, and if they are not going to raise hell with the TSA

 

[Wallendo]

I found a couple of HAMA FilmXSafe that I had....
I wonder if they still work, and if they are not going to raise hell with the TSA

Since this device could obviously be used to hide a bomb of other weapon, it will be pulled out and searched ... and probably zapped with extra radiation. Better just to put the film in a clear plastic bag.

 

[spijker]

FujiFilm now also published a warning about the new airport scanners:
https://www.fujifilm.com/news/n200213.html

Hopefully all these warnings will make airport security agencies to be more favorable towards hand checks. But it should also signal the scanner manufacturers/operators that there is a problem with these machines that they need to look into. If film could be scanned in the past without damage, then there has to be a way to do it with these new machines as well. At a lower radiation strength in a separate tray for example.

 

[BrianShaw]

Wouldn’t it be nice if they kept one old-Skool machine at every check point just for screening film? At least we all know the characteristics and limitations of those.

 

[mooseontheloose]

don't know. i told my son i'd take him anywhere for a trip in April. he wants to go to paris. so i told him more than likely i cant take a camera cause they will ruin my film, and im not a huge fan of digital. so disappoint him or myself?

life is full of pointless choices.

john

I just flew through Paris and they still have the regular scanners for carryon baggage, so maybe you don’t have to worry about it yet. (I will go through there again in March and will reconfirm then). And as someone who lived in France for a while, can also recommend various stores to buy film and get it developed, although the prices will not be comparable to what you have in the States. (start by doubling what you normally pay)

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I just flew through Paris and they still have the regular scanners for carryon baggage, so maybe you don’t have to worry about it yet. (I will go through there again in March and will reconfirm then). And as someone who lived in France for a while, can also recommend various stores to buy film and get it developed, although the prices will not be comparable to what you have in the States. (start by doubling what you normally pay)

How's Japan these days? I had no issues three years ago with film. Scanners were fine and hand inspected when I requested it. On that trip though, I just let them scan everything. Faster. No issues with buggered film.

 

[mooseontheloose]

We

How's Japan these days? I had no issues three years ago with film. Scanners were fine and hand inspected when I requested it. On that trip though, I just let them scan everything. Faster. No issues with buggered film.

Well, I am happy to note that as of this week, Kansai airport does not have those scanners yet, so that’s a relief. I still made them hand check my film as I know there will be more xrays to come on my travels (my hotel scans bags every time you come in).

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

We


Well, I am happy to note that as of this week, Kansai airport does not have those scanners yet, so that’s a relief. I still made them hand check my film as I know there will be more xrays to come on my travels (my hotel scans bags every time you come in).

Thanks! Hopefully Narita will be the same...and Fukuoka!

 

[Christiaan Phleger]

Just flew out of Kahalui Airport on Maui code OGG and they have just installed the new units but have 2-3 old machines still in use; I still requested Hand Check for 120 and 135mm and had no problem.

 

[jay moussy]

That brings the question: what is the best way to prepare for, and engage in a hand check, as well as what NOT to do?

 

[Deleted member 88956]

That brings the question: what is the best way to prepare for, and engage in a hand check, as well as what NOT to do?

Yet any agent, TSA or otherwise, can refuse to hand check, there is no rule to force them into it. This is not getting better but worse. Somehow I am not optimistic about imposition of hard rule if its film, it must be hand checked if so requested. These times IMO are plain gone.

 

[Hatchetman]

Is regular US mail safe? I mean some of it goes on airplanes, do they x-ray that?

 

[pentaxuser]

In one way the revival in film might make things worse unless it becomes such a massive revival that refusing a hand inspection becomes impossible due to the number of flyers requiring it, say 50% . As long as film flyers remain few in number as is now the case then hand inspection might be tolerated but should the revival get to a nuisance level only as opposed to a massive level then things might be worse for those wanting hand inspection.

While Ilford and Kodak may or may not have the ears of those who can do something helpful then it remains potluck as long as hand inspections are only discretionary

pentaxuser

 

[wiltw]

That brings the question: what is the best way to prepare for, and engage in a hand check, as well as what NOT to do?

Wear loose underwear and bring your own KY for sanitary reasons.

Oh, you didn't mean THAT kind of 'hand check' ?!

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Is regular US mail safe? I mean some of it goes on airplanes, do they x-ray that?

It is scanned, but am not sure what kind of reactor they are using at every check point. Am not sure how actual film shipments are handled from source to distributors. I'm sure some smaller batches and rush orders are going by plane and get skewered by automated pariahs, likely more than once before reaching destination. Well, shipping containers are also no longer safe either as they get scanned too.

 

[Fraunhofer]

Just came back from a trip to Canada: TSA and their Canadian counterparts were super nice about not sending my film through the scanner. I had it in a ziplock bag and they just swiped it, testing for explosives. I do fly a lot and find that security personnel typically is very friendly as long as you are

 

[Henning Serger]

Is regular US mail safe? I mean some of it goes on airplanes, do they x-ray that?

I know directly from Kodak Alaris that they are using for their films shipping by airplanes / airfright instead of shipping by ship for several months now.
To be faster. Because of the huge film backorders they have globally. Air cargo is handled differently compared to passenger flights.

Just today I have had a talk with my film distributor in Tokyo, who had shipped the Acros II for my tests to me (of course by air cargo). I ordered Industrial 100 this week.
He said no problems with X-Ray because of air cargo being safe for films. Well, the Acros II I've got from Japan were absolutely fine.

No need for hysteria. Now all - film manufacturers and film photographers - are aware of this challenge. And with hand inspection a good and easy solution is already there.
There is a good chance that hand inspection will become the new norm, on all airports on which CT scanners get installed.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I know directly from Kodak Alaris that they are using for their films shipping by airplanes / airfright instead of shipping by ship for several months now.
To be faster. Because of the huge film backorders they have globally. Air cargo is handled differently compared to passenger flights.

Just today I have had a talk with my film distributor in Tokyo, who had shipped the Acros II for my tests to me (of course by air cargo). I ordered Industrial 100 this week.
He said no problems with X-Ray because of air cargo being safe for films. Well, the Acros II I've got from Japan were absolutely fine.

No need for hysteria. Now all - film manufacturers and film photographers - are aware of this challenge. And with hand inspection a good and easy solution is already there.
There is a good chance that hand inspection will become the new norm, on all airports on which CT scanners get installed.

Best regards,
Henning

Good to see someone has full confidence in the system. Not what i have been through, but this is also Africa, India, Arabian airports. We can hope some kind of general rule will be applied to film handling at airports, yet what bothers me is lack of consistency, proven cases of individual agents disrespecting even what his coworker has just done and applying own overzealous sense of security. Without sort of official universal ruling on this it is a toss. But always good to hear successful attempts at getting film hand checked.

 

[AgX]

Is regular US mail safe? I mean some of it goes on airplanes, do they x-ray that?

X-raying is not just a matter of airplane safety, but a matter of contraband in general.

 

[Henning Serger]

We can hope some kind of general rule will be applied to film handling at airports, yet what bothers me is lack of consistency, .............

Yes, but this lack of consistency was so far due to the fact that the scanners used were safe for film up to ISO 800/30°. Therefore at some airports the security personal said, no hand inspection needed, just put it through the scanner.
During the last 20 years I have put all my films through these scanners, and never had a problem. Including Provia 400X pushed two stops.
As all know now the new CT scanners are different, most probably also new guidelines will be installed. And I think there is a good chance that one of these new guidelines will be a hand inspection for film. Every film photographer has the possibility to point that topic to their airlines, airports and members of parliament.
But discussions and complains here on photrio won't have any positive effect.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[warden]

I saw a post from Kodak on Instagram today that links to their page for purchasing or printing your own labels:

https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/pho...VFUhMXVaSlO_Cit9FQTSAsjt4-Ue3qDkWisAFpn95y2_g

I don't know how many people have seen the post but in eight hours 2,700 people "liked" the post, so maybe 10x - 20x that amount? They have about 700,000 followers on their main Instagram accounts. Hopefully the message is getting out.

 

[AgX]

I can't bicker at the moment...

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I saw a post from Kodak on Instagram today that links to their page for purchasing or printing your own labels:

https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/pho...VFUhMXVaSlO_Cit9FQTSAsjt4-Ue3qDkWisAFpn95y2_g

Good stuff, liked it too.