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Transportation Safety Administration NEW RULES announced

Karl K

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OK, how will this affect me when I travel with my non-electronic Leica M2, M3, and M4 and lenses? Well, I'm buying the TSA Pre-Check ASAP, anyway. The TSA won't recognize or differentiate an analog camera from an electronic camera.


From TSA 7/26/2017: As a rule, photographers tend to carry-on their gear. New rules Dead Link Removedby the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) could make that process a whole lot more cumbersome.

The rules will require travelers to remove all electronic devices larger than a cell phone from their carry-on for screening in their own bin–much like you have to do with laptops currently. If you’re toting along a gear bag, it means you’ll be removing camera bodies, lenses, external drives, monitors–basically, a lot of stuff. (If you thought people grumbled at you while you fumbled with your belt and loafers, just imagine packing and unpacking an entire case of camera gear.)

The new procedure is already in place in ten airports, including LAX and Logan International Airport. It will be introduced to all other airports in the U.S. in the “weeks and months ahead,” according to a TSA statement.

The good news, however, is that photographers and filmmakers can avoid having to unload their gear by enrolling in TSA Pre-Check. Those enrolled in that program won’t be subjected to the extra electronics screening.
 
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It's no big deal, we've had to do that for quite a long time at UK airports, although usually we get asked to show items they spot, that includes cameras that I fly with that contain no electronics (like my Wista 45DX. Most of my gear goes in checked baggage, only my camera lenses and film go in my carry on.

I've just flown with tighter security checks than they are now advocating, the UK tends to mirror US checks.

Ian
 
Again no big deal. I carry my non-electronic Hasselblads to the conveyor belt, the cameras get x-rayed and on occasion TSA will ask to look directly inside the bag. I do not and have not needed to take the camera equipment out of the camera bag before being x-rayed. I fail to see why you have any complaint.

BTW, larger bold letters do not make you case any stronger, it just wastes bandwidth.
 
Should also add this is a roll back of previous restrictions introduced earlier this year by the US and UK that required many items to go in checked baggage. It will speed up the queues at the security checks by cutting down the need for many hand inspections.

My last flight Istanbul to Birmingham (UK) there were 3 checks at the airport, once as you enter, the International part once again at immigration and security, and a third at the boarding gate - this was extremely thorough.

Ian
 
Patrick Robert James said:
Next time I fly I am not going to pull them out. They always search me anyway. No point to it.
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Please don't be in front of me. I despise being behind people what get argumentative with TSA, want to write their own rules, or for whatever reason slow the lines to a crawl.

I put my film on the conveyor and don't mind putting camera and phone in a bin... makes life easier for me and everyone else.
 
If you think they are not going to make you pull out the gear because you tell them it is mechanical film gear, you are fooling your self. They are going to make you pull all the gear out of the bag and will not stand there and argue with you about what is electronic or not.

I do a fair amount of traveling to paid shoots and this would be a nightmare for me so I have applications in for Global Entry and TSA Pre-Check.
 
We're all doomed
 

This May in Paris, Amsterdam, Athens and the Greek Islands all they ever did was sometimes ask to look in the bags. Once they saw that the cylinders were lenses, they were satisfied.
 
Sirius Glass said:
This May in Paris, Amsterdam, Athens and the Greek Islands all they ever did was sometimes ask to look in the bags. Once they saw that the cylinders were lenses, they were satisfied.
Click to expand...

But that is there in May, not in the U.S. now where even on a domestic flight one will be subject to removing all gear. They are not trying to hassle film users, it's just that they are not trained in making the distinction, at least for now. Believe me, this is the case, I am well acquainted with the two previous heads of TSA ( Neffenger, Pistole ) and have confirmed this with them.

Bottom line, if you have electronics or camera equipment ( film or digital ) that is larger than a phone, you will likely have to remove it all and put it in the tray like you now do a laptop. I expect to hear more details in the near future.
 
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The reality is I'm a regular flyer and at one time was always asked to remove my LF camera, I realised that security in Turkey was slack when they stopped asking and that actually worried me more. If I flew to Turkey there was no auto automatic scanning of my boarding pass, I had to be checked by a Special Branch officer (I guess equivalent to FBI or Border-land Security) and it's similar re-entering the UK,

We need this kind of security after all all the bombings etc in the US were legal entries, it's the same here as well, never illegal immigrants.

Ian
 

I agree and I have no problem with the added security procedures. Frankly after over seventy years I have become quite attached to my body parts and I would like to keep them attached and in good conditions.
 

I've never had to unpack my camera bag when traveling through Heathrow.
 
I get there early and do what they tell me and I've never had a problem. When I did a lot of corporate travel with tools and electronic test equipment, they always pulled me aside for a "special inspection". Maybe I've been through this enough times that it just doesn't seem like a hassle any more.
 
so if i pay them money, they'll let me not be searched. Security theater as revenue generator. Nothing new.

Sounds like a shake-down, not a security measure. Whatever, I'll put the camera bag on the belt as usual -- no electronics in a Leica CL -- and if they want to look, they can look.
.
 
summicron1 said:
I'll put the camera bag on the belt as usual -- no electronics in a Leica CL -- and if they want to look, they can look.
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LOL, people are really not getting this are they.

If you do that, they will hand the bag back to you, ask you to take the gear out and put it in the same basket that your shoes, laptop, etc. goes in. Since I travel to jobs with 3 bodies, 5-7 lenses and associated gear, I *asked* former top TSA officials about this earlier this week and to repeat what I said above, they want you to take cameras and lenses larger than a phone out of the bag and put it in a separate container.

When I asked about the mechanical film camera prospect being exempt, they said while not totally sure, it would likely be under the same classification as electronics for now since many TSA personnel are neither trained for or have time for making that distinction.

Take your chances I guess but I am not sure what the potential fallout of that could be, missing a flight, etc.
Maybe this will all mellow out, won't be a big deal but for now, it's a calling card for me to at least get TSA Pre check.
 
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  • Patrick Robert James
  • Deleted
  • Reason: Take the bickering and personal attacks elsewhere, folks.
Spend $80 for TSA PRE. Good for 5 years. It's the best thing for travelers, especially for photographers.
 

they can do whatever they want, and will. If you think this nonsense makes you safer, read up on the TSA-run gun smuggling ring in Puerto Rico a year or so ago.

your aside that TSA inspectors are neither trained nor have time to make distinctions says it all -- they are low-wage, low-skill grunts hired to pretend to be looking for threats. TSA is a jobs program, nothing more.

But they'll happily take your money for that pre-check thing and pretend that proves you are a safe security risk. Happy flying!
 

For me, it is not really about any of the above. I need to get my gear safely and in an organized fashion to shoots to earn a living, what is $85 or $100 ( Global Entry ) for 5 years to avoid having tens of thousands of dollars in gear out for all the world to see and bouncing around in some plastic tub?

Ever been cased and had gear stolen?? I have...twice while on jobs! Once for a $4,500 loss in 1992 and then again for $15,000 in 94, both times in good ol' L.A.
Everyone has their rhyme and reason I guess, I just want my gear left in the bag / pack as carry on, out of sight and out of mind.

I'm just trying to share what I have found out and instead of thanks I get old guard grumpy push back.
 
RattyMouse said:
I've never had to unpack my camera bag when traveling through Heathrow.
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I guess in the past 3-4 years I've had to take my 5x4 cameras out of my carry on back pack about 2/3rds of the times at UK airports, my home made 6x7 field camera had to be removed and shown at security at two Canadian Airports last Autumn, and no electronics what so ever.

I'm often travelling on flights that get the highest scrutiny because Turkey borders on Syria and Iraq. I was struck by how lax the security had become at Turkish airports it didn't use to be, however that's tighten again this year.

One comment about UK airport security is that the scanner operators are well trained, the London airports have cutting edge technology.

Ian
 
The pre check isn't just about money. I havevglobal enter and one has to have a background check go for a personal interview and be finger printed

I have traveled all over the world and have lost track of how many times I have been to Amsterdam and the pasrbseveral,times I had to take out everynlens remove all body caps so they could see through the lens
 

In reality, NONE OF THE ITEMS IN BLUE TEXT are specifically called out in any TSA information on their web site! It is unfortunate that those who read, then INTERPRET what they read into an unfounded claim (made by them, and not by TSA)

What was actually posted 7/26/2017, "new security rules going into effect at at all US airports 'during the weeks and months ahead' ":

Dead Link Removed
  • Must take out 'all electronics larger than cellphone', and put them into a bin with nothing on top or below, and this includes personal electronic items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers and handheld game consoles for screening
  • There are no changes to what travelers can bring through the checkpoint
  • The changes will not apply to those going thru TSA √ lines.


The above has already been in effect at ten trial sites around the country.

“It is critical for TSA to constantly enhance and adjust security screening procedures to stay ahead of evolving threats and keep passengers safe. By separating personal electronic items such as laptops, tablets,
e-readers and handheld game consoles for screening, TSA officers can more closely focus on resolving alarms and stopping terror threats,” said (TSA Acting Administrator Huban A.) Gowadia.
 
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  • BrianShaw
  • Deleted
  • Reason: Take the bickering and personal attacks elsewhere, folks.
Everyone is in such a hurry to get on the plane and shoe-horned into their tiny little seats. Amazing.
 
faberryman said:
Everyone is in such a hurry to get on the plane and shoe-horned into their tiny little seats. Amazing.
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It's the only way to get where one needs to be.

As far as security screening goes... much better to be sitting in a terminal sipping a cup of tea while waiting than standing in a security line!
 
LoL, this thread really demonstrates the mindset of some photographers. For us who are interested in actually photographing, if it means we have to strip in front of some low wage workers or whatever, I will do it. The time to "fight the machines" are in the ballot box, in the calls to the Congress reps, or even if you are an anarchists - take up whatever means you think is necessary. But when I need to go to some place to photograph, I will do whatever it takes for me to travel from point A to point B, with my equipment intact.
 
  • Patrick Robert James
  • Deleted
  • Reason: Take the bickering and personal attacks elsewhere, folks.
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