Travelling with film in Canada - airport issues, film stores/labs, etc.

[Sirius Glass]

aaaaaaaand that's why I'm not going anywhere by air at least until next Spring. Domestically, I'll drive. Too hard to take photos with a LF camera from airplane window

We are waiting until the post COVID travel surge dies down and then will resume vacationing on the should periods of spring and fall.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Here's the reply I received from CATSA:

Hello,

Our x-ray is designed to be the least harmful as possible. However, I cannot guarantee that it will not be damaging to your film. To reduce the risk of your film being damaged, I recommend you request a physical search.

Please let me know if you have any other comments, questions or concerns.

Thank you,



Amy Leclerc

Client Satisfaction / Satisfaction de la clientele

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) / Administration canadienne de la sûreté du transport aérien (ACSTA)

Amy.leclerc@catsa.gc.ca

Thanks Andrew. I'm going to print this and keep it with my film for when I'm in the airports. I've already decided to bring just enough to cover the first part of my trip (BC, Yukon, NWT) and will re-supply in Ottawa for Nunavut/Greenland, and again in Winnipeg if needed.

 

[mooseontheloose]

As for travelling within Canada, expect delays. The airlines are claiming all kinds of reasons, but many, many flights are being delayed - some outright cancelled. This is happening to a noticeably high percentage of flights.

See here

Headline news on the CBC website this morning.

Air Canada to cancel dozens of daily flights this summer

This is just one of several news stories from the last week or two that have been warning of airport travel delays and lineups.

I saw this news as well, which worries me as I have 13 separate flight segments this summer. Luckily most of them fly very early in the morning (6 a.m.) so I'm hoping that will help. In addition, about half the flights will be in the Arctic, using small airlines and small hubs, so I think this regional bubble will be somewhat isolated from these issues. I'm just worried about when I need to fly to and from the larger hubs of Vancouver, Ottawa, and Toronto.

 

[mjork]

Just got back from Calgary. My request to hand-check all of the rolls of 35mm film I brought along was honored without problem.
Flight delays and cancellations were the real issue...

 

[mooseontheloose]

Just got back from Calgary. My request to hand-check all of the rolls of 35mm film I brought along was honored without problem.
Flight delays and cancellations were the real issue...

It's less than a week to go before my epic trip back to Canada - and the 13 flight segments I have over 7 weeks - so that's good to hear. With all of the baggage issues I'm determined to only travel with carry-on, but as a film user, that's a bit problematic in terms of space for film and weight for gear. I'll be buying new rolls and having exposed ones developed as I go, but I'm still struggling with the best/most economical kit to bring.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

It's less than a week to go before my epic trip back to Canada - and the 13 flight segments I have over 7 weeks - so that's good to hear. With all of the baggage issues I'm determined to only travel with carry-on, but as a film user, that's a bit problematic in terms of space for film and weight for gear. I'll be buying new rolls and having exposed ones developed as I go, but I'm still struggling with the best/most economical kit to bring.

Might be not a real problem which kit to get.

I was talking with locals about recent flights within Canada. It is really brutal here on cancelations and no refund. The only solution was to rent the car at their own expense.

 

[Sirius Glass]

It's less than a week to go before my epic trip back to Canada - and the 13 flight segments I have over 7 weeks - so that's good to hear. With all of the baggage issues I'm determined to only travel with carry-on, but as a film user, that's a bit problematic in terms of space for film and weight for gear. I'll be buying new rolls and having exposed ones developed as I go, but I'm still struggling with the best/most economical kit to bring.

Take equipment and film over clothes.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Take equipment and film over clothes.

Naturally!

My only problem is that when I'm up north I'll be flying on prop planes that have a very small cabin baggage allowance. I'll have to check my normal carry-on (with clothes and tripod) and take my cameras and film in that small bag. Unfortunately, even though I have 8+ camera bags, it looks like I have to go buy another, as my bags are either too small (not enough gear can fit) or too big for the plane.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Might be not a real problem which kit to get.

I was talking with locals about recent flights within Canada. It is really brutal here on cancelations and no refund. The only solution was to rent the car at their own expense.

I'm worried about this as well, although I'm hoping my flights in the Territories will be immune from most of this. The I think my most problematic flights will be getting from Greenland to Toronto (apparently often delayed due to weather), and then Toronto to Winnipeg. However, if the flights get cancelled or delayed at least I have friends I can stay with in Toronto. With most of my other flights I have some time built in before the next one, so hopefully that will help if this worst should happen.

 

[markjwyatt]

Just keep in mind, they might not hand check cameras. This is what I have run into in recent years (Montreal). Be sure your cameras are empty at the airport, or prepare to have them x-rayed (or if possible rewind the remaining film, then reload it later). Did you experience that, @mooseontheloose ?

 

[GregY]

Just keep in mind, they might not hand check cameras. This is what I have run into in recent years (Montreal). Be sure your cameras are empty at the airport, or prepare to have them x-rayed (or if possible rewind the remaining film, then reload it later). Did you experience that, @mooseontheloose ?

Hand checking cameras is not a typical protocol. They should absolutely be empty when flying.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Flying from within Canada I was at Customs leaving Canada and a woman agent was handling my camera and lenses roughly. When she picked up a large lens and was swinging it around. I shouted at her that would cost more than a month of her salary. She had an abrupt change of attitude for the better. Then her boss came over and took her place going over my things. He attitude and handling of equipment was much better.

 

[Don_ih]

I shouted at her that would cost more than a month of her salary. She had an abrupt change of attitude for the better.

As in it made her smile? Shout at airport security and you should expect to be kicked out.

 

[Sirius Glass]

As in it made her smile? Shout at airport security and you should expect to be kicked out.

Not when she was tossing cameras and lenses to the other side of the table. That is why her supervisor took over.

 

[markjwyatt]

Hand checking cameras is not a typical protocol. They should absolutely be empty when flying.

In Canada. I have never been refused a camera hand check in the US. once, my Contax iia set off a chemical sensor during a hand check, and they insisted on x-raying it, so I just rewound the roll and gave it to them to x-ray.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Hand checking cameras is not a typical protocol. They should absolutely be empty when flying.

I have never had a problem with hand checking in Canada. The only times I was refused hand checking was at Heathrow and in Paris.

 

[GregY]

I have never had a problem with hand checking in Canada. The only times I was refused hand checking was at Heathrow and in Paris.

I have had no problems hand checking film...... hand checking a loaded camera is another thing altogether and may be met with refusal. I have had this happen in the USA.... so my cameras always fly unloaded.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have had no problems hand checking film...... hand checking a loaded camera is another thing altogether and may be met with refusal. I have had this happen in the USA.... so my cameras always fly unloaded.

I have not had that particular problem. For a period of five years I was flying transcontinental a minimum of twice a month and I did not have any problems other than a few incidents such as in post #37 and #39. Since then my fly is much less frequent and so I cannot provide an accurate observation as I could in the past.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Just keep in mind, they might not hand check cameras. This is what I have run into in recent years (Montreal). Be sure your cameras are empty at the airport, or prepare to have them x-rayed (or if possible rewind the remaining film, then reload it later). Did you experience that, @mooseontheloose ?

Don't worry, I never fly with film loaded in cameras, so that won't be an issue. I've learned the hard way that old mechanical film cameras, especially TLRs, often get extra scrutiny under the xray machine, making them stay longer than necessary (which is why I also try to send the film in advance as well, if it can't be hand checked). The stupid thing is they end up swiping everything anyway (film and cameras), which is what I ask them to do (aka hand-check) beforehand, knowing what's coming, but of course, what do I know?

 

[GregY]

It is worth considering the purpose of security measures......
If someone can put an explosive device in a shoe, why not in a camera.
The 'regulations' stipulate that film can be hand checked..... cameras not so much.

 

[Sirius Glass]

It is worth considering the purpose of security measures......
If someone can put an explosive device in a shoe, why not in a camera.
The 'regulations' stipulate that film can be hand checked..... cameras not so much.

Once they have agreed to hand check my camera bag they checked the cameras, lenses and film without any discrimination issues.

 

[GregY]

Once they have agreed to hand check my camera bag they checked the cameras, lenses and film without any discrimination issues.

I know there's 'discretion' involved. Once on my way to work, I had to go back & check my bag because in it was a 3m collapsible (40cm sections) avalanche probe .. but then I was seated next to a woman who was biding the flight time knitting with 12" knitting needles.... Now you tell me which one a ninja would prefer?

 

[GregY]

Film just hand-checked in Calgary direct flight to Paris. Will be processed in Paris before return

 

[mooseontheloose]

Just arrived back in Japan after 7 weeks in Canada (and Greenland). 13 flight segments in multiple airports, was able to get hand checks at every one without needing to explain anything, although in larger airports (YVR, YYZ) the screening process took a long time since most people did not pack their liquids properly which meant that security personnel had to examine every item. When it came to checking my film (and occasionally cameras) the process was fairly quick. The only airport I had a problem in was Yellowknife, where they made me open every roll of 120 because they needed to see the actual film rolls. When I complained about it they gave me a card to direct my complaint to, so that was unexpected. Also, somewhere along the way (maybe at that same airport) a bag a film (unexposed) went missing, so I lost 14 rolls which luckily I was able to replace while in Ottawa. Airports I flew through on this trip were:

Narita (NRT), Japan
Mexico City (MEX), Mexico
Vancouver (YVR)
Whitehorse (YXY)
Dawson (YDA) - no x-ray machines whatsoever here, just a guy who prints the tags and loads your bags directly onto the plane
Yellowknife (YZF)
Ottawa (YOW)
Kangerlussuaq (SJF), Greenland - flew there are and back on charter planes. Upon leaving Ottawa we drove straight onto the tarmac and got onto the planes, bypassing security entirely; on the way back from Greenland, was able to get a hand check at the airport.
Toronto (YYZ)
Winnipeg (YWG)

Photo of the Dawson airport luggage area:

 

[MattKing]

That photo alone makes the trip worthwhile!