----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Heide Clausen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Unfortunately a) I fly a lot and b) no matter what the rulebook says > even for US airport security, a hand-inspection is not always easy to > get. It depends a lot on the mood of the person at the checkpoint -- > and I have yet to have the courage to "make a scene" there. It just > would seem like quite a dumb move to do so :( Sometimes I get a > hand-check, other times not -- leading to the general strategy of > finding a trusted lab wherever I fly out (hard, btw.) and get > everything processed before if at all possible. >> > --thomas >
Just an example: I flew out of Baltimore (BWI) in February just after this airport was declared THE WORST airport in the United States by the FAA and every consumer group known to mankind (a slight exaggeration. The lines were the longest and the waits the worst for the security checkpoints. They went so far as to hire celebrity-look-alike comedians to entertain the crowds....) Anyway, when I got to the checkpoint and set my camera bag on the x-ray belt I pulled out the ziplock which was on the top and had a ton of film and asked for hand inspection. The response: "No problem!" The supervisor guy took the bag and, as I watched, swabbed each film canister one at a time checking for explosives. I told him I really appreciated it and he kept saying: "We are here to serve you and make traveling a pleasant experience. It's our job." etc. etc. All the time with a smile and friendly demeanor. Oh, and all my film was 50 and 100 ISO. He never questioned the need for hand inspection. After that experience, I have no trouble asking for them to check my film by hand. check: http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=56 look at the last line under "Specialty film". Christian
