Airport Security

[Ph0t0g]

I didn't see another post on this so I thought I would put this out there for those of you that travel. Sometime between when I left San Antonio Friday and when I am returning today Sunday the TSA has changed the rules. Apparently enforcement is sporadic according to a few friends I have that are also flying today but you now have to remove all of your camera gear and place it in one of the plastic containers to get through security.

I already have it in a Pelican case so its not much of a difference to the xray machine, but if you are traveling with multiple bodies, lenses, pocket wizards and all of the other items you would need to shoot a wedding it can be a pain.

Of course when you get to the other end you get to put it all back in your case while everyone is waiting for you to get out of the way :) and hope that nothing has walked while your doing it. Keeping an eye on a laptop and all of the gear going through xray can be a hassle.

So if you travel with gear you might want to pack it in such a way that you can easily get it out and into there box and then pack it again.

At least they didn't revert to the high alert days where they require you to put it in checked luggage.

Oh and on another note you can now take one lighter with you on the plane again.... lol

Good luck to anyone traveling with gear.

[CobyPhoto]

Originally Posted by Ph0t0g

I didn't see another post on this so I thought I would put this out there for those of you that travel. Sometime between when I left San Antonio Friday and when I am returning today Sunday the TSA has changed the rules. Apparently enforcement is sporadic according to a few friends I have that are also flying today but you now have to remove all of your camera gear and place it in one of the plastic containers to get through security.

I already have it in a Pelican case so its not much of a difference to the xray machine, but if you are traveling with multiple bodies, lenses, pocket wizards and all of the other items you would need to shoot a wedding it can be a pain.

Of course when you get to the other end you get to put it all back in your case while everyone is waiting for you to get out of the way :) and hope that nothing has walked while your doing it. Keeping an eye on a laptop and all of the gear going through xray can be a hassle.

So if you travel with gear you might want to pack it in such a way that you can easily get it out and into there box and then pack it again.

At least they didn't revert to the high alert days where they require you to put it in checked luggage.

Oh and on another note you can now take one lighter with you on the plane again.... lol

Good luck to anyone traveling with gear.

My main reason for NOT flying any longer.

CJ

[JamesB]

I have not flown in a while, but i have noticed in the past each airport is slightly different in what they enforce.

I have been carrying lighters on planes for a long time. I never stopped when the new rules went into affect a few years ago, and have only had 1 lighter taken from me because i was randomlly chosen to be searched.

Actually lighters have been "prohibited" on airplanes for a very long time. They just let you bring them.

James

[bigjon0107]

Well, i am flying out of DFW tomorrow, we will see if they actually enforce that or not. Might want to leave a few min early just in case

[dlbdata]

I have had no problems with 3 bodies and all the accessories. Full bag......Only the tripod goes in the luggage.

I have never seen anyone have to remove the gear and place in tubs before the x-ray machine. Normally after the x-ray, the hand inspection may occur....

I fly tomorrow out of DFW with a full compliment of gear. Watkins Glen, Nascar bound......

[jamesw]

> Effective at 12:01 a.m., Saturday, August 4, the TSA will require
> travelers to remove the following items from their carry-on bags and
> submit them for separate screening: video games, video cameras, DVD
> players and CD players. They will now be treated like laptop
> computers. You'll have to remove them from your carry-on and run them
> separately through the X-ray machines.
> But nothing is ever simple (or sane) when it comes to the TSA, so
> please be aware of the following realities:
> 1) Not everyone at the airports or the airlines will have been
> briefed on the specifics--or even the basics. Several carriers,
> including American and Continental airlines, have contacted us in the
> last few hours to say they've just been notified themselves.
> (JetBlue Airways has already posted a notice at
> <http://www.jetblue.com/JetblueAlerts/WeatherUpdate.aspx>http://www.jetblue.com/JetblueAlerts...erUpdate.aspx).
>
> 2) It seems as if many TSA stations are late getting the word,
> too. So expect lots of inconsistency at the checkpoint.
> 3) Worse of all, some early information from the TSA seemed to
> indicate that ALL electronics--MP3 players and iPods; PDAs and mobile
> phones; and all manner of other small personal items--would also have
> to be removed for separate screening. That is NOT true.
> But don't be shocked if a TSA screener insists that your music player
> must be screened separately. He or she probably thinks that it is true.

[andyz]

Between iPods, PDAs, Blackberrys, wireless mice, cameras, laptops and more I think I'd need my own security checkpoint and stack of bins to run items through.

I'm making a trip to Northern OK in a few weeks from Central Texas. I'm driving.

Besides, the little puddle jumper planes have a much smaller overhead and I think I'd freak if I had to check my camera gear. On one recent flight they messed up and my gate checked bag went to the baggage claim. It caused me to have to wait instead of walk and had that been camera gear, I'd have been sweating bullets.

[Ph0t0g]

I posted that while sitting in the airport at Love Field, they were very confused over what all had to screened and we even had a supervisor over before it was settled :)

Good luck to all of you traveling, I just wanted to give everyone a heads up so that you could get there a little earlier than normal just in case you get the special treatment for your gear.

[Craig]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm heading to Ashville NC in a month to shoot a wedding. I'll make sure to to the airport early.

[Angelo]

I'm heading to Alaska in a couple of weeks. I use a roll-around "Think Tank" (on wheels). I wonder if they will allow me to just unzip the top, to expose the equipment, and run it through the xray machine without having to put everything into their plastic tubs.

It will be interesting...

[srdanz]

Originally Posted by Ph0t0g

...Good luck to all of you traveling, I just wanted to give everyone a heads up so that you could get there a little earlier than normal just in case you get the special treatment for your gear...

The sad thing is, what is normal? A few years ago, it was normal to get to the airport 45 mins before the flight, and board with no problems whatsoever. Now it is the norm to come 2 hrs before, and wait patiently. It is just a matter of time before this will be normal and something else will shift us another 30 mins...

I'd like to hear from the recent travelers (as in past 2-3 days) as I'm scheduled to fly to CA in 3 weeks. I'd rather be ready than late for the flight.

[bradh]

I'm flying this weekend to San Fran and this is certainly interesting... didn't plan on taking much equipment but still a body, lenses, and a flash.

So wtf you have to actually place the camera body into a container by itself and such, out of its case/bag?

[Janice_d]

Thanks for this info.. I leave in a week to New York.. and im taking my nikon .. and a few lenses.. Im skipping the tripod and a few other things.. cause I will have my laptop..cell phone and Camera+ gear.. which is gonna be enough to keep track of..Im also taking my point n shoot.. dang maybe ill skip that..LOL .. Im going thru 3 airports also to get there..Good luck Everyone ..on your travels!!

[jagphoto]

I leave for Montana on Thursday. I am attending a Pow Wow for my church mission trip, so I am definitely taking my bag!! I return on Monday, so I'll post then how my trip went. I'll have no signal while there.

[gardener]

We just got back from E. Canada with the trip being routed thusly... DFW to Atlanta to Buffalo going. Quebec to Toronto to DFW back. Four planes, two customs checks on land and a quick ID only one on the boat , and at least three carry on checks at airports. We each had one rolling carry on bag plus I had a photo backpack crammed with 3 lenses, two DSLR bodies, one small Sony p&s, my cell phone, and other assorted photo odds and ends.
Other than the usual remove and peruse the personal use stuff you're required to put in a quart size baggie, the only time I was asked to open a carry on bag was at the last customs check and that was because they couldn't identify a Lenspen in the closed camera backpack and wanted to see what it was... (he liked it enough that he asked where he could get one... how weird).
The wife on the other hand, has a heart Pacemaker so gets the full body patdown each time plus an occasional swab test on her shoes.
Yes, I agree... it seems like every single check or inspection was nothing like any other check/inspection but none gave us any problems. Quite honestly, it irritates me far more to go through the whole shoe removing thing than it does for them to check any of my bags.