Air Travel Just Got Worse for Photographers
I wound up getting stuck overnight in Minneapolis/St. Paul due to a late flight that caused me to miss my connection back to Tampa (thanks Northwest Airlines, which not only made me miss my connection, but then wouldn’t release my own luggage to me, or provide me with a room, or well…pretty much anything. It just reminded me once again why I love United, but that’s another story).
Anyway, while passing through security the TSA Agent at the X-ray belt, said: “That’s a LowePro camera bag; do you have a DSLR in there?” I said yes, and he said I had to remove it and put it on the belt. I told him it wasn’t a video camera, and he told me DSLR’s now have to be removed and put on the belt separately because of their size. So I started screaming at him, and pointing my fingers in his face (you know I’m joking, right?). So, I just shook my head, took out my DSLR out of my bag (pictured above in a photo taken with my iPhone), put it in a gray bin (I sent it though last so I’d be there to make sure I’m the one that winds up with it), and went on.
Then they wanted to search my bag, and that’s perfectly fine with me, and they dusted it for explosives. While he and I were chatting, I asked him about having to remove my DSLR, and was this just an overzealous TSA agent, or a new rule? He said as of August 4, 2007 that all DSLR are supposed to be removed, but not all airports have instituted this new policy yet, but he felt certain most would. Just what I was hoping for, as I usually travel with two bodies, that now I have to worry about getting swiped as they pass through the x-ray machine.
Anyway, I haven’t had a chance to go to the TSA site and research this, but even if I find that it’s not accurate, what recourse do I have with a TSA agent that asks me to remove it. I’ve heard of the success rate of getting into an argument with a TSA agent. They generally win, since they can simply delay you long enough for you to miss your flight (this happened to a photographer friend of mine). Anyway, just a heads up that air travel with your DSLR may have gotten just a little bit more fun. 
Scott,
Sorry to hear of the added frustration of getting through security. I live in Tampa as well and just this past Sept. I flew to Texas and I too choose to carry-on my DSLR. However, I was not instructed to remove my camera from the bag. I also carried on my tripod, in a bag of course, with no problems. I guess the TSA agents at my security checkpoint didn’t get the memo. How Bizarre?
-Marc
I went flew out of MSP on 9/26 and did NOT have to remove my camera. The same with flying out of Denver on 9/30
Mark
When I travelled to Grand Canyon I Fed Ex’d my two tripods and hiking sticks to my daughter anticipating some yo-yo disallowing or having them stolen them. My first and last experience was in 1985 when I checked an extra lens which was, of course, stolen. Now I backpack all camera equipment and never put it in checked luggage. The trip this year they inspected all cameras and lenses in my back pack. However, in O”Hare airport my apple (for eating) was confiscated and refused permission to pass through security. Like an 80 year old woman carries an apple bomb?
As someone that travels at least twice a week including international, I think it’s more to do with TSA inconstancies and individual TSA boredom. I travel with a medium format back and a Cambo Wide DS (a very strange looking rig to non photographers) in a Pelicon 1510 or a Tamrac backpack. I never check anything but lights and stands/tripod.
You do not have to take your camera out to go thru X-ray, they might (and they should) take it to secondary screening for the swipe test. This being said, I’ve had mouse pads taken away from me because the agent thought it contained gel. It is agent discretion, you won’t win.
A sidenote: Airlines will let you buy a ticket with 30 to 40 min connect times in airports. This is not enough time for even airline employees. It takes at least 30 min to pull up at a gate and get everybody and their luggage off. Allow at least an hour for connect times or be prepared to spend the night somewhere occasionally.
Good rules of thumb for easy travel:
1) Allow extra time - you will be more relaxed and the trip will seem easier.
2) Be polite - this can go a long way towards a speedy trip thru security.
3) Follow all the rules - no metal in pockets, laptop out, shoes off and boarding pass in hand. No one should even have to ask you.
4) If asked to secondary screening - Politely say “Sure, let me grab my other stuff” They are required to let you bring it over.
P.s. I just read “fish’s” blog site, there is some really good info on the site about traveling in general. I’ve spent 2 1/2 months in Europe traveling this year (two weeks at a time) and he makes me seem like a serious light weight
On the topic of security, I sometimes find it a belittling experience, where the agent enjoys his condescending position. I’m in Europe and here’s it’s still tolerable but I’ve had some - non-photographic related - security searches in the US before checking in, all similar, and all unpleasant. They seemed aggressive and with an, in my opinion, unnecessary attitude. One example was when I was asked to step aside for a random check, my suitcase was opened and he carelessly rummaged through. I had some CDs in a presentation set case/binding, which the agent unstuck - we’re talking about paper, cardboard and plastic glued together that he ripped apart. And all I could do is move along and check in. I can’t glue it back together again and it’s not something I can easily find again. Very frustrating. The attitude behind this type of thing is what needs fixing.
I had the PLEASURE of going on a short trip to Israel earlier this year. I took a compact digital and Leica M with assorted lenses. They take security extremely seriously - the terrorist threat is very real indeed - and both on going there and coming back (to/from Ben Gurion, flying el-al) I was thoroughly vetted and felt very good both during and afterwards, each time. My hand luggage as well as checked luggage was opened and inspected before me. They took care over everything and even repacked it all better than I had packed it myself (true!) and most importantly, there was no sense of haste or suspicion, and they had a respect for my being and my belongings. It was routine for them, but with a personal touch. Those guys know their job and you know your place by their actions. You wouldn’t want to mess.
For them there is a very real threat, which they know how to handle. I wish I could say the same for US security, as well a airline security in Europe. There is a lot to learn from this kind of example.
I had the experience twice over the last few months to travel regional airlines (United Express) (Go Jet) carrying my roller bag with 2 bodies and all of my lenses. Also I had my backpack filled with other things and my computer. I did not have problems with TSA, but when I got to the gate I was told I could not carry on my rollerbag. It had to gate checked. I spoke the the man who took my bag and told him that I had a list of everything in the bag and that it was fragile. They seemed to take extreme caution with my camera equipment but it was very difficult to part with it. On one of the flights they brought it to me at the jetway and on the other it was waiting at the bottom of the steps. They are using more small planes and this is going to continue to happen.
Under no circumstances should you ever fly Northwest again!! Yes, I am a disgruntled former employee and I now travel as part of my new job. I live in Minneapolis and I never fly Northworst now affectionately known as ’scabair’.
United has become my airline of choice followed closely by airtran. Let’s face it, airtran is a no-frills airline but at least they have xm satellite radio at every seat for entertainment.
Bag accomodation on regional jets is not going to go away, in fact it is probably going to get worse as more of the smaller cities are turned over to the ‘regional carriers’. Just plan for it and you can alway lock your bags after security check.
Scott, Sorry to hear about your frustration…
I always travel with my DSLR and my laptop with me. I don’t trust to check them. Better safe than sorry.
But the problem is not just for the security… It’s almos everything related to AIR TRAVEL. Delays, long lines, high prices, no decent meals (oops… we didn’t have decent meals already, Now… we don’t have meals at all).
The only way to raely compare quality in AIR TRAVEL is if you travel not just to other countries, but between satates there to.
Imagine that you have a 2 weeks job in Brazil…
The flight that you have to thake to get there will have the same rules as the ones that you have to fly inside USA. But once you are there, and you need to fly to another sate there… there are no such a wait time, shoes and belts off, etc…etc..etc… And please people… don’t come saying that is because 9/11 (that is another story)!
That TSA guy was definately power tripping. I flew a month ago, and I took my DLSR out of my bag and was about to give it a bin of it’s own when I was told to just keep it in the bag. At first, I chalked it up to flying out of my hometown podunk airport. Nope. I had the same reaction flying out of Philadelphia and Atlanta.
For the most part, I’ve had pleasant experiences with the TSA people. Flying back from Orlando, they even took the time to hand swab my 150+ rolls of film and apologized to me for the extra time! There are bad apples out there, like the agent in Norfolk who fished out my lone roll of 1600 Fuji to swab and sent the rest of my film through the x-ray machine, despite my being the only person at security!
Hi Scott,
Great CS3 (and Lightroom) seminar in NY this past Tuesday! I hear a lot of people complaining about their rights, not just here but in general, and I think Jeff (#33) has a good read on this. the word “rights” is commonly used a bit too casually. While we do enjoy many basic rights as Americans we are also allowed far more privileges. We as Americans are very spoilt and believe that we are somehow owed just about every freedom we have. Yes, airport staff leave MUCH to be desired but perhaps we all could be a little more understanding, patient and polite. We may inspire more cooperation from those handling all our expensive gear. On the other side however, there really should be more accountability from the airlines for the actions of the staff and employees that represent them. It seems to be a free-for-all with baggage handlers searching through bags and taking anything of value with no repercussion whatsoever. It seems that airlines are more concerned with the safety of their equipment than the safety of their passengers and their belongings. Safe travels everbody.
They sell little security alarms, typically designed for laptop computers, which sound off if they are taken a certain distance from you. Has anyone tried these with a camera, and would they get triggered going thru the x-ray machine?
I haven’t had any issues yet traveling with my DSLR and lenses (packing tripod seperate in bag) but I do plan on taking many more trips in this upcoming year. I hope those TSA agents were just being paranoid and that I won’t have that hassle with my camera. It would be pretty discouraging going through a whole process everytime you want to bring a camera with you. Also, I attended your CS3 and Lightroom seminar in NYC this past Tuesday and thought you did a great job and I definately appreciate you simplifying the “curves,” “sharpen,” and explaining the scary settings Adobe hates to name for people to understand!
This question does not deal with traveling, but I agree the TSA folks are often on a power trip! This question deals with a problem I am having with Photoshop CS3. I can”t open more than one image at a time. If I go under file and choose new, then can only see the “new file” and no pictures. This seemed to happen only after installed Lightroom, but may have nothing to do with it.. Have I set something wrong or installed something wrong? Should I uninstall and reinstall ??Help
Doris
I bought your Lightroom book for digital photographers right before I upgraded to Lightroom 1.1. Now I am very frustrated trying to use the pre 1.1 book to learn the 1.1 program. Do you have an update to the book I can download or must I buy an updated book.
Scott,
The first weekend of November, I just flew out of Midway airport into Dallas Fortwort and back with my DSLR and they never batted an eye, it stayed in the bag, was scanned and off I went.
But during our flight back my wife realized she had a full bottle of water (16 oz) in her purse that went through the scanner without question.
I say all that to say was I luck or was the TSA just really lazy those days?
Unbelieveable! I read this blog yesterday and today I am processing in Photoshop with the news on. The news says they just caught a TSA employee who had pawned an engraved ipod - leaving photos of himself on the ipod! They are checking to see what else he may have stolen. Good Grief!!!
Back to Photoshop.
Marilyn Davenport
I traveled to Omaha from Phoenix and back just before Thanksgiving. Signs only required cameras with tapes etc. DSLR cameras did not have to be taken out of the bag. I was asked what type of camera and I replied DSLR and never had to take them out.
I do not like to travel as I am always afraid that I will have my camera equipment and computer stolen.
Just a quick word on placing your camera or other items in your check-in luggage… on my last three flights, where I checked in a bag with TSA security I have had something stolen. A cell phone on one flight, my digital Nikon CoolPix on another flight (I carried my DSLR or I’m sure it would have been gone) and my trusty old Olympus point & shoot film camera I’d carried for years. Trying to get help from TSA was such a run-a-round I finally just gave up. I now carry everything of any value with me on carry on.
All in all its a very sad state of affairs with TSA.
Tell me what is the tripod and ball head you use when on a extended flying trip. PLEASE
I’m going to Egypt and Jordea in March, and at 77 I dont want to be over burdened with heavy equipment.
Last week I flew from YYZ to SFO and back and did not have to pull my DSLR our of my bag, just my laptop as usual.
I’ve been through the TSA website with a fine tooth comb, so to speak, and no where does it mention anything about taking your camera out of it’s bag. I found it interesting, however, that it does mention the following:
You may carry one (1) bag of photographic equipment in addition to one (1) carry-on and one (1) personal item through the screening checkpoint. The additional bag must conform to your air carrier’s carry-on restrictions for size and weight. Please confirm your air carrier’s restrictions prior to arriving at the airport.
That at least made my day!
Scott,
You might want to revisit this article since effective 1-1-08 there is now a ban on lithium ion batteries (or at least a limit of two per passenger). What horrible effect is this going to be. I personally carry 6 for my camera 1 for my cell phone, 1 for laptop, 2 for may camcorder. Those are in addition to the ones installed in the devices.
Scott:
For those who are having a hard time understanding the new rules on flying with batteries, as issued by the US Dept of Transportation (although it is being enforced by the TSA), I have been covering this subject extensively on my blog for flying photographers, http://www.flyingwithfish.com
I have been posting in detail about this since the day after the official release of the rules and been posting daily as the rules are clarified. Additionally I also have a “first day” report from two photographers, a very frequent flyer and a TSA Agent-Screener regarding their experiences regarding flyers with batteries on the 1st of January 2008.
If anyone has any questions about the new rules they are welcome to e-mail me at fish@flyingwithfish.com
-Fish
Hi Scott,
My name is David. I have got 15 years.I a reeding a your books. It´s great…
I live a Czech republic.Please a looking a my web a look my photo…
Please appreciated my photo and send me a results.
Thank you very much…
Bye David
Well I figure I add my hell with TSA in San Juan, Puerto Rico. ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS BEWARE! They decided they were going to unpack my camera bag and threatened me that if I touched anything while they unpacked it I will be detained. This pissed me off on a number on levels I go 3 hours before my flight like I am suppose too, I offer to unpack anything they want to inspect and understand what they are trying to do. Now the major piss off is they have no problem taking my lens the one where I almost jumped over the counter and thought of beating the TSA Agent with my tripod was when I hear my $1500 lens go thump into one of there bins as they tossed my equipment around. So make sure your photography equipment insurance covers stupid TSA Agent tossing your gear around. Yeah it is getting worse.
it was great to go through your post and its very sad that these days travelers have to go thru such things. With so many terrorist groups being active around the world and planning attacks every second these measures need to be taken.. but one should not forget the trouble real people go through.
Super post. i will come back again soon.