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From: smh@rduxb.UUCP (henning)
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: Re: Does checked baggage get x-rayed and if so what kind?
Message-ID: <661@rduxb.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 28-Aug-85 13:28:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: rduxb.661
Posted: Wed Aug 28 13:28:38 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Aug-85 07:41:15 EDT
References: <962@teklds.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Reading, PA
Lines: 28

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From the keys of Steve Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA rduxb!smh

> a bunch of film with me.  Is it safe to put some of it in baggage that is
> checked (to avoid the problem of having 80 or so rolls hand inspected)
> or are high energy x-rays used such that even Film Shield won't protect
> the film?

Yes, checked baggage gets x-rayed, and those x-rays are often very 
unfriendly to film.  On a trip to Iceland, Icelandic Airlines
removed a can of Gaz, butane gas, from a checked and locked suitcase.
They didn't say a thing.  The suitcase was delayed 2 days and when
it arrived, the can was gone.  So much for trying to be sneaky.
The worst x-ray machines are in S.E. Asia.  On a recent trip to the
Orient, I had no trouble getting them to hand check my film.  The
closest thing to a problem was a bozo in the US that insisted on 
opening up every film can.  I just pulled out a magazine and read
it until he was done.  He was only doing his job, but most security
people just spot checked the film and shook the cans to make sure
they didn't contain someing like gasoline.

The old film shield is only for 400 speed and slower film in the US
and similar well behaved x-ray machines.  The new super film shield
is for 1000 speed.  However when traveling abroad through many x-ray
machines, I never let anyone x-ray my film with any machine and keep it
in a film shield bag anyway.  On the Orient trip I had to go through 
airport security 19 times.  I doubt if even US x-ray machines would
be safe for 19 times not to mention the other 18 airports.