Packing and Airport Inspection ???'s

[goin2dzny]

When we went to WDW last year... we used these bags that were like LARGE "Zip-loc" bags that you placed clothes and squeezed out the air for more room in luggage... will this be a problem with luggage being packed so tight and dense... with inspections since 9/11????


We used to use wire ties to close-up bags to keep them from unzipping, etc... I guess we can't do that now... plus we cannot take scissors to cut them off now.

 

[mcnuss]

You should not have any trouble with that. I have flown almost every week since 9/11 and the only people having trouble are those foolish enough to bring scissors, knives, etc in their carry-ons... and think that they can just tell Security that they're not terrorists so it's ok! (I am not joking, you cannot believe how many times I have heard that line!) If your checked luggage is randomly selected for bomb detection, they will take you & your luggage to another part of the airport to either go through the super Xray machine or they will run a chemical test on it that detects explosives. I put a lot of stuff into ziplocs and have never been asked to remove anything from checked luggage. If your carry-ons are searched, they will kind of move things around looking for sharp objects or weapons. I have never had them take everything out, although friends have told me that they have, the most has been lifting things up to look under. The secruity people always tell me how nice I am to put my dirty laundry into ziplocs so that they don't have to touch them. (EEEW, what a job.) Finally, if you are nice to the security people, comply with a smile and a thank you, they will be courteous and pleasant. I suspect there will be 20 people after me who will tell you that they have encountered just the opposite of me, but I have been in at least 15 airports over all these months and have never been treated badly. I guess it's all in the attitude!

 

[dahess]

We have flown 2 times with kids since Sept. 11. We always put our kids clothes in 1 Gal. Ziploc bags and have had no problems. Have a great trip!

 

[Gillian]

I know mcnuss said this, but it's worth saying again. You CAN take scissors, just not in your carry on. I pack my small scissors & really sharp tweezers in my checked bag.

 

[Timon]

Hey guys,

This post is rather timely I was just hired as a Pre Board Screener here at our airport and just finished my training. I still have to get my certification but have learned quite a bit already.
And yes, a friendly smile goes a long way! Usually, if you give one, you get one! I know travelling isn't the greatest experience sometimes, but don't forget, we see thousands of passengers everyday and many are quite grumpy or just don't follow the simplest instructions, and get mad at us! Just remember, we are only trying to protect you, the passenger. So, if a screener is holding you up for 10 mins to search your bag, it's not because they are being difficult, it's for your safety.

To make things easier on you, don't put ANYTHING suspicious in your carry-on bags....if we're not 100% sure of the contents, it gets searched! Try to keep EVERYTHING metal in your checked bags and don't put anything that even resembles a bomb in any way in your carry-on. If it is shaped like dynamite, a timer device, has any kind of wires on it, it gets checked thouroughly!!!

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Cass AKA Timon,

As long we have an expert in the forum I have a question for you. I am an avid photographer and am concerned about my film. In the past I haven't worried about it too much but after our last cruise I had a couple of rolls come out "foggy" and my camera shop said it looked like "classic X-ray exposure".

So for this trip I plan to use the lead bags with my film in my carry-on. I've spoken with several people who have flown recently; some said it wasn't a problem - others had major headaches.

Is it best to mention this to the screener right away? Of course with that big smile In the past you could ask for hand check of baggage with photog equip in it and then that was sort of a no-no.

Your insights would be greatly appreciated. I really do NOT want to get another bunch of pictures that look as if I'm looking through a foggy window.

Thank!

Deb

 

[Timon]

Deb,

In my training, there was a chart on how much radiation a bag was exposed to going through the x-ray machine. The highest level of radiation a person will get is from dental x-rays, the next highest was a passenger flying a typical 4 hour flight, the next was every day radiation exposure. The second LOWEST was the amount your bags get through the x-ray machine. The amount is so small that it will NOT affect your film or camera at all, no matter what anyone tells you. As long as your film speed is less than 1600, which almost everyone has, you will be fine.

However, at any time, you are allowed to request a manual search of your bag. I can't promise that the screener will be HAPPY about this, as it all depends on that person's attitude, but it is allowed. Just ask the screener that is handling the bags going into the x-ray unit. Or you can also just put your lead bag through and they will automatically search it as they will not be able to see what is inside your bag anyway.

You will be told that the x-ray will not harm your film, but if you are not satisfied, be firm and tell them you request a hand search of that bag.

This applies to CARRY-ON luggage. Some U.S. Airports have very strong x-ray machines used for CHECKED BAGS. You should always carry your unprocessed film with you in your CARRY-ON bags.

Your film that came out foggy, was it in your checked baggage?

 

[mcnuss]

The last time I flew with film (post 9/11), I put all my exposed film into a ziploc bag and then asked Security nicely not to put it through. Since I had made it easy to see what was in there and they did not have to go to any trouble, they did not seem upset by this request at all.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

The film was all in my carry on in ziplocs just like mcnuss has done. I'd heard the same information about the xray in the past and hadn't worried. When I asked my camera pro he said the xray fogging is more likely with repeated exposure - ie: the film is zapped going down and after being shot exposed again on the way back.

I will use a very big smile and politely ask for a hand search.

 

[prymsu]

here is a link about an unbelievable story about airline security that i came across today! unbelievable!!!

http://www.newsmax.com/showinsidecover.shtml?a=2002/8/6/92628

 

[DreamsDoComeTrue]

Sue, that's not as bad as the student who had to drink from a bottle of water he had collected from a stream (for extra credit in science class back home). He became one sick puppy.

 

[dcookies]

We used to use wire ties to close-up bags to keep them from unzipping, etc... I guess we can't do that now... plus we cannot take scissors to cut them off now.

I've always use the hard plastic "zip" ties to lock my luggage. Since 9/11, what I do is: leave my luggage unlocked until I check it at the airport. I've never had it searched yet, but I always ask if they need to open it. When they say no, I ask if I can lock it. I then "zip" tie it, and they take it away. I leave a pair of nail clippers in an unlocked, outside pocket of my *checked* (NOT carry on) luggage so I can open it when I get to my destination.

I've flown 5 times since 9/11, and have had no problems with this method.

 

[mcnuss]

What is ridiculous about the story is that once again the security screeners are not following TSA guidelines which were just released!

Airline passengers must now pass all food and drinks they carry through airport X-ray machines, according to a directive from the Transportation Security Administration. All drinks must have resealable, spill-proof lids to avoid damage to the machinery or they must be thrown out. The TSA also says screeners cannot ask fliers to sip beverages to try to determine whether they are harmful.

 

[prymsu]

I am still 'in shock' over this. I can't believe this kind of thing can happen!!!

 

[mcnuss]

To be honest, I guess I don't understand why she would drink the milk...if it was going to be wasted, why not just get out of line, dump it out in the trash, and get on the plane. Something tells me that there will be more to this story....

 

[prymsu]

i think the story indicated that they would not let her board period if she didn't drink the milk, or at least that is how i am reading it.

 

[goin2dzny]

That answers my question... I will be doing the same...

Oh... one more thing... if we use our own transfers will I have to cut the "Zip Ties" before we get on the ship???

 

[Fawn]

McNuss...I agree. Why would she have to drink it to board versus just dumping it. That make NO sense to me. I definitely see a lawsuit on this one!

 

[mcnuss]

Since we weren't there, I guess we'll never know, but having accidentally brought "contraband" scissors (in a sewing kit that I forgot I had) in a carry-on a couple of months ago, I will tell you that the screeners acted very hard-line with me at first...until I asked if I could just throw them out. At that point, they just smiled and said of course! So you have to wonder if it even occurred to her to just say "ok, I won't bring the bottles on board" or whether she was so intimidated by the whole ridiculous event (who wouldn't be?) that she went along with whatever they said. I am pretty sure they cannot prevent you from throwing something away and getting back in the security line!

 

[shmoogrrrl]

I just have a comment about the breastfeeding Mother. Sorry to hijack the original post!

If she was forced to drink the bottles of breastmilk, what is she supposed to feed her four month old should she need feeding on the trip?

Okay, so it might be true that she could feed the baby the old fashioned way, but sometimes that isn't always possible. My daughter was born 5 weeks early and spent two weeks in the NICU. for a variety of reasons, feeding her the "old fashiopned way" didn't work for her. Therefor, instead of switching to formula, I use a breast pump and feed her with a bottle. Everywhere I go with her, I have to carry bottles of milk to feed her! If that happened to me at an airport, We'd be in BIG trouble! I doubt she'd know what to do if I tried to feed her the other way, and I doubt they'd let me whip out the pump on the plane!

That is crazy! If the woman fed some of it from each bottle to the Baby, that should have been the end of it. I understand them wanting to check it, but that is so silly that it isn't even funny.

Kathy