Travelling with Unprocessed Film

How to protect your photos when travelling with unprocessed film.

The last five years or so have seen a gradual increase in security scanning at airports and other departure points in most countries, with the introduction of new scanning equipment that has been designed to detect explosives and weapons in checked-in and hand-carried baggage. Security precautions in airports worldwide have been further tightened since the tragic events of 11 September 2001 and the October 2002 bomb attacks in Bali.
All travellers should understand the effects this new equipment can have on unprocessed films that pass through these new scanners and know how to prevent their films from being affected. First, it is important to understand that UNPROCESSED FILM SHOULD NEVER BE PACKED IN CHECKED-IN BAGS. Checked-in baggage is normally subjected to a higher x-ray dose than hand baggage – and this is likely to fog all kinds of unprocessed film. This damage is permanent and irreversible.
In contrast, hand-carried luggage is initially subjected to a process that resembles a CAT scan in a hospital and uses much lower x-ray doses. This causes very little damage to slower films (ISO 200 and below) but may affect fast (ISO 800 and above) films. Any areas of the bag that look suspicious are subjected to high dosage scans, which can damage films. Faster films are more susceptible than slower films and the effect builds up each time the film is scanned so THE MORE TIMES A FILM IS SCANNED, THE GREATER THE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO BE DAMAGED.
X-ray damage caused by the hand-luggage inspection systems normally shows up as soft-edged bands of fogging that are between one and 1.5 centimetres wide running along or across the film (depending on the film’s orientation to the scanner). These bands can vary in density and can be linear or wavy. Damage caused by checked-in baggage scanners generally causes the entire film to become grainy and over-exposed.

Avoiding Damage
Traditionally, the best way to avoid having film damaged has been to offer it for hand inspection as you pass through the inspection gates. This is the best advice to give to customers and it’s particularly relevant for those who expect to pass through x-ray inspection gates several times as repeated x-ray doses can cause cumulative damage to films.
This advice also applies to cameras that are loaded with film. In most cases, local regulations allow for a hand search of photographic film and equipment, if requested. However, some airports (notably in the UK and USA) may not honour this request – although we have yet to receive reports of terminals that are actually refusing hand inspections to date.
All travellers are advised to take the following precautions:
1. Remove all films from their packaging and carry them in transparent or translucent cassettes that clearly reveal their contents. This makes inspection easy.
2. Carry all films in a transparent plastic or mesh bag or box that makes them easy to inspect.
3. Carry cameras with film in them (including single-use cameras) in camera bags or around the neck so they can be offered for hand inspection with minimal hassles.
4. Take a changing bag along in case it is needed for checking cameras with film in them or sheet film in film holders.
5. Be polite, helpful and patient. Remember that the security staff have been employed to protect the travelling public.
6. Consider buying film in the duty free area of the airport after bags have been inspected.
7. Have films processed before they travel on.
If you expect to fly out of any country where requests for hand inspection may not be honoured you should invest in a lead-lined bag that attenuates the x-rays and reduces their potential to damage film. Note that the effectiveness of any lead-lined bag will depend on its thickness and the speed of the film it contains. Check the bag’s rating is adequate for the speed of the films that will be carried.
Note also that lead-lined bags can trigger an alert at the inspection station. Customers should be cautioned that further inspection will probably be required if this occurs. They should ask for hand inspection in this situation.
NOTE: Scanner x-rays cannot damage processed films (negatives, prints or slides), which can be safely packed in checked-in bags. Digital images are also immune to x-ray damage, regardless of whether they are stored on camera memory cards, floppy disks or CD-ROMs.