New TSA procedure requires cameras to be placed in a separate bin

Are frequent fliers less likely to be terrorists - or is this just a money making scam - like so much of budget flying?

Put your stuff in bins which go swiftly through the machine, you get held up because your zip sets off the metal detector and some snot-rag walks away with your stuff?

Anyone would think they are trying to discourage flying and travel! Mind you that *would* probably reduce terrorism!

Happen already in some European airport where every single piece of electronics have to be in a separate bin, I remember traveling with My DSLR, 4 lenses, my tablet, wife's laptop, my compact camera, wife's pocket camera, set of spare SD cards, external hard-drive, spare batteries, GPS, Phone, spare phone for local SIM, car keys... I needed something like 4 bins only for electronics.

TSA Intelligence ... the Ultimate Oxymoron.

Brian

Thank goodness for TSA Pre-Check.

Now I know which photo gear to take on my next trip. LX100. That's it.

The article states, "Now, not only will your laptop need its own bin, but potentially every camera body, lens, flashgun and tablet in your carry-on bags will need to be placed in bins for X-ray screening."

It turns out the assumption made about lenses is incorrect. I contacted TSA this morning to be clear on this issue before writing about it and they stated that lenses didn't need to be removed from carry-ons and placed in a bin. I wrote about about in my blog this afternoon.

http://www.nslphotographyblog.com/2017/07/enhanced-security-tips-for.html

As a travel photographer, that's a big deal to me.

It's not enough that TSA wants to xray and touch people. Now they want to touch my photo gear as well. Nuts. All this is for an illusion of safety. Are they prepared to make a distinction between a real camera and a camera that is packed with something that should never be allowed on board? If I take a lens off 1Dx, I could claim it as a portable toaster, and they would not know the difference.

Paranoia, making your life harder for no tangible benefit since ancient Greece...

As others have explained, one can but hope that they'll control so well cargo, catering service and cleaning & maintenance personnel. Otherwise it's just a security theater to screw up passengers and give a fake sense of security.

It's entertaining to see movies from the 60s and how things were so different back then.

Looks like I might be taking more road trips instead.... I mean, unless there is a guard or two standing at the other end (watching my gear while I have to go through the detector or whatever) then I'm probably OK with it. But you've heard the horror stories with people running off with someone's laptop or whatnot. It's probably not something you'll see every day yourself, but I'm sure every day in America, someone's laptop or other valuables get stolen at some airport security checkpoint. The worst is when it's a TSA agent or guard. And I'm sure there have been stories and incidents with them regarding thefts as well. Like I said, I think I may start taking more road trips or using the train more. Yes flying is faster, but with all the new regulation, it's becoming harder to fly if you have any type of electronic gear with you.

I was just in Tel Aviv two weeks ago and the security made me take out ALL my camera bodies and lenses and put them in a bin, and send that through the scanner a second time. I have to admit that there was a sense of pride (indulge me) when I kept taking out lens after lens after lens after lens... the guy with the camera around his neck next to me (a Rebel with a small travel lens, I believe), I swear his eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

I had two bodies, five lenses and two flashes for this photo trip through Israel. I share this moment of satisfaction with all fellow photographers.

As airline pilots we've learned to deal with the TSA using only a smile and polite language. Unfortunately, they have the ability, and the authority, to make your visit to the airport even more unpleasant. So, I recommend just smiling at what may seem like absurd requirements, and politely explain what they are looking at when they are looking confused. Most are just regular people doing a job, but you are never going to win an argument with them. At least, not in time to make your flight.

More BS to deal with while traveling......

I'm more surprised that it hasn't happened long ago. I see no problems in this, so long as I can lay each item flat in the same bin otherwise it's going to take ages (laptops can take up an entire bin by themselves).

In the 1990s, I carried a Minox 35 fixed-lens shirtpocket film camera. The TSA agent would squint through the viewfinder. I would ask, "What are you looking for? This isn't a single-lens reflex camera; there's no mirror box where an explosive could be hiding. The viewfinder is just a straight-shot window."
And each time, the agent would gruffly reply, "Sir, I'm just trying to do my job."

I'm not budgeting any extra time for the flight - but the people behind me sure are screwed if every item goes in it's own tray.

Have flown through Phoenix's Sky Harbor with shoulder bag full of gear a number of times. TSA has me leave gear in the bag and put bag in its own bin. A couple of times someone new had to call someone over to ask a question about what he/she was seeing and I've had the bag bomb sniffed once.
I have more trouble with laptop/tablet than camera gear.

I have had TSA pre-check for my last four flights. It's almost as good as flying before 9/11/2001.

I already have TSA pre check, and on my last flight, going through the pre check line, I still had to remove my no-metal belt with plastic buckle, plastic watch, light sweater, and then get patted down when none of that worked. Same with my husband, who ended up waiting 15 minutes for his Timex, which he didn't take off - it had to go through the xray in a separate bin and then be examined by a living person afterwards. Perhaps the new rules are a scheme to create American jobs....
Seriously, the new rules are bad news for camera equipment manufacturers and retailers, particularly, I would think, for sellers of DSLR's and larger mirrorless systems. For a lot of amateur photogs, the expense of the equipment plus the hassle of vacation traveling with their equipment may make cell phone photography even more attractive than it is already.

I remember this sort of thing happening back in the months after 9/11. In fact, you had to turn your camera on to show it was functional, and in Tokyo I was even asked to snap a picture. Guess we're heading back to that....

The terrorists now will all apply for the TSA precheck. The others will wait in line, while some cameras will be "lost" or accidentally fall off the tray.

What are the TSA provisions if expensive electronics are stolen or damaged while the owner is being body scanned at a security checkpoint?

Praise the lord they are clamping down on Boise! Never has there been such a hive of scum and villany.

I went through Charlotte, Heathrow, Stansted, Luxembourg, Saarbrucken and Frankfurt in the last 3 weeks and not once did I have to take my gear out of my carry-on bag. I had a GX85, 12-32, 14-140ii, 45mm, and a 25mm in with my clothing in a backpack and only had to remove my toiletry bag. I guess I got lucky.

That's why I avoid flying as much as possible. A lot of the TSA personnel are power hungry, arrogant, and simply jerks. I have rarely encountered decent ones.
I'd rather drive, especially if it is within a day or so of driving, and there is no limit on my baggage.

My upcoming trip from Michigan to Dallas, TX is a 2-day drive. So I'll stop for the night half-way rather than dealing with the stupidity of TSA idiots.
Of course that won't work for frequent fliers, or across countries, etc..

Let me ask you a simple question
How many of those camera X-Ray examining officers actually have an idea how camera should look like under X-ray?
Like all possible cameras combinations.
Where battery should be, should it be this big, fragmented, etc..???
Or should this lens have a collar here?

Dear comrades in photography,
Instead of guessing, speculating, and crying call TSA customer service and ask them about photo equipment screening. I did. TSA agent had read to me all regulations regarding electronic equipment: cameras and lenses are NOT on the list. The agent told me to pack all my photography stuff in one layer so it can be clearly seen by x-ray. In case if something there will trigger an alarm, it would be an additional manual check by an agent in your presence. The TSA agent i have talked to recommended to inform TSA agents about fragility of a contents in your photo bag before a screening.

Well this is most disturbing. I wonder what will be next.

The reason this upsets people? It's because it imposes inconveniences on traveling and no one's going to care for that, it's easy to understand. "Safety will be comprised," figure out how to make it convenient AND safe, BOTH. People shouldn't have to choose.

The problem is that airports like JFK after you put the tray in the X ray machine you still have to wait in line to go thru the body scanner. you may lose sight of your tray and so on. TSA seems pretty careless about making sure trays are not dropped etc. Once I could not find my sweater that went through the machine, TSA agents could not find it, eventually got found under a table.

The TSA and all their security theater is a joke. Look at their stats, and the amount of guns, knives, etc. that make it through security. It's actually pretty scary. And now they're going to give us crap about our gear? Screw them.

Passengers and airline crew have been doing that for a few years already in most of Europe.

This, and many similar restrictions, don't bother me as long as they treat all passengers professionally (courtesy, efficiency, less harassment, understanding people with special needs and actually catching the bad stuff that gets through)

There's one interesting point for TSA, and security at large, given they do this change honestly.

X-Ray didn't worked correctly for decades, with bags full of gears.

This is what I read in this news, for decades, TSA and others lied to travelers and governements on X-Ray efficiency. Or are they, now?

Photographers who fly frequently in the US may want to finally come to their senses and choose a much nicer place to visit.

"Sir you can put away your camera now"
"Sir yes that is a great camera, please move forward"
"No sir, I don't know what model M it is, it is very nice."
"SIR JUST GO"

The TSA should enroll for a training in Israel. They do have a very efficient screening with just a few highly qualified specialists.

The stupid US rules for travelers scare me so much that I don't want to visit the US anymore. I just try to imagine what the TSA or other 'officials' would do to my LF equipment...

Much ado about nothing, really. If taking out your camera gear at an airport is one of your life's problems, you can consider yourself lucky.