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new tsa rules for electronics

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:00 pm
by Wildflower-nut
now that TSA is examining all electronics bigger than a cell phone, does anyone know how they are handling large amounts of camera equipment?  I have tsa precheck.

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:42 pm
by Anthony Medici
I haven't seen any difference in how the TSA is checking bags. I'm also not being made to take out the equipment prior to the scans either. So to me, it was a big fluff story about nothing.

Re: new tsa rules for electronics

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 7:24 pm
by whitedog2
Don't know where Anthony is flying from, but my last three international flights (August, October, November) ALL required me to remove cameras and lenses from my carry on luggage and place it separately in x-ray bins.  Each time, when the agent saw that the whole carry on was camera gear they amended the instructions from "each item in it's own bin" to "put several items in each bin, but not touching each other."  In each case I was flying from Dallas.  The return inspections at Johannesburg, Nairobi, London and Frankfurt were similar - with one exception - In August at Frankfurt the passport control point was pulling all Americans for "special security checks."  We then went downstairs to an unused security inspection area and went through a second inspection, pulling everything electronic out.  The agents were very polite and point blank told us they were sorry  to do this but we would not miss our planes, and yes, they understood that other passengers didn't have to do it, but it was an American requirement.

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 7:38 pm
by E.J. Peiker
If you have TSA pre, 99% of the time there will be no change from what you are used to.  But if TSA pre is closed or you are flying from an airport without TSA pre, you have to remove things with batteries.  I have not been asked to remove lenses.  Of course if you are flying internationally, on the return you will need to do whatever they tell you to do.

That said, in Gulffport, MS, despite having TSA pre and going through the TSA pre line, they made me remove my cameras and essentially anything that had a battery. but they did let me put it all in one big bin.  That is the only time anything changed from the old with TSA pre for me and I fly multiple times per month.

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 7:43 pm
by Wildflower-nut
Thanks for the response. This is my first time domestically since the new rules. Had no problem in Dec in the pre check line. I got pre check simply to avoid this. I've got a lot of stuff with batteries.

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:32 pm
by Greg Basco
I took multiple flights (4)through the US just a few weeks ago with photo gear (including a drone) in a Pelican rolling case for my carry-on. I never had to take anything out not did I have any questions from TSA agents about what was inside except for one agent who joked that I must have a rock collection in there :-) I don't have TSA pre-check. Hopefully my experience will come to constitute the norm!

Cheers,
Greg

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 12:46 am
by Anthony Medici
I fly mostly in the US and I have Pre Check. I did fly to and from Africa and to and from Ecuador in 2017. I believe I removed all (most) of the things with batteries while transiting in Germany. I didn't do anything special to and from Ecuador.

Re: new tsa rules for electronics

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 1:23 pm
by Ed1946
To me it depends on where you travel, what airlines, and how much gear you take.  I just got back from a Northern Lights trip to Norway from Dec 21 to yesterday.  Traveled from Houston, Tx to Amsterdam(Schipol), Oslo on KLM and them to Kirkenes on SAS.   I carried 2 lenses (80-400mm, 24-70mm) and 2 camera bodies (D7100 & D810) in a Think Tank 15 daypack.  Also a sling bag with spare batteries (NiCad & Lithium) and a 4T external hard drive.  My MacBook Pro was in with the cameras.  There was no weight check of my carryon bags.  They put a carryon tag.  It may have help that I held my carryon at the checkin counter so it may have looked light enough.  I am old enough that my Warranty is expired.   My other photo gear like tripods, tools, etc was in my checked bags. At Houston, Schipol and Oslo I had to just remove the cameras and laptop in to trays to go thru security.  We took a ferry/cruise boat from Kirkenes to Bergen, Norway.  We saw the light on 3 occasions.  From Bergen to Schipol again remove the camera and laptop from the backpack.  At Schipol I was random pulled (lucky me) for screening. At the gate check for the flight back to Houston.  This was the return flight to US so they claim it was US TSA practice.  No big deal as the agent was familiar with camera stuff.  He had me remove the cameras and laptop from the backpack.  He just did a chemical wipe check of bodies, laptop, and my hands.  It took longer waiting in line.  When we travel we give ourselves more time (2-3 hours) just to be able to deal with any airport issues (delays, seat assignments, long lines at checkin and security).  The new rules just means you have to unpack camera bodies in addition to iPads, laptops and any battery operated device larger than a cel phone and put them in the tray going thru scanner. No agent handled m gear.  So I say prepare to make this as easy as possible for yourself and yet protect you gear.  I put gloves, balaclava, head cover, and face wash cloth in between my gear for protection.  If I carry the backpack I am the one handling the gear as I am the one removing the items and placing them in the scanning trays.  It was more of a hassle than a problem.  For this trip my gear was limited so it worked out fine.

Ed

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 1:27 pm
by calvin1calvin
I have tsa approved status, however, my problem is being separated from my gear due to implants. Sometimes as my carryon is going through the scanner I am in another line waiting on a scan or pat down which takes additional time. My wife usually gathers my equipment so this may be a problem when she is not with me. I will renew all my insurance. Will fly next month and see how it goes.

Re:

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:01 pm
by E.J. Peiker
calvin1calvin wrote:I have tsa approved status, however, my problem is being separated from my gear due to implants.   Sometimes as my carryon is going through the scanner I am in another line waiting on a scan or pat down which takes additional time.  My wife usually gathers my equipment so this may be a problem when she is not with me.  I will renew all my insurance.  Will fly next month and see how it goes.
I don't think there is a lot of risk with somebody taking off with your bag on the secure side after the stuff goes through the scanner. It would take a special kind of brave and stupid to attempt theft there.

Re: Re:

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 6:55 pm
by walkinman
LE.J. Peiker wrote:
calvin1calvin wrote:I have tsa approved status, however, my problem is being separated from my gear due to implants.   Sometimes as my carryon is going through the scanner I am in another line waiting on a scan or pat down which takes additional time.  My wife usually gathers my equipment so this may be a problem when she is not with me.  I will renew all my insurance.  Will fly next month and see how it goes.
I don't think there is a lot of risk with somebody taking off with your bag on the secure side after the stuff goes through the scanner. It would take a special kind of brave and stupid to attempt theft there.
Agreed. But it definitely happens on the baggage claim side. A lady had her bags stolen from the Anchorage carousel recently, lost a bunch of stuff. 

Airport security is a sham.

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 7:05 pm
by EGrav
I have seen/heard of a few instances of laptops, bags taken from the secure side of checkin. But they were all mistakes - someone grabbed the wrong bag, etc. Still if that happens and isn't noticed till later, you could be without some equipment for the trip. I watch my stuff carefully at all times in an airport.

Re: Re:

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:28 pm
by E.J. Peiker
walkinman wrote:
LE.J. Peiker wrote:
calvin1calvin wrote:I have tsa approved status, however, my problem is being separated from my gear due to implants.   Sometimes as my carryon is going through the scanner I am in another line waiting on a scan or pat down which takes additional time.  My wife usually gathers my equipment so this may be a problem when she is not with me.  I will renew all my insurance.  Will fly next month and see how it goes.
I don't think there is a lot of risk with somebody taking off with your bag on the secure side after the stuff goes through the scanner. It would take a special kind of brave and stupid to attempt theft there.
Agreed. But it definitely happens on the baggage claim side. A lady had her bags stolen from the Anchorage carousel recently, lost a bunch of stuff. 

Airport security is a sham.
Certainly but that wasn't the issue he was referring to.  There are no security checks from aircraft to baggage claim.  there was a big ring of baggage claim thefts here at PHX a few years ago.  When they finally caught them they found a large house full of suitcases and items that they were selling.

Re: Re:

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:16 pm
by SantaFeJoe
E.J. Peiker wrote:
calvin1calvin wrote:I have tsa approved status, however, my problem is being separated from my gear due to implants.   Sometimes as my carryon is going through the scanner I am in another line waiting on a scan or pat down which takes additional time.  My wife usually gathers my equipment so this may be a problem when she is not with me.  I will renew all my insurance.  Will fly next month and see how it goes.
I don't think there is a lot of risk with somebody taking off with your bag on the secure side after the stuff goes through the scanner. It would take a special kind of brave and stupid to attempt theft there.
It has happened by both clever thieves and airport employees:

http://www.kevincoffey.com/airlines/theft_at_airport_screeing.htm

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2017/06/26/tsa-employee-caught-stealing-cash-from-womans-luggage-during-security-screening.html

And there have been many others I have read about or seen on TV.

Joe

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 7:12 am
by E.J. Peiker
Sure, just about everything has happened but the odds are against it. A meteor has hit people before but that doesn't mean I won't go outside... :D

Re:

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 1:09 pm
by SantaFeJoe
E.J. Peiker wrote:Sure, just about everything has happened but the odds are against it.  A meteor has hit people before but that doesn't mean I won't go outside... :D
It just means “Always be aware of situations around you, especially distractions.” This includes during flights.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/04/travel/carry-on-theft-from-plane/index.html

Joe

Re: Re:

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 4:54 pm
by E.J. Peiker
SantaFeJoe wrote:
E.J. Peiker wrote:Sure, just about everything has happened but the odds are against it.  A meteor has hit people before but that doesn't mean I won't go outside... :D
It just means “Always be aware of situations around you, especially distractions.” This includes during flights.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/04/travel/carry-on-theft-from-plane/index.html

Joe
Yeah, again different than what was being asked which was about extra security screening for an individual while the bag has already gone through the scanner, but I've actually had all my money taken out of a wallet I dropped on an overnight flight while I was sleeping.  Got the wallet back but missing $300.

Re: new tsa rules for electronics

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 10:28 am
by Bruce Sherman
I'm leaving next week for a trip to Ecuador, primarily for multi-flash hummingbird photography. I will be taking 6 flash units, AA battery recharger, two camera bodies, various lenses, flash triggers and receivers (smaller than a cell phone), etc. in a carry-on.

Which of these will I be required to remove from my carry-on? If the flashes have to be removed from the carry-on would I still have to do so if I remove the batteries from the flash units?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Re: new tsa rules for electronics

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 1:13 pm
by E.J. Peiker
Bruce Sherman wrote:I'm leaving next week for a trip to Ecuador, primarily for multi-flash hummingbird photography. I will be taking 6 flash units, AA battery recharger, two camera bodies, various lenses, flash triggers and receivers (smaller than a cell phone), etc. in a carry-on.

Which of these will I be required to remove from my carry-on? If the flashes have to be removed from the carry-on would I still have to do so if I remove the batteries from the flash units?

Thanks in advance for any help.
It's all going to depend on the TSA procedures at that airport.  It can vary from not having to take them out at all to having every single one out and even swabbed.

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 11:22 am
by Vivek
United sent me a auto-generated form email to let me know about this for my flight back from Buenos Aires to US. Nothing out of ordinary at the gate though and after returning to SFO. I do have the Global Entry though and am not sure it matters.