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Thread: TSA and your photography gears

  1. #11
    Administrator Sean Setters's Avatar
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    Want to have some fun? Try traveling with a wet apple juice box in your medical kit (I'm a type 1 diabetic). I typically carry a Gatorade/Powerade in my medical bag which is just fine for travel purposes according to the TSA, but while on a recent vacation to Hawaii, I drank my Gatorade and replaced it with a small juice box. Unfortunately, because the ice pack in the kit had sweated, the juice box was slightly damp. As such, TSA couldn't perform the usual wipe-test to check for explosive residue on the juice box, so they gave me the full pat-down procedure while very closely examining every part of my medical kit at 2 consecutive airports. I initially thought the first airport was simply being overzealous, but when the same thing happened at the following airport, I realized what was causing the issue. That's when I threw the stupid juice box away and bought another Gatorade.

    As far as the photography equipment goes, I did take each of my camera bodies out of their respective camera bags and placed them in a bin by themselves. I may not have had to, but by my reading of the regulations, I thought it was best to avoid any issues.

  2. #12
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    Thanks for the replies guys, I just checked with my two friends, they didn't have to remove their photography gears on their recent trips. I'll just pay attention to the crowds. Also my wife flies quite frequently for her work, she never saw anyone removing their photography gears, only laptops and tablets.

    Sean, last year I traveled to Vietnam with my wife and my 20 month old son, we brought non refrigerated milk for the 18 hour flight for him. TSA allowed you to bring milk for your kids but you have to be subjected to a full body pat down. The TSA agent asked if I wanted the pat down done in a private room, I decided to get it over with and done right there in front of hundreds if not thousands of other travelers. Never felt so violated in my life

  3. #13
    Administrator Sean Setters's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sinh Nhut Nguyen View Post
    The TSA agent asked if I wanted the pat down done in a private room, I decided to get it over with and done right there in front of hundreds if not thousands of other travelers. Never felt so violated in my life
    Yep, my pat-down was in public. They offered the private pat-down, but I told them it wasn't necessary. They were definitely thorough, though. On the plus side, I don't think I'm going to need a prostate screening at my next doctor's appointment; TSA cleared me as good to go.

  4. #14
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    I would only take the private pat down if I could get a female TSA agent.
    It has never been offered so if it happens it is in public.



    I had to edit this I had almost forgotten about it, in Japan I was patted down by a young Japenese girl at the airport. (Yes she was their security)
    Privacy wasn't offered and the wife watched. Later the wife asked if I enjoyed it.
    Of course I had to tell her no.
    Last edited by HDNitehawk; 08-10-2018 at 01:26 PM.

  5. #15
    Administrator Sean Setters's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HDNitehawk View Post
    Later the wife asked if I enjoyed it. Of course I had to tell her no.
    lol!

  6. #16
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    Went to Palm Springs in January, got the full pat down of me, my boot (injured foot) and my camera gear. They ran my camera through the scanners twice, then ran the batteries 3 times, and finally my camera bag 3 times. Returning a few days later, the Palm Springs airport TSA pulled my camera out and ran it separately of my bag, along with my Kindle.
    ---
    Way too much gear and even more lighting equipment.

  7. #17
    Super Moderator Kayaker72's Avatar
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    Odd. I was in Palm Springs in April. Breezed right through. But, are you precheck?

    Might be making more of a difference than I gave it credit for.

  8. #18
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    Just got back from the trip, overall good trip, not a lot of photography though. We were randomly given TSA precheck status both times so going through security was easy, for some reason my iPhone needed a full wipe down. TSA confiscated my son's 6 ice packs for his milk, they couldn't test the liquid inside, it wouldn't be a problem if they were frozen, but because we left early in the morning they all melted by the time we got to security.

    Edit: We forgot a pair of scissors in my son's diaper bag, TSA never caught them.
    Last edited by Sinh Nhut Nguyen; 08-21-2018 at 05:31 PM.

  9. #19
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    In 1985 I walked in to the airport walked up to the counter and for $20 got a ticket to the next City over.
    The airplane was loading right then, I walked on board and then 20 minutes later I was walking out of the other airport 120 miles away.

    We in the US have lost many of our freedoms and rights.

  10. #20
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    @Kayaker72: I have thought about going with Precheck (or the other pre-check system), however I don't fly enough to warrant it. And about half the time I need a wheelchair, so I don't have to wait in lines.

    @HDNitehawk: I remember those days, even going to the gate to greet my dad coming home from overseas. Back in the day, I could get to the airport an hour before (or even 30 minutes) and still make the flight.
    ---
    Way too much gear and even more lighting equipment.

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