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ASMP members have contributed the following bits of advice. No tactic is foolproof, but these might improve your odds of getting to the destination with all your gear in working order.
Put big Media/Press stickers on your equipment cases. The airlines will often bend over backwards to treat them well.
If you lock your gear, use a TSA-approved lock. The security screeners will open your cases if they need to look inside, and if they don’t have the master key or special tool, they’ll use a bolt-cutter.
Another approach is to use color-coded, heavy-guage cable ties. (Get them at electric-supply stores.) They may deter the baggage handlers (at least, the honest ones) from having a look inside. At your destination, you can cut them with a toenail clipper.
When dealing with security screeners and airline staffers, be respectful, smile a lot and speak kindly. Not only will you get better treatment, but it makes life easier for the next guy too.
That doesn’t mean let them walk over you. If the officials are uncooperative, smile and politely ask to speak to the supervisor. Sometimes you have to go even farther up the chain, always being as polite and charming as you can.
Put your business cards here and there inside the checked bags. All the airlines says they make an effort to identify and return lost bags, and they will look inside if the outside labels aren’t there.
Tape your business card to each piece of carry-on gear.
Because all luggage is X-rayed, you should never pack film in your checked baggage. Rather, you should pack it in your carry-on bag. Carry-ons are also X-rayed, but the intensity is much lower and is claimed to be safe for film up to ISO 800.
The Transportation Safety Administration, which oversees airport security in the U.S., has published a policy that explicitly lets you request hand-inspection for high-ISO films and for regular film that is subject to being X-rayed more than 5 times. Other official grounds for hand-inspection include:
TSA offers these additional tips:
Repack the film in clear cannisters or plastic bags. Otherwise, airport screeners may open the box or cannister to verify that it’s really film inside. Put big NO XRAY stickers on the bags.
Process the film locally before flying home.
Don’t use lead bags at inspection points; the screeners will only have to open the bag. (Lead bags may still be useful in foreign airports, however.)
It appears that digital camera storage cards (e.g., compact flash) are not harmed by the X-rays used for carry-on bags. Nevertheless, requesting hand inspection is a good precaution.
As a rule, airlines do not accept liability for damage to computers or photo equipment. This is especially likely for excess baggage that you ship at special discounted rates.
Therefore, before you fly, you should check with your insurance company about your business coverage. You may need an “inland marine” policy.
