Digital M and Airport Security

[magnolia]

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On 9/13/2023 at 4:49 AM, tedd said:

I travel for work. Minimum two flights per month, but it was nine last month. Internationally a minimum of twice per year (mostly just to NZ, but Germany is coming up soon too). Back in my Olympus days the bag would be ignored. Since going to Leica I get a bag check nine times out of ten - you're not imagining it. I even had one x-ray person tell me that Leica always trigger an extra inspection because of how "dense" they are. I just accept that I'm going to get checked every time now. 

I was told the same thing when I flew back from Seattle last month. Flying out there, I didn’t have a problem.

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[Warton]

4 hours ago, R4p70r said:

One time one of our fellow coworkers got singled out and the security took a look in his camera backpack, was disappointed and said out loud that it didn't contain a Leica camera only Nikon gear. I think this guy was quite biased. 🤣

It's hard to believe any security personals would make this kind of comments, let alone most of them don't even know the difference between Leica and Nikon.

[Segal]

I fly a couple of dozen times a year, often internationally, and this hasn't happened to me once. I guess it's just luck. 

[R4p70r]

11 hours ago, Warton said:

It's hard to believe any security personals would make this kind of comments, let alone most of them don't even know the difference between Leica and Nikon.

Yeah, that also threw us off, that the security guy knew the difference and was hoping to find a Leica.

[John in Nassau]

Recently moved from the Bahamas back to the US.  On one of the early trips I moved all the camera gear - both an M and Fuji system.  probably a dozen lenses in total and 3 bodies, flash heads, etc.  Got there early assuming I would be pulled aside - went right through,  Clearly TSA doesn’t consider The Bahamas a threat 😂

[rich_]

I have never had my Digital M's reviewed by airport security. However they have searched my bag in the past when the macbook charger and cables presumably looked a bit worrisome! 

[Leica Filmmatic]

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I fly frequently out of DCA no doubt and have flown to Qatar with my M11 and I haven’t had it checked once.  I have probably flown 20 times since I got it about 6 months ago.  However when I bring my MP I almost always have film in it so I request a hand check.  

[ianforber]

Try travelling with an armed police officer dealing with junior security staff who were trying to check if he had a gun. Which he did but the forms/permissions  hadn’t filtered down to them. Hilarious. 

[adrianh]

My cameras are in a photo messenger bag that sits inside my carry on luggage. Usually a Sony Body, 2-4 lenses. I fly frequently. 7 out of 10 times in Frankfurt, they ask me to get out my photo bag and they will check the bag and the stuff for explosives. It's a max 5 min delay and I see it as a service to my security. They are always very polite. 

Last time I flew with my Sony and my Q3 and was checked. 1 month before, Sony and M11 + 2x Summilux, so a lot of brass, no check. 

Edited September 18, 2023 by adrianh

[Winedemonium]

After a lot of problems with airport security and film Ms (and film) it was driving my poor wife nuts, and so I agreed not to travel with them when we are on multiple airport trips.

But my digital Ms / lenses still get flagged at airport security the majority of times. They are easier to deal with with though. The problem is the delay it causes. Even though cameras are not listed items for 'electronics' I always take them out of the bag and onto the tray so its easier for them to be seen. But they do usually get the swab treatment.

My worst experience was at Frankfurt airport. I had a flight to London, connecting to Bangkok, connecting to Hong Kong. I was delayed 45 minutes by airport security because my Leica S came out positive on the swab test. I had been at the Leicapark earlier that day and Leica had done some calibration work on the camera. Though I'll never know, I'm guessing that whatever equipment they used for this - or perhaps just their work area - picked up something. Security said there was 'residue'. I said "this is a camera, a German camera, made not far from here", and showed it working. But we had to wait for the airport security/police to come and for me to repeat my story, and they did another test. It was a surreal (nightmare) situation. The gate had just 'closed', but they let me on the flight after I pretty much begged them (and showed them my itinerary). 

It shouldn't be this way, but I agree with others - the density of the Leica cameras and some lenses leads them to be flagged. I've come to expect it and I allow extra time.

[charlesphoto99]

I think certain cleaning fluids, as well as cosmetic lotions, will trigger the need for a swab test, and not just the presence of a camera. 

[LanceR]

I too have travelled pretty extensively with my M11, both domestically and internationally, and have never had an issue.  I should add that I never had an issue when I carried a big Canon DSLR or later when I carried Fuji cameras.

It is definitely surprising to hear that some of you are getting stopped so frequently.

[maxpower]

I think my thread here has lifted my curse because I had the first flight in two years today where I wasn't picked out at security, impressively it was even at what's apparently considered one of Europe's worst airports (BOD). Again, appreciative of your shared experiences!

[LBJ2]

On 9/13/2023 at 4:22 AM, maxpower said:

So since I got my (silver) M11 I have made a couple of trips and flew again yesterday and noticed that every single time at security they want to closer inspect my carry on bag, and usually go straight for the camera. Before I got into the M system I didn't have this problem so I was wondering if anyone here experiences the same or do I just have more bad luck these days? It's always been fine once they check it so it's not really a problem, more a small nuisance having to wait for it every time.

(Don't think this is M11 specific but haven't flown with other M bodies yet and I don't think we have a generic M category on the forum, that's why it ended up in the M11 one)

I have found when my bag includes the M11 + lens attached, it almost always gets opened and manually inspected after going through the security bag-scanner. Recently, when it wasn't too busy, I asked one of the guards why, and he told me the shape of the camera (M11+ M lens attached) resembles a potential weapon on the monitor. FWIW, none of my other camera kits, Sony or SL2 alert the guards for manual bag inspection. My guess is the guards are not used to seeing a rangefinder camera and lens often, whereas they are probably used to seeing Sony, Canon, Nikon camera kits often. 

[FDS]

On 9/19/2023 at 3:53 AM, Winedemonium said:

My worst experience was at Frankfurt airport. I had a flight to London, connecting to Bangkok, connecting to Hong Kong. I was delayed 45 minutes by airport security because my Leica S came out positive on the swab test.

Yes, same experience at Frankfurt with my M cameras!  Only I missed my flight to London as a result. The BA people were furious with security and told me that the same thing had happened to a passenger on the previous flight.  Fortunately, there was another flight to London an hour or two later which I took.  Security called the police and after the officer  asked me courteously about my occupation, he told the security guy where to go!!   

[IkarusJohn]

My carry on gets pulled aside and hand inspected everytime I fly through Auckland or Wellington with an M camera.  Doesn’t matter if it’s domestic or international.

[Chuck Albertson]

When I had one, the Noctilux always drew extra scrutiny when I flew with it. All that lead in the glass makes it come out dark on the scanners, so they wanted to take a look through the lens. My photo backpack usually gets pulled over for a look these days, but that's because I usually overstuff it.