There has been quite a lot of interest in the radiation hazard to films at airports in the UK. The BBC spent several week in Africa, filming with dead film as a result of flying out of Manchester airport. The real problem seems to rest with high energy x-rays which in the past have only been used for hold luggage (where film should never be put), but which now is being used to randomly scan people's luggage as they wait in the departure lounge. The high energy x-rays will damage film and those x-ray protector bags do not offer any protection against the high energy stuff. It's a problem. The main message seems to be to go by boat .. or .. never put film in the hold, use an x-ray protector bag, ask for a hand search (but they almost always refuse to do this), and don't put film (even in the departure lounge) next to a solid metal object. In this last case, the x-ray machine may turn its power up to get its x-rays through the metal. Jeremy
