I just went through security at an airport, with my camera gear in a nondescript backpack. As I awaited it at the end of the conveyor belt, the TSA guy asked, "600?" I smiled and said, "500." He then said that he had just "seen" a 1DX, and that you can tell it from the other Canon pro bodies because it's apparently much denser.
I thought it was an interesting exchange, and a pleasant change from the normal cattle-car atmosphere at security.
Same pleasant experience to me last year at O'Hare too. My lenses went thru the xray but my 7D and 1Ds-II were inspected out at another scanner. Nice people everywhere
I found it wise to tell the TSA first when I have my Gitzo in my carry-on. The three legs and the separate ballhead apparently are enough to make them wince and edge closer to the alarms.
Unless its a higher supervisor, most TSA agents are paid $40K-$50K per year with a requirement of a high-school diploma. The pay and job security is excellent for the necessary experience and education. There have also been, in my opinion, a disproportionate number of TSA agents stealing cash and goods out of passenger's carry on bags. They typically prey on passengers traveling overseas and non-US citizens who may have poor English speaking skills.
I would be very leery of any TSA agent who discussed permissible bag contents with me or anyone else. I would take down his/her name, the airport they worked at, time, gate location, and my flight information. This information would then be reported to TSA authorities that an agent has taken unnecessary interest in my permissible carry on bag contents since they have a high Dollar value and are often objects of theft.
Good grief! The guy was being friendly. It is a tedious, boring job.
You do not have to worry about the carry on luggage. You have it in your possession. It is the checked luggage that the thefts have been from. Now if he was asking what was in your checked luggage, that could be a concern. However, with the screening of all checked luggage, they do not have to ask, they see it.
Oh, and what statistical proof do you have of "disproportionate"? I did a lot of travel prior to 9/11 and thefts from checked luggage was a common problem back then.
rsg_1 wrote:
Unless its a higher supervisor, most TSA agents are paid $40K-$50K per year with a requirement of a high-school diploma. The pay and job security is excellent for the necessary experience and education. There have also been, in my opinion, a disproportionate number of TSA agents stealing cash and goods out of passenger's carry on bags. They typically prey on passengers traveling overseas and non-US citizens who may have poor English speaking skills.
I would be very leery of any TSA agent who discussed permissible bag contents with me or anyone else. I would take down his/her name, the airport they worked at, time, gate location, and my flight information. This information would then be reported to TSA authorities that an agent has taken unnecessary interest in my permissible carry on bag contents since they have a high Dollar value and are often objects of theft....Show more →
Last year in Hawaii 35 TSA agented were fired for stealing cash and other items from mainly Japanese nationals. Apparently undercover Japanese females with Hello Kitty bags were popular with agents during the sting operation. And, yes, it involved both checked and carry-on baggage inspections.
I got stopped in Stockholm a couple of years ago because the guy on the X-ray machine didn't know what to make of my bag full of lenses. They were very nice about it though - the conversation began "Sorry about this, he's a trainee and its his first day..."
big country wrote:
i find this hard to believe. as of last sunday, there were only 2 1dx bodies in the US.
Are they tracked similar to how Apple does it? Isn't it possible that someone brought in the camera from somewhere else. As crazy as this sounds, Seattle does get a lot of Asian air traffic and Canon is made in Asia...hmm.
...next time say...this camera is the bomb!!.