For the answer to this, click here. Can I send unprocessed film neg or rawstock on passenger aircraft without it being x-rayed?
There is no absolute yes or no answer to this question. Answers vary with each different airline and even within different ports of the same airline. “Federal & Airline policy state that commercial considerations will not be allowed to override the safety of the passengers and the aircraft” Which really means that there is always a chance of x-ray on passenger aircraft where the TSA randomly screen a percentage of the baggage. Most “counter to counter” shipments are handled as baggage within the US. Some airlines, such as United, have special commodity categories for the shipping of materials that cannot be opened or x-rayed subject to application by the shipper. This then allows the shipment to be handled in a special way and not screened by the TSA. Other options are to use all-cargo aircraft but they do not operate to all locations in the US and do not operate every day of the week. MPA’s policy is to first try to find a cargo option which fits the shipping and processing schedule n
