TSA’s CT Scanner Upgrade Brings Convenience, but Risks for Undeveloped Film
Original report:
Airport scanners that let passengers leave laptops inside carry-ons pose a different challenge for analog photographers. Simple Flying’s November 2026 report highlighted potential damage to undeveloped film, alongside physical limits that can prevent oversized bags from passing through newer screening equipment.
In a report published November 5, 2026, Simple Flying examined the trade-offs of the Transportation Security Administration’s rollout of computed tomography scanners at US airports. The machines produce rotating, three-dimensional views of bag contents. TSA guidance cited in the article allowed laptops to remain packed in CT lanes, with some airport announcements also permitting compliant liquids to stay inside bags.
The report warned that CT screening can permanently damage undeveloped photographic film, potentially after one scan. It cited TSA guidance recommending that passengers carry undeveloped film in cabin baggage and request hand inspection. Separately, oversized or expanded carry-ons may not fit through CT scanners’ fixed openings, creating a checkpoint obstacle before passengers reach their gates.
The film warning concerns unprocessed photographic materials, including loaded cameras, disposable cameras and instant film—not equivalent damage to digital cameras or memory cards. The report also distinguished US screening from international procedures: TSA permits requests for hand inspection, but security staff abroad may handle those requests differently.
Source
Simple Flying — 5 November 2026
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