[blindkid] BrailleNote and airline security

[Richard Holloway]

Generally speaking, I have found international flights are much more likely to arouse scrutiny with any unusual or higher than average numbers of electronic devices. I always make a point to have charged batteries in everything and to be ready to power up. Often I leave devices sleeping when possible so I need not wait for a full boot on a laptop, etc. to show things function.

Even pre-9/11, if I would travel with a large bag of (often film) cameras, for example, I would find in Europe, they would often want to see lenses taken off, and in some cases they would want to see the camera actually fire. I would fly with cameras unloaded, open backs of cameras on request. Whatever they needed.

Likewise, I have had to power up digital cameras and video cameras when abroad. On other occasions, however, I have carried as much as 40 pounds of camera gear as carry on luggage and had not a question asked or anything hand-checked at all. That always actually concerned me when it happened. I'm not up to anything, but how do they know that with a passing glance?

Sometimes I used to carry large amounts of film, and occasionally they would have to do all sorts of things to check that without X-Raying it. (Film and X-Rays don't get along so well....) Fortunately, I rarely work with film anymore. 

Security seems to be an extremely variable process. The few times we have flown with any sort of NoteTaker, or a Victor Stream, etc., I do not believe we have had any unusual scrutiny, but based on past history, I just anticipate they may want to have a look at some point. 

I'm all for it. I hope they'll look closely at ANYTHING which ANYONE wants to bring on a plane-- it keeps us all safer. 

On Apr 10, 2012, at 12:44 PM, Jaquiss, Robert wrote:

> Hello:
> 
>     I have had my BrailleNote checked numerous times by the airport. They always want it removed from my carry on luggage. I don't think I have needed to power it up to prove it is a notetaker.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Robert
> 
> 
> Robert Jaquiss
> Access Technology Specialist
> National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute
> 200 E. Wells Street at Jernigan Place
> Baltimore, MD 21230
> Phone: (410) 659-9314, Ext.2422
> Email: rjaquiss at nfb.org
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Richard Holloway
> Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 12:04 PM
> To: Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] BrailleNote and airline security
> 
> I can't see any reason why they couldn't. They're just little computers with strange displays on them. If any question should arise, you can power it on and show that the power light comes on (in back) and of corse the display can be seen moving and the audio will also lend confidence that all is well and it is a real machine, (so long as the sound is not turned off).
> 
> The SD storage is exactly the same as for any computer or camera, the media are interchangeable. Surely the internal storage is also X-Ray safe.
> 
> X-Ray at will...
> 
> On Apr 10, 2012, at 11:47 AM, Lynda Zwinger wrote:
> 
>> A silly question:  I've been assuming BrailleNotes can just go through the
>> airport xray machines.
>> 
>> True?
>> 
>> thanks,
>> Lynda
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