Originally Posted by
mosu84
A few weeks ago, I was about to get on an early flight out of Concourse B at CMH. [...]
A few minutes later, the baggage handler came through a door into the terminal from outside. He walked directly over to me and started questioning me. "Why are you taking pictures? You can't do that.
In March of 2009, upon the
advice of TSA's blogger Curtis Bob Burns, I used
TSA's "Got Feedback?" form to ask about photography policies at each of 50 major U.S. airports. I
documented all of my correspondence here on FlyerTalk.
In the
responses I received from CMH, John DiPaola, TSA Stakeholder-Customer Support Manager at Port Columbus International Airport, referred me to Bob Mauldin, CMH Public Safety Manager, who stated:
Rule 11.6D of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority states, "No person shall divulge information regarding the airport security system, any airport tenant's security system, or any topic affecting air transportation security to any unauthorized person." Violation of this would be a level 2 minor misdemeanor.
So long as you confine your taping to non-security related areas and items (passenger screening checkpoints, access control systems, CCTV cameras, Explosive Trace Detection devices, etc. would be considered security related) you should have no problem at Port Columbus.
Today, I wrote:
Code:
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:45:55 -0700
From: Phil Mocek
To: Robert Mauldin - CMH Public Safety Manager <RMauldin%AT%ColumbusAirports.com>
Cc: John Dipaola - TSA Stakeholder-Customer Support Manager at CMH <John.Dipaola%AT%dhs.gov>,
GotFeedback <Gotfeedback%AT%dhs.gov>,
Richard Morgan <RMorgan%AT%ColumbusAirports.com>
Subject: Re: Got Feedback : Port Columbus International (CMH)
Mr. Mauldin and Mr. DiPaola:
In April, 2009, you reported to me that the only restriction on
photography at Port Columbus International Airport concerned such
action at security-related areas and items.
Three days ago, a passenger who flew out of CMH reported the
following:
<http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/1099444-using-cameras-airport.html>
> A few weeks ago, I was about to get on an early flight out of
> Concourse B at CMH. I had my camera with me, so I was taking a few
> pictures of the planes just to pass the time. One of the baggage
> handlers on the ground saw me taking pictures and waved his arm at
> me. I didn't think anything of it, and I sat down to do some work.
>
> A few minutes later, the baggage handler came through a door into
> the terminal from outside. He walked directly over to me and
> started questioning me. "Why are you taking pictures? You can't do
> that. Will you show me the pictures that you took?" The terminal
> was mostly empty at that hour, and I had chosen a pretty secluded
> corner of the Terminal to hang out. Maybe that's what alarmed this
> guy. In any case, I told him I was taking pictures of the planes
> in the morning light. Not satisfied with that response, the guy
> began asking about my flight details and from which gate I was
> departing.
Have your photography policies changed since April 14, 2009?
[long quotation of previous correspondence omitted]
Mr. Mauldin responded:
Code:
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:56:15 +0000
From: Robert Mauldin <RMauldin%AT%ColumbusAirports.com>
To: Phil Mocek
CC: John Dipaola - TSA Stakeholder-Customer Support Manager at CMH <John.Dipaola%AT%dhs.gov>,
GotFeedback <Gotfeedback%AT%dhs.gov>,
Richard Morgan <RMorgan%AT%ColumbusAirports.com>
Subject: RE: Got Feedback : Port Columbus International (CMH)
Mr. Mocek: The policy is still the same. I'm not sure what occurred in this
incident, but all of us in aviation security are keenly interested in providing
a safe environment for air travel, not in stifling interest in aviation. Once
again, so long as there is no evidence of an attempt to compromise safety or
security, you should have no problem.
Hope this helps.
Bob Mauldin
Public Safety Manager
Columbus Regional Airport Authority
[long quotation of previous correspondence omitted]
see also:
further discussion with Mr. Mauldin