Using cameras in an airport
 

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. Irritated, I chewed him out and just walked right past him back toward my gate.

As an attorney, knowing that this twit didn't have any right to see my camera, I told him to go to hell. It was truly bizarre and it's quite possible that someone else in that terminal would have deleted the pictures on their camera at this guy's request. Has anyone else been thoroughly questioned by employees when using a camera in the terminal?

Wow chicken little, 9/11 you cant do that BS

I have had it happen a few times, as the cameras i carry a bigger and alittle more obvious, plus i enjoy plane spotting and getting interesting images of airplanes/airports/scenics/etc.

There are no rules or laws against it. Good for you for standing up for yourself and telling this clown to go pound sand. Personally i would have taken a picture of this person and sent a strongly worded letter to the company(with picture attached) he worked for as if a person like that is going to step that far out of line they need to be let go as its asking for bigger problems down the road.

As for deleting images not gonna happen, and im not going to hand over my property to anyone with out the right credentials and paperwork, but its a null issue as by the time they have that the memory card has already been switched out and secured out of view. Even if someone does delete it the images are not gone because they can be recovered as long as they havent been over written.

Google Photographers rights and you will get a good idea of the laws on the books in regards to photography.

Not in the terminal, but on top of the terminal.

PHX T4 to be exact.

I was shooting photos of the planes for a photography class I was taking to actually learn how to use my new toy (a loaded DSLR).

A TSO approached me and told me that I needed to cease taking photos immediately and delete the photos I had taken. My professor had given all the students a "photographer's rights" booklet and I remembered the part about airports, in particular PHX.

I told the TSO that PHX was a municipal facility and that I would stop taking photos only if a Phoenix Police Officer was present and informed me that what I was doing was illegal (it wasn't and isn't). The TSO insisted that the airport was governed by "federal and TSA law" (I loved that bit of garbage) and told me to cease photographing the airplanes or he would have to confiscate my camera.

I pulled out my cell phone and told him I was dialing 911 to have a cop sent to my location and the TSO scampered off telling me that he was going to go get his supervisor and a cop and have me arrested.

Ninety (90) minutes later, I was still taking photos and enjoying the warm desert air.

TSOs love their que es mas macho.

BTW, a great way to diffuse the situation if someone tells you to delete your photos is to retort, "Are you officially instructing me to erase potential evidence?" ;)

I had an FA go bezerk once when she realized I was taking photos of a sleeping Delta Ramper. Nothing came of it, just received poor service on the flight.

The one area I have had multiple problems is taking photos from the AirTrain at JFK. The inside of the AirTrain and the AirTrain stations are elevated and a great spot to get pictures of JFK. The AirTrain connects all of the terminals at JFK, plus connects the airport with subway at Howard Beach & LIRR at Jamaica Station.

Unfortunately Port Authority Security Guards and the AirTrain "helpers" have all been told to stop all photography. They can get extremely rude and nasty about it as well and won't take no for an answer. Once had a security guard try to go for my camera and it escalated to the point where I just left. If it had been a weekday, I likely would have pushed it further, but it was a Saturday.

I then called the Port Authority on Monday and made some noise -- at the same time I asked what do I have to do to take pictures as a tourist in your city, they gave me permission to take photos. Even with permission it was a challenge to take photos and each time challenged I introduced myself as "The tourist from Louisville who was given permission to take photos" :p :p

Apparently it's a sticky situation with the Port Authority. They are a govt entity and run all 3 NYC airports, but they claim to be self-funded from user-fees/rents, thus argue are a private entity. I call BS on this as does a respected attorney I spoke with.

Never had a problem inside the secure areas of JFK, LGA, or EWR snapping photos, but I've seen others hassled inside JFK by Port Authority Security Guards.

To the OP, good on you!

In a similar vein, "What is it you are trying to hide?" or "What is it you don't want the public to see?" work pretty well.

Just think how different the world would be if the Taser video at YVR that killed the Polish immigrant had been "prevented." Without the video (which the RCMP tried to suppress for a couple of years) it would have just been another case of police protecting themselves. But because of the video (and the ensuing Braidwood Reports) Tasers in Canada can now (or soon) only be used in cases where there is an active threat to the police or someone else.

Robert Dziekanski tasered by the RCMP at Vancouver Airport {youtube video}

Braidwood Inquiry Phase 2 Report

Excerpts from the Braidwood Report {Vancouver Sun}


Just in case anyone doubts the significance of photography at airports...

A baggage handler ? You actually said more than 2 words (second one being "off") to a baggage handler ?

Maybe you snapped him liberating something.

It's ¿quien es mas macho? I think. Nicely sums up all these jumped-up nobodies who have crawled out since 9/11. They were always there of course, just waiting...

Whenever I am in the SFO domestic RCC, I bring along my point and shoot for plane watching. I can always grab some great photos of the UX aircraft, or international airliners taxiing past our windows. I've also taken pictures in the DEN RCC, DEN terminal, IAD terminal, etc... Haven't had any problems with staff, but we'll see if that changes...

i couldn't agree more with everything you said. good on the op! ^

I applaud all of you for standing up to your/our rights.

Few days ago was feeling a bit sheepish trying to use my cell phone camera to take a pic of a dozing TSA agent being unnecessarily stationed at a door at the SAN commuter terminal. (door was always closed before)
Next time I'll be more brazen.

The baggage handler was way of line. People here take pictures of planes all the time & if any have had a problem I've not heard of it. To me this is normal/ People are interested in the planes.

I was more dumbfounded that anything, wondering who the hell this guy thought he was. I tried to be nice to him at first to see if there was some type of misunderstanding, but when he persisted, I pretty much said "___ off" like you're suggesting.

That;s rediculous. Anyone who sneezes the wrong way must be a terrorist.

When I was a student at OSU, a friend of mine who happended to be a Columbus Policemen, we both like airplanes, were at CMH taking pictures of
airplanes. Yes that was before 9-11 but just to show you how things have changed.

Last year at CLE, I approached B security, the line was crawling very slow, so I turned around and left and went over to C security. When I cleared security I had 2 TSA agents from B come over to me and ask me why I left B, they wanted to see my ticket and ID. Why I did I leave B security and run over to C. (Because your line was to slow you idiots). I told them in a nice way and moved on.

To be honest, I would have done the same thing.

but then you see things like this...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-pamphlet.html

and above all spy on and report your neighbors for whatever meaningless rules or law they may violate,

do you really think your in a free country any longer?