alabama334guy

I just returned last night from several days in Washington, DC. We had landed in MGM and were walking from the ASA ATR-72 to the terminal (about 50 yeards, I guess) when the guy in front of me stopped to take a photo of the plane we were leaving. Almost instantly, an ASA gate worker that was out near the plane started yelling "no photos on the tarmac..." She said this several times and made quiet a scene.

What do you make of this? Is there some State or Federal law that forbids doing this? I did not think he was doing anything sinister. I am so afraid that we (our country) have become so paranoid that something this minor gets blown out of proportion. It just seemed a little extreme on part of the ASA employee.

Note: I posted this here since it was a Delta/ASA flight. If this should be located in another forum, please adjust.

Thanks!

uva185

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8830/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

I was yelled at by a AF ramp agent in CDG. We deboarded a 777 via stairs and I snapped a pic. He told me to show him I deleted it. So I pretended to delete it and walked away. Rather strange.

AndyTLe

If you've ever surfed Airliners.net or Jetphotos.net you'd find tons of photos taken on and around the tarmac. There are frequent discussions about people taking pictures on aircraft, around the airport or during spotting and somebody telling them to stop.

alabama334guy

I am familiar with the sites you mentioed above and that is why I posted this for comment. In most cases, the photography issues are from public property adjacent to airports (spotting locations). Since we were on airport property last night, I thought the rules might be different. I would just like to know what law the guy was breaking.

Thanks...

Global_Hi_Flyer

Not to the best of my knowledge. DL has been much better than, say, AA in terms of raising photography issues. I've heard of people being harassed by AA staff for taking pictures in an airport out of the windows overlooking the tarmac. AA has a corporate policy that bans photography of their planes, staff, etc. I am not aware of a similar policy on DL.

Link

Bingo.

This topic comes up from time to time in TS&S. The mods may move it there.

DaDaDan

If you're not flying the airline, they have zero basis for stopping you from taking pictures of the ramp or anything you want.

Even if you're flying on the airline, if there's nothing in the contract of carriage preventing you from taking pictures, they still have zero basis for stopping you.

If there is a provision in the contract preventing you from taking photographs, your photos constitute a breach of contract. The airline could sue you for their damages....which are presumably nothing.

The one trump card they have is that you're required to comply with crewmember instructions, but if you're not on the plane they can't use that one.

davetravels

I usually ask first - esp in a foreign country. I've been told yes and no. No, I think sometimes when a civil airport doubles as a military airport, but I don't think I've ever asked - or been told no - at a domestic US airport!

Gargoyle

I find it's easier to apologize afterwards than to ask permission beforehand.

Flaflyer

I used to carry a SLR but in today's atmosphere find a small pocket camera is best. The trick is Do Not Be Obvious. If you have a big SLR it is too obvious. I only buy cameras like my Sony where the lens does not extend from the body as it zooms. That way it does not look any different on or off.

With a pocket camera 1. turn off the flash and 2. preset the focus distance. You can take almost any picture in about 1 second and be quite unnoticed doing it.

OTOH, I have only been told NO once. I stuck my P&S to take an airport shot out the window while leaving Hanoi. On Vietnam Airlines(owned by the state). The FA shook his finger and said "No Pictures". (Not realizing I had already snapped it. ) I quickly put the camera down and said OK and avoided a visit to the State Police.

For the record, HAN is also a military base. I think the No Picture policy is due to Embarassment. They didn't want the world to see that the entire mighty Vietnam Air Force guarding their capitol consisted of a total of two sad looking old rustbucket MIGs that the USSR threw away 20 years earlier. Oh, is that a state secret?

AnAmericanIn

IIRC, it is illegal to take pictures at Korean airports and over Korean airspace (South Korea, but I suppose this would also apply to NK as well)

yngdiego

Yes, it's top secret umbra.

USCGamecock

Still, no one answered the question. Is it illegal to take photos on the tarmac of a US airport?

I'd like to know as well.

Maybe the OP and I will get an answer from someone who knows. I guess I'll ask it in another forum.

797-3

Oh no! I deny eveyrthing. I know nothing!

RSSrsvp

I am moving this thread over to the TS/S board which is the appropriate home for this topic.

RSSrsvp - Moderator

DaDaDan

No federal law I've ever heard of, but it's possible that local jurisdictions could make that rule.