I heard that the new heavy duty screening equipment the airports are now using can damage film. Anyone have advice on how to protect it? Thanks.....

Simple - keep it all in your carry-on luggage and ask for hand inspection. This applies to unexposed AND exposed film. In the past, films of 400 ISO or lower speeds could go through X-Ray inspection equipment with no damage although repeated exposure could pose a risk (e.g. on a trip with multiple legs by air). No telling what the case is with the new regulations and equipment - I wouldn't take the risk - carry it on.

The airlines are adamant that the carryon screening equipment will not harm film up ASA800. Most screeners I have seen send the film through the machine. But do not pack it--the screening for checked luggage is much stronger. I have read on many boards that people are putting their film inlead bags and it is often going through without comment.

Do a search on this, there was a very good thread a few weeks ago that covered this subject very well.

I've tried to use the search feature on this forum dozens of times. I have NEVER had success with it! I've also posted this fact and have not gotten a satisfactory answer. (Although plenty of others agree that the seach does not work!)

I brought film with me on both flights last week(coming & going), that would be going through two sets of x-rays -and the photos came out fine.

Saw this aryicle from Newsday yesterday. Hope this helps.
Unfortunately, with the new higher security at U.S. airports, security screeners are demanding that all film and cameras be put through X-ray machines. Prior to Sept. 11, most airport security screeners would allow film and cameras to bypass the machines and be hand-checked. A Newsday photo editor reports that his wife, a professional photographer, passed through four airports in recent weeks and had all of her equipment X-rayed and then hand-checked, with screeners looking through each camera. Kodak spokesman Jim Blamphin in Rochester offers this advice to travelers: Under no circumstances should you pack unprocessed film in luggage intended to be checked. "Luggage passed through the high-intensity scanners now in use at many airports will damage unprocessed film," Blamphin says. "This includes film that is inside a camera, single-use cameras and film roles that have been exposed but not yet processed." Kodak's warning also applies to film packed in a lead-lined bag and then packed in checked luggage, which can actually increase the damage, the company says. Meanwhile, carry-on items containing film, such as purses or briefcases, can be safely passed through the X-ray conveyor belts at standard security checkpoints leading into the gate areas. These very low-intensity scanners will not harm unexposed film, even if passed through six or seven times. High-speed film, such as ASA 1000, can be safely passed through three or four times without risk.

Seems to me I read somewhere, that the x-rays have a cumulative affect on film.

If film goes through once or twice is not a big deal,,,but if you it goes through a number of time, you could have problems.

I think lead bags are overrated. When I tried to use them, secruity needs to hand inspect because they can't see what is in the bag using x-rays.

Unfortunatley, not all security guards are receptive to hand inspection.