Airport Erases "Lost" Footage

By: Karl Schneider
Date: Monday, February 12, 2007
Source: Honolulu Advertiser

According to the Honolulu Advertiser, film from ABC's Lost had to be re-shot due to security employees at Honolulu International Airport x-raying the canisters, despite warnings asking them not to do so.

"The issue has been addressed, and they have procedures in place to make sure it doesn't happen again," said state Film Commissioner Donne Dawson.

The show is not expected to veer off schedule due to the incident and they have already re-shot the footage.

The incidents occurred when the film canisters were mistakenly mixed with passenger luggage and then sent through an X-ray machine. The canisters were left unattended at X-ray machines along with other non-film cargo. The film apparently was then thrown in with piles of passenger luggage without regard for the warning labels indicating not to X-ray the sensitive contents within.


KJ's Take:  ABC spends about $2 million on each episode, so this gaff likely cost them a few hundred thousand, depending on how much was lost.  Thank goodness for insurance!

The whole bizarre mess seems like it happened due to a new TSA security directive requiring all small cargo packages to be screened by an explosive detection system OR an explosive trace detection system.  One being x-ray, the other being cotton pad swabbing.  As you can imagine, one takes much longer than the other, and they went the quick and easy route despite the giant red warning label saying DON'T DO THAT!!!