Do airlines x ray checked baggage?
Yes, they do – just like they would normally scan the baggage that you check in. Airlines can’t risk that a passenger would have a bomb in the baggage that they check in, so naturally they x-ray your checked baggage as well. And, if they suspect anything out of the ordinary, they will even have people who will actually open your baggage to make sure that there is nothing dangerous inside.
What if I have unprocessed film?
If you have unprocessed film, do not check it in! This is because the checked baggage may be subject to high-intensity x-ray scanning. The airline agents almost never warn travelers of this. So, if you are traveling with unprocessed film, you should carry it on with you. And you should politely insist that security agents manually inspect your film, since even the scanners used for hand-carried baggage may harm your film.