Travelers with Laptops May Get Break at Security

Terry Olaes

I Used to be the [H] News Guy
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One of the most annoying things about US air travel with a laptop is having to remove it from the bag and sending it through the scanner in a separate bin. The TSA is looking to speed this up with a modification of the rule that will allow laptops carried in special “checkpoint friendly” bags to remain in the carrier. Look for specially-marked bags this month since the rule goes into effect on August 16.

A "checkpoint friendly" case must have a designated laptop-only section that completely unfolds to lay flat on the X-ray screening conveyor belt, the TSA said. The bag cannot contain metal snaps, zippers or buckles inside, underneath or on top of that laptop section; nor can it sport pockets on the inside or outside of the laptop-only part of the case.
 
So basically they can carry their laptop in a Manila folder?

No wonder Apple came out with the MacBook Air. They knew all along. Bastards.
 
I remember seeing one of these bags on Engadget a few weeks back. It basically looked like a normal bag (with pockets on the bottom) that had a window for the laptop under the main lid. Pretty spiffy. I admit I've never flown before, but finding a bag for my 17" lappy si difficult enough that I don't think I'd bring it with me unless absolutely necessary.

Maybe I'll just ship all of my electronics overnight and insured the next time I go somewhere for more than a week. It'd probably be cheaper (and safer, insurance!) than trying to navigate the FUBAR TSA system, from what I've been told.
 
That's not really a break... I already have a nice laptop backpack, and I'm not going to buy a new one just so I can leave my laptop in my bag. Especially since it sounds like you have to practically disassemble the bag.

I'd much rather them do away with the gay liquid restrictions.
 
meanwhile i've gotten a nice headstart on a fun roadtrip and don't have to deal with all the bullshit. :p

anyone else rather drive than fly these days?
 
That doesn't help me at all. I have a laptop bag I'm already happy with, why do I have to get a new one for this?

Such a hassle, I travel for work all the time and the whole "take laptop out of bag and then cram it back in in a hurry on the other side" thing sucks.
 
It doesn't matter all laptops will now be confiscated at all US airports anyways with that law that says they can take anything they want for any or no reason at all.
 
It doesn't matter all laptops will now be confiscated at all US airports anyways with that law that says they can take anything they want for any or no reason at all.

This occurs only when entering the US through customs.
 
So they let you leave the country with them but you cant come back with them?
 
It's not going to happen all that often . Just because Customs CAN do something doesn't mean they WILL. You would have to trigger some "red flags". You know...fit a profile.

Hell, if you are coming in through Canada or Mexico, they CAN pull you over into a special lane and pretty well disassemble your car looking for contraband if they want to. It's rare that they do that, but they CAN do it. The same will go for Laptops.

Why do that for Laptops? Google MILLENIUM BOMBER and see if you can figure it out.
 
Lets see... Pay MORE money for a POS laptop bag that probably will not hold everything I take with it when I go further than my office. Because its a POS ill have to pack my normal bag for when I get to my destination.

Freeking brilliant.
 
I dont have a problem with the rule or break, I can fit my EEE in my inside coat pocket, and the AC adapter in the outside coat pocket!

Dont you get it, This is jsut a ploy to sell more sub-notebooks and UMPCs! :p
 
It's not going to happen all that often . Just because Customs CAN do something doesn't mean they WILL. You would have to trigger some "red flags". You know...fit a profile.

Hell, if you are coming in through Canada or Mexico, they CAN pull you over into a special lane and pretty well disassemble your car looking for contraband if they want to. It's rare that they do that, but they CAN do it. The same will go for Laptops.

Why do that for Laptops? Google MILLENIUM BOMBER and see if you can figure it out.

I only went to Wikipedia. So what do inspecting laptops and the millenium bomber have to do with each other?
 
Total waste of time.

Scenario - Security guy with IQ of 55 sees a long line of folks with laptop bags, some may be 'scanner freindly' some wont.

Whats he/she gonna do? Ask each person "is your bag scanner friendly?" and then go through the motions?

Nope.

It will be "all laptops out of the bags in another tray!"

It will be far quicker. Waste of time. Its not the tech at fault, its the folks using it. IT folks tend to make such assumptions and forget the 'human' element of the equation when designing stuff.
 
Well.. since it takes a whole 5 seconds tyo take a laptop out of a laptop bag and then another 5 seconds to put it back in the bag at the other side what is the big deal anyway?

You already have to take everything out of your pockets and take your shoes off as well.

And even with that, it usually takes me a whole 2-3 minutes to go through security at an airport.

It's not like you are gonna get a better seat in the plane if you get there 1 minute earlier.
 
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