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TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

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11–20 of 71 posts

Re: TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

#11
post #8

Their own separate bin? I'm interpreting this to mean, electronics in their own bin, together, is fine. One bin for each laptop, tablet, phone, etc would be madness. However, I don't think a laptop and an iPad will fit into one bin without overlapping each other. So now we are at probably four bins per person including their carry-on bag as a "bin." This is really ridiculous and will lead to even longer, more chaotic…

This will make stealing electronics much easier. And the TSA has been unresponsive to complaints about being separated for prolonged periods from control of your own carry ons.

Re: TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

#12
post #8

Their own separate bin? I'm interpreting this to mean, electronics in their own bin, together, is fine. One bin for each laptop, tablet, phone, etc would be madness. However, I don't think a laptop and an iPad will fit into one bin without overlapping each other. So now we are at probably four bins per person including their carry-on bag as a "bin." This is really ridiculous and will lead to even longer, more chaotic…

This will make stealing electronics much easier. And the TSA has been unresponsive to complaints about being separated for prolonged periods from control of your own carry ons.

Re: TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

#13
post #7

The people who complain about heightened security never have a better proposal. This article is pure pandering with no balanced opinion of the fact that there could be credible motivations to ask for this.

The thing is this is just security theater. A terrorist might as well detonate a bomb for all the people patiently queued to be inspected for bombs. In fact, TSA scanners have failure rates up to 95% [0] (meaning they let through 95% of contraband, including guns and explosives). Making tablets be pulled out probably won't change anything.

0: http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/06/politics/house-homeland-securi...

Re: TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

#15
post #6
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Okay, I'll bite - why did you have 12 cans of sardines in carry on?

Just to mess with the agents. I'm surprised that he didn't get required to throw them out. (They contain liquid)

Not cool. The agents are just trying to do their jobs. The fact that the system is fubar is not their fault.

On the other hand, people like you hold up the line for everyone.

Re: TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

#16
post #8

Their own separate bin? I'm interpreting this to mean, electronics in their own bin, together, is fine. One bin for each laptop, tablet, phone, etc would be madness. However, I don't think a laptop and an iPad will fit into one bin without overlapping each other. So now we are at probably four bins per person including their carry-on bag as a "bin." This is really ridiculous and will lead to even longer, more chaotic…

Eventually one of the TSA workers will think, "hey let's invent bins that are actually shaped to hold the common case of a laptop, iPad, and phone all in one, not overlapping". And a few years later, they may actually implement it.

Re: TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

#17
post #5

I had to do this at DTW, I was carrying 3 laptops and 2 tablets. I also had my carry on searched because I had 12 cans of sardines which look funny in the x-ray.

Okay, I'll bite - why did you have 12 cans of sardines in carry on?

Just to eat, they're an easy ketogenic/low carb food. 12 cans is enough for one meal a day for the six days of my trip.

Re: TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

#18
>Of course, those enrolled in the TSA’s Precheck program will not have to remove their oversized electronics, due to their willingness to trade their fingerprints (and $85) for speedier screening. The TSA notes that Precheck is now available at 200 airports nationwide, up from 180 at the start of the year.

Despite the snark, precheck is worth the money if you're a regular domestic traveler as are the trusted traveler programs [1] if you travel abroad. Some airlines seem to flag a trusted traveler as precheck although it's not terribly consistent, so I wouldn't rely on that.

[1] https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs

Re: TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

#19
post #7

The people who complain about heightened security never have a better proposal. This article is pure pandering with no balanced opinion of the fact that there could be credible motivations to ask for this.

The TSA has stopped zero terrorists. It's security theater. It's just dumb. No other country requires people to take off their shoes. No other country will feel you up if you fail the millimeter wave scan. Their false positive rate is so high it's pretty much random chance.

Sure security is bad in other countries. I've had to remove everything from my bag in several airports, but America is still somehow the worst in spite of that. Fuck the TSA. When I do leave the US, I take a train to Canada and fly from there. Their security is mostly the same, but at least I feel like I can't complain since it's not my country.

Re: TSA will require separate screenings for electronics larger than a cell phone

#20
post #15
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just to mess with the agents. I'm surprised that he didn't get required to throw them out. (They contain liquid)

Not cool. The agents are just trying to do their jobs. The fact that the system is fubar is not their fault. On the other hand, people like you hold up the line for everyone.

The guy in front of me had 4 cans of soda which he had to throw out. My sardines just had to be scanned for explosives or whatever the scanner thing is, but it seemed like they were fine to bring.

At least they didn't see the supplement powder I packed in their own separate plastic baggies :)

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