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

theverge.com

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

#21

Post by gwright »

cylinder wrote: 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…

I'm puzzled by this as news because, at least on the east coast where I do most of my traveling, I've had to put laptops in separate bins for several years. I used to have to put the iPad in a separate bin also until they said it could stay in the bag. Now I guess it is back into a bin.

I generally travel with my CPAP machine also so it is quite an ordeal to get through security:

    • work laptop
    • personal laptop
    • iPad
    • CPAP machine (outside of carrying case)
    • CPAP carrying case
    • shoes and jacket
    • backpack
    • and often my carry-on luggage

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

#22

Post by technofiend »

rhinoceraptor wrote: post #2

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.

LOL. I had two TSA agents hone in on me and ask tons of questions because I had 2 laptops of the same model! That was like 10 years ago though; so many people carry around so much equipment now I doubt it would be of concern any more.

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

#23

Post by pmalynin »

technofiend wrote: post #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…

Canadian here with NEXUS (which bundles TSA PreCheck in);

Absolutely worth it -- albeit both the US and Canadian governments basically now know every single detail of my life, including biometrics of fingerprints and rental scans.

For someone that essentially travels by air every few months for work (and sometimes pleasure) the ability to spend 1 minute in security means I get to spend my time on things that matter.

And its nice when I go back to Canada to just go through a machine; I don't see why I need to talk to anyone when I'm going home to my country of citizenship.

On the other side of the border, going to immigration into the States, the border people will usually be much more friendly and relaxed so thats also a plus.

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

#24

Post by shakestheclown »

technofiend wrote: post #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…

It is also a perk of a number of credit cards. For example, Amex Platinum = $100 Global Entry credit + $200 airline credit + (up to) $180 Uber Credit + xx,000 signup points > $550 fee (if you travel)

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

#25

Post by [deleted] »

gumby wrote: post #11
cylinder wrote: 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.

[deleted]

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

#26

Post by frik »

cylinder wrote: 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…

> However, I don't think a laptop and an iPad will fit into one bin without overlapping each other.

Not a problem in US, the X-ray devices show the operator a view X, Y and Z axis so sandwich isn't a problem. And if there is an uncertainty, it can be checked manually. A separate bin per bigger device would increase the queue length.

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

#27

Post by donretag »

jdavis703 wrote: post #13
kbos87 wrote: 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...

"A terrorist might as well detonate a bomb for all the people patiently queued to be inspected for bombs."

That is precisely what happened in the Brussels bombing. The Manchester bombing also happened at the general entrance of the arena, not inside.

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

#28

Post by [deleted] »

rhinoceraptor wrote: post #20
lisper wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 :)

[deleted]

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

#29

Post by [deleted] »

djsumdog wrote: post #19
kbos87 wrote: 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…

[deleted]

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

#30

Post by Dolores12 »

rhinoceraptor wrote: post #20
lisper wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 :)

Your supplement powder has different density than explosive, hence different color on their screens. They saw it for sure.
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