Getting through the airport security line MAY just have gotten a little easier with the new TSA policy that will allow travelers to leave their laptops inside “checkpoint friendly” bags. The new rule will take effect on August 16th.
Using a “checkpoint friendly” bag means having one that contains ONLY your laptop (no cords, plug ins, or extraneous attachments), and that can unfold to lie flat on the x-ray belt. No metal snaps, zippers, buckles, or pockets.
With this type of bag, you would place the bag directly onto the belt, rather than putting it into a separate screening bin. The design would give the security screeners a clear and unobstructed image of the laptop, allowing them to spot anything that shouldn’t be there.
The policy change comes after a call was put out to manufacturers to design a “checkpoint friendly” bag. A number of designs were submitted, and several were approved and given a TSA stamp of approval. However, the TSA is quick to point out that using an approved bag is no guarantee that it will automatically pass through the security screen. A number of other factors, many of which are not made public, go into the decision about whether a secondary screen is necessary.
You can read the full “checkpoint friendly” policy and exceptions and decide if this is going to be a help for you.
Since I usually take my laptop with me when I travel, I hope to report back on how this policy is implemented and interpreted at various airports around the country. I fear that this rule, like the rest, is going to be subject to the whim (legally called interpretation) of the individual screener.
I hope readers will chime in with their experiences. Do the screeners know about the new policy? Are they following it? Is this saving you any time?
Image credit: Amazon
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