Gadling

My backpack actually has a side zipper compartment just for the laptop, I will never go back to a standard laptop bag without one again.

Reply

My backpack also have a side section for the laptop, so it is easy for me, but still almost all the time they require to open it, take all the stuff out and screen it again, because beside laptop i've got another section for my digital slr, various lenses, external hard drives, cables, plugs, chargers, ipod, travel adapotor, etc, etc...
I sometimes i wish i have just a small blackberry and a small compact digital camera.

Reply

I was traveling from Detroit to Myrtle Beach when a screener took my Toshiba laptop from me THREW it through the walk through scanner it slid on the floor and into a wall I called for HELP from Security, AIRLINE (spirit), Airline that leased gates to Spirit (NWA), Detroit Metropolitan Airport Commission. No ONE cared thast they destroyed MY LAPTOP and no one took responsibility paid for repairs or replacement! ! But if I would have grabbed him tossed him along floor and into a wall I would have been jailed!

Reply

leave the computer at home--
Just put a sign on your back
"I'm important"

Reply

I find it more irritating when planes blow up because security missed something. Appreciate their care and hope they have screened everyone like THEIR life depended on it. The price of freedom? Constant alertness!

Reply

COMMENT NUMBER 5 MAKES MORE SENSE THAN ALL OF THEM!! LOL

Reply

Vote Libertarian - Bob Barr wants to get rid of the "smoke and mirrors" security that's called TSA.

Sharon

Reply

Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) can now search laptops, and even copy their entire contents, as a routine part of border searches. The CBP does not need probable cause, or even the lower standard of “reasonable suspicion.”

The government’s legal theory is that it can open a suitcase at the border, so it can force a traveler to open a laptop and reveal passwords and encryption keys as a condition of entering the country. This simplistic legal theory ignores the massive factual difference between a quick glance into a suitcase and the ability to copy a lifetime of files from someone’s laptop, and then examine those files at the government’s leisure.

This policy creates bad precedents that other countries will follow. Even if you trust handing your encryption keys to the United States (insert joke here), would you feel the same way handing the keys for all your communications to anyone else?

Intrusive laptop searches by the United States and other governments would chill free speech. One vivid example is a human rights activist entering or leaving China, perhaps on a religious or other mission that is controversial in that country. The government may say that they would not do such things, but the lack of legal safeguards once again means that we must simply trust the government not to misuse its power.

Foreign tourists and business people do not like the idea of having their hard drives copied at the border, and will decide to do business elsewhere. International conferences and conventions will choose to locate elsewhere. If laptop searches were vital to the fight against terrorism, then we would hear about the tremendous success of this program in thwarting terrorist plots. None of the available cases, however, are about terrorism-related investigations.

CPB has refused to acknowledge any limits on its discretion to search laptops, Blackberries, cameras, iPods, and other computing devices whenever someone enters or leaves the country.

Reply

i think it is patently obvious that the terrorists have won.

Reply

I'm not so sure just a digital camera would work. I actually had a TSA screener ask me to open my digital camera so she could inspect inside DUH!!!!!!!

Reply

I bought a bag from Target, it was I think $30 or so... It has an insert (A protective Sleeve) for the laptop, that is also padded. I just slide that out of the laptop case and it keeps it from getting dinged, etc,. I am a Flight Attendant, so traveling daily with my laptop is normal operation for me, so having this protective sleeve for my laptop is great and keeps it looking nice and clean. I have only been asked to take it out of the protective sleeve perhaps three times in the years I have had it. -- Chris (SWA FA)

Reply

I "lost" my hearing aids, that had cost me $2200, that I had packed at Detroit Metro. When we arrived at the hotel in Orlando, I unpacked my luggage and found that someone had helped themselves to the hearing aids when they screened our checked luggage. We checked with Detroit Metro, the airline, and the gate agent to no avail. I find it almost impossible to believe that someone could use another person's hearing aids. At that time, I didnt wear them all the time and since my ears plug up on the plane I had packed them in their Siemens silver colored case. Needless to say, I spent ten days in Florida asking people to speak up and repeat themselves. Now I wear them regardless as to how much my ears plug up.

Reply

The problem is that TSA is not held responsible for the damage they do if the were they would a much better job. It is not there property and it is not possible to get any recourse because of the small cost and time it would take to go to Court also who is going to take the case. No money in it. It would cost more then you could get because you can only get depreciate damages from the Gov. so you are shit out of luck. SGM

Reply