Tablet through Airport Security?

[erincon23]

Hi all -- I leave for Disney on Thursday, and I'm pretty much all prepared. However, I'll be bringing my HP Touchpad, and never having traveled with a computer, I'm not sure what I need to do to get it through security at the airport with a minimum of hassle. Do I pull it out of my bag and have it on? Just leave it in my carry-on? Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

 

[dudspizza]

Hi all -- I leave for Disney on Thursday, and I'm pretty much all prepared. However, I'll be bringing my HP Touchpad, and never having traveled with a computer, I'm not sure what I need to do to get it through security at the airport with a minimum of hassle. Do I pull it out of my bag and have it on? Just leave it in my carry-on? Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

Tablets and iPads do not need to be removed from your carry on, at least that is standard procedure. As everyone knows, TSA agents at any airport could vary, so leave it in your carry on unless asked to remove it.

Duds

From http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/04/traveling-with-e-readers-netbooks-and.html

Traveling with E-readers, Netbooks, and Other Small Gadgets (Including the iPad)
E-readers, Net Books and other small gadgets are becoming more and more popular for travelers to bring along in their carry-ons. (iPads, Kindles™, Neos, Nooks™, Sony® Readers™ etc.)

Not only are they essential to those who need to stay connected and work or study on the go, but they are also fantastic time killers, which makes these gadgets extremely popular carry-on items. I’ve read many a post from people wondering if these items should be treated like a laptop and removed from their carry-on bags for checkpoint screening.

Great question! Electronic items smaller than the standard sized laptop should not need to be removed from your bag or their cases. It’s that simple.

It’s important to remember, however, that our officers are trained to look for anomalies to help keep air travel safe, and if something needs a closer look, it will receive secondary screening. The key to avoiding bag searches is keeping the clutter down. The less clutter you have in your bag, the less likely it will be searched.

Only electronics the size of a standard laptop or larger (for example Playstation®, Xbox™, or Nintendo®), full-size DVD players, and video cameras that use video cassettes must be removed from their carrying cases and submitted separately for x-ray screening. Removing larger electronics helps us get a better look at them and also allows us to get a better look at the contents of your bag. If you have a TSA "checkpoint friendly" laptop bag, you can leave your laptop in.)

So, kick back and enjoy your gadgets and all they have to offer. We’ve come a long way since the classic time killers such as Mad Libs and Wooly Willy.

Thanks,

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

 

[aubriee]

Tablets and iPads do not need to be removed from your carry on, at least that is standard procedure. As everyone knows, TSA agents at any airport could vary, so leave it in your carry on unless asked to remove it.

Duds

It's funny. I flew out of DFW May 4th and heard the TSA agent making an announcement I had never heard before. They always yell down the line for everyone to take their laptops out and to have toiletries in a quart bag, but that day they made that same announcement, then added, "any Ereader like a Kindle or Nook, Ipads, tablet, MP3 player or camera, does not need to be removed. We repeat Nooks, Kindles, Ipads, tablets, MP3 players, and cameras do not need to be seen. Leave them in your bags, please". The lady behind me in the security and I just sort of looked at each other. I said "that's new". She laughed and said 'you think they're getting tired of looking at peoples junk". I always have my Kindle with me and have never even thought of ever taking it, my camera, or MP3 player out.

As I was putting my 3-1-1 bag in a bin, I also put another quart bag in there with my Victoza pen and needles in it. The TSA agent standing there saw me and told me the Victoza pen and needles (along with insulin if I had any) did not need to be pulled out of my bag. Because it's liquid and because of the double ended needles, I have always had it in a seperate bag and put it in a bin. I was surprised when they told me I didn't need to and to just keep it in the bag and they'd see it on xray when it went through. It was like they didn't want anything extra on the belt that day.

 

[dontthrowsand]

I leave my iPad in my bag but take my epipens and other meds with liquids out

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

As stated, the official policy is not to have to remove these types of items from your bag. However, you never know what the TSA is going to do on any one day.

Foreign airports have different rules. I just flew through Heathrow and you were required to remove iPads from carry-on bags. I have also had to remove my iPad when going through the airport in Venice.