Warning: Not all TSA people are aware of the small electronics rule

[Meeky Mouse]

I was recently waiting on a long security line at Orlando airport and noticed a sign there that said ipads, Kindles, netbooks, and a few other small electronic devices can now remain in your carryon bag. I was happy to see this because it meant that a separate bin would not be required for my netbook and I'd have one less item to juggle at the other side of the xray machine. Someone was making my travel experience easier - what a relief! Or so I thought...

Long story short, the TSA employee:
1. Called me out
2. Refused to listen when I politely told him the sign said it could stay in the bag (and I truly was polite - no harsh words or attitude, I swear)
3. Insisted I reach into the xray device to pull out not only my bag, but also the 3 that had followed it (they weren't my bags, but I had to pull them out to reach mine)
4. Then got downright insulting when one of other bags accidentally fell into the bin (he restarted the belt before I was able to get the bin & the bags I'd removed back into the machine, so I had to shove them in ahead of the other moving bags as fast as I could. Because I couldn't see what I was doing, one of them fell into the bin).

This is the gist of it (I didn't include all of the details). I thought I must have misunderstood the sign and I told him so, so I really think his rude comments & impatient actions were completely uncalled for. After returning home, I was able to confirm that my netbook could have stayed in my bag. But being right doesn't seem to matter much when you're dealing with a self-righteous individual in a position of power.

So a word of warning to the rest of you: you may still want to put all of your electronic devices in the bin no matter what the signs say. I know I will from now on.

 

[Jestocost]

This goes for just about any rule they have.

 

[seashoreCM]

Don't rambunctiously jab your hand or arm in there (or anywhere else you cannot see). There could be sharp edges in there.

If you could not reach your bag in the machine, then what?

Way way OT.

No wonder some parents resort to crude ways of entertaining infants, such as a rattle and a music box that plays "twinkle twinkle little star" all flight long (think I saw this in Flyertalk dot com), as opposed to providing a DVD player with earphone. There's another song title beginning with "I" that I won't mention.

 

[Brian Noble]

ipads, Kindles, netbooks, and a few other small electronic devices can now remain in your carryon bag.

Interesting. I just flew down and back the last week of July. Every single TSA agent I asked said that the ipad had to come out. I've never had to take out my kindle though in the nearly two years I've owned it.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Lots of TSA agents don't know the rules.

This was not worth arguing about. You should have just removed your netbook. You could have then noted the agent's name and later sent a letter of complaint.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

If people understand the rules it's pretty much a guarantee the TSA won't hire them. If they are hired, they are made to clear their heads of useful knowledge and common sense. That's the nicest thing I can say.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I want to point out this isn't true of ALL TSA agents. There are many intelligent persons working the front lines who remain intelligent, who deal well with the public, who have and retain common sense.

 

[NotUrsula]

Essentially, it's pretty much impossible just by looking at the size of it (especially via an xray screen) to tell the difference between a netbook and compact laptop; I'm extremely surprised that "netbooks" would receive a general exclusion for just that reason. If I was carrying one I would run it though seperately without even thinking about it. iPads in a protective case don't look all that different, either -- same general size.

Granted, backing up the belt is ridiculous -- he should have just grabbed it off the belt after it came out and carried it back to you to run it through again.

 

[kifuller4]

okay, so let me double check my self here...

does each electronic devise have to be in a separate tub? We are a party of 5 and will have.... 1 netbook, 4 DSi's, 3 MP3 players, 2 digital cameras, 1 camcorder and 4 disposable camera, 3 cell phones.... and a partridge in a pear tree.

I know the disposable cameras will have to be hand checked, but what about everything else?

 

[Brian Noble]

1 netbook, 4 DSi's, 3 MP3 players, 2 digital cameras, 1 camcorder and 4 disposable camera, 3 cell phones.... and a partridge in a pear tree

Of those, I would only remove the netbook and the camcorder (depending on its size). If they both fit in a single bin side-by-side, with no overlap, that's usually fine.

Anything DSi size or smaller can generally stay in your carry on through the belt.

 

[john1928]

First, remember that the purpose of the TSA is to make people who don’t think too hard about it feel more secure. There's a side benefit of a tiny little increase in actual security on flights but it's mostly psychological theater.

The second thing to remember is that the guy or gal working there is always right. We're a bunch of smart people, we know that the whole show is largely an act of self-delusion but there is no profit in pointing out foolishness of the system if you want to make it to your flight on time.

If you can’t tell I am no fan of the TSA, but you’d never know it when I’m in line at the airport. Smile and put up with it is the best (only) approach. Generally the folks working there are at least well-meaning and taking it out on them won’t help anyhow.

You can make your life a little easier by buying a new laptop bag so a (singular) laptop/netbook/whatever doesn’t actually have to be removed to pass through the scanner. This was money well spent in my opinion.

 

[Meeky Mouse]

Lots of TSA agents don't know the rules.

This was not worth arguing about. You should have just removed your netbook. You could have then noted the agent's name and later sent a letter of complaint.

I didn't argue at all - I immediately admitted that I must have misunderstood the sign. I had no problem with removing the netbook. It was the method he insisted on using to accomplish this and his rude attitude that I had a problem with.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Not to defend all the TSA people (because I've run into some real "winners" too in my travels) but put yourself in their shoes. You only have to deal with them twice - once going, once coming home. They have to deal with people all day long. Yes, I know that's their job. But think about - there are just as many passengers who don't know the rules even though they're clearly posted. "Oh, seriously? I was supposed to take my shoes off?" "Really? I can't take this 32oz bottle of Coke with me into the terminal? I just bought it." "You're kidding! I can't take my Zippo with me on board? Never used to be like that." Like a few other PP's said, TSA is always right, even when they're wrong. Just grin and bear it and keep on moving.

 

[dioxide45]

TSA employees are like boarder crossing security. You just don't mess with them, they can cause you lots of headaches. They can do just about anything, regardless of what the current guidelines are.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I know the disposable cameras will have to be hand checked,

Not necessarily. Unexposed 400 speed and slower film will be fine, especially if it goes through only once. Exposed film (pictures already taken), no problem.

 

[seashoreCM]

Undeveloped film, whether or not the pictures are taken, is vulnerable to X-rays. The slower the film the more trips it can make under the X-ray machine before damage becomes noticeable in the finished pictures.

One trip through a machine where the operator stops the bag under the continuous X-rays for a closer look of course delivers a lot more radiation compared with ten trips through a machine that just snapshots each piece of baggage with a short burst of rays and a means of holding the image on the screen.

I think the "film safe bags" they sell in camera stores are okay for carry-on X-ray machines in the security checkpoint.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I just flew out of Manchester, NH yesterday. I checked the sign. There was nothing about netbooks being allowed to remain in bags. In fact, I sent mine through in a bin by itself, and it was swabbed after the x-ray.

As far as film bags go, the x-ray can't see through them. If you choose to use them, I'd put them in their own bin, because the bag that the film bag is in will likely be searched.

 

[Dax]

I feel for everyone...can you imagine having to go through Orlando TSA 5x a week...every morning...sometimes 2x a day..You can imagine...the joys of working at MCO..

As for taking things out...Netbooks always seem to come out at MCO..even the pilots and flight attendants are always taking theirs out...On the other hand, I go through with my DS and MP3 player, and never take it out of my bag..so take that for what its worth from an employee at the airport..

Some of the TSA workers allow the badge to go to their head..

 

[safetymom]

The effects of the xray are cumulative on film. If you have film ready to be developed bring prepaid mailers with you and send them off while you are on vacation. I would ask for a hand inspection of any film. You don't want your pictures ruined.

I was yelled at once when the TSA thought I pulled my bag out of the scanner. Of course then I got a lecture and they went through everything in my rolling computer bag. I am sure it made him feel more important that day but it made him look bad in front of everyone that was standing there.

 

[livndisney]

I feel for everyone...can you imagine having to go through Orlando TSA 5x a week...every morning...sometimes 2x a day..You can imagine...the joys of working at MCO..

As for taking things out...Netbooks always seem to come out at MCO..even the pilots and flight attendants are always taking theirs out...On the other hand, I go through with my DS and MP3 player, and never take it out of my bag..so take that for what its worth from an employee at the airport..

Some of the TSA workers allow the badge to go to their head..

Some? I LOVE flying INTO Orlando and HATE to fly out. If I had to fly out of Orlando everyday I think I would