TSA: All carry-on electronics must be inspected

Source: Komotv.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The TSA has announced a new security enhancement that could affect the way you pack your carry-on bags.

Effective Saturday, August 4th, passengers must remove all electronic items, such as DVD players, video cameras, and MP3 players, from their carry-ons at security checkpoints for inspection.

The new requirement does not affect electronic items in checked luggage.

The TSA has not said what prompted the change in procedure. No other details were available.



Read more: http://www.komotv.com/news/8899547.html

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Rule by fear.

Yep I feel safer.

Ow! What?

When do we undo the damage done? When do we take our freedom back?


On a less serious note, what the fuck is their continuing problem with +3oz liquid containers?

The TSA has not said what prompted the change in procedure

You're not skeeeeeeeered enough anymore, that's what prompted it! Booga booga, Osama under your seat!

Freedom isn't free you know.

Cha-Ching!

That's right, avoid the hassle at the TSA security points for checked baggage.
Please put your expensive I-Pods/Video Cameras/Digital Cameras/DVD Players/Laptop Computers/ and other valuable electronics in your checked baggage.

They will be safe there!
We won't touch them!
Really!

BWAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Cha-Ching!

My wifes camera was taken out of her checked baggage, which had been opened up and re-sealed with an 'official' seal.

:grr:

Christ, there are members of my family who travel with the little pocket Playstation, the cell phone, the iPod, the laptop, the fucking Game Cube and God KNOWS what else. A small group of my people might take a half hour to get through the damned checkpoints!!!

Terra terra terra kids!!!!

Like it isn't enough of a pain in the ass taking my laptop out and taking my shoes off... and making sure I don't have a small tube of hand lotion on my purse. (I accidentally did in Chicago O'Hare once and they went through ALL of my bags. They offered to let me put it in a clear plastic bag and RE-scan it, but I told them to just throw it away. It was an 89 cent tube of lotion. I just wanted to get the hell away from them!!)

I have to travel on business and I have to say that this part...going through Security... sucks.

I got detained for a 1/2 while one TSA guy when through my carry on 3 times looking for my lighter...it was neatly tucked away in a semi hidden section which I had honestly forgotten about. He was amazingly thorough and quite proud that he found it. I missed my connecting flight, but, who cares? The evil lighter was captured!

I felt like a "bad person". They way they treated me for forgetting that lotion (all 2.3 oz of it) was embarrassing. And, of course, all the other passengers were pissed at me because I was holding everything up. I just wanted to get out of there.

I've been through Atlanta about 4 or 5 times in the last few months, and I have to say.. they have their crap together. Of course, I was always smart enough to remember to put my hand lotion in my checked bags, too, so I don't know how they would have handled that. Seemed like everyone they did a bag check on went somewhere else, so they didn't hold up the line and they didn't get stared at and hated by the other passengers.

Starting tomorrow, you can carry a lighter thru the checkpoint, {because the tobacco lobby is so powerful in Washington} er...studies have shown lighters are no longer a threat.

However, watch out for those cell phones and mp3 players! Blocks of cheddar--right out. You're SOL, Wisconsin.

And as for bottles of water, eyedrops, or the xanax gel caps you need to get thru the stress of the security checkpoint, fuggeddaboutit! Does anyone remember that last August, no drinks could be taken on airplanes, regardless of if they were bought past the checkpoint. But the concessions and restaurants lost too much money, so that rule got thrown out within a month.

I know, because I work at SFO for a major airline. The TSA is loyal to its corporate masters just like all the other Bush agencies, and God forbid that our security might be bad for business!

Too bad there aren't more American shoe manufacturers to lobby for our footwear.

(gasp) Cuz it was over 3 ounces.

Took my teen to the airport this week and since she is a minor I was allowed to go to the gate with her. A guy in front of us had his dinner in a restaurant to go bag. When the TSA lady started listing off banned liquids, his salsa was brought up.
He tried to tell her "it's for my dinner". No-go...either dump out all but 3 oz of it or leave it all behind. And that 3 oz had to be in one of their exact sized clear baggies. I think he ended up dumping it.
And my other gripe for the day. If they are going to dictate the SIZE of the clear baggie, put the damn things by the security area/x ray machine so when someone is told an item has to go in one (in this case, it was my daughter's MASCARA) they don't have to leave the security line, haul ass back to luggage check in,then stand in line AGAIN to get back up to security...only to be still pulled out of line by the xray people cuz the initial screener failed to mention that you can't just put the clear baggie back in your luggage that goes thru xray, it has to be left out.
We had brought a clear ziplock baggie with us but was told it was TOO BIG and had to go back and get TSA's baggie.

In fact, I think a lot of the rules are ludicrous - including the ones limiting liquids - and share your anger at the broken system. If I can buy liquids after the checkpoint in a large enough quantity to be dangerous, I can certainly bring whatever it is they are worried about through the checkpoint and combine it with the water I buy on the other side of the gate.

That said, I have had to travel a lot recently (10 flights in a 20 day period last month). Even though I think the rules are stupid, at this point I'm just as angry at folks who deliberately ignore the rules because the delays caused by people who don't read the rules and/or who think they don't apply to them add about 30 minutes to every trip I've had to take recently - either because of arguments with the TSA or multiple trips through the line.

The (stupid) rules are posted - and in every airport I've been in recently they are posted outside of the entrance to the security line. Here's what the sign looks like: http://www.tsa.gov/assets/pdf/311-poster.pdf It includes the size of the of the individual containers, the size of the baggie, that it must be a resealable baggie, and that it must be put in the bin (i.e. taken out of the luggage).

The TSA is not under any obligation to provide baggies, period. When they do (as they apparently did in your daughter's case), please take advantage of it and don't make the lines longer by going having to go through them twice - and worse yet, don't take your frustration out on your fellow passengers by delaying the process further by arguing with the TSA about why the rules are stupid or shouldn't apply to you. (Note: I don't know that you did the latter - but you said you did the former.)

drive she takes her car instead of flying. It's less safe, spending the time on the highway but more convenient than the airport hassle.

A decade or so ago, Mr. Tesha used to commute occasionally
to the NYC/Princeton corridor and even back then, before
air travel became pure hell, he'd made that decision.
Within the range of a four-hour drive, it was already a
clear "break-even" in time, and the milage payments his
company gave him made driving his reliable-but-economical
car a financial win as well.

With the increased hassle of flying these days, I suspect
his radius for driving would now be more like 5-6 hours,
but his job no longer calls for this sort of travel.

Nowadays, our favorite route into Manhattan is to drive
to New Haven, CT and take the Metro-North Railroad into
Grand Central terminal. Parking in New Haven is cheap and
safe and the 90 minute train ride forms a nice "book-end"
at the beginning and end of a day in Manhattan.

Tesha

I was watching Al Jazeera's podcast.

the book was written by Jenna or Pickles.

I think I will buy one of these just to travel with for sh*ts and giggles at the TSA checkpoint!

Sure looks like it could be.:silly:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:rofl:

with me.

Does TSA want to look at them? I'm confused. :shrug:

You fools! Electronic items in luggage will be STOLEN. Jesus H. Christ, can these people get anymore fascist?

and i will do it slow

You need to hold up the whole line at the shoe removal/gray tray phase where there is no one to ask you specifically about each item if you want the privilege of removing the items yourself. Once TSA determines that you have something that needs mandatory inspection in your carry-on, you have two choices: let them search for it themselves or turn around and forget about boarding today.
They will not let you remove the offending items from your own bag once it's been flagged -- that's against the rules.

I've never heard a name for it before. Good one! More accurately, we might call it the shoe removal/belt removal/coat removal/jewelry removal/cell phone-I-Pod-camera-computer inspection/gray tray phase

It's insane. I often wear my hair pulled back in a clip that sets alarms off every time. I always forget about that one. Then I get "wanded."

Here's a tip: My brother always travels in flip-flops, no matter what time of year it is. If they insist that he take them off, he can kick them off in no time. Usually they don't even ask.

"Smell my feet" phase, but I was trying to give a serious answer.

Here's a sobering fact: before last year, passengers were allowed to wear most flip flops through security without removal (as long as they weren't the thick soled kind.) The rules were very specific and nonmetallic open sandals with soles less than 1/2 inch thick were allowed. I never removed my footwear until they changed it to mandatory for all. I had a pair of foam sandals specifically for travel and packed shoes in a carry-on bag.

Now all footwear must be removed and screened ( http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1049.shtm ) Why the change? It wasn't announced but I'd bet my last dollar that it was to make the job easier for the TSA staff rather than related to a security threat.

I loved to travel by air and used to fly as part of my job, but it's such a pain in the neck now that I fly only when I have no choice.

last time I was flying (National to Orlando) my barrette set off the metal detector. Luckily, the security guy saw it and told me to take it off and go through again. He acted like he thought I was an idiot for wearing a metal barrette, but didn't wand me.

I wear three silver rings, two pendants, and a choker, not bling bling type stuff but not concealable. Everytime they do I tell them its silver and couldn't set off the metal detectors anyway, I would hope those TSA dopes would know what kind of metals would set off a detector.

it's also a great opportunity to remind the TSA/nazi employees what they are really doing

They don't make the rules. They are just following them. Your.. ah.. Protest will not change their opinion. They think the rules are stupid too.

If you want to protest, write the editor, your representives, etc. Get people to stand on the corner with signs or something.

But don't punish those who have to be in that line behind you and didn't pencil in time for your 'protests.'

My husband has to fly alot. He has to plan for those security lines. If people are going to be holding them up, he has to live the FAMILY sooner. If it happens on the way home and causes him to miss his flight, then that is more time away from the kids and I.

Don't be selfish!

or put everyone in handcuffs during the entire flight?

will they just doing their job?

that sounds ridiculous i know, but 10 years ago dumping all personal belongings into a tray for some nitwit to comb through probably sounded quite absurd..

If that happened, the people would refuse to fly. And that would be what it would take to get them to make changes.

A person here and there holding up the lines, that is just punishing the other passangers. Cause you are going to get on the plane after your through the gate. You just want to stop and harrass a fellow human on the way. The TSA or your fellow passangers don't have the authority to do anything. Nor to make changes. The TSA personns are like baggers at the grocery story. Bottom rung, doing their best.

If you really want to do something, orginize a fly strike. So people can plan ahead not to fly that day or those hours. Keep in mind that these people flying are not just going on vacaton. A Good portion of those flyers are 'on the job' and just want to get home. Such persons heart would be with you in spirt, but if they have been gone along time... The airlines will not fly an emply plane.

Something like that would take effort and a long time commitment. And you might be harrassed for it. Which is most likely why no one has done anything. You would have formalate a REAL workable message and get that message out there. Explain to business whos personal flys, how this would save them money in the long run. Folks paid per hour, get paid to travel. These people hate having to hang around the airport all the time. Hourly or salaried. You would have to get the message out to travel agents. This would make things easier for their clients in the end, if they didn't book on that day.

It would have to be non-Democrat and non-Republican. This crosses party lines. People are fed up.

If you want to do something about it, then do something real. This other, it just punishes workers and your fellow passangers.

I travel with a small child who might wander off if I take my eyes off her. I have various liquids we need in case we get separated from our checked luggage (which has happened more often than you would think). I have her medicine that needs to be bagged separately. I keep my camcorder in carryon to avoid being stolen from checked baggage. Our shoes need to come off of course. They want all the "special" items pulled out and put into trays. They want the camcorder out of the case and in a tray so they can look to see if it really works.

When I flew in June I just put the carryon on the belt and let them deal with it. I had all I could handle just putting bags up, taking shoes off, reassuring my daughter that she'd get her lovey back and ushering her through the metal detector. Yeah they pulled it out to inspect it, but you know I held up the line for less time having them search it than if I stood there and unloaded things one by one, stopping briefly to run after my daughter and bring her back. kwim????

All you will accomplish is to make the rest of us in line behind you wait longer.

I agree that the rules are stupid - but if you aren't willing to comply with the stupid rules then don't fly. Folks who think they are taking it out on the TSA by being obstinate are hurting their fellow passengers a lot more than the TSA. That includes my spouse who does not fly nearly as often as I do and who got an earful when she suggested a similar "protest" because she was angry that she was challenged about a tube of toothpaste that not only oversized, but was packed inside her carry-on bag.

enjoy the wait

you think it is appropriate for you to make be just as much of a jerk by making life more miserable for the rest of us who are also victims of the same jerks?

Nice.

the government are jerks because we allow it

More along the lines of jumping through hoops if you want the privilege of driving. If I want the privilege of driving I have to pass the equivalent of a parallel parking test (even though I will never be required to parallel park) and if I'm under 18 I have to take a worthless driver's ed course - because the state has decreed that anyone under 18 has to take one - even if all the course does is line the pockets of the driver's ed industry.

If I don't like the price I have to pay for the privilege of driving, I either don't drive or I lobby my legislators to change the law - I don't go hold up the line in my local license bureau arguing with the worker bees who have no authority to change the law and inconveniencing everyone else behind me in line. That's just rude to people who are already inconvenienced by the same rules - or others who have no authority to change the rules.

we are talking about unnecessarily being treated like criminals.. legislators are cowards and i have zero confidence in their ability to restore the liberties i was born with.

btw.. an inexperienced driver can kill someone; i doubt my mp3 player and electric shaver are going to be of any harm to anyone.

barriers to exercising rights v. barriers to exercising privileges. If you want to inconvenience me to protest barriers to exercising rights - have at it. You have my full support, and you can inconvenience me as much as you want. Flying and driving are privileges - if you don't like the barriers feel free to fight them (or don't take advantage of the privilege) - but don't take it out on the rest of us who, for whatever reason, are putting up with the barriers.

If you want something that is precisely the same, how about the screening before entering a major league sports event. Attending is a privilege you pay for - just like flying, and the screening is similar. If you don't want to put up with it - don't exercise the privilege of going to the game - or work through the system (or against the system in a way that impacts the system - not your fellow sports goers). You don't make any friends among those who want to get into the game (or help your cause) by slowly removing one item at a time, on specific request, and the screener has no ability to change the policy.

by our government? That is the biggest bunch of BS I have ever heard. In my opinion, all you idiots following the rules are the assholes. You give this type of fear mongering behavior legitimacy. I just despise myself everytime I go along so as not to inconvenience any of the sheeple. When the lady made me take off my unbuttoned sweater, I started to unbotton my shirt, too, because, hey, if I could be hiding something under my sweater, I could certainly be hiding something under my shirt! Her eyes got all huge and she started to freak out. I swear to god, next time, I'm taking it all off -- in the name of security! You just can't be too safe.

> i won't do it voluntarily... they will have to specifically ask me
> to remove each item and i will do it slow

If you do that, please know that they *WILL* scan you for
nitrates, that is, chemical markers for explosives. This
may matter if you take certain heart medications, shot
off fireworks last night, have a bomb in your iPod, etc.

Tesha

Once they start acting like that much of a jerk, they'll just be jerked out of the line and dealt with in private, and with a little luck they'll miss their flight. But they sure showed the airline inspectors a thing or two

fuck you. you know, all those people acting in good faith, following the rules? at least annouce beforehand that you will be holding up the line, so the rest of us can catch a plane.

Guess what? you don't actually NEED to fly anywhere, unless it is a medical emergency. it is more convenient, but it's not a human neccesity. so your little act of civil disobediance is simply going to piss off and inconvenience the people who actually want to get somewhere and are willing to jump through the hoops to do so. if you don't want to fly, don't. but don't take it out on me, huh?

They got screwdrivers to open everything up?

Is that this should have little effect on me.

The only electronic that travels with me is a camera.

Ma'am. Ma'am? YOU CAN PUT THEM BACK IN NOW!

Hekate

...but we all know it was the electronic components they found in blocks of CHEESE... ;-)

I'm tired of these BS measures that do nothing but inconvenience people and invade our privacy.

Without this show, Joe Average American would think
nothing was being done in the War on Terra(tm).

Tesha

"The agency also clarified an earlier press release to say that small electronic items, such as cell phones, MP3 players, iPods and portable video game systems do not have to be removed from their carrying cases."

Or only whatever small case they are in? In other words, it is not clear if I would have to take them out of my backpack. I also usually carry a digital camera in a camera bag, which is also inside my backpack. This article is not very clear on what are actually the new rules, even after clarification.

I'll hold up the line forever on my own for chrissakes.

I carry:

1. cell phone

2. laptop pc

3. a backup mini-hard drive

4. a hand held GPS

5. iPod

6. rechargeable AA batteries

7. AA battery charger

If I pack it in check-in luggage it will only be a matter of time before it's stolen, like my binoculars on the last trip.

She was carrying-on an enormous specialized backpack stuffed to the gills with: laptop, digital camera, ipod, headphones/earbuds, numerous chargers for the above named items, converters to plug said items into the wall, etc. etc. probably other electronics I can't even recall.

She was prepared to unpack it ALL at security... I talked to her several hours ago and she told me they didn't even have her open the bag.

I. KID. YOU. NOT!!!! :silly:


This is all a joke! The only terrorists ARE IN OUR OWN GOVERNMENT!

I had this happen to me when I went to see Kerry speak before the election in 2004. It's no big deal. Just a minor inconvenience.

Do you get sent to Gitmo?

They may want you to open it up and show the battery come in and out. So dramatic.

You'd have to take apart the device itself, which would be a pain in the ass with devices like the iPod, and would involve practically destroying it in the process.

So iPod bombs have to be able to light up the display?
And maybe play a few seconds of music?

Wow! What a tough hurlde for a bomb-make to leap!
I feel so much safer now!

Like I said above and elsewhere, the "security" is all
for show. The clever play would be to suborn the guy
who delivers the Fritos to a store inside the "sterile
area".

Tesha

But it's not that big of a deal.

> But it's not that big of a deal.

It's a big deal for two reasons:

First and foremost, it's another example of our government
bald-facedly lyingto us. The security is all for show, yet
we let them carry on with it as though it were some sort
of lullaby, lolling us to sleep warm in the thoughts that
we've been saved from terraists when, in fact, any terrorist
with half a brain could still find ways to hijack aircraft
and run the 9/11 play right over again.

But all that show searching makes the rubes think that
that Bushie's doin' a heckuva job, no?

Secondly, it's a practical pain in the ass. Nowadays, many
of us carry:

o Laptop
o Laptop charger
o iPod
o iPod charger or connection stuff
o Camera
o Spare batteries
o Battery charger
o Cell phone
o Pager or Blackberry

That's a lot of stuff to put out on the belt to be stolen
or broken. And again, we're doing it all for no good reason
but only because *THE SHOW MUST GO ON*!

Tesha

But what can you do about it besides not fly or not fly with all your goodies? I'm flying down to Florida next month and I will have to go through the charade. I'll just make the best of it while knowing it's bullshit, I really have no choice.

> But what can you do about it besides not fly or not fly
> with all your goodies?

Oh, you bet we drive more. And take the train. But the
really big win would be to replace the fascists in the
"government" who think this stuff up. (I'd like to say
"the boneheads who think this is a good and productive
idea", but I've really become to cynical to assume any
good faith any more on the part of our executive branch.)

Tesha

We need to get these criminals out of there ASAP.

Naw, I agree -- it's all for show. I've written papers on how damn near ANYTHING can be used as a weapon, if you're of that mindset.

The only solution is my startup company -- Nekkid Airlines ("We Have Nothing To Hide" (tm)).

whaaaaaaa.... "we don't have the votes"

they are also going to offer Colonoscopy (for an extra fee) during the cavity search

I've had to do it for a few years now...

The operative law is "Catch 22": You have to do what
they tell you to do, you have to do it simply because
"they say so", and you can't question why they're
doing it or escalate your quetions to anyone without
violating Catch 22.

So there.

Tesha

jeez louise, no wonder it doesn't affect those, my airline and most others specifically state they have no liability for medicines and electronics in checked luggage, so you cannot check them

and still the pax wait in the long lines and continue to fly

if people won't stop flying, then the tsa won't catch any heat and the airlines won't pressure them to stop w. the crap

i don't know why anyone flies who is not an elite customer, i see people in these long, long, LONG lines and i don't understand why they put up with it

but they do, the planes are packed to capacity -- pax vote w. their dollars to let the bullshit continue

at least i'm an elite in my program and go to the top of the line, altho a woman nearly punched me out the other day after the ID checker told me to go to the head of the line -- if they're going to have these lines, they need a LOT more crowd control to handle the unwashed masses who get mad seeing others go ahead of them

i couldn't believe how long the tsa agent spent inspecting just my camera the other day, i mean hello? tourists have cameras, if you have any doubt it's a camera just snap a damn picture and check it out on the playback...it's pretty damn simple these days...

TSA "sss"'d me for a secondary screening. No biggie, six people on the flight, odds were pretty good.

Anyhow, woman opens my camera bag. Suspiciously takes (gasp) a camera out of it. Turns it over once or twice. Pokes a button that wouldn't do anything even if it were on, which it wasn't.

Hands it to me: "Turn it on, please."

I switch it on, take her picture (shooting from the hip), turn it on display mode and leave her mug on the LCD screen. Proud of myself for the speed at which I do it. I think at least I'll get a snide comment, maybe frisked.

Nothing.

THEN, while it's sitting in display mode, with her grim face two inches high on the back, she puts it up to her face (there's no viewfinder!) to look through about where a viewfinder might've been, waves her hand in front of the camera, and somehow satisfied with -- with what? -- with whatever happened when she waved her hand in front of the place where a viewfinder might go (e.g. nothing), hands it back to me.

I felt like I had just gotten back a Fisher-Price computer from the town drunk.

We are not safe because of this. No sir. Not. One. Bit.