Laptop screening: it's in the bag

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Posted by: Economist.com | LONDON
Categories: Airports Luggage Security
PASSENGERS flying from American airports are to be allowed to put carry-on baggage through X-ray screening machines without having to remove laptops first. The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) rule change will take effect from August 16th, but only applies to "checkpoint-friendly" baggage. To qualify as such, a bag must meet certain requirements which allow the laptop to be viewed effectively by X-ray operators:


A designated laptop-only section
The laptop-only section completely unfolds to lay flat on the X-ray belt
No metal snaps, zippers or buckles inside, underneath or on top of the laptop-only section
No pockets on the inside or outside of the laptop-only section
Nothing packed in the laptop-only section other than the computer itself
Progress has been swift. The TSA only asked bag manufacturers to come up with relevant designs in March, and was not expecting to change its rules until the autumn. But 40 companies quickly submitted prototypes, and the New York Times has named Aerovation as the winner of the race to produce the first publicly available checkpoint-friendly bag (pictured).

This development scores highly in three areas: convenience (it's one less task for passengers to perform), speed (passengers with these bags can be processed more quickly) and security (a laptop that stays in a bag is less likely to be damaged or stolen off the conveyor belt). At airports in the European Union (EU), laptops must still be removed from their bags. Gulliver hopes to see those rules changed to match America’s as soon as possible.

Update: Britain's Department of Transport tells me that trials are underway at Heathrow and Glasgow airports, allowing flyers to leave laptops in their bags at security. If deemed successful—and if the EU grants dispensation from its usual rules—this practice could be rolled out at other British airports.