"Suspicious behaviour" at security control? Really?
#17
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: Chicago, IL, USA
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Yup, I do the same with my charger.
Last edited by TWA884; Jul 28, 2016 at 10:26 pm Reason: Conform to moderator's edit of quoted post
#18
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Eurozone
Programs: LH SEN, HH Gold
Posts: 3,002
Just passe through A/B/Z security checkpoint at FRA and my laptop bag got pulled out for a swab, then I was asked to open it. The guy pulled out my laptop charger and said "This is the problem. You have wrapped the cable around the unit* and on the scanner it looks suspicious. You should never do this at airport security."
Seriously? Surely EVERYBODY does this with their laptop cable. Are they really going to harass everyone about this? What else are they going to have on the list if this is "suspicious"?
*He was referring to the AC/DC transformer.
Seriously? Surely EVERYBODY does this with their laptop cable. Are they really going to harass everyone about this? What else are they going to have on the list if this is "suspicious"?
*He was referring to the AC/DC transformer.
<deleted by moderator>
Last edited by TWA884; Jul 28, 2016 at 10:29 pm Reason: Response to redacted portion of a quote
#19
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: 1 thousand
Posts: 2,112
Probably not, given that wires are made of metal, and we all know what metal looks like on an X-ray scanner. Plenty of scanners now have automated software, and I can see that getting confused by a tangled charger.
Last edited by televisor; Jul 28, 2016 at 11:02 pm
#20
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Posts: 419
It would never occur to me not to wrap a charger around itself and then pack it in my carry-on. I'm sure everyone has a method, but I can't think of another way that won't tangle it with something else. If a TSA agent told me to do otherwise, I'd say "OK, thanks," and wrap it as usual.
Seth
Seth
#21
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: 1 thousand
Posts: 2,112
It would never occur to me not to wrap a charger around itself and then pack it in my carry-on. I'm sure everyone has a method, but I can't think of another way that won't tangle it with something else. If a TSA agent told me to do otherwise, I'd say "OK, thanks," and wrap it as usual.
Seth
Seth
#22
Join Date: May 2010
Location: YLMQ
Programs: QF Gold, WY Gold
Posts: 682
Macbook Charger has a particular way to be wrapped up which involves wrapping it around the charger.
http://gizmodo.com/youve-been-wrappi...-wh-1481066698
http://gizmodo.com/youve-been-wrappi...-wh-1481066698
#23
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Just passe through A/B/Z security checkpoint at FRA and my laptop bag got pulled out for a swab, then I was asked to open it. The guy pulled out my laptop charger and said "This is the problem. You have wrapped the cable around the unit* and on the scanner it looks suspicious. You should never do this at airport security."
Seriously? Surely EVERYBODY does this with their laptop cable. Are they really going to harass everyone about this? What else are they going to have on the list if this is "suspicious"?
*He was referring to the AC/DC transformer.
Seriously? Surely EVERYBODY does this with their laptop cable. Are they really going to harass everyone about this? What else are they going to have on the list if this is "suspicious"?
*He was referring to the AC/DC transformer.
Last edited by GUWonder; Jul 29, 2016 at 5:54 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
Most of the chargers I've had have velcro on the cable, so you can loop the cables, and then use the velcro to hold them together (I keep that separate from the charger for aesthetic and packing reasons). The mac chargers I've had have clips that let you loop the cable at the end of the charger (i.e. not round the charger). Both of these options are a lot less messy and pack more compactly (IMHO) than wrapping round the charger. Also easier to untangle aftewards (again IMHO).
#25
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
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Posts: 20,634
I travel with a Dell XPS 11. The cord is designed to wrap tightly around the AC adapter as shown below. I have never had a problem taking it through security checkpoints at both US and foreign airports.
Last edited by TWA884; Jul 29, 2016 at 1:32 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
some of us have apple laptops, perhaps their wrapped chargers look different
to clarify/correct my earlier post, screeners will probably view images differently, but there is nothing one can do about the image and therefore how some view it
to clarify/correct my earlier post, screeners will probably view images differently, but there is nothing one can do about the image and therefore how some view it
#27
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: 1 thousand
Posts: 2,112
Macbook Charger has a particular way to be wrapped up which involves wrapping it around the charger.
http://gizmodo.com/youve-been-wrappi...-wh-1481066698
http://gizmodo.com/youve-been-wrappi...-wh-1481066698
But yes, everyone will have different preferences.
#28
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 2,403
European airports are often picky about cables.
They want anything remotely electronic separated and spread out.
No iPads left inside bags. No chargers or AC adapters left inside bags.
I had this happen even in Portland, Oregon. I left an ordinary laptop charger inside the bag, the cord wrapped around it, and it got their attention.
I've also been asked to put a mobile phone into its own bin.
I don't think it was "suspicious behaivor" and I wish that the Fraport agent wasn't shaming about it. The more polite response would have been like the friendly woman in Portland, "These sometimes look strange on the x-ray, and it's hard to figure them out; that's all."
They want anything remotely electronic separated and spread out.
No iPads left inside bags. No chargers or AC adapters left inside bags.
I had this happen even in Portland, Oregon. I left an ordinary laptop charger inside the bag, the cord wrapped around it, and it got their attention.
I've also been asked to put a mobile phone into its own bin.
I don't think it was "suspicious behaivor" and I wish that the Fraport agent wasn't shaming about it. The more polite response would have been like the friendly woman in Portland, "These sometimes look strange on the x-ray, and it's hard to figure them out; that's all."
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: South Yorkshire, UK
Programs: A3*G, LH FTL, VS Red, Avis Preferred, Hertz President's Circle, (RIP Diamond Club)
Posts: 2,364
European airports are often picky about cables.
They want anything remotely electronic separated and spread out.
No iPads left inside bags. No chargers or AC adapters left inside bags.
I had this happen even in Portland, Oregon. I left an ordinary laptop charger inside the bag, the cord wrapped around it, and it got their attention.
I've also been asked to put a mobile phone into its own bin.
I don't think it was "suspicious behaivor" and I wish that the Fraport agent wasn't shaming about it. The more polite response would have been like the friendly woman in Portland, "These sometimes look strange on the x-ray, and it's hard to figure them out; that's all."
They want anything remotely electronic separated and spread out.
No iPads left inside bags. No chargers or AC adapters left inside bags.
I had this happen even in Portland, Oregon. I left an ordinary laptop charger inside the bag, the cord wrapped around it, and it got their attention.
I've also been asked to put a mobile phone into its own bin.
I don't think it was "suspicious behaivor" and I wish that the Fraport agent wasn't shaming about it. The more polite response would have been like the friendly woman in Portland, "These sometimes look strange on the x-ray, and it's hard to figure them out; that's all."
#30
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Eurozone
Programs: LH SEN, HH Gold
Posts: 3,002
The stupid thing is that at FRA they specifically ask for laptops, ipads and cameras to be taken out of the bag, but if you start taking other stuff out they tell you it's OK (e.g. my big headphones) and they can stay in your bag. I also have a small zip up bag that contains all my accessory cables and plugs which usually gets flagged but I get told to put it back in the bag. I'll happily take anything out of my bag for the scanner but when they tell you to leave it in and then tell you it's suspicious when you do I get annoyed.
But even if you leave it in the bag (or choose to put it back into the bag) and then happen to be asked to show it, I fail to see harassment here.
At this point, away from the security checkpoint, I'd also seriously be asking myself why I'm 'happily' willing to spend the time on the front end dragging extra things out (that I'll also have to repack later and possibly even forget in a bin), but I'm not willing to potentially--and only potentially--spend about the same amount of time on the back end and not be annoyed over it. It's worth pondering.
Last edited by Grog; Aug 1, 2016 at 2:20 pm