At almost every airport, when you go through secondary screening you will be separated from your property. Generally if you ask TSA nicely they will go get your laptop and computer bag and put it where you can see it. They usually will do this with a smile. After a coworker had a laptop stolen at a check point in the pre TSA days I am quite protective of my computer.

At one airport which at the present time shall remain nameless, they refuse to do this. If you ask nicely they yell at you to do what you are told. It is a busy place, quite crowded and is a theft just waiting to happen.

At this particular airport, no matter how nicely you ask, they refuse and call for additional security and supervisors to intervene as you are considered belligerent and abusive. Usually the supervisor sees that I am quiet calm and grabs the laptop for me.


So what is the proper procedure? Is personal property to be left unguarded while TSA does the secondary screening? Or are we within our rights to request that someone keep an eye on expensive equipment?