Boggie Dog

National Opt Out day failed in part because TSA side stepped the protest. Slowing down screening could result in claims of interfering with screening by TSA. Would not surprise me to see TSA play that card.

WillCAD

"Well, if it keeps us safe! You should stop complaining about some minor inconvenience! I'd rather stand in line for a while than explode in mid-air!"

And it just goes on.

petaluma1

Instead of being exploded while in mid-air, they'll be slaughtered while standing in the TSA line. But of course, most can't seem to realize that it's TSA itself that is putting them at risk.

WillCAD

Since this thread is over a year old, could we get some recent experiences with the electronics screening policy? How are individual airports implementing the "all electronics larger than a cell phone must be in a bin" policy in mid-2018? How strict is the policy, what sort of devices can be safely left in the bag, etc. What happens if I just leave all of my devices in my locked carry-on and accept a hand inspection (i.e. would I get a punitive full-body rubdown with genital contact)? I'm mostly curious about the specifics of putting thousands of dollars worth of electronics into an open plastic bin at the checkpoint - can they be in one bin? Do they have to be on one layer or can I put my camera, tablet, and phone on top of my laptop?

It's been an unusually long time since I've flown and I'm curious about how this policy has evolved since it was shoved down our thro... er, since it was initially implemented.

zitsky

Not sure who, but someone said that even electric toothbrushes have to come out of your bag.

holland

My recent experience in multiple airports is it all comes out and goes into tubs in a single layer. I leave my small 3.5" portable travel hard drive in my bag, but take out my laptop which has to go in a bin by itself (even if I put something next to it, they always take it out and move it to another bin). I put my 7" tablet, bose headphones, cell phone, and apple watch in a single bin all spread out in a single layer.

Boggie Dog

So the progression over time seems to be on track to put each and every carry on item in a separate bin. Wonder which former DHS/TSA employee has the bin contract?

What does this say about TSA screening capabilities?

Boggie Dog

None Pre lines or all?

petaluma1

This, together with the requirement to take out food (which TSA is still claiming is not a rule, but a request to make screening easier), says their "screening capabilities" are pretty much non-existent. OTOH, there may be a twofold reason to do this, neither of which have to do with exploding electronics or food: 1. As we have discussed before, to make screening so onerous that people will flock to buy PreCheck. If this is so, it seems as if TSA has failed again. 2. To put pressure on Congress to enable TSA to buy CT machines for checkpoint screenings. IIRC, this was in the budget but got yanked.

chollie

My bag has been pulled the last two times I flew out of PHX. The wait time for a bag to be cleared seems to have increased there and elsewhere. I'm seeing one bag checker for a lane - less chaotic than before, where multiple screeners were grabbing bags off the belt, but it doesn't take long to create a delay, particularly when sometimes at some checkpoints, an unusually large number of bags seem to be getting flagged.

I think this is about 1) the new CT machines and 2) improving 'red team' test scores. I'm betting there are some VERY large bonuses tied to improving those scores. After all, the guy who was tasked with it before got massive (illegally massive) bonuses even though he completely failed.

Boggie Dog

Do you know why or what concerned them about your bag?

chollie

I posted about one time. The screener kept asking what electronics were in the bag. Finally he dug through the bag and identified the culprit: my Sonicare toothbrush. I don't know what triggered the other search - nothing was identified or challenged, including the same Sonicare toothbrush. (shrug).

chollie

I still question the basis of the PreCheck program - make the process so bad that people will flock to pay for an expedited process.

There are express options for big museum openings - and I've never seen more than a relative handful of people willing or able to pony up the $$ to skip the line. I don't think the budget-minded folks who fly Spirit Airlines or the 'basic' discount fares being introduced on some airlines are going to pony up the money to (possibly) improve their checkpoint experience either. No idea if TSA's enrollment goals included foreign nationals who might not be eligible for Pre.

And I still don't think TSA ever studied the impact of not providing full Precheck at some airports. For a regular flier out of those airports, the potential cost of PreCheck has just doubled because half the time (departure), the pax will never get Pre.

Boggie Dog

People who fly a couple or so times each year are not likely candidates for Pre. That leaves more frequent travelers who can benefit on a regular basis by having Pre. The big question is how many unique individuals make up that group? Doesn't seem to be 25 million, likely not even half that number.

InkUnderNails

Two data points, both last week, BNA and SJC.

No pre-check. I have an iPad and a laptop in my computer backpack that I put in bins. I leave the phone in. No problem either time.

My Pelican case is another matter. If I were to separate out all electronics "larger than a cell phone" it would take 5+ bins. So, when they say all electronics in the bins, I pat the closed up Pelican and say its is full of electronics, why don't you just screen it? That is what they did, twice. Both times it was quicker than I could get my belt back on.

Previous trip in April, I got Pre both ways. Pelican went on the belt and came out the other side with no screening.