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-   -   TSA Friendly School Backpack? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/checkpoints-borders-policy-debate/1976117-tsa-friendly-school-backpack.html)

yandosan Jun 29, 2019 1:26 pm
TSA Friendly School Backpack?
 
So I just bought a school backpack online. It is labelled as "TSA friendly." What does that mean? It's not made out of hemp?
Doesn't contain any nitrates? Doesn't have any zippers that don't unzip? Doesn't have any secret compartments?

TWA884 Jun 29, 2019 1:56 pm
"TSA friendly" backpacks are designed to produce clear and unobstructed images of laptop computers when undergoing X-ray screening. Using one, you don't have to remove your laptop from the backpack when going through a TSA security checkpoint.

yandosan Jun 29, 2019 2:04 pm
"Using one, you don't have to remove your laptop from the backpack when going through a TSA security checkpoint."

Interesting, I don't believe I have ever heard TSA say "Everyone take out your computers, except if your backpack is TSA friendly."

catocony Jun 29, 2019 2:55 pm
Originally Posted by yandosan (Post 31252730)
"Using one, you don't have to remove your laptop from the backpack when going through a TSA security checkpoint."

Interesting, I don't believe I have ever heard TSA say "Everyone take out your computers, except if your backpack is TSA friendly."
Agreed. I think that would be considered a cognitive burden, from a TSA perspective.

Rare Jun 29, 2019 8:12 pm
Originally Posted by yandosan (Post 31252730)
Interesting, I don't believe I have ever heard TSA say "Everyone take out your computers, except if your backpack is TSA friendly."
I haven’t heard them say that, but on more than one occasion when they have said “laptops must come out” and I instead unzip my backpack so that the laptop compartment folds out, they say something like “oh, you have one of those.” I didn’t think such backpacks were that rare anymore.

yandosan Jun 29, 2019 8:49 pm
TSA friendly...upon reflection, I think maybe it's just a meaningless expression, a perfunctory, deferential, quasi-Patriotic thumbs up to Big Government and the powers that be. What could be more American than that?

WillCAD Jun 29, 2019 9:13 pm
Originally Posted by catocony (Post 31252876)
Agreed. I think that would be considered a cognitive burden, from a TSA perspective.
Originally Posted by Rare (Post 31253548)
I haven’t heard them say that, but on more than one occasion when they have said “laptops must come out” and I instead unzip my backpack so that the laptop compartment folds out, they say something like “oh, you have one of those.” I didn’t think such backpacks were that rare anymore.
I've been wondering about that. I'm an infrequent flier, so I have few opportunities to observe checkpoint goings-on, but I had always suspected that TSA would simply wave a paw and say "Bah!"* when someone tried to push a so-called TSA-friendly bag through without removing their laptop.

Does the bag need to go into a bin, or can it be placed directly on the belt?

* Obscure Dilbert reference

GUWonder Jun 29, 2019 10:47 pm
Either bin, or directly on the belt. But the TSA will sometimes still insist they come out. Just not often.

Originally Posted by Rare (Post 31253548)


I haven’t heard them say that, but on more than one occasion when they have said “laptops must come out” and I instead unzip my backpack so that the laptop compartment folds out, they say something like “oh, you have one of those.” I didn’t think such backpacks were that rare anymore.
Yes, it’s rare that the TSA pushes back when using such a pull-out/flip-out; but the same backpacks used in the same way at say LHR is a recipe for a higher chance of being sent to the “punish ‘em” slow line for manual searches. Not always, but sometimes.

gsoltso Jun 30, 2019 9:12 am
Originally Posted by TWA884 (Post 31252710)
"TSA friendly" backpacks are designed to produce clear and unobstructed images of laptop computers when undergoing X-ray screening. Using one, you don't have to remove your laptop from the backpack when going through a TSA security checkpoint.
This.

We see these fairly consistently, and our workforce is well versed enough to recognize them. These bags are great for students, business travelers and just about anyone else that is going to fly. It makes the process a bit simpler, in that you just unzip the compartment and lay it flat, then go on about your business.

**Caveat - these are designed to be used with the computer only in the computer compartment, if you put a ton of papers, or the mouse, or the tablet, or just about any other item in that compartment, the TSOs are going to call it for a bag check.


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