The TSA is asking for "large electronics" to be separately screened. Tuesday afternoon I went through COS, and the TSA asked if I had an external hard drive.

(I've noticed that "large electronics" now includes portable DVD players at some airports.)

YMMV.

Straight from the TSA website (which I would print and carry):

.."What Needs to be Screened Separately

* Laptops
* Full-size video game consoles
* Full-size DVD players
* Video cameras that use video cassettes
* CPAP breathing machines

Small and portable electronic items do not need to be removed from their carrying cases."

...so when the idiot Goon tells you differently, shove the printout in his face and look confused and bewildered.....make sounds like, "wha?...wha? it says here not to remove those items....I need a supervisor to help me because you are really confusing me...."

I pointed out to the screener that it isn't necessary to remove those items. I also informed her that I'm a member of Flyer Talk, where we discuss these issues in depth. She sighed and said "Ohhhhhh really?" In regards to the lighters she said her boss had instructed everyone to enforce a one lighter per person policy, although the TSA website says nothing about how many lighters can be carried past the checkpoint.

Just another case of some trigger happy TSO wanting to make their own set of rules. :td:

That statement is guaranteed to get you an SSSS.

:D

Last I heard the lighter limit was one and that this came from the FAA, however TSA was not enforcing it b/c they are spending their time looking for other "threats."

What electronics come out of your bag beyond the TSA requirments is really up to the x-ray operator. If the TSO can't tell what stuff is on the screen then s/he is probably going to have your bag searched. If the TSO searching your bag then tells you that the smaller stuff MUST come out of the bag then s/he is wrong.