Is "remove all electronics" at TSA security back?
Mar 25, 2008, 10:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: BMI based alternates CMI/PIA/ORD/IND/STL
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Posts: 367
Is "remove all electronics" at TSA security back?
CMI (Champaign, IL) March 24, 2008 I'm a 1 million miler, Executive Platinum on AA. The TSA woman at xray said my laptop bag was "too cluttered." They proceeded to empty the contents of all my electronics into a tray to rescreen. This was the same laptop bag that went through CMI and ATL last week with no problems. Needless to say it took longer to repack the electronics and make sure everything went back into the right place. I remember that day back at SFO in January...
The same happened to the guy in front of me and behind me.
The same happened to the guy in front of me and behind me.
Mar 25, 2008, 12:48 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,037
Sometimes bag contents do shuffle in a way that catches an x-ray operator's eyes.
You should have caught the TSAers name and filed a complaint.
On a side note, I hope you don't bring up your AA status at the checkpoints. Some TSAers love to stick it to FFers.
You should have caught the TSAers name and filed a complaint.
On a side note, I hope you don't bring up your AA status at the checkpoints. Some TSAers love to stick it to FFers.
Mar 25, 2008, 12:54 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Orlando, FL, US
Programs: DL-Dirt Medallion;US-Cast Iron Preferred; HH-Gold; Avis First
Posts: 3,617
Just went through MCO an hour ago with my bag full of chargers and cables with no problem. It is probably a single screener, not a TSA wide change.
Mar 25, 2008, 1:29 pm
#5
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Hard not to bring up my status. The ExecPlat luggage tag on my bag is pretty explicit with the 1 million endorsement on it too.
Mar 25, 2008, 1:30 pm
#6
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Like I said, I got through CMI and ATL last week with no issues. Hopefully it is one screener but the TSA said they were going to stop this practice.
Mar 25, 2008, 1:46 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Houston
Posts: 8,956
This is different than the SFO directive where all pax were told to remove all electronics from their bags prior to screening. Here the x-ray operator had difficulty seeing through the bag, so had the electronics pulled to be able to differentiate among the items. It's the equivalent of a bag check.
Mar 25, 2008, 2:04 pm
#9
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Or are they changing their tactics? The screeners feint clutter and achieve the same result? How does the same bag with the exact same contents travel each week and not had this problem? If it happens on my outbound at ATL then I'll think it is something in my laptop bag but I'll bet I'll have no problems (just like I haven't the past 8 weeks).
Mar 25, 2008, 3:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 2007
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That said, I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. It's probably due to a noob screener who is not very good at reading the xrays.I find this to be the case at some of the smaller airports. CMH is also pretty bad.
Mar 25, 2008, 6:59 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 232
CMI (Champaign, IL) March 24, 2008 I'm a 1 million miler, Executive Platinum on AA. The TSA woman at xray said my laptop bag was "too cluttered." They proceeded to empty the contents of all my electronics into a tray to rescreen. This was the same laptop bag that went through CMI and ATL last week with no problems. Needless to say it took longer to repack the electronics and make sure everything went back into the right place. I remember that day back at SFO in January...
The same happened to the guy in front of me and behind me.
The same happened to the guy in front of me and behind me.
djk7 -
Just went through MCO an hour ago with my bag full of chargers and cables with no problem. It is probably a single screener, not a TSA wide change.
Or are they changing their tactics? The screeners feint clutter and achieve the same result? How does the same bag with the exact same contents travel each week and not had this problem? If it happens on my outbound at ATL then I'll think it is something in my laptop bag but I'll bet I'll have no problems (just like I haven't the past 8 weeks).
Mar 25, 2008, 7:36 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 117
NO, it is not back.
The TSO thought your back had to much stuff in it to see all the items on the x-ray so they called a bag check. That's all, nothing else. In all your millions of miles traveled this once your bag was looked at. It's really not that big of a deal.
Mar 25, 2008, 7:55 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Orlando, FL, US
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Posts: 3,617
Too bad there is no way we can know who you are so we can say "hi" when we are going through, but this is too public a forum to give any identifying info.
Last edited by djk7; Mar 25, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Mar 25, 2008, 9:07 pm
#15
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,037
But re-read the OP. How likely is that to happen to three consecutive people in line?