alpenrose

I recently bought DH this lovely bag:
http://www.briggs-riley.com/category...l-Brief_KB203C

It's a B& R Checkpoint friendly bag. He never seems to be able to get security to clear it through for him without having to take out his computer. Has anyone here been able to make this bag work for them? If so, I would really appreciate your thoughts on the process and the bag, and maybe perhaps the required body language ;-) $299 is a lot for something that does not seem to work very well. Also, it has a place to put all the things in your pockets : wallet, glasses case, keys, etc. Do you use this function in your bag even if it's not this model?

Thank you,

nyc2socal

I have a similar type of bag, and never had a problem. Note that the compartment that holds the laptop cannot have any other item besides the laptop itself (no paper, no nothing). Most of my flights (last year or so) have been pre-check, so it hasn't been an issue. The times that I did not have pre, I was able to lay the bag open flat with no issues.. Please note that this only applies to domestic flights. YYZ always made me take the laptop out.

alpenrose

Hi Nyc2socal:

Thank you for responding. Do you use the section for wallet, keys, glasses, etc.? When you put everything in that section, open the case, and lay it flat, do they ever stop you and ask you to take those things out of the case?

nyc2socal

Nope, as long as the laptop is by itself on the back half, I have never been asked. I have A LOT of stuff in the front half. I tend to shove all my metallic items in that section when going through security. TSA never batted an eye (except for YYZ as I said previously). Are you sure he's unzipping the bag fully for the x-ray? So the first picture in your link to the product page is how he should be running his bag through the x-ray. Fully opened, back half (with the laptop by itself flat.

tentseller

YYZ security is not run by TSA, they are CATSA outsourced to a private security firm. They seem to be clueless about this "check-point friendly" concept.
It is also the only airport when I am asked to remove my computer from the eBags, Timbuktu and B&R TSA approved "check-point friendly bag.

gobluetwo

same as nyc2socal. Usually PreCheck, but on the odd occasions I'm not (airport doesn't have it, line is closed), my new Checkpoint friendly bag (Everki Versa Premium) has worked like a charm. I just unzip and lay it open with nothing else in the same compartment. I have tons of other stuff in the other side, including phones, keys, glasses, tablet, files, umbrella, etc.

davidyee

All CATSA sites make you remove the laptop.

mikel51

I routinely have paper in with my laptop. Its never been a problem....but now with TSA, its never a problem and easier because you don't have to zip open the "butterfly."

kingalien

I have the smaller version of the same case. I use it for an ultrabook and the other side has all my cables, keys, wallet and an iPad. I unzip for security whether or not I am Pre-Check and have never had an issue.

IsleOfMan

Having something on-top of the laptop in the laptop compartment was my first thought as to why the OP's not having success. Still, the possibility for ambiguity and misunderstanding with TSA agents is one big reason why I travel with a Surface Pro for both productivity (work) and media consumption (play) as opposed to a larger laptop and separate tablet. I've really streamlined what I travel with and don't have to remove anything but my shoes and coat at checkpoints now.

I now travel with:

- MS Surface Pro w/ Type Cover 2
- MS Surface Pro Charger
- MS Arc Mouse (the original fold-in-half model)
- Retractable micro-USB cable (to charge phone from 1A USB charging port on the Surface Pro Charger)
- Miniature 3-port USB Hub (in-case I need to hook up a USB drive and Arc Mouse at the same time)
- Ars Technica ANH27 Noise Canceling Headphones (long trips) or Bluetooth neck-back headphones (short trips)
- Dual USB Car Chager (in-case someone else needs to charge at the same time as me)
- Moleskine XL Square Notebook & Fisher Click-o-Matic Space Pen

The above all fits in a Amazon Basics 11.6" Laptop Bag which fits over the handle or (with headphones removed) in the front pocket of my roll-aboard.


Even my primary work laptop (which sits on its dock in my home office 99% of the time thanks to the Surface Pro) shouldn't technically need to be removed per the 12" x 14" "Standard Size" laptop guidelines, though this is even more ambiguous and open to incorrect/over-zealous interpretation by TSA agents than the Checkpoint-Friendly bags.

N1120A

Not if you have NEXUS, but yes, you can't even leave it in a sleeve