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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 8:52 pm
  #1  
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Laptop Question

I am flying UA with my laptop computer on Friday. I hardly ever travel with it, do I still need to take it out of my bag at security? If yes, do I need to take anything else out as well? (Charger battery etc)

Thanks, sorry for such a stupid question.

Patrick
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 8:56 pm
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Short answer - yes.

But I assume this will be moved to the Travel/Security forum, where it belongs. You can search there and find a wealth of information on this and other related topics.
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 9:06 pm
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Actually, I think it depends on where you're flying. At HNL (and I'd assume, the rest of the United States), I believe they make me take my laptop out of my bag. I just flew ICN-HKG last week and I never had to take my laptop out at either airport.
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 9:11 pm
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I have always been asked to do so... even when it is already out of the bag.
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 9:17 pm
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Every airport in the United States I've been to has ALWAYS asked people to remove their laptops (think it's a TSA rule). But usually don't take my laptop with me when I go out of the country, so not sure about international airports.

If yes, do I need to take anything else out as well? (Charger battery etc)
Nope.. you should be fine.
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 9:29 pm
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All you should have to remove is your laptop (no cables, etc.) Supposedly, this is to make it easier for the TSA to see what's in both your bag and your laptop when x-raying them... although the dimwits at EWR have made me put my coat, shoes, hat, belt, etc. on top of my laptop before, thus defeating the whole "purpose" of removing it...
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 10:05 pm
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In the US it is standard procedure to take the laptop out of the bag. Occasionally it will be checked with a swab for explosives causing a slight (1 to 2 minutes) delay. Outside of the US my experience is that the laptop stays in the bag and gets xrayed along with the other contents.

So in the US, before you get to the security check, put watch, wallet, belt, loose change, phone etc into latop bag and unzip laptop section. Keep boarding pass and photo ID handy. At the machine put laptop into tray and put shoes onto belt or in another tray. Then when you exit the security area pick up laptop, bag, shoes, other stuff and try and juggle it with BP and ID while you find an areas where you can re-assemble yourlself :-).
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 10:44 pm
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Thank you everybody for the quick replies. I guess I'll have to take it out, which I assumed, but I'm glad I can leave the cables and such in there.

Thanks again!

Patrick
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Old Dec 28, 2005 | 11:55 pm
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Originally Posted by Foster461
... So in the US, before you get to the security check, put watch, wallet, belt, loose change, phone etc into latop bag and unzip laptop section. Keep boarding pass and photo ID handy. At the machine put laptop into tray and put shoes onto belt or in another tray. Then when you exit the security area pick up laptop, bag, shoes, other stuff and try and juggle it with BP and ID while you find an areas where you can re-assemble yourlself :-).
A succinct description of the most challenging part of air travel in the 21st century. Even the most experienced among us looks like an idiot trying to juggle coat, shoes, laptop, laptop case, carry-on and anything else they have until reaching the first handy seating area. I think they do it to us just for the laughs.

JR
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Old Dec 29, 2005 | 1:50 am
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Never traveled without laptop for last few years.

In US, always have to take the laptop out of the bag. Overseas, mostly Asia and Europe, never have to take laptop out of the bag as far as I can remember.
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Old Jan 7, 2006 | 11:10 pm
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Originally Posted by sjsharksfan
Never traveled without laptop for last few years.

In US, always have to take the laptop out of the bag. Overseas, mostly Asia and Europe, never have to take laptop out of the bag as far as I can remember.
What he said. Also seems to be the same with removing shoes!
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Old Jan 8, 2006 | 4:47 am
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Originally Posted by sjsharksfan
..In US, always have to take the laptop out of the bag. Overseas, mostly Asia and Europe, never have to take laptop out of the bag as far as I can remember.
Agree with US and Asia but Europe, I could only leave the notebook in the bag
in LHR. Had to take it out (for US flights) in AMS, FRA, MUC, ZRH.
Also SYD had to take it out, AKL could leave it in.

Shoes go off in ZRH (for US flights), sometimes SYD, also had to take them
off in NRT once.
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Old Jan 8, 2006 | 7:55 am
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different impression in Asia ...

Hm, I have to take it out of the Laptop bag in Asia, too (without need to take it out of the laptop bag TPE and PNH), but also in HKG, SIN, BKK and KUL. In SIN (on a flight to FRA) I even have to start the Laptop.

In DUS, FRA, MUC, BCN, ZRH, STR, JFK, EWR I have to take it out, in EWR (flight to SIN) I have to start the Laptop.
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Old Jan 8, 2006 | 1:26 pm
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And in SVO, everyone gets a hand search of all of their luggage, checked and carry on.
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Old Jan 9, 2006 | 9:48 am
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Originally Posted by Foster461
So in the US, before you get to the security check, put watch, wallet, belt, loose change, phone etc into latop bag and unzip laptop section. Keep boarding pass and photo ID handy. At the machine put laptop into tray and put shoes onto belt or in another tray. Then when you exit the security area pick up laptop, bag, shoes, other stuff and try and juggle it with BP and ID while you find an areas where you can re-assemble yourlself :-).
This is great advice! If only the infrequent travelers knew how to be this organized @:-)

As for the OP, the only thing you'll need to pull out is the laptop. Don't worry about the charger, USB stick, misc items. If laptop accessories are an issue, TSA will let you know. Also, don't place the laptop on the conveyer until you're ready to go through the metal detector. That way the laptop is never out of your sight except when it's in the xray machine.
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